Test-Jeff

★★★★★

Thick, high-quality wear layers; multiple installation styles; zero-VOC options—all at an incredibly reasonable price. Proximity Mills offers the most bang for your buck.

★★★★☆

The inventor of WPC flooring, COREtec’s products are very well-regarded. However, that premium quality comes with an equally premium price tag.

★★☆☆☆

Home Depot’s premium LVP, LifeProof is one of the most popular vinyl plank brands around. It’s not the worst floor in the world, but it’s not the best either.

★★★☆☆

Lowes’ answer to Home Depot’s LifeProof, SmartCore is a decent floor for the price. It might not win any awards, but it’s not a bad product.

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At $3.50–$7.00/square foot, Proximity Mills offers features you’d expect to find in a much more expensive LVP product.

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COREtec products range between $5–$10/per square foot and up, making it one of the most expensive LVP options around.

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At $3–$4/square foot, LifeProof is a relatively inexpensive floor. But at a similar price, you could get a vastly superior product.

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At $3–$4/square foot, SmartCore is a clear competitor to LifeProof—but offers a bit more value.

12–22 mil

All Proximity Mills products feature an ultra-durable, ceramic bead-infused wear layer. Thickness varies between 12 and 22 mils, depending on the collection.

20–30 mil

COREtec’s polyurethane + quartz crystal wear layers are exceptionally durable. And at 20–30 mils thick, they’re seriously tough to scratch.

6.5–22 mil

Many negative LifeProof reviews mention its lack of scratch resistance. With wear layers starting at just 6.5 mils (and with no additives to increase durability), it’s easy to see why.

12–20 mil

SmartCore is offered in just two collections: Ultra and Pro. Ultra features a 12 mil acrylic wear layer; Pro features a much more robust 20 mil ceramic bead-infused wear layer.

Rigid + Flexible

Proximity Mills offers both rigid-core and flexible-core options, depending on the product. All rigid cores are SPC (Stone-Polymer Composite).

Rigid Only

The majority of COREtec’s products feature a super-comfortable WPC (wood-polymer composite) core. The rest featured a compressed vinyl core for added durability.

Rigid Only

LifeProof’s core is made of vinyl foam. This makes it relatively lightweight, but not particularly durable.

Rigid Only

SmartCore Ultra features a comfortable WPC core. SmartCore Pro features a much more durable SPC core. There are no flexible options available.

5/5

All Proximity Mills products are FloorScore-certified as low-VOC or entirely VOC-free. Certain products can even be recycled.

4/5

All COREtec products are Greenguard-certified, but the company does not offer zero-VOC options.

4/5

LifeProof vinyl flooring is FloorScore-certified as low-VOC. No zero-VOC floors products are offered.

4/5

SmartCore vinyl is GreenGuard-certified, but does not offer zero-VOC products.

Multiple

-Snap-Together (I4F Locking System)

-Loose-Lay

-Glue-Down

Multiple

-Snap-together (Angle-Tap)

-Glue-down

Snap-Together Only

LifeProof can only be installed as a snap-together floor. Unfortunately, LifeProof reviews tend to mention issues with the locking system.

Multiple

-Snap-together (Drop-and-Lock)

-Glue-down

If you’re looking for the best cost-to-value ratio, Proximity Mills is an excellent choice. It’s durable, affordable, and surprisingly eco-friendly.

COREtec makes great vinyl plank flooring, but the high price tag might not be worth it for many buyers—especially with equally good products available from other brands.

Given its questionable construction and mixed reviews, LifeProof vinyl flooring is probably a product to skip—especially at its price point.

At its budget price, there’s no question that SmartCore is superior to LifeProof. However, mixed reviews suggest it may lack in quality. And at the same price, better floors are available.