SmartCore Hickory Flooring – Authentic Wood-Look Luxury Vinyl Plank
Our SmartCore hickory flooring captures the bold grain patterns and natural color variation of authentic hickory hardwood in a waterproof luxury vinyl plank. Each 7-inch-wide plank showcases the distinctive knots, mineral streaks, and rich tonal shifts that make hickory one of North America's most prized hardwoods.
We engineered this collection for homeowners who want hardwood character without the maintenance hassles. The attached foam underlayment provides built-in cushioning and sound dampening, while the rigid core construction resists dents from furniture and pet claws. Install it in kitchens, bathrooms, basements, or mudrooms—anywhere moisture would damage traditional hardwood.
Our hickory planks click together without glue or nails, making them DIY-friendly for anyone comfortable with basic tools. The protective wear layer stands up to scratches, scuffs, and UV exposure, so your floors maintain their rich appearance year after year.
- 100% waterproof core – safe for full bathrooms, basements, and laundry rooms
- 7" wide × 48" long planks with 4mm total thickness for substantial underfoot feel
- Attached 1mm foam underlayment included – no separate purchase needed
- Click-lock installation over most existing floors – no adhesive required
- 20-mil wear layer protects against scratches, stains, and fading
Authentic Hickory Character in Every Plank
Hickory ranks among the hardest domestic hardwoods, prized for its dramatic grain patterns and natural color diversity. Our SmartCore hickory flooring replicates these signature characteristics using high-definition photography and embossing technology that aligns texture grooves precisely with printed grain lines.
Each carton includes multiple visual variations, so your installed floor displays the same organic randomness found in solid hickory. You’ll see planks with tight, straight grain alongside boards featuring sweeping cathedral patterns, distinctive knots, and mineral streaking. The color palette ranges from creamy sapwood tones to rich amber and caramel heartwood shades, all within a single installation.
Waterproof Protection for Real-Life Spaces
Traditional hickory hardwood swells and warps when exposed to moisture, limiting where you can install it. We built our SmartCore hickory flooring with a 100% waterproof rigid core that won’t absorb standing water, making it safe for every room in your home.
Install it directly over concrete basement slabs without moisture barriers. Use it in full bathrooms where shower steam and splashes are daily concerns. Lay it in mudrooms and entryways where wet shoes, umbrellas, and pet paws track in rain and snow. The waterproof construction means spills, leaks, and accidents wipe up without leaving stains or causing permanent damage.
Installation Over Existing Floors
Our click-lock system lets you install SmartCore hickory flooring directly over most existing hard surfaces without removing the old floor. The planks lock together along all four edges, creating a floating floor that distributes weight evenly and accommodates minor subfloor imperfections.
You can install over ceramic tile, sheet vinyl, laminate, and existing hardwood—as long as the surface is clean, dry, and level within 3/16 inch over 10 feet. The attached foam underlayment eliminates the need to purchase and roll out separate padding, saving time and reducing material costs. Most rooms install in a single day with just a utility knife, tape measure, and tapping block.
More Wood-Look Vinyl Planks from SmartCore
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Hickory Vinyl Plank Questions
Yes, our hickory planks are 100% waterproof and safe for full bathrooms including around toilets, tubs, and showers. The rigid core won't absorb moisture from humidity or standing water. Just ensure proper ventilation to prevent surface condensation, and wipe up standing water promptly to avoid slip hazards.
The waterproof construction also makes hickory ideal for laundry rooms, mudrooms, and basements where traditional hardwood would swell and warp.
Our SmartCore hickory flooring replicates the visual character of solid hickory—including distinctive grain patterns, knots, and natural color variation—while offering superior moisture resistance and easier maintenance. Real hickory requires professional installation, periodic refinishing, and careful climate control to prevent warping.
Vinyl plank delivers the authentic hickory aesthetic without the humidity sensitivity, making it suitable for rooms where solid hardwood isn't recommended. The 20-mil wear layer resists scratches and dents comparable to prefinished hardwood, and the attached underlayment provides sound dampening that solid wood lacks.
The subfloor must be clean, dry, structurally sound, and level within 3/16 inch over 10 feet. You can install directly over concrete slabs, ceramic tile, sheet vinyl, existing laminate, and old hardwood without removing the previous flooring.
Fill low spots or grind down high points exceeding the flatness tolerance. Remove any loose material, adhesive residue, or debris. For concrete slabs, ensure moisture levels are appropriate using a calcium chloride test if the slab is below grade or has a history of dampness.
Leave a 1/4-inch expansion gap along all walls, cabinets, and fixed vertical surfaces. The rigid core construction is more dimensionally stable than flexible vinyl, but the floating floor still needs room to expand and contract slightly with temperature changes.
Use spacers during installation to maintain consistent gap width, then cover the perimeter space with baseboards, quarter-round, or transition moldings. The gap allows the floor to move naturally without buckling or creating peaks.
The rigid core resists denting from typical furniture weight when you use protective pads under legs and feet. Heavy concentrated loads—like piano legs, refrigerators, and fully loaded bookcases—should have wide floor protectors to distribute weight over a larger surface area.
Avoid metal furniture glides and narrow chair legs without felt pads. The 4mm total thickness and rigid construction offer better dent resistance than flexible vinyl planks, but permanent indentations can occur if extreme weight concentrates on a single point.
Yes, our hickory planks are compatible with radiant heat systems when surface temperature remains below 85°F. Electric mat systems and hydronic (water-based) radiant floors work well with vinyl plank as long as you follow gradual temperature adjustments—increase or decrease heat by no more than 5°F per day.
Turn on radiant heat at least one week before installation to stabilize the subfloor, then turn it off 48 hours before laying planks. After installation, wait 48 hours before reactivating heat and increase temperature gradually. Sudden temperature spikes can cause expansion that exceeds the perimeter gap allowance.
Use transition moldings designed for 4mm flooring thickness to create smooth, trip-free transitions between different flooring types. T-moldings work for same-height transitions to tile or other hard flooring. Reducer strips handle height differences when transitioning to lower surfaces. Carpet transition strips secure the edge where hickory meets carpet.
We recommend matching metal finish (brushed nickel, bronze, silver) to your door hardware and fixtures for visual consistency. Install transition pieces after completing both adjacent floor surfaces, securing them to the subfloor rather than the floating vinyl planks.