Hallmark Courtier Vinyl Plank Flooring Review

Hallmark Courtier Vinyl Plank Flooring Review

By Fortino Rosas / April 22, 2019 / 2 Comments

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    Do you like the look of luxury hardwood floors but prefer the convenience of caring for vinyl? Then Hallmark Courtier Vinyl Plank Flooring will make a worthy addition to your home.

    Graded for use in both residential and commercial settings, this material is made with high traffic in mind. Its durability is one of the reasons it regularly receives high praise from homeowners and installers alike.

    Particularly telling is how many homeowners install Hallmark Courtier in one area of their house and return to expand their coverage to new rooms. Repeat business like this is a solid indication of a reliable product when the investment of material and installation is considered. Whether you plan to hire an installer or try the do it yourself route, this can add a premium quality look to your space.

    Can vinyl out-perform other resilient floorings like hardwood, linoleum and cork? According to the Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI), vinyl is often the least expensive option. It provides a variety of quality (and price) grades, uses, and application flexibility. Within these broad categories, Hallmark has made its mark based on features and design.

    Does it look like real wood?

    Vinyl flooring products are intended to be lookalike materials. They mimic wood or tile while providing the comfort, convenience and ease of installation of vinyl planks.

    However, not all products have the variation in patterns and real life appearance of the product they’re copying. Couple this with a fixed standard plank size and lack of variations in patterns, and your floor can look fake even to the casual observer.

    This Looks Real

    A number of traits make vinyl flooring look like real hardwood planks. Hallmark Courtier Vinyl Plank Flooring has them all.

    It starts with variable plank widths. Real wood isn’t uniform. Neither are the widths on this product. That makes it appear as close to the real thing as possible.

    Next, it’s the variation in the printing process. Yes, printing, with the pattern of the wood as the design. Hallmark replicates the look of both restoration hardwoods and contemporary fresh cut patterns with authentic accuracy and natural looking weathering. They are available in a variety of wood types and true to life colors.

    Finally, the overall appearance of wood should have texture like the rings in a tree or the grooves in its bark. This is accomplished through the coating process. That should follow the design printed on the vinyl.

    Homeowners and commercial users of the Hallmark Courtier product line say that even when laid over large areas and seen in bright light, this vinyl plank will fool you into thinking it’s the real thing.

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    Can you DIY Install Hallmark LVP?

    Not all vinyl flooring products are appropriate for DIYers. This can be because of techniques in their installation process. It is also because of issues with special preparation of the subsurface, and other factors. Some warranties also require an installation by a professional to be valid.

    Leave it to a Professional

    Some DIYers have successfully installed this flooring. However, for a quality job, it’s best to leave Hallmark to a professional.

    It appears that reviews on product sites like Houzz where a problem is indicated with lifting or curling at corners of the planks occurs when people who did the work themselves.

    If you want to install Hallmark yourself, keep in mind that the acclimatizing process is very important to a good-looking result. It is important to leave the cases of flooring in the room in which you will be installing it. You will need to do that for at least 48 hours. That will allow it to expand or contract based on the temperature and humidity.

    However, if your winters are much colder, you’ll have some shrinkage. That makes interlocking the pieces correctly with the EZ Lok system critical to keeping it flat on your floor.

    Professionals appear to find Hallmark easy to work with over most subsurfaces. There is no special prep, other than the standard leveling and assuring the area is clean. Distributors note that it’s a pleasure to work with a product that has such a consistent milling finish and excellent engineering, which means they won’t be filing claims for problems down the road.

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    How durable is Hallmark Courtier Vinyl Plank Flooring for high traffic areas?

    The last thing you’ll want is the appearance of a valley in the lane where your kids and pets race through the room. Vinyl flooring’s ability to resist wear marks is based on the thickness of the floor overall, the coating applied, and the required method of installation. Other culprits include rolling furniture like office chairs and scratches from pets’ nails.

    Rated Highly for Durability

    Homeowners’ traffic is typically kids, pets, and dropsies. Hallmark Courtier Vinyl Plank flooring stands up well to all the possible dents and scratches of a normal household, according to customers’ reviews. Even commercial users have no significant complaints about how well these planks stand up to their heavier daily use.

    Part of the reason is that Hallmark floors are thicker, both overall and in the coating. Homeowners remark how pleasant it is to walk on these surfaces in bare feet, even after a year or more of installation, describing it as both soft and cushioned. The low sheen of the finish makes for both a realistic looking wood-look surface as well as aids in its durability.

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    Can Hallmark Courtier Vinyl Plank Flooring resist stains and sun fade?

    Stains in your vinyl flooring can come from spills, excessive sunlight, and dirt in traffic patterns. Once this penetrates the coating, it saturates the layers and is impossible to remove. This is why a good coating system is vital to long-term wear and tear.

    No Reporting of Stain or Sun Damage

    Customers comment on how well liquids bead up on the surface, as if the wet stuff was sitting on a well-waxed surface. This is due to the Guardian UV Ceramic Bead protection in the coating, which also fights off sun fade. Materials for this flooring receive a 100% certification from FloorScore® because it emits zero volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and formaldehyde, making your home or workplace air healthier.

    Any vinyl surface is made of plastic, and that can contort, fade or look burnt when UV hits it for long periods of time. Hallmark passes this test as well, with this same coating providing protection that customers note lasts even in intense sunlight installations. The antibacterial and fungal control built throughout the product provides even greater long-term protection.

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    How do you clean Hallmark Courtier Vinyl Plank Flooring?

    Any vinyl flooring can turn dingy and dull when the wrong cleaner is used. Forget trying homemade cleaners too, because these won’t clean vinyl plank down to the shine and can damage some products’ surfaces. A sopping mop is also a bad choice.

    Easy to Keep Clean

    A damp tile mop is all it seems to take to keep a Hallmark floor clean. Damp means barely wet, because you run the risk of having excess water seep through the seams over time if you leave too much of the liquid behind.

    Many users recommend the Hallmark brand TrueClean® cleaner because it’s easy to use and adds more protection to your floor while it cleans.

    The one consistent comment on cleaning, though, is more about the color than the surface itself. Dark colors tend to show dust, hair and debris more than light to medium ones. For this reason, some homeowners suggest it’s a good idea to have a vacuum or sweeper designed for bare floors to avoid this mess.

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    The Verdict

    Hallmark Courtier Vinyl Plank Flooring scores well across the board for its appearance, durability, installation ease, and maintenance, which is pretty much a grand slam. The number of people who loved their first rooms of this product so much they went back for more speaks to its value. It isn’t the least expensive flooring on the market, but it appears to be worth everything you invest in it.

    Recapping things that set Hallmark apart from other competitive flooring, the variable widths rank highly, bringing you a truer to real life look in the final result. Even the distributors and installers like it, and that can be solid testimony in itself, because no one likes to work with an inferior product or support claims for a refund. In those cases where a rare problem does occur, Hallmark stands by their warranties without a lot of hassles.

    Taken altogether, this flooring seems to sell itself on features and results. If you’ve had Hallmark Courtier Vinyl Plank Flooring installed in your home or commercial location, do you agree with our verdict? For those of you on the fence, what questions haven’t we answered? We’d love to hear your comments.

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    About Fortino Rosas

    Chief Floor Critic, 32 years of experience in flooring installation and sales

    Fortino Rosas is an independent flooring contractor with 32 years of experience in residential and commercial flooring installation and sales. He joined the Floor Critics team to share his expertise with our readers. Fortino has acquired vast knowledge and skills in the areas of product selection, space planning, and installation. He has installed flooring in residential, government, and commercial office projects in the Midwest. Visit Website.

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    2 thoughts on “Hallmark Courtier Vinyl Plank Flooring Review”

    1. I am considering two different styles – Chaminade Oak COCHA602MM or SIERRA MADRE REDONDO FRENCH OAK. I prefer the look of the Chaminade Oak, but prefer the quality of the Sierra Madre with its Lifetime Warranty. Is there a Chaminade Oak in a 20 mil wear layer?
      I have an older home and the floors are not level. The Sierra Madre has a 20 mil wear layer and the Chaminade Oak has a 12 mil wear layer – How much difference will this make in to total thickness of the product? This is a concern when installing thresholds to adjoining rooms.

    2. We’ve selected Hallmark Courtier 7″ in Chancellor (Oak COCHA905MM-19). Our research shows that it’s safe to use with radiant heat floors, however, we cannot find specifics. Can you recommend an electric radiant heat floor to pair with it? Our early 1800’s farmhouse negates using hot water radiant heat floors (no access under flooring in this portion of the house). We live in NNY’s snow belt, where winters are long and frigid.

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