This is Part Two in our look at the exciting new floor introduced by Novalis Innovative Flooring called NovaCore™. In case you haven’t read Part One, we discussed how many people compare this type of luxury vinyl flooring to laminate flooring, but that’s a bit inaccurate. While both are rigid, laminate floors are not waterproof, and therefore have limitations regarding where they can be installed.
We prefer to call NovaCore an “Engineered Vinyl Plank” or EVP because it has a solid vinyl core. This enables NovaCore to be installed over subfloors that may have small cracks, pock marks or gaps that might be problematic for ordinary LVT or sheet vinyl.
Learn more about NovaCore by visiting the NovaFloor website, or better yet, a Novalis dealer. Find one near you by checking out our dealer locator. And if you’re on Pinterest, so are we! Visit our NovaCore product page on NovaFloor.us or see more room styles on our Pinterest page “Waterproof Flooring – NovaCore™ by Novalis”
Jim Kups, Technical Manager for Novalis in North America, answers more common questions about this remarkable flooring system.
Does NovaCore need to go through an acclimation stage before installation?
As with all vinyl products, some acclimation is still necessary and a good installation practice. Novalis recommends a 24 hr. acclimation period at service temperature. (Editor’s note: “Acclimation” is the practice of storing the uninstalled packages of flooring in the room they are intended, in order to acclimate the flooring product to its environment for better installation results.)
A lot has been said about the waterproof feature with NovaCore. Isn’t all LVF waterproof? What advantages does NovaCore provide in this area?
You are correct, all luxury vinyl by its nature is 100% waterproof, so the only advantage is gained when comparing this against direct-glue LVF.
Is the HPC core in NovaCore difficult to cut when installing? Will I need special tools?
NovaCore can still be scored/snapped to cut but it is not as easy to snap and leaves very rough edges. I only recommend scoring and snapping the width. When cutting a plank in length it is best to use a table saw or sabre saw on these products. You do not necessarily need a special blade, but keep in mind that a traditional saw blade could heat during cutting and obtain a buildup on the cutting edges which will dull the blade faster.
Will I need a underlayment pad?
Underlayments are not necessary for NovaCore, but in a situation where it is installed in hallways or upper areas of a residence an acoustical underlayment may be desireable. NovaCore will have a slightly “noiser” sound when compared to traditional luxury vinyl.
