Our Proximity Mills review is a comprehensive guide covering all aspects of this brand and its luxury vinyl plank, hardwood, tile, and carpet floor products.
The Proximity Mills brand is relatively new, but the manufacturers behind the brand have been making flooring for over 50 years. Proximity Mills is a collection of all the best products they’ve made. Their products are designed to handle boisterous pets, messy kids, and normal daily thoroughfare.
If you’re deciding if Proximity Mills is the brand for your floor covering needs, then read on as we give an in-depth review on this brand and its extensive range of flooring products.
Proximity Mills Brand Overview
Proximity Mills has been one of the most popular brands in the market and has become increasingly more popular as people are looking for low VOC products.. They understand that the floor buying process can be very confusing and frustrating. Proximity Mills aims to set themselves apart from their competitors by following their core principles:
- They have done extensive flooring research and developed a high quality product line that is easy to understand and has no marketing gimmicks like many larger flooring brands. They only sell through selected retailers that know the products inside and out to give customers the best possible experience.
- Provide the highest quality flooring at the best possible cost. Since they do not have any middleman or third parties involved, consumers get a price that is often lower for the same or better quality product.
Proximity Mills is a performance brand that offers four types of flooring: vinyl plank, hardwood, tile, and carpet.
Vinyl Plank
The vinyl plank line from Proximity Mills is an earth-friendly product that is built to handle liquid spills, kids, and pets. It’s core is made with Stone Plastic Composite (SPC) which offers unparalleled durability. The vinyl plank flooring has seven collections.
Hardwood
Proximity Mills’ hardwood products come in six distinct collections. They are 100% waterproof, pet friendly, and very quiet as they have an attached padding for added comfort and sound absorption.
Tile
The line of waterproof tile is the most durable product in the Proximity Mills portfolio. In addition to the durability, the different types of styles set this line apart. They offer modern and warm options such as matte cement (Modern Chic line), granite/marble look tile (Elegance line), and a textured linen-looking line (Tapestry line).
Carpet
Proximity Mills’ carpet products that are one of the highest quality in the industry. They are so confident you will like their carpet flooring that they offer lifetime stain, pet, and soil protection.
Where to Buy Proximity Mills?
Proximity Mills is sold through a variety of independent retailers across the United States. As of our review, they were sold in 74 different retailers. The list of stores is growing each day. It is worth noting that Proximity Mills does not sell to national retailers like Home Depot or Lowe’s.
On the downside, this makes it difficult for those of you not near a retailer to buy their flooring. On the other hand, they want retailers who sell the Proximity Mills brand to be experts on the products so customers are happy with their purchase.
This brand is serious about customer service and proper installation. This is another reason why they only sell their products through professionals they trust and who know their product inside-out! This is a unique approach that we feel will work in their favor.
Pros and Cons
What We Like
- Product is made by the same manufacturers as larger flooring brands, but Proximity Mills does not charge a markup.
- Numerous product lines offering more aesthetically pleasing and unique styles than the competition,
- Quality Construction. Vinyl plank wear layers starting at 12 mils and going up to 22 mils. The wear layer is by far the most important consideration when buying a floor.
- Responsive customer service through email, chat, or phone. We had to wait less than two minutes.
- SPC vinyl plank core construction which offers superior durability and makes them 100% waterproof (not just water resistant).
- Easy installation. Floating, glue-down, or loose lay installation methods.
- Eco-friendly with low or no VOCs and 100% recyclable.
What We Don’t
- Difficult to find. Products are sold only through independent flooring dealers.
- Built-in underlayments on vinyl planks only available with floating flooring option.
Cost
Proximity Mills does not sell direct to consumer. Instead they sell to retailers who in turn sell to consumers. The retailers are allowed to set their own prices. However, on average, you can expect prices to be in the ranges below.
- Vinyl Plank: starts at around $3 per square foot and goes to upwards of $6 per square foot
- Hardwood: starts at around $8 per square foot and goes to upwards of $12 per square foot
- Tile: starts at around $5 per square foot and goes to upwards of $10 per square foot
- Carpet: starts at around $4 per square foot and goes to upwards of $8 per square foot
Proximity Mills vs. Competitors
Let’s see how each of the flooring types stack up against the competition.
Vinyl Plank
| Proximity Mills | LifeProof | SmartCore | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flooring Type | Vinyl Plank | Vinyl Plank | Vinyl Plank |
| Cost per SF | $3.00 to $6.00 | $2.00 to $5.00 | $3.00 to $4.00 |
| Where to Buy | Local Retailers | Home Depot | Lowe’s |
| Wear Layer | 12 to 22 mils | 6 to 22 mils | 12 to 20 mils |
| Durability | A- | A- | B |
| Style | A- | B+ | B |
| Installation | A | A | A |
| Overall Rating | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.0 |
Hardwood
| Proximity Mills | Bellawood | Mirage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flooring Type | Hardwood | Hardwood | Hardwood |
| Cost per SF | $8.00 to $12.00 | $5.00 to $9.00 | $6.00 to $10.00 |
| Where to Buy | Local Retailers | LL Flooring | Local Retailers |
| Durability | A | C | A |
| Style | B+ | B | A- |
| Installation | A | B+ | A |
| Overall Rating | 4.7 | 4.0 | 4.9 |
Tile
| Proximity Mills | Daltile | Emser | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flooring Type | Tile | Tile | Tile |
| Cost per SF | $5.00 to $10.00+ | $1.00 to $10.00+ | $1.00 to $10.00+ |
| Where to Buy | Local Retailers | Home Depot Local Retailers | Home Depot Lowe’s Local Retailers |
| Durability | A | B+ | A |
| Style | A | A- | A |
| Installation | B+ | B- | B+ |
| Overall Rating | 4.7 | 4.2 | 4.7 |
Carpet
| Proximity Mills | Shaw | Dream Weaver | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flooring Type | Carpet | Carpet | Carpet |
| Cost per SF | $4.00 to $8.00 | $1.00 to $6.00 | $1.00 to $3.00 |
| Where to Buy | Local Retailers | Home Depot Lowe’s Local Retailers | Local Retailers |
| Durability | A | A- | B |
| Style | B | B+ | B |
| Installation | A | B+ | B+ |
| Overall Rating | 4.6 | 4.3 | 4.0 |
Styles and Samples
Proximity Mills offers several collections for each type of flooring.
Vinyl Plank Styles
Proximity Mills currently has seven different collections for its luxury vinyl planks.
1. Hudson River
The Hudson River collection offers six unique styles to pick from. The colors are rich with the styles intended for homes with warm and cozy décor. It’s easily installed with a i4F locking system and can be used in both homes and business properties. Moldings are available as well as shade variations.
This collection is noted for the following features:
- Product type: Plank
- Size (L/W): 48″ x 7″
- Wear layer: 12 Mil
- Warranty: Lifetime residential / 7 yrs commercial
The Hudson River Collection is appealing to those homeowners looking to create a natural wood appearance in their homes. These vinyl planks only offer the floating installation method.
2. Ohio River
With 12 styles to pick from in the Ohio River Collection, you’ll love this product line if you’re looking for old-world meeting new age floor decor. The tiles come in single and multi-width boxes and are suitable for both home and commercial floors with its high durability rating of 5. Installation is simple and easy with its i4F locking system.
The product specifications for this collection are:
- Size (L/W): 36″ x 18″ (note: mixed widths: 6/12/18″)
- Wear layer: 22 Mil
- Warranty: Lifetime residential / 10 yrs commercial
For high traffic areas, you’ll find the Ohio River Collection most suitable, especially if your home or office would benefit from a modern style of flooring with natural aesthetics.
3. Salmon River
If it’s nature and earthly coloration you’re after for your residential or commercial property, you’ll adore this product line. A beautifully painted bevel enhances the wood aesthetics of this vinyl plank. The planks come in two sizes with the largest one measuring 9″ x 72″. It comes in a range of widths from 5″ to 9″.
Other features to note with this collection are:
- Product type: Plank
- Wear layer: 22 Mil
- Warranty: Lifetime residential / 10 yrs commercial
The Salmon River Collection gives you eight styles and colorations to pick from and a variety of shading options. Installation is simple and easy with a i4F locking system and floating method.
4. Suwannee River
This collection offers 10 different styles which are designed along the lines of elegant Scandinavian designs. Moldings are available and the edging is a micro bevel. Shade variation is mostly medium and the installation method is floating.
Other key features of this collection include:
- Product type: Plank
- Size (L/W): 47.99″ x 6.97″
- Wear layer: 20 Mil
- Warranty: Lifetime residential / 10 yrs commercial
The Suwannee River Collection is easy to install and is wonderful for creating a calm and rustic look in any home or office building.
5. Twin Rivers
The Twin River collection provides a lot of choice. It comes in twenty-four different colors. The aesthetics range from wood to stone to tile. We really liked the styles as they didn’t try to do too much, instead they incorporated a little bit of texture into each of the designs to provide a unique look.
The product specifications for this collection are:
- Size (L/W): 60″ x 9″
- Wear layer: 22 Mil
- Warranty: Lifetime residential / 10 yrs commercial
What we liked most was the aesthetic appeal of Twin Rivers beaver style. It closely mimicked the look of tile.
6. Yukon River
The Yukon River collection should be considered if you are looking for natural wood tones and accents. It is made for either residential or commercial use. This collection comes in six different colors.
The product specifications for this collection are:
- Size (L/W): 48″ x 7″
- Wear layer: 22 Mil
- Warranty: Lifetime residential / 10 yrs commercial
We love the large width on these planks. We feel they provide a classic look that warms the room.
7. Yellowstone River
If you’re looking for a product line that’s classical but stylish at the same time, then the Yellowstone River Collection is a good bet. It comes in three rich and natural colors. The planks are wide and have a clear finish creating a clean look.
The specifications of these vinyl planks are as follows:
- Size (L/W): 60″ x 9″
- Wear layer: 22 Mil
- Warranty: Lifetime residential / 10 yrs commercial
With a micro bevel edge, a variety of molding options, and ceramic bead surface coating, the Yellowstone River Collection vinyl planks won’t disappoint.
Hardwood Styles
The Proximity Mills hardwood line comes in 6 different collections. The variety and texture of the planks are stunning. We really like their clean looks that mix a modern and classic style.
In addition, if you like the look of wide planks, you are in luck. The product line ranges from 5 to 7 inches in width.
Tile Styles
The Proximity Mills carpet line comes in 48 different collections so we are sure you will find something that appeals to you. Their tile can be used for a variety of applications such as:
- Residential Flooring
- Commercial Flooring
- Wall Tile
- Countertop
The tiles come with a Porcelain Enamel Institute (PEI) rating. The PEI rating is given to a tile product based on the hardness of its glaze. It is measured on a scale of 1 to 5. Mostly all of the Proximity Mills tiles score a 4 which is perfect for moderate to heavy floor traffic.
Below are a few selections from their extensive collection.
Divina Collection
Crimson Collection
Garnett Caspiano
Carpet Styles
The Proximity Mills carpet line comes in 22 different collections, each with numerous color options. All of the fibers are made from nylon. When it comes to durability, we suggest choosing nylon over polyester carpet.
The collection has four different types of looks:
Patterned Cut Loop
Patterned Loop
Texture
Tip-Sheared
Warranty
The brand is proud of its flooring products and materials using only industry-leading quality. Proximity Mills also only uses high-quality manufacturing processes guaranteeing a top-end floor cover. They aim to provide flooring at reasonable prices making their products accessible to most customers.
Proximity Mills offers a standard limited lifetime warranty. They also offer limited commercial warranties ranging from 7 to 10 years.
For their carpet line, they offer standard lifetime stain, pet, and soil protection warranty. We found this to be a key differentiating factor versus the competition.
Environmental & Ethical Factors
All Proximity Mills products are FloorScore certified as either low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) or completely VOC-free. VOC levels are important to consider when buying flooring as breathing in VOCs can irritate the nose, eyes, and throat.
In addition, all Proximity Mills floors are mold-resistant and phthalate-free. Even when the floors are 100% waterproof it is still important to clean up any standing water around the floor.
Since vinyl flooring flooring is made of polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, it is recyclable.
Proximity Mills guarantees that its flooring is sourced from manufacturers that use certified free-trade labor.
Installation
For vinyl planks, installation is simple and quick with a i4F locking system. They claim you can install floors 30% faster as no special tools are required. Depending on the collection, the installation method is floating, loose lay, or glue-down. This means laying these vinyl planks can be a DIY project, or you can call on the experts to do the job.
Hardwood installation options are glue down, nail down, and floating depending on the collection.
Why Pick Proximity Mills?
Quality Construction
Proximity Mills only offers waterproof Stone-Plastic Composite (SPC) luxury vinyl planks. If you’re wondering if there’s a difference between SPC and LVP, then check out our analysis of the different types of vinyl flooring. In short, SPC is a subtype of luxury vinyl planks.
SPC has a rigid core that is infused with limestone, making it a highly durable floor for areas that have a lot of traffic such as hallways and living rooms.
Proximity Mills’ LVP floors can be used for both residential and commercial applications. When searching for the right type of luxury vinyl planks for your specific flooring needs, refer to the company’s durability grading system. Each collection clearly states a durability rating between 1 to 5, with 5 being the maximum grade.
A Wide Range of Styles
You’re spoiled for choice with Proximity Mills! You can pick from a range of colors, shading options, and whether you want tile, hardwood, LVP, or carpet. While many brands have lots of choices, we found Proximity Mills to have better styles and designs. Depending on the collection, you can also choose between floating, glue-down, or loose lay installation methods.
Wear Layers
If there’s one essential key feature you need to look out for when picking luxury vinyl planks, it’s the wear layer. The higher the wear layer, the longer your floor is likely to last, and the measurement is quoted in mil (one-thousandth of an inch.) Proximity Mills LVP comes in three wear layers: 12 mil, 20 mil, and 22 mil.
Low or No VOC
Proximity Mills takes your health seriously and ensures all their vinyl planks are made according to the highest possible manufacturing standards. This includes making sure all their products have low or completely no VOCs in them, which is supported by their FloorScore-certified rating. Plus, all their vinyl planks are mold-resistant, antimicrobial, and phthalate-free.
Flooring Visualizer
One of the challenges when picking a floor cover is picking the right style for your room. Proximity Mills’ flooring visualizer makes it simple for you to upload a photo of your room and match it with their vinyl plank floor products. Samples are also delivered directly to you for $3 each if you need further clarification that you’re picking the right style and color for your flooring needs.
Eco-Friendly
For the environmentally-conscious homeowner, you can’t go wrong with Proximity Mills’ vinyl plank floor products. The brand is serious about sustainability, which means all their floor products are 100% recyclable. When the time comes to replace your vinyl planks, rest assured: the discarded planks are recyclable, minimizing the impact on our planet.
Final Thoughts
We highly recommend you explore Proximity Mills and get some samples.
Proximity Mills are proud suppliers of flooring in the USA. This brand is all about delivering flooring that is high quality, sold only through trusted professionals while still being affordable. With several flooring types and collections to pick from, you’ll easily find a range of styles to suit your home.
A huge bonus when dealing with Proximity Mills is the value. We found they provide all of the quality and styles of competing brands, but are prices that are more affordable. This means you can now afford to install luxury vinyl planks or tile in your home even if you’re on a tight budget.
If you have any comments or first-hand experiences with Proximity Mills, please post them below or share your pictures via our social media. We would love to hear from you!
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Does anyone have experience with this product? Does it fade at all with sun exposure?
Over extended periods of time any flooring is going to fade. These floors are the least likely to fade. You want to be careful with direct sunlight for long periods of time with any vinyl plank flooring!