Nucore vs. Coretec Vinyl Plank Flooring

Are you interested in getting quality vinyl floors for your home but have no idea what to get? It is always a great decision to get decorative floors that are durable at the same time. This is why rigid-core Flooring is widespread and the best choice for your home.

This is where Nucore and Coretec flooring come in. They are both top-quality floors known to provide the two advantages written above. It can be a challenging decision picking between these two flooring brands.

One significant difference between Nucore and Coretec flooring is that Nucore Flooring offers a lifetime warranty for almost all its products, while Coretec warranty ranges between 15-30 years. You can also lose about five years of your Coretec warranty if you choose to do a DIY installation.

	Nucore Flooring	Coretec Flooring
Price	Nucore flooring is cheaper than Coretec flooring. It costs $2.35-$3.80 per square foot.	This is an expensive option. It costs $7 per square foot.
Thickness	The wear layer is 22 mils thick.	Thickness ranges from 12-30 mils
Durability	The finished on the design layer are guaranteed to last a lifetime. You do not need to worry about replacement.	Considered to be very durable due to the four layers.
Cork underlayment	Nucore uses just one type of cork padding for all products.	Coretec uses different kinds of cork padding, and they are all 3mm thick.

Nucore Flooring

Nucore Flooring is a brand of quality vinyl plank floors that are very affordable. These floors are scratch-resistant but unfortunately not scratch-proof. Meaning you get durable floors that are not costly and will last you for a long time.

These floors feature a rigid-core construction (made from stone composite material), making them durable and moisture-proof. Your floors will be able to withstand minor scratches, but major scratches are enough to damage them. One good thing about these floors is that you can choose to do a DIY installation because they are straightforward.

Nucore floors have a hardwood finishing, so they look like natural hardwood floors that come in different colors and designs. You may not need to worry about purchasing a moisture barrier since there is already a cork underlayment at the base of the Nucore planks.

The cork underlayment gives a cushion-like and comfortable feeling, so your floors do not get too hard to stand on for too long. They are also soundproof, hypoallergenic, and waterproof, perfect for wet and high-traffic areas.

There are over a hundred options (styles, designs) available. These options are divided into five categories: the Nucore Hand-scrapped, Nucore High-Gloss, Nucore Embossed-In-Register, Nucore Textured, and Nucore Smooth.

Pros and Cons of Nucore Flooring

Pros

The floors are 100% waterproof and can be used in wet areas.
It is easy to clean and maintain.
The floors are scratch and dent-resistant.
The cork underlayment provides warmth and comfort.

Cons

Scratches will be visible if heavy objects cause them.
The floors are scratch-resistant but not scratch-proof.
You can only use a hard-flooring vacuum cleaner to get the dirt out completely.
It has low amounts of phthalate.

Coretec Flooring

Coretec Flooring is an LVP (Luxury Vinyl Plank) brand under Shaw Incorporation, a top-rated flooring manufacturer. The floors are very easy to clean, maintain and feature a rigid-core construction with fine sawdust in the core (WPC flooring).

Coretec floors consist of four layers, and each coating is water-resistant and 100% waterproof. They are perfect for wet areas in your home, such as the kitchen, toilet, and bathroom. You will have no moisture or mold issues, and your floors will last for a long time.

You can use these floors on any sub-floor; this is something that you barely see, making it a unique feature. All five layers are very durable and thick, and they will make it through extreme weather conditions.

All five layers include the top wear layer, a vinyl decorative layer (for designs and styles), the core layer, which is made up of virgin PVC, limestone, recycled wood, and bamboo, and the last layer is the cork underlayment.

You may not need to purchase any underlayment depending on the type of sub-floor you have. The cork underlayment provides warmth; they are soundproof and make your floors more comfortable.

Pros and Cons of Coretec Flooring

Pros

All layers are 100% waterproof and perfect for wet areas.
The floors are comfortable due to the cork underlayment.
The materials used are eco-friendly.
They are available in different styles and designs.

Cons

They are not scratch-proof but scratch-resistant.
They are expensive.
You will lose some years of warranty if a recommended professional does not install your floors.

The Significant Difference Between Nucore Flooring and Coretec Flooring

As written above, the main difference between these two flooring brands is their warranty. Everyone wants to purchase floors from brands that are fully warranted.

Nucore Flooring offers a lifetime residential warranty. Nucore promises that the Flooring will not fade when exposed to sunlight, wear through, and not have any manufacturing defects. If this happens, the portion of the flooring products will be replaced or refunded.

Nucore warranty does not cover labor, except you had the Flooring professionally installed. Any portion of the flooring product that was scratched or had a loss of gloss will not be replaced or refunded as it does not qualify as wear-through.

Nucore offers a 15-year commercial warranty. They will replace portions of stained floors, faded or worn through, except in high-traffic areas. This warranty also does not cover labor, except professionally installed.

Coretec Flooring offers a 15-year limited heavy commercial wear warranty, a lifetime limited pet-proof warranty, a lifetime limited waterproof guarantee, a lifetime limited structure warranty, and a lifetime limited residential warranty.

You need to follow some rules to qualify for Coretec’s warranty. Customers can lose up to five years of warranty if they do not use Coretec’s recommended flooring installer.

Conclusion

All in all, these two flooring brands are great options for your home. Nucore Flooring is affordable, long-lasting, and easy to install. It is your best choice if you are looking for any of the above options. Coretec Flooring is costly, but it is also durable, and there are a lot of options available to customers.