Vinyl plank flooring has emerged as an affordable alternative to hardwood flooring and also a great way to get hardwood looks, but in a material that is water-resistant. However, while there is a lot of quality vinyl plank flooring out there, there are also some duds, which look fake and don’t hold up in terms of appearance and durability.
In this article, we are reviewing Shaw Floorte Vinyl Plank Flooring, a brand that works hard to meet the needs and concerns of their customers. They have a broad collection in terms of both styles and price points, which seems to live up to theirmarketing promise.
We’ll look at Shaw Floorte’s different lines, their quality, installation, where you can buy it, and what customers have thought. Basically, we will equip you with everything you need to know to decide whether this flooring brand might work for you.
- Styles And Lines
- Floorte Casa
- Largo Planks And Largo Mix Plus
- Mantua Plank
- Price
- Warranty
- Where To Buy
- Installation
- Care And Maintenance
- Shaw Floorte Reviews
- FAQs About Shaw Floorte Flooring
- The Verdict
Styles And Lines
Shaw divides their vinyl plank offering into two series, the Classic Series and the Pro Series.
The Classic Series combines a foamed waterproof core with a Soft Silence acoustic pad underlayer and its design and performance layer on top, which combines the design print with an ArmourBead & ScuffResist Platinum finish. So you are looking at a product that is both water-resistant and durable. Floorte options with a wear layer of between 12 and 20 mil tend to belong to this line.
The Pro Series has a denser core, with the same acoustic pad but an enhanced design and performance layer that uses a thicker commercial-grade platinum finish. Floorte options in the Pro series have wear layers from 20 mil to as much as 30 mil thick, offering commercial-grade protection.
Within these series, there are a variety of different design lines. Let’s take a look at some of their most popular.
Floorte Casa
Casa comes in 18 exotic color variations including Bianco, Grigio, and Gialo. These textured planks are vividly detailed and strike the perfect balance between weathered and warm.
Part of the Classic Series, Casa planks have a 12 mil wear layer, which is acceptable for vinyl, but it may be too thin for use in active households. Families with children and pets should look for thicker vinyl planks with a layer of 20 mil or higher.
The Floorte Casa collection features 4-foot-long boards just shy of 6 inches in width. These resilient floors have a waterproof surface making them an excellent choice for basements or damp areas.
Like most of Shaw’s vinyl planks, Casa utilizes the Fold-n-Tap installation method. It’s a floating floor that locks together at the bevels. Installing these planks is relatively simple as they don’t connect to your walls or adhere to the subfloor.
Shaw warranties the finish of its Casa planks in residential settings for 30 years. Be advised, gloss reduction and surface scratches are excluded from this guarantee.
Expect to pay just under $6.00 per square foot for this line.
Largo Planks And Largo Mix Plus
Floorte Largo is the brand’s smallest but most diverse collection. Largo Planks come in six color options that mimic familiar wood species.
These planks are perfect for open floor plans. Their impressive 8”-wide by 6’-long sizing make them a smart choice for anyone wanting a seamless look. Utilizing larger planks will create the same sense of flow and continuity found in many of today’s top designs.
Largo planks sport a durable wear layer of 20 mil and a total thickness of 6.5mm. They are waterproof, scratch-resistant, and have a lifetime warranty.
A subcollection within the Largo line is Largo Mix Plus. These planks come in premixed boxes of various lengths. Largo Mix gives you the freedom to customize your design and create a one-of-a-kind style. This flooring takes it up a notch for those DIY installers with adventurous spirits.
Largo Mix Plus is available in six striking shades not found in the original Largo line. The mixed collection offers a residential lifetime warranty. You can install either Largo line with Shaw’s fold-n-tap system.
One of the more expensive lines, expect to pay between $6.00 and $7.00 per square foot.
If you need a budget-friendly option, consider Mantua plank.
Mantua Plank
Mantua is Shaw’s line of value vinyl planks. These planks come in nine beautiful colors that blend with any design style. Mantua planks measure 6” x 4’ and 5.5mm thick.
This collection has a thinner wear layer of 8 mil. Mantua planks may be a better choice for homes without children or pets.
If you’re updating your home for resale purposes, this flooring is an appealing option. Mantua planks are waterproof and scratch-resistant. You can install them on any level in your home.
Shaw warranties that the planks in this series will last for 15 years of residential use, and they will set you back less than $5.00 per square foot.
While we have covered the lines of Shaw Floorte, we haven’t quite finished our examination of this brand. There is more to consider.
Price
Shaw Floorte flooring is mid-range when it comes to pricing, and you can expect to pay between $4.00 and $7.00 per square foot for their lines, which is the market average.
As a general guide, their lightweight lines, such as those with just an 8 mil wear layer and only around 5.5mm thickness overall, cost around the $4.00 mark. The Floorte residential lines, with a 12 mil wear layer and a thickness of between 6-7mm, cost between $5.00 and $6.00. Their premium lines with wear layers of 20 mil or more and thicknesses of between 8 and 12mm, will cost between $6.00 and $7.00.
If you choose to hire a professional to install your floor, expect to pay between $1.50 and $3.00 per square foot. But the planks are designed to be easy to install, so this may be something you can tackle yourself as a DIY project.
Warranty
Shaw Floorte’s manufacturer warranties are based primarily on the wear layer on the plank. With an 8 mil wear layer, you can expect to receive a 15-year residential warranty and 5-year commercial warranty. For 12 mil planks, Shaw offers a 30-year residential warranty and 7-year commercial coverage. For their higher wear layers, you can expect a lifetime residential warranty, and a commercial warranty of 10 to 20 years.
The warranty covers manufacturing defects, delaminating, and loss of original pattern or color while subject to normal use and when properly maintained. They also warrant that the planks will not be warped by water.
As is the case with most lifetime warranties on floors, it applies only to the original purchaser and does not pass to the subsequent homeowner when the home is sold.
Where To Buy
Shaw does not sell their vinyl flooring directly to the public, but rather through a network of approved retailers as well as some big box and specialty flooring stores. They provide a store locator on their website to help you identify your local dealer.
Installation
Shaw’s Floorte flooring is easy to install and is a project that most home DIYers should be able to tackle without the help of a professional.
The vinyl flooring can be installed over existing flooring, and the underlayer means it can be installed over an imperfect subfloor without significant issues.
The planks come with a click profile, which allows the planks to be fit together in a tongue-and-mouth approach.
Shaw’s vinyl planks are also appropriate for glue-down installation over wood and concrete substrates.
Floorte floors do not require acclimation, so you can walk on your new floors on the same day as installation.
The manufacturer confirms that this vinyl flooring can be installed over radiant heating as long as there is a minimum of a ½ inch separation between the heating system and the flooring.
Care And Maintenance
Shaw recommends sweeping your Floorte vinyl floors regularly to remove dirt and grit, which can be responsible for scratches and abrasions. Periodically, the floor should also be cleaned with their recommended hard surface cleaner and a dry mop.
The floor should not be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner with a beater brush, as this can cause scratches and dents. Shaw also does not recommend the use of steam or harsh chemicals to clean their floors, and their use may void your warranty.
Shaw Floorte Reviews
The reviews for Shaw Floorte aren’t exactly promising. Installers, retailers, and customers all note multiple problems with Floorte vinyl planks
While the line has been revamped, it’s hard to ignore the number of complaints. Common issues include faulty installation mechanisms, excessive wear, and denied warranty claims.
While reviews can be helpful, it’s important to do your research. Make sure you take the bad reviews with a grain of salt.
Considering many of the posts were written before the collection’s overhaul, the problems may have been corrected.
FAQs About Shaw Floorte Vinyl Flooring
- Is Shaw Vinyl Flooring Good?
- Where Is Shaw Vinyl Plank Flooring Made?
- Does Shaw Vinyl Plank Flooring Require Underlayment?
- What Is The Best Shaw Vinyl Flooring?
- Is COREtec Made By Shaw?
- What Is The Difference Between Floorte And Floorte Pro?
- What Are The Disadvantages Of Vinyl Plank Flooring?
- What Is The Best Thickness For Vinyl Plank Flooring?
Is Shaw Vinyl Flooring Good?
Shaw Floorte sells a variety of grades of vinyl flooring, some lightweight with an 8 mil wear layer and others with extra-durable wear layers of up to 30 mil. There is a significant cost difference between the two, and they will perform very differently.
But one thing that stands out about Shaw Floorte is the variety. Floorte offers a broad range of designs in both their affordable and high-quality lines, so there is something for every taste and budget in their collection.
Where Is Shaw Vinyl Plank Flooring Made?
While the majority of Shaw’s new lines are made in the United States, it still has lines that are made in China. The country of origin for each of Shaw’s flooring lines is clearly displayed on their website.
Does Shaw Vinyl Plank Flooring Require Underlayment?
The majority of Shaw’s vinyl flooring comes with a sound dampening underlayer attached to all planks, so there is no need to purchase additional underlayment.
If it does not have an underlayment, or you want additional sound dampening or moisture protection, additional underlayment can be used. Shaw sells a number of underlayments that they recommend for use with their vinyl plank flooring.
What Is The Best Shaw Vinyl Flooring?
If you are looking for the most durable Shaw Floorte vinyl flooring, look at their lines designated as Plus. These are usually thicker boards, around 12 mm thick, and protected with a 30 mil wear layer. Shaw thinks these floors are so durable, they offer a 20-year commercial warranty and limited lifetime residential warranty on these lines.
Is COREtec Made By Shaw?
COREtec flooring is now manufactured by Shaw, since their acquisition of USFloors in 2017. COREtec is now manufactured in Shaw’s facility in Ringgold, Georgia.
What Is The Difference Between Floorte And Floorte Pro?
Floorte Pro is a more durable version of standard Floorte vinyl flooring. It has a harder core and a tougher wear layer to ensure that vinyl planks are more durable, more scratch-resistant, and hold up better over time. A range of colors and styles are available as Floorte and Floorte Pro.
What Are The Disadvantages Of Vinyl Plank Flooring?
The main drawback of vinyl plank flooring is that it offers a minimal return on investment when compared to other floors. For example, vinyl flooring does not add to the value of your home, unlike hardwood floors. Similarly, while engineered hardwood floors might last you 50 years and solid wood floors more than 100 years, vinyl plank flooring needs to be replaced every 20 to 25 years.
There are also health and environmental concerns with some vinyl flooring. Some vinyl flooring is made with chemicals that convert into gas when the planks acclimatize to room temperature, releasing potentially poisonous toxins into your home. You need to look for VOC-free vinyl planks to avoid this.
Vinyl planks are also not biodegradable, so once you rip them out of your home after 20 years, they can sit in landfill forever.
What Is The Best Thickness For Vinyl Plank Flooring?
Never purchase vinyl plank flooring with a thickness of less than 5mm. This is usually sufficient for light residential use. For the areas of your home with greater traffic, or for light commercial areas, look for planks at least 8 mm thick. As part of its Floorte line, Shaw produces planks that range from 5mm to 12mm thick.
The Verdict
With their Floorte vinyl plank flooring line, Shaw offers its customers a large variety of options both in terms of colors and designs, and durability and price. There is something for everybody within the collection.
Their floors are waterproof and range in durability depending on the wear layer you choose, but in general seem to live up to the promise of being a wood-look alternative you can use in any part of your home.
Shaw has some negative customer reviews online, but in recent years they have updated much of their manufacturing practices including moving some of their important production from China to the USA. Also, there is an element of “you get what you pay for.” If you get one of the Floorte 8 mil wear layer lines, you cannot expect it to live up to the promises of their 20 or 30 mil wear layer options.
The Floorte line offers selection, and you need to be careful to select a style and a level of durability that is right for you and your home.
If you’ve used Floorte, be sure to help others by posting your comments below.
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Been looking at floorte pantheon HD pisa, has anybody tried it? After reading the reviews here about shaw flooring, I am a bit hesitant! We are planning to install it in the kitchen which definitely is a heavy traffic area. What would you suggest?
I did my whole house in it. Looked great, for less than a year, when it started buckeling up on all joints. The floor co I purchased it from wouldn’t do anything, because “they didn’t install it”. They just sold the crap to me.
I hired installers who have been laying flooring of all kinds for 30 years. The owner of the installation company kept saying that this stuff was very stiff, not like other vinyl planks he’d installed. Shaw sent a Floor Detective who measured the moisture in my concrete, and claimed it was full of moisture, which was the problem, and blamed the Installers. I had others come out and inspect, check moisture, and was normal. This floor is crap, and Shaw sucks at Customer Service. Now I have to rip it all out, and I’m going back to tile. I think I’m going to take them to court. $3000 of crap flooring, doesn’t clean, footprints water spots, buckling is a walking trip hazzard. And I live by myself. Waterproof? but moisture in the concrete causes it to buckle??? I got a bad batch, and they asked me if I still had the boxes to determine what batch…don’t they keep records? doesn’t the retailer either??? BAD
Had Cortec One Plus Luxury Vinyl Plank flooring, color Ventura Chestnut, installed professionally, several months ago. So far, very, very happy with it. The color has medium variation, so any dirt or spots do not show. The floor texture is like natural wood grain with a soft feel on the feet. Cleans up quickly, doesn’t show foot prints at all. The only negative is the sound. Our installers put plastic barrier under layment down, which is not essential, and it makes a crackling sound when walking. The installers said this will disappear as the air is expressed from under the boards, and it has over the past months, but is still present in places not walked on much. The boards also make a slight hollow sound. This has not bothered us, but it might to some people.
We installed Shaw Floorte Pro flooring late last fall and loved the look. It’s rather expensive but is is stunning, seamless and easy to install for two beginners. However, we purchased this product over others because it advertises to be very durable. My husband and I live alone, the kids are gone, but we wanted something that would last. I am disappointed to say that it scratches very easily. A slight movement of a piece of furniture or vacuuming is enough to leave a scratch to the surface. Had I realized I would have given this product more thought before purchasing.
Yes, the supposedly scratchless, scratches easy, and shows foot prints, drops of water, even after cleaning. It’s junk. I wasted a lot of money that i didn’t have to waste.
was it the plus series? how bad are the scratches?
Which kind of Floorte did you buy?
Shaw floorte is the Worst product we have ever installed! It does NOT “snap” together like we were told! Wish I did more research on this product. I will Never recommend this product!
We had Shaw Floorte vinyl plank installed in our kitchen. The installers put some marks and scratches on some of the planks during the installation. I immediately knew it would not hold up to my dog traffic so my sales rep filed a claim on my behalf with Shaw. By the time they sent an inspector to look at it there were many more scratches and scrapes from the dogs toenails. It has been about a month since the inspector left and no word from Shaw on the status of the claim. I have boxes of vinyl plank sitting in my garage that I wish they would come and take away. Terrible product. It is definitely not for high traffic areas. Way too easy to damage.
I installed about 900 feet of Shaw Floorte Casa in Pera color/design in Jan 19. So far it’s been a great looking floor and holding up well, no pops or cracking sound either. Though the Pera pattern really shows the seams, especially when the sun hits it just right. Feels solid under foot, and it definitely has a harder surface than the Armstrong laminate it replaced, as we now have a bit of a echo in the room that wasn’t there before (same furniture as before).
Very easy to clean with a damp mop with just warm water, then go back over with a dry mop, looks very nice. The texture is very nice too, but some here that walk around barefoot say it’s rough on their feet, so I just told them to wear socks lol. For just under $3 a foot, it seems like quality flooring, and very easy to install.
We have the Floorte Casa vinyl planks installed. They looked good for about a year then we started noticing smudges on the surface. We “clean” it with the Shaw’s recommended cleaner, when wet it looks fine, as it dries the smudges are still there. I can’t feel anything on the surface but looks smudged. The install company sent out an appraiser to test the install and the product. He couldn’t remove the smudges either. It has a 12 mm surface protector, maybe I should have installed 20 mm. Or maybe someone else’s product. Discouraged that no one calls back, it’s been 2 months after first reporting. I grew up with oak flooring and didn’t like that either. We’re thinking of going back to shiny sheet vinyl that you can add a polish to brighten.
Unhappy in Vermont.
We have the Shaw Floorte: Premio Plank Plus, Lucca Color. It has been installed for just over a year on our main floor; Kitchen, Dining & Living room. This is also the flooring you come in on from our backyard. We have 3 boys and very active 1 year old husky that was just a baby when the floor was installed. It still looks beautiful. We have no scratches and no planks popping up. We installed it ourselves. We are considering it for our basement next. We even had our Fridge Ice maker line leak on it twice with no issues and house broke a puppy. We would highly recommend this flooring.
I have the Shaw Floorte Alto Plank Noce color – 6.5 mm thickness, 20mill wear layer 2800 sq ft – looks great, no issues with builder installation. 7 months in and so far so good. In my previous home I had a glued down engineered wood floor which was softer and more quiet. Overall happy with my my LVT floor.
Total junk flooring. Scratched after three days and can’t figure how that happened. Professionally installed. A complete waste of money and time. Junk quality.
Terrible product. We had 5,800 sqft professionally installed in July of 2018.
We used Floorte’ Pro 5 Series Plus glue down commercial application and it immediately showed signs of failing. Shaw representatives were called out to review install procedures, methods, and found no flaws with the contractor. They found a flaw in the design of the floor that caused some edges of the plank to raise. Shaw is warranting the entire replacement but I am now listening to the professional contractor on what to replace this with.
There are better Shaw products that have already proved themselves reliable, so stay away from Floorte’ Pro! Nothing worse than to have to shut down an entire building to replace a brand new floor. Shaw doesn’t seem to recognize the value in the required shut down. They don’t offer any funds for that and they should!
Which Shaw did you find better? We have narrowed our search to the Shaw Resilient line. Antica HD Plus.
What was the immediate failure? I am experiencing cupping and curling.. i have been trying to figure out problem, and i keep saying defective product. thank you for a quick reply.. i am in the middle of the paying to repeatedly install a floor..
Shaw Floorte started curling on the day of installation! Had an inspector come out & said no fault in the installation. This is a terrible product that we’ve only had for 2 weeks & not even moved into our new house. @Shaw_Inc #shawfloors Our sales person is baffled, the Shaw rep is baffled yet we are holding an expensive bag!
Glad I read these reviews as was seriously considering this flooring for my kitchen, dining room and hallway. My biggest concern was scratching from dining room chairs. Back to the drawing board.
We had floorte pro installed. Floor looked great, til we had a dishwasher leak. Pulled up and dried the flooring. But then could not get it to click back together properly. And about 75% wouldn’t go back down properly. Maybe it isn’t made to be durable enough to do that? We had an inspector come out. He took two planks with him. (These two were perfect planks I will add). Told us there was nothing wrong with the flooring. Installation error. We are replacing our floorte floor with a different brand, with better ratings.
I purchased 1600 sq ft. I’m not even 100 sq ft in and having major issues, if it continues this is going to be a the biggest mistake I’ve ever made! And expensive. I’ve laid a lot of floors including hardwood and have never had theses issues. It doesn’t lock in, separates, I’ve taken it out and tried relaying, Did not resolve. I’ll be looking into returning it. I’ll let you know how well that goes.
Just started installing Shaw Floorte Pro Series 7 Luxury Vinyl. Saying that it is horrible would be an understatement. Its “locking” design is completely flawed. I tore it out after about 15 square feet because the planks were simply not staying together. Will be returning for a refund.
Our Floorte buckled and warped during some very hot days, in spite of the shade screen and low e glass. The planks were acclimated for well over a week to the summer heat prior to installation. Not happy. Dents easily and scratches. Not as advertised. (It is waterproof!) The floor looks worn out after only a few short months. Too bad, always thought Shaw was reputable and provided only the best product.
The worst floor ever. It is so thin that the uneven floor was most apparent. It is very difficult to walk on the floor, as I moved a price of furniture and it left a huge scratch on the floor. The basement was supposed to be for the kids to play. I’m apprehensive already, I can’t imagine how the floor will look in a few months if the kids move chairs, or lay out the air hockey, or the ping pong table. Not a great choice. I’m sorry that I chose this floor.
What is the wear layer of your floor? The 20 mil thickness is supposed to be for hearty enough for commercial use.
Which plank has the most “texture” or grip (non-smooth)?
We just purchased 1400 sq ft plus of Shaw Floorte largo 20mil. Within a week there a ton of scratches underneath our kitchen table from our chairs. The chairs are very lightweight and have protective bottom. I chose this because everyone said it’s so much better than wood in a busy family. Completely regret my decision
I had wood floors in a previous house and they also were scratched to pieces by the chairs even though we had protective bottoms and tried to be very careful.
Wow. This is shocking. I have samples of the Largo now and wanted to purchase roughly 600 square feet. I thought the 20 mil rating was more than sufficient for residential use, but after reading your review I am rethinking.
I have the 20mil Shaw floorte with attached underlayment and LOVE it. I am a foster parent for dogs. Currently have 5 along with 3 sons. Cleans easily. Had a water leak from a window air conditioner recently-went all over the extra boards we had from installation. NO Problem whatsoever. The boxes were ruined, but the planks are fine.
Which version Floorte do you have?
I too would like to know which version of Floorte you bought, that wears well.
Please weigh in if you’re there, Kim. Which specific Floorte product is it that you have installed?