The LifeProof vinyl plank is believed to transform the overall look of the house into a classy and traditional look without compromising quality.
Most people would turn to hardwood floor for the look, but the problem is, not everyone can afford it. This is when the luxury vinyl floor comes to existence.
With the floor, you should be able to deliver wood appearance and vibe into your house without spending a fortune and without the fuss of maintenance (and care).
And LifeProof is one of the high-end brands with quality and premium products that won’t disappoint homeowners.
Luxury Vinyl Floor and LifeProof Brand
Luxury vinyl floor is the higher and better type of vinyl flooring. You can say that vinyl floor is the standard type while the luxury vinyl is the improved one.
As a result, the luxury vinyl floor has better look, better quality, better performance, and better value.
The great thing about the luxury vinyl floor is that you won’t have to spend a fortune to improve the look of your floor.
You are able to create artistic and gorgeous look in a fraction cost of hardwood flooring. Maintenance and cleaning is also easy.
And the best thing about the luxury vinyl floor is the waterproof quality. No need to worry about spills or splashes anymore. Moisture and water is no longer your enemy.
And what’s special about LifeProof vinyl plank?
Well, there are so many different brands for luxury vinyl flooring. If you aren’t familiar with the brands, things can be overwhelming and confusing.
LifeProof is one of the premium brands that have special exclusive features that you won’t find elsewhere.
Aside from offering various collections (including rustic and trendy looks), you can expect better quality.
The planks are available in various sizes and different widths. Plus, they have deep embossed feature to imitate natural grains of pine, hickory, and oak.
Read Also: Moduleo Vinyl Plank Review for Your Flooring Consideration
Matter of Installation
Luxury vinyl flooring has one of the best advantages: the easy installation. If you are into DIY projects, you should have no problem or whatsoever to install the floor on your own.
You only need some simple and regular tools, such as soft-faced hammer or tapping block to do the work.
LifeProof vinyl plank is coming as a floating floor. it has its own interlocking mechanism that you should install directly over any existing subfloor.
It means that you won’t even have to remove your old floor to replace it. Just lay the LifeProof floor on top of the existing floor and you can have a new floor in no time!
But there are some cases where you need a vapor barrier or cushioning system. If you check the subfloor and you aren’t sure about it, just consult a professional expert and ask them for the best solution.
Keep in mind that the subfloor plays a crucial role in this. It should be solid and not wobbly.
The luxury vinyl plank can be installed on top of other solid subfloor, but it can’t be installed over (another) floating floor.
Let’s say you have a laminate floor before. You must remove the laminate first before you install the vinyl.
If you install the vinyl over the laminate, don’t be too surprised if your floor starts to show signs of wear and damage in a short time.
Moreover, this type of luxury vinyl floor doesn’t require any acclimation process or time.
You won’t have to wait for 48 hours before the installation. And once you have installed the floor, you are able to immediately use the room and move the furniture into it.
Not so much hassle, eh?
The Effortless Maintenance
One of the things to like about the luxury vinyl floor is the fact that you won’t have to deal with complicated or fussy care and maintenance.
The LifeProof vinyl plank is designed to withstand busy foot traffic, making it long lasting and not easily damaged.
The floor itself has a solid vinyl layer and then topped off with a special layer with ceramic bead enhanced system, resulting in extreme durability and impressive scratch resistant quality.
Not to mention that the floor also has ISOCORE technology for stronger and more solid layer. Basically, the planks would be difficult to wear and damage.
However, if you do experience a damage, simply replace it with a new one and without replacing the whole floor!
The great thing about this floor is that you can always replace only the damaged one without affecting the others.
This type of floor has the so-called drop and lock mechanism on the end joints.
Because of such a construction, it gives you extreme easiness during the installation and also during the replacement.
As it was mentioned before, just remove the damaged plank and replace it with a new one. Easy peasy!
What about regular and routine cleaning?
It isn’t complicated either. You only need to use a regular broom to remove the dust, dirt, and debris. A vacuum cleaner designed for hard floor, without the beater bar, is also okay. A dust mop is also ideal for the floor.
And remember, this is a waterproof floor, which means that you can use the wet mop to perform deep cleaning. Feel free to use a damp mop, but wet mop is fine.
Just be careful on the cleaning products. Use the ones approved for luxury vinyl flooring only.
Buying the Vinyl Plank
The official name for LifeProof vinyl plank is Allure, which can only found at Home Depot.
This is an exclusive product within that particular retailer. The floor is generally available in case which can cover 20 square feet of an area.
The price isn’t more than $3 a square foot, which makes this floor super affordable and inexpensive. This is one of the reasons why homeowners like this brand so much.
How do you purchase the floor?
Simply go to Home Depot or the online store. But be advised that you may not have all the available options to deliver to your house.
If you want to, there is delivery option to the nearest Home Depot this is for store pickup. You won’t have to worry about shipping fee or whatsoever if you choose this option.
The company provides free samples it helps you pick the right style for your house.
It’s a good thing that they also provide 90 days return policy after the date of your purchase, so return the floor if it turns out not the right one for you.
The planks from this brand have a lifetime (residential) warranty which can be quite suitable for most residential settings.
Types and Features
There are different types of LifeProof vinyl plank which affects the overall features.
The collection is based on the wear layer to differentiate the strength of one floor to another.
Wear Layer 6 Mils
Most of the company’s vinyl flooring products come with 6 mils of wear layer. It also comes with lifetime residential warranty and also 5-year commercial warranty.
Although the wear layer is made from ceramic beads and urethane combination (designed for tough construction), 6 mils (also means .06 inches) are quite thin.
That’s why this one is considered the builders’ or entry level grade flooring.
It has its own good sides as well as bad ones. The bad side is that the floor actually costs more than other brands in the industry, but the warranty is better.
When you compare LifeProof plank with Mohawk with the same 6 mils of wear layer, the Mohawk is generally cheaper up to 25% and even 50%. But they have shorter warranty. They only offer 15-year residential warranty and no warranty for commercial setting.
The styles include hardwood classic, such as oak. The colors also range from whitewashed shades to chocolate browns and even charcoal hues.
They also have herringbone parquet type, stone look, and weathered distressed wood for the look.
Because of the wear layer, it is advisable that you use this type of floor in residential setting.
If you want to install it in commercial setting, make sure that it is a light environment. Despite the 6 mils wear layer, this brand is tougher and better than other brands.
That’s why it costs more. It’s advisable that you install the floor in places where little use is expected, such as a vacation house or a guest room.
Wear Layer 12 Mils
As a part of LifeProof vinyl plank, this one offers lifetime residential warranty and 10-year commercial warranty. From warranty, LifeProof has better offer than other brands with 12 mils of wear layer.
This collection, however, only has small options. The planks are coming in 8mm of thickness.
It also offers tiles form but only a few options are available.
It consists of mostly wood standard planks, but some parquet appearance may be found in it as they are mixed in the collection.
12 mils if the popular wear layer, especially for residential setting. It comes with good quality, too, able to last for at least 10 years to 15 years. If you can properly care and clean it, the floor may hold up even longer.
Because of the wear layer, this floor is also good for lobbies, offices, small retail establishments, and other light commercial environment.
Wear Layer 22 Mils
This is considered the best type of LifeProof vinyl plankproducts, having lifetime residential warranty and 15-year commercial one.
Again, there is some good and bad things about the floor. The good thing is that the floor has good warranty, but the collections are pretty limited not more than 20 types.
They mostly consist of traditional look of oak and other hardwood types. But they still offer a pretty wide range of colors, through, from light to dark. Not to mention that this type is available in the 72 inches extra long planks.
The general and standard ones are usually between 48 inches and 54 inches. Because of the size, it creates only fewer transitions and butts quite beneficial for homeowners.
Such a floor is great for busy and big houses, especially those with pets too. With such an intense high foot traffic, the floor should hold up just fine for years.
You can also install it in many commercial settings, including educational, office, institutional, and retail settings.
Read Also: About Vinyl Flooring Environmental Impacts
Conclusive Thoughts LifeProof Vinyl Plank
If you are looking for a floor that is able to deliver gorgeous effect, easy maintenance and clean, and effortless care, you know where to look.
LifeProof brand isn’t only affordable, but it also delivers promising quality that everyone likes.
The solid construction is nice. The tough wear layer from the special material is another positive thing to note.
Easy cleaning and easy installation are some of the favorable features about this floor and this brand.
Expect the floor to hold up for at least a decade expect more with careful and thorough care.
So, where would you install the LifeProof vinyl plank at home?
