Which Brand Of Luxury Vinyl Plank Is Best?

Looking for information on the best vinyl plank flooring brands, reviews, prices, and more? You’ve come to the right place! Vinyl planking flooring is the fastest growing market in the fake wood flooring universe, and it’s easy to see why. Vinyl plank is durable; it’s waterproof; it’s beautiful—and it can mimic the look (and *texture*) of just about any other flooring material.     

But there are also tons of questions when it comes to the best vinyl plank flooring. How is it installed? How much resale value does it offer? What’s the difference between LVT, LVP, and WPC?

And most importantly, what are the best vinyl plank flooring brands to buy from?

That’s why we’ve put together this comprehensive (and we mean comprehensive) 2021 guide to the best vinyl plank flooring brands, products, prices, warranties, reviews, and beyond. It contains everything you could ever need to know about vinyl plank flooring.

Below, we’ll explain all the different types of vinyl plank flooring on the market. We’ll show you how they’re installed, the cost to install them, and so on.

Then, we’ll dive into the pros and cons of all these vinyl plank flooring options.

1.Karndean

The Darling Of Professional Installers | $3.75–$9/sq. ft.

Karndean, based in the UK, distributes to Australia, New Zealand, the US, and (obviously) the United Kingdom. They focus solely on vinyl, and they do it well. Really well.

Karndean has an excellent reputation with pro installers (always a good sign). Sure, Karndean is a little pricey for vinyl, but their products are gorgeous and last for decades.  

Karndean’s patented LooseLay format is also well respected amongst the flooring community. LooseLay has a rubber backing that relies on friction to stay in place—an excellent option for set designers, party planners, or DIY fanatics because LooseLay is ridiculously easy to install and remove.

2. Shaw Industries

Brand Of All Trades. Master Of Many. | $5‑$10/sq. ft.

Fifty years ago, Shaw got their start dominating the carpet game. Now they make every hard surface covering you can imagine. Shaw isn’t just a big name in vinyl; they’re a trusted source for nearly all of the most durable wood flooring alternatives. They even make low-VOC carpet!

Shaw’s Vinyl Plank Offerings

Shaw’s vinyl range includes three collections and 74 styles.

Duratru sheets are old-school vinyl with a new school image. The majority of styles sell for under $2/sq. ft., but only two have a 12mil wear layer.

The Floorte and Floorte Pro collections are geared towards high-end residential or light commercial applications. Styles are priced ($5–$10/sq. ft.) according to the wear layer’s thickness (12mil‑30mil).

The significant difference is in the core construction.

3. COREtec

The Inventor of WPC | $6‑$12/sq. ft.

COREtec was formerly a subdivision of USFloors, which was bought out by Shaw in 2016. As a result, many critics compare COREtec Original, their most famous line, to Shaw’s Floorte Plus.

To be fair, COREtec vinyl planks feature elevated design layers and attached cork underlayment. Cork underlayment is one of the big clues pointing to the best vinyl plank flooring brands.

The main difference is value. COREtec’s vinyl plank will cost $1–$2/sq. ft. more than Shaw’s vinyl plank for the same wear layer thickness. But to be fair, COREtec flooring reviews are excellent.