When it comes to flooring in your basement, you’ll want it to last. This is where Lifeproofing comes in. This is basically a thicker type of vinyl protection that is waterproof and shatterproof. But how does it hold up to other types of flooring?
Well, if you are looking for affordability, then Lifeproofing might certainly appeal to you. This is a cheap way to protect your flooring from wear and tear. It also looks great!
There are plenty of hues and textures that you can choose from, whether it is oak, birch, or balsam, you’ll definitely find something suitable for your home.
So what are the perks of luxury flooring? Should you invest time and money into storing Lifeproofed tiles? How durable are these tiles? Well, we have reviewed this product in depth so that you can make a more informed decision about whether to get it or not.
What Is Lifeproof Flooring?
This is basically a type of luxury tile that you can get for your basement or kitchen. It comes with a wooden finish on the front, which comes in a wide selection of patterns, more of which later.
This is much thicker than regular vinyl, which means it is far more resilient than traditional wood. It is not as absorbent, resulting in a completely waterproof final product.
Luxury vinyl flooring is also very easy to clean. It doesn’t have a hard or textured surface, which means that it is a lot easier to remove stains with simple soap and water. If you are looking for flooring for your kitchen, then this will certainly be an incentive for you.
For a lot of people, there is very little difference between this type of flooring and regular wood flooring. In fact, vinyl flooring is more durable than regular wood flooring.
This is also preferable to use in the basement, as wood is very susceptible to moisture in the air, which could lead to mold.
Is This Kind Of Flooring Affordable?
The price of your flooring will be very important, especially if you have to cover quite a large area. The larger the floor space, the more flooring you’ll have to buy and the more you’ll have to pay for it.
When it comes to regular wood flooring, then you might see yourself paying a lot for material that might degrade a lot quicker.
People usually prefer to go for vinyl flooring, but there are so many different choices and some of them come with a pretty hefty price tag. This is why a lot of homeowners are reluctant to refurbish many rooms in their houses at any one time.
However, at Home Depot there is a brand of Lifeproof flooring that will only cost you just under $3 per square foot. This is perfect if you are buying in bulk and you want to save plenty of money overall.
In addition to this, with Lifeproof flooring you are getting quite a lot for very little. The material is durable and far more waterproof than a lot of other brands out there. Lifeproof flooring also includes underlayment, which means no added cost after purchase.
Underlayment is a thin layer of material that provides cushioning between the floor and your tiles or wood panels. This material is usually made from foam, fiber or rubber. This usually absorbs any shocks or impacts on your flooring.
What Colors And Textures Can You Choose From?
That’s another thing about Lifeproof flooring, there are plenty of textures and patterns that you can choose from.
The pattern of your floor is incredibly important, especially if you have a very particular décor in the rest of your basement or kitchen area. A color with too many patterns or block coloring might seem at odds with the more muted colors in the rest of your kitchen.
Here is a list of some of the hues and textures that you can get with Lifeproofed flooring:
Alexandria oak – a traditional grained wood pattern that will complement beige walls and tones well.
Sterling oak – A lighter and grayer shade of wood, this will work well with both lighter and darker furnishings.
Scratch stone – more of a slate color that resembles the same texture as stone. This is great for basement flooring.
Easy oak – another traditional oak color, although this is a few shades lighter than Alexandria oak.
Rustic wood – A speckled type of oak wood design, this will work very well with more vintage styles of the kitchen as well as brass furnishings.
Lighthouse oak – This is another blended gray wood with a heavy grain. This will suit modern style houses or basements more.
Hockley oak – This is a reddish style of wood design, more suitable for vintage style housing, as it has a more rustic feel.
Choice oak – This is another more conventional wooden style with faux notches in the grain.
Driftwood Beach – An almost white color with a faint hint of wood graining. This hue is effective in well-lit kitchens and bathrooms.
Brooks oak – This is very similar to Alexandria oak, although it is much darker in color. This is great for a vintage-style kitchen or basement.
Chipwood birch – this is very similar to lighthouse oak and sterling oak in that it has more of a pale gray color. However, chipwood birch is a little darker.
Chiffon lace oak – This is a gray and grainy texture, which is great for use in modern kitchens, apartments, and basements.
Balsam wilderness – This is another gray textured vinyl wooden flooring, great for well-lit rooms or basements where you might want more reflected light.
There is a flooring design for any style of housing décor here, so no matter what color you have on your walls and furnishings, there will be a type of vinyl floor that will complement it.
Where Would I Install Luxury Vinyl Flooring?
The fact is that you could have vinyl flooring in any room in the house. You can have textured wood for the floor or gray wood for the kitchen. There really are no limits to where you can put this type of flooring.
Here are some rooms that you can lay vinyl flooring in:
Bathroom
This is one of the more common places that you might find textured vinyl flooring, with most people opting for a lighter shade of brown or even pale gray.
Most bathrooms are very brightly lit with natural light and you can accentuate this by having a lighter floor.
Luxury vinyl flooring is also perfect for a bathroom as it will be able to resist a lot of moisture. If you have the wrong flooring in your bathroom, then you might see it warping or bubbling.
It could also be very susceptible to mold, which is why Lifeproofed flooring will be perfect for a bathroom.
Kitchen
This is another top choice for luxury vinyl flooring. Again, the sheer range of options when it comes to flooring means that you’ll almost certainly find something that will match the décor of your living room.
In a kitchen there is a lot more footfall, so you can count on a lot more wear and tear on your floor. Factor in animals and children and you could see a lot of scuffs and scratches, especially if you have a darker color.
Basement
Luxury vinyl flooring is ideal for your basement, as it will keep this often-unused space looking spotless.
This is also part of your house where dampness and dirt are rife, so having durable flooring will be very important for preventing mold and other forms of decay.
How Durable Is Lifeproof Flooring?
This type of flooring is highly tolerant to stains and scratches, which is a godsend if you are laying it in your kitchen or living room.
Scratches often occur when you have dogs or cats in the house. As they walk or, as is more often the case, run around your kitchen, their claws will cause involuntary marks on your flooring. If the vinyl is thin or cheap, then you could see your flooring going white and threadbare within months.
You’ll also have to think about the effects of shoes scuffing on the floor, especially little ones as your children dash from one side of the house to the other.
Then there are the spills. If you have vinyl flooring in your kitchen, then you can be sure of spills, so the only protection needs to be built into the tiles themselves. Ideally, if your tiles have a laminate surface, then you can wipe off stains with soap and hot water.
This also goes for the more persistent stains such as red wine and tomato ketchup. People who have bought this flooring have said that it looks brand new even after a few years of constant tread and spills.
How Waterproof Is Lifeproof Flooring?
One of the major selling points of this kind of flooring is the fact that it is 100% waterproof. This means that if you are planning on laying it in your basement, then you won’t have to worry about anything flooding or water damaging your tiles.
When you are buying flooring such as this, then you’ll need to bear in mind that there is actually a difference between water-resistant flooring and completely waterproof flooring.
Waterproof means that absolutely no water will get into your flooring, whereas water-resistant just means that they will be less water damage overall.
How Easy Is Lifeproof Flooring to Clean?
The great thing about this type of flooring is that you won’t really need any specialist products to clean it. The fact that this flooring is so low maintenance means that you won’t have to pay much attention to it.
There are a few methods that we would recommend for cleaning your luxury vinyl flooring:
Hot water and soap – pour some boiling water and soap into a bucket and apply it liberally over your flooring and wait for it to dry.
Vacuum – if you are in a rush, then get a vacuum and run it around your flooring once, taking care to pick up all the excess pieces of dust and dirt.
pH neutral cleaner – This will remove a lot of the tougher stains from your flooring without damaging the texture of the wood itself.
Luxury vinyl flooring has also been treated at the bottom so that mold will not grow underneath. This is perfect if you are looking to revamp your basement and you want something that will last.
What Is The Texture Of Lifeproof Flooring?
This is probably one of the best substitutes for real wood flooring, as it has exactly the same look without any of the structural weaknesses that you get with real wood.
This will feel great under bare feet, which is very important if you are going to be laying it in your kitchen or living room. This does not have a cheap or rough feeling, meaning that it won’t chafe or cause any injury to your feet.
This flooring is also very quiet, which is great if you are looking to sneak downstairs in the middle of the night for a snack without waking anyone.
How Can I Install Lifeproof Flooring?
You will need some tools to install this type of flooring, although even if you have only a modicum of DIY skills, you can lay this one down yourself. You can also get a professional in to do it if you are worried you might not do the job to a good standard.
Here’s the equipment you’ll need:
Mallet
Spacers
Tapping Block
Pull Bar
Measuring Tape
Utility Knife
There are also two different types of flooring patterns that you can choose from:
Brick pattern
Stagger pattern
Follow this step-by-step guide to installing your flooring:
Measure the whole room so that you don’t up with unused planks.
Lay down the first and second pieces. The second should snap into place with the first.
Keep snapping your wood into place, making sure you have enough room to place the next piece.
You might have to saw off pieces of wood here and there so that the flooring fits in properly.
Conclusion
We hope that our guide to Lifeproof flooring has helped you to decide whether you want it in your home.
Remember that there are so many different designs and colors to choose from. It is also very easy to clean and install.
Hi, I’m John Whitford, and I work as a tradesman. Having specialized in plumbing for over 15 years, I’ve worked in a number of environments, but my biggest business is for those who need help with day to day plumbing tasks in their homes.
I started AMDorm.com to provide handy information, advice and how-to guides to help others turn their homes into the house of their dreams!
