Lifeproof Vinyl Plank Flooring: Who Makes It, Is It Worth It?

If you live outside of the United States, Lifeproof flooring may be an unfamiliar name. For homeowners in the states, the company has become synonymous with affordable flooring. This brand is a staple at Home Depot’s chain of home improvement stores, and in this guide, we’re going to tell you a bit more about the company and its vinyl flooring collections.

Who makes Lifeproof Vinyl Flooring?

Lifeproof flooring is an exclusive store brand sold only through Home Depot. They don’t manufacture the flooring, however, as that is done through a company called Halstead New England Industries. Halstead is part of the HMTX Industries group, which is based out of Norwalk Connecticut. They are responsible for producing decorative building surfaces and flooring, which include vanity tops and wall planks.

The company’s current flooring line consists of two lines with click-lock and GripStrip flooring. While not clearly evident on the company’s official website, two of the brands they produce include the TrafficMaster Allure collection, which is also sold through Home Depot along with Lifeproof vinyl flooring.

Lifeproof Vinyl Plank Flooring Review

As one of the more popular brands sold through Home Depot, there is no shortage of reviews for Lifeproof vinyl plank flooring. We touched on the brand briefly in our Lifeproof 2020 review, but since that time, their collections have changed somewhat along with their pricing.

At this time, all Lifeproof vinyl flooring sold through Home Depot comes in two basic forms. There is sheet vinyl and vinyl plank flooring. The selection of sheet vinyl is relatively small with around a dozen styles, all of which have the same general specifications. While you can choose from shades like Aged Birch Wood or Travertine Stone, the main differences come down to color and style.

With vinyl plank flooring, there are more than 100 options to choose from. We’ll break down some of the differences below, but most of this flooring also has a specific set of features. They are listed as scratch-resistant and stain-resistant with a click-lock installation system on all but a handful of styles. Most also feature antimicrobial properties and have a relatively thick skid-resistant wear layer.

Lifeproof Vinyl Flooring Styles

Are you interested in vinyl flooring that looks like stone or resembles natural wood? If it’s the stone look you’re after, there are better options from a variety of brands as that’s a weak point with Lifeproof’s current lineup.

The company’s click-lock stone-like flooring ranges from darker shades like Catalina Grey and Dragonglass Limestone to marble-like options including Night Orb. Overall, it’s a nice range of styles and colors with plenty of variance. 

The sizes are somewhat standard with planks listed at 12” x 24” and 16” x 32” although most sport a 12 mil wear layer and have an identical warranty. Some of the tile sizes are also listed under the “plank” category online – something to keep in mind when shopping for this brand.

Homeowners interested in wood-look flooring have a larger selection with over 100 styles in stock locally or online through Home Depot. Most are shades in the grey or brown range, but there are several that are light and weathered almost to the point of being white. Chiffon Lace Oak is a great example, and there are darker hues to choose from as well.

Magnetic Rock is in tile format, but nearly black while Maligne Valley is a plank that’s a shade lighter but just as stunning. Multi-tonal vinyl flooring is also an option although a far cry from the premium variegated planks you’ll find from major brands.

Lifeproof Vinyl Flooring Durability

There are two factors to remember when it comes to durability and vinyl flooring of any kind – the wear layer and the warranty. While quality construction is important as well, when the wear layer fails, the image on each plank or tile will become damaged quickly. The core and thickness also come into play with structural integrity.

We found that Lifeproof vinyl flooring ranges from between 6mm to 7mm thick with a few styles falling below or above that mark. Most are considered “wide” planks with a width of at least 7” and have rigid cores, instead of flexible ones. That’s a bonus, but still a step down from high-quality SPC and WPC luxury vinyl flooring.

As for the wear layers, that’s split fairly evenly between their premium and mid-range styles. There are around 60 with wear layers at 22 mil or 12 mil, and more than 70 styles listed with a thinner 6 mil wear layer. With that in mind, all of the company’s sheet vinyl and luxury vinyl have a limited lifetime guaranteed when properly installed.

Lifeproof Vinyl Flooring Cost

One of the perks of Lifeproof vinyl flooring is the cost, which falls into the midrange for the most part. We have seen some styles close to $4.00 per square foot, but for the most part, you can expect to pay an average of around $2.75 to 3.00 per square foot for their click-lock flooring.

Luxury vinyl flooring with a thicker wear layer is a little more expensive, although the price difference between tile and plank format is negligible. The company’s products are cheaper than what you’ll find from Shaw or Mannington’s top-tier lines but in line with vinyl flooring from Mohawk, SmartCore, and Home Depot's other store brand, Home Decorators Collection.

Final Thoughts

Whether Lifeproof flooring is the right choice for your home comes down to style and your budget. The overall consumer reviews for their vinyl flooring have been overwhelmingly positive, especially given the price. While there are brands with thicker flooring or more styles, we feel the company’s vinyl lineup is well worth consideration.