I just got done putting some NuCore Performance on our stairs. We have a Golden Retriever and we wanted something that would resist her nails when going up and down the stairs. We switched from Cap-A-Tread to NuCore because of the scratch resistance. By the way, I bought the Norske cutter for this stuff. I have a good table saw and it took care of the rip cuts but trying to get the right angles transferred from the stair tread template tool to the table saw was problematic. The Norske cutter not only made that part of the job more accurate but it definitely made cutting this flooring so much easier, as well as fast, and way less messy. We're also going to be putting NuCore over our existing tile in all of our downstairs. I understand about making sure the floor is level and I plan to do that. I was wondering about the weight of the stove and refrigerator sitting on top of this flooring. Is there any information that you know of on how well it is supposed to hold up? The directions sheet in the box of flooring doesn't really address this other than to say that you shouldn't install cabinets over the flooring. That right there gives me pause when considering the weight of the fridge on only four points of contact. Can you share your experience with kitchen appliances sitting on NuCore over a period of time?
This man May come off silly but I think that’s his entertaining side but on a serious note I feel this man is a master at his craft I definitely would take advice from him
At the end of the video you were all over the place. I couldn’t tell what was which or which was what. I’m not criticizing you, I just couldn’t tell what product you were talking about at certain times. When explaining differences please mention brands at critical intervals. Thank you for taking time to make reviews.
Thank you. You are a huge help. I think which ever way we go we will be happy. I think we like the color of the performance Cumberland a little better than the nucore satin pewter. That may decide it
I love your videos and how informative they are! I was wondering if you knew the name of the Lifeproof flooring you use in your demonstration. I have been looking at the Nucore performance Regal Forge because we want to go with a grey tone, but when I recently went into the Floor and Decor store to see it on display, the color was more of a beige compared to the box I bought back in May. I'm worried about the color variation, so I wanted to check out the beautiful grey Lifeproof you have.
Should have tossed the Nucore into a bucket of water for a few days to demonstrate that is not 100% waterproof like the Lifeproof floor is. I bet the cork backing on Nucore would have sucked up water and caused mold - not an idealt product for the basement IMO and I suspect being stone based, it would not be a great insulator against cold, which is a consideration in northern climates. You have some great vids and I watched a bunch before I installed my floor and it was very helpful and gave me a lot of confidence to do my own.
Thank You! I’m happy I was able to help you gain the confidence and knowledge to install your floor and I bet it looks awesome!! I agree with you about the Nucore performance probably not being the best for cold climates since the Nucore has stone in it. I’ve done the bucket of water test in one of my first videos for Lifeproof and I think the original Nucore. If I install the performance again and do another vid I’ll do the bucket test for sure!
the Nucore Performance is 100% waterproof.. the rubber/foam backing on LifeProof is considered entry level with most high end brands. Shaw puts cork backing on all of their top of the line stuff and they also indicate it is 100% waterproof, and they used to use rubber/foam on their cheap entry level stuff... many other brands have 100% waterproof options with cork backings.
Hello, thank you for the great videos, I enjoy them a lot. It seems like technology in this sector is always changing but somehow I always feel that lifeproof flooring has an edge with ur tests? That being said, have you tried the Lowe's smartcore flooring in comparison? Also, what have u done with in installations that have a metal railing with square bolted baseplates that were originally under carpet? Thanks :)
Love your videos. Thanks for the help. Have been debating on what brand to use on our family room floor. Coretec Lifeproof were other choices. Finally decided on nucore satin pewter. However There are a lot of negative reviews on nucore. Any recommendations or thoughts on why that is occurring. I really trust your opinion. You are very thorough
There are a few reasons why there are negative reviews out there on Nucore I think. First, there was an older Nucore that was Pretty Thin not the nice rigid core we have today and I think a lot of the bad reviews that refer to denting etc are on that product. Another reason is there are a lot of small flooring stores & installers that sell flooring that lose a TON of business to big box stores like Floor N Decor and that makes a lot of people hate the product I think some of those “reviews” are fake. I don’t sell product, unless a customer really really wants me to, SO that means I’m not bias I don’t care who my customers buy their floor from I just install what people buy then give my professional opinion on what I think of it. I think NuCore is great! It’s easy to install, it looks great and is super durable! You will be happy with it! Satin Pewter is a beautiful color!
Great video, Tim. I’m wondering what the thickness of the Lifeproof was that you did all these tests on. I would think this would be a big factor in your test results. I’m looking at purchasing the 22 or 30mm Lifeproof as Nucore Performance is so limited in their colors. Thanks!
just wanna say to all the 60k people who watched this video and didn't like it, nothing will ever please you. This man DROVE HIS CAR onto these planks and literally almost put an eye out shooting them with a nail gun. Shame on you.
hey Tim. Love the videos and info. Thanks for sharing. We are very interested in this New Nucore Performance product. We like the wear layer. My only concern is the car and hammer drop test. If it is just laying flat installed on the floor and a hammer or a large kitchen pad dropped on it would it shatter like a tile? is the better Life proof with the 22 wear layer a good product? or should we go with something like Shaw? Our heads are about to explode trying to figure it out. I have a Oscillating tool, JigSaw, 4 1/5 circular, and a regular chop saw. I can get a small table saw. Also, is the cork a better backing or is the stuff on LifeProof ok? Terry
For scratching, the Nucore Performance is FAR better than Lifeproof. As long as the subfloor is flat and there aren’t any spaces between the subfloor and the Nucore you’ll be fine as far as cracking. I do those test as far EXTREMES. When I dropped the hammer flat down on it it didn’t crack there has to be a space under it to crack it like tile. The difference in the attached pad isn’t really anything except with the Nucore u need a separate plastic like visqueen and with lifeproof you don’t.
For scratching, the Nucore Performance is FAR better than Lifeproof. As long as the subfloor is flat and there aren’t any spaces between the subfloor and the Nucore you’ll be fine as far as cracking. I do those test as far EXTREMES. When I dropped the hammer flat down on it it didn’t crack there has to be a space under it to crack it like tile. The difference in the attached pad isn’t really anything except with the Nucore u need a separate plastic like visqueen and with lifeproof you don’t. Thanks so much for watching!
Love your videos sir! Question for you, if you were installing a vinyl plank in your personal home, what would you install? What would you consider the best value for your dollar? I am in the process of building a new home and would love to save a couple of bucks but not at the expense of a huge drop in quality.
Should you put an underlayment if the NuCore already had cork padding? I'd like to get thus installed upstairs for my kids rooms. My bedroom is directly below theirs and I worry about sound of walking or stomping around.
Would a miter saw be able to make the necessary cuts with this product? Say if you tilted the boards in various ways? I can definitely see the advantage of a table saw. No doubt at all. But I’d love to buy a miter saw instead so I can do base trim and lots of other projects and overlap the equipment budget a bit. If I have to get both I will but it’s far less than ideal from a storage perspective as well.
My wife has foot problems, so we're concerned that the nucore doesn't have enough give to be comfortable for her to stand on. Do you recommend anything that's a little softer on the feet but still pretty durable?
I purchased regular NuCore after my living room was flooded. Not happy with it as the joints were snapping like twigs. I would never purchase anything NuCore after that expensive mistake.
I live in NY , I am leaning towards installing about 1000 sqft of Nucore Performance in my living room, bedrooms , and hallway. I saw you commented about using stone core in colder climates, do you think it's a mistake to install in a place like NY?
thank you for the video. In you previous video, you mention that Nucore doesn't advertise their safety rating on their boxes and I can't seem to find anything on "floor score" or formaldehyde. Also no information on who manufactures for Nucore. Did you find any additional info on these subjects? Seems like there too many unknown factors on this brand
My basement floor is not perfectly flat, I've laid down dricore subfloor, but there are still there are slight curves in it, but no more than 1/4" over 10'. Will lifeproof or nucore performance work over this?
Is the subfloor is not even let say on the grout area those line that are like 1/4 inch would that be enough you think for the Nucore Performance to crack if some heavy does fall over it? Or you need a much bigger gap. Thanks.
Hey Tim great videos. I was wondering if you’ve installed MSI Everlife LVT in the past. And had any thoughts on it’s ease of install and quality of material. Thanks in advance.
It’s an Ok floor, but do NOT use a tapping block because the edges are fragile during installation. Once you get it installed it’s not too bad. I’ve never installed it myself, but I researched it for you. It does have an older locking system (which there’s nothing wrong with you just have to be more careful) it seems the most complaints are from people who broke the locking system by using a tapping block. So use my tapping block replacement trick (I talk about it in multiple videos if You haven’t seen it just let me know)
It’s an Ok floor, but do NOT use a tapping block because the edges are fragile during installation. Once you get it installed it’s not too bad. I’ve never installed it myself, but I researched it for you. It does have an older locking system (which there’s nothing wrong with you just have to be more careful) it seems the most complaints are from people who broke the locking system by using a tapping block. So use my tapping block replacement trick (I talk about it in multiple videos if You haven’t seen it just let me know)
I am considering LVP to install over existing ceramic tile. I'd rather not have to chip out all the existing tile on the 1700 sf floor. What would you recommend... NuCore Performance or Lifeproof? Thanks!
Nucore Performance needs an extremely flat subfloor so it depends on the type of tile you have and how flat it is. If it’s at all uneven you’re better off going with the Lifeproof or the original Nucore or you may not like the way it feels when you walk on it. Lifeproof will flex and bend to the shape of the floor underneath. The Nucore Performance will not bend it’s VERY stiff so it needs a VERY even subfloor. 1700 ft of tile is a lot and there’s a chance you have high or low spots in your tile floor.
how could this stuff be any good , drop a hammer and it breaks like V.C.T. tile, the face must have stone in it not just the core,which means if you roll something heavy and the subfloor aint perfect it will crack , minute mark 8:10 tell me what you think????
As long as the subfloor is flat it should be fine but yea if there’s a space it’s definitely going to crack, which is the drawback to it. I think what they were going for was to appeal to people who want tile but want something that won’t scratch and is easier to install than tile. I personally don’t like tile, but some people LOVE it. It’s the best I’ve seen for scratching, people just have to be SURE they have a VERY even subfloor before installing it. They say it’s just the core that is stone but I see what you mean.
Whatever you do, don't buy Duralux from Floor and Decor! Scratches easily and if the floor isn't PERFECT it doesn't lock together properly. Floor and Decor is garbage.
Duralux is their really cheap stuff. I looked at the different panels at floor and decor and there was night and day difference between Nucor and duralux. Not saying that floor and decor is really good, but I do think they have pretty significant differences in their offerings.
Your flex test at 2.33 is questionable. You held the regular one at the edge with no support from your elbow, but your preferred one was not. You are a biased.
What ISN’T better than LifeProof? Heck, Flooret’s Modin base LVP offering is $0.80 per square foot cheaper than LifeProof’s best available 20mil flooring, and it has a better warranty. LifeProof is garbage
I'm the person giving the 3rd thumbs down. At 2:10 the gaps seams are too close together. Esthetically and mechanically not good. Also, the pattern repeats itself at those areas sticking out like a sore thumb. Flooring should start each row to where NO seam matches itself across the room area; rips at the start/end to be an exception. Video is blurry and has no close-up on the gaps in that area this product may have. If you installed with SOME attention to detail and not just time to make money, this floor would look much better.
I'll have to remember to not carry a hammer while I'm installing my nucore across my stairs. Your car test is unreasonable. Your Nucore floor won't fail under your couch, either.
