Home Decorators Collection Vinyl Plank Flooring Reviews 2023
Home Decorators Collection vinyl plank flooring is affordable LVP flooring with average quality, at best. It is a budget brand that offers decent value. We explain throughout this Home Decorators Collection LVP review.
Home Decorators Collection is sold exclusively at Home Depot.
This review of Home Decorators LVP includes:
Reviews of the two Home Decorators vinyl plank flooring lines, available styles and the best use for each
A Summary Table showing the styles, warranty and their cost
The Features section includes details about each line including pros and cons
The Bottom Line: Our Final Analysis and Recommendation for Home Decorators Collection
(2) Warranty: The first number is the residential warranty. The second is the commercial warranty.
Price: The cost shown isfor the flooring only. It does not include trim or transition pieces needed when LVP butts up to other flooring types.
Installation: LVP costs $1.50-$2.75 per square foot depending on the job complexity.
Who Makes Home Decorators Collection Vinyl Plank Flooring?
Halstead New England is the manufacturer of Home Decorators Collection LVP. The company also produces LifeProof LVP for the Home Depot and Allure flooring too.
The fact that Halstead makes it exclusively for Home Depot reduces distribution cost and allows Home Depot to sell it at a very competitive price.
OK, let’s look at the two lines
4mm Home Decorators Collection LVP Review
The 4mm LVP has an “8 mil commercial-grade wear layer with a ceramic bead overlay protects against scuffs and scratches.”
While thinner than the 12 mils layer, the ceramic beads increase its strength and resistance to damage.
Caution: It is described as “commercial grade.” But Home Depot does not warranty the product for commercial installation.
Styles: About 35. Styles are periodically added and discontinued.
Types: Mostly wood. There are two stone tile looks in this collection.
Colors: A good mix of light, medium, dark and gray.
Sizes: The planks are 7.5”x47.5”; the two tile sizes are 12”x24”.
Where to Use Home Decorators Collection 4mm LVP
Despite the thinner wear layer, this line is the better of the two. It is midgrade when compared with other LVP brands.
We recommend it for households you could call “busy.” Here are a few scenarios:
A large household with large dogs and/or young kids, all of which can be hard on flooring.
A large household with large dogs and/or young kids, all of which can be hard on flooring.
A homeowner that doesn’t have as much time as they’d like for sweeping dirt and debris off the floor. This LVP is a good choice. It withstands the grit better than the other line.
4.2mm Home Decorators Collection LVP Review
There are two quality levels here: Cheap and mid-grade.
The cheap LVP has a wear layer 8 mils thick.
This is not the same 8 mils “commercial-grade” wear layer mentioned above.
It is a standard urethane layer that is only suitable for light residential settings, like homes with a no-shoes policy and no large dogs.
The midgrade vinyl plank flooring has a 12 mils wear layer.
The 12-mil flooring is a good choice for homeowners that expect 6-12 years from their floor, depending on the traffic volume, presence of dogs and whether shoes are worn indoors.
Styles: About 30
Types: Mostly wood with handful of tiles with stone appearance.
Colors: The full spectrum from light to dark including almost-white weathered wood looks and deep, rich colors too.
Sizes: Planks are either 6” or 8” wide and 36” or 48” long. Tiles are 12”x24”.
Where to Use Home Decorators Collection 4.2mm Vinyl Flooring
The 8-mil wear layer is appropriate for light residential use, fixing up a home to sell or when low-cost flooring is the top priority.
The 12-mil wear layer is popular with homeowners that want midgrade flooring at a lower price than similar styles from Armstrong, Shaw, NuCore, Mohawk and another Home Depot brand – LifeProof.
Lifetime Warranty – or Is It?
Home Depot calls it a lifetime warranty, but we think that is misleading.
First, the warranty is prorated.
100% years 1-5
90% years 6-9
80% year 10
70% year 11
60% year 12
40% year 13
20% year 14
10% year 15 and beyond
The warranties of most of the better brands of vinyl plank flooring are not prorated.
Secondly, labor reimbursement isn’t impressive. It is 100% for the first two years, 50% for years 3-5 and 0% after 5 years.
Given the warranty limitations, it is clear that Home Depot expects this flooring to last 7-10 years in most settings.
Special Features of Home Decorators Collection Vinyl Plank Flooring
These features are standard for most LVP and LVT flooring.
Waterproof Construction
The core of Home Decorators Collection vinyl plank flooring is fiberglass. Vinyl layers surround it. The flooring won’t absorb water and is resistant to staining from water and pets.
Any Level
As a waterproof LVP, it can be installed in damp areas and basements.
Most Subfloors
According to Home Depot, this vinyl plank flooring can be installed over wood, concrete and tile.
Wood: It must be clean, dust-free and in good condition. Remove fasteners left behind from old flooring, sand down raised edges and fill gaps wider than 1/32”.
Concrete: A vapor/moisture barrier must be installed over the concrete and taped at the seams and perimeter.
Tile: The tile must be skim-coated or covered with self-leveling concrete and a vapor barrier. Unlike stiffer and thicker LVPs, Home Decorators Collection will “telegraph” grout lines without this step. In short, the lines will soon show through.
There are LVPs guaranteed not to telegraph grout line and minor imperfections. They include Armstrong LUXE with Rigid Core, Shaw Floorte Pro and COREtec Pro lines. Search our site for reviews of those brands.
Floating Installation – But Can be Glued
The pieces lock together with a tongue & groove type of construction. This means the flooring “floats” rather than being glued down.
However, like most LVP and LVT, Home Decorators Collection can be glued down (and should be glued down on stairs and ramps).
Low-VOC Emissions
This luxury vinyl plank flooring is certified by industry testing agency FloorScore to be low in volatile organic compounds. It won’t contribute to indoor air pollution.
Home Decorators Collection Vinyl Plank Flooring Pros, Cons and Ratings
We chose Home Decorators LVP as our Best Cheap brand.
Pros:
Cost is very competitive, and all three lines are backed by a lifetime warranty.
Cons:
It’s only available at the Home Depot. The wear layers aren’t very thick – 8 or 12 mils.
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This tool is powered by our partner Networx which has been specializing in collecting, vetting and rating vinyl flooring contractors for more than 20 years.
Comparing the 3 bids can help you get the reasonable installation cost and avoid getting ripped.
The Bottom Line
In the final analysis, Home Decorators Collection is a decent vinyl plank flooring for the money.
It about half the price of premium luxury vinyl planks and tiles. And you should expect about half the life. Depending on the amount and what type traffic it sees, it will last 6-15 years vs 12-20 years for high-quality LVP. And remember, there is no commercial warranty, so the warranty is voided when installed in commercial buildings.
We recommendHome Decorators Collection vinyl flooring for: Budget shoppers, homeowners expecting to move in the next few years, installation in part-time locations like guest apartments or vacation homes or where you know traffic will be quite light.
FAQs
Q: Should I install a kitchen island before or after my vinyl flooring?
A: Before, if possible. The important thing to remember is that Home Decorators vinyl is considered floating flooring, so it should be installed around any permanent fixtures like cabinets – not on top of them.
Q: Where is Home Decorators vinyl flooring produced?
A: Home Decorators is a product of Halstead who manufactures the flooring for Home Depot. Many of the products currently listed are tagged as Made in America, but Halstead also has flooring produced in China as well. If you are concerned about where the flooring is manufactured, look into each style.
Q: Can I purchase individual boards from Home Decorators if I have a damaged plank?
A: No. Home Decorators vinyl flooring is only sold by the box or case, so you can’t purchase individual boards. When installing any type of flooring, pay attention to the waste percentage, and buy a little extra in case there is damage down the road.
Q: Is it possible to install Home Decorators vinyl flooring planks on my wall?
A: No, and doing so will void your warranty. While it may work, vinyl flooring needs room to expand and contract and can’t do so properly when it’s attached to a surface and doesn’t float. That means stairs and walls are out.
Q: Will Home Decorators affect the indoor air quality in my home?
A: Home Decorators vinyl flooring has been tested and certified by FloorScore, so VOCs will not be an issue indoors.
Q: Is Home Decorators flooring easy to cut, or will I need special tools to install it myself?
A: While vinyl flooring varies in thickness, you will need a circular saw or something comparable to make straight accurate cuts. You may also need a dovetail saw or oscillating multi-tool for door jambs.
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