WPC Flooring, SPC Flooring and LVT Flooring: What Differences, Similarities and Benef

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WPC Flooring, SPC Flooring and LVT Flooring: What Differences, Similarities and Benefits?

    If you own a modern home or have plans to own one in the future, you must have heard of vinyl floorings. These 

affordable and stylish flooring options are increasingly becoming the choice of many homeowners and commercial property 

owners who want to give their living and working spaces a fresh look. 


    There are three main types of vinyl flooring - WPC flooring, LVT flooring

and SPC flooring. In terms of market entry, traditional versions of 

Luxury Vinyl Tile flooring have been in the market for many years. With time, changes in buyer preferences led to the 

development of advanced flooring solutions that saw rigid core vinyl such as WPC and SPC flooring hit the market.


    Even so, each flooring type comes with its own set of benefits and drawbacks that you need to consider before settling 

for one. Though different, the three flooring types share several similarities.


    In this article, we explore the benefits, differences and similarities that SPC Vinyl flooring, LVT and WPC floorings 

have. 


    Before we delve into this, let's first define each of these vinyl floorings:


    LVT Flooring


    Luxury Vinyl Tile is an updated and innovative version of vinyl flooring that is today a top contender when it comes to 

floor installations in commercial and living spaces. Designed with a real wood, stone or ceramic look, 

carpet grain LVT flooring is not just 

affordable, it is also durable, waterproof and resistant to scratches. 


    SPC Flooring


    Stone Plastic Composite (SPC flooring), also referred to as Rigid Vinyl Plank, is an upgrade of LVT. SPC vinyl 

flooring comes with multiple layers and backing options that make it ideal for homes. Some key aspects that make it 

stand out include low noise levels, no warping, eco-friendliness and insulation against sound and heat. 


    WPC Flooring


    Wood Plastic Composite (WPC) derives its name from the wood-like material used to make it. These materials include a 

foaming agent known as polyvinyl chloride, plasticisers, wood flour and calcium carbonate. 


    Benefits of LVT, WPC and SPC Flooring


    There are numerous benefits that home and commercial property owners derive from using vinyl floorings. These include:


    1.Wear Resistance


    All three vinyl floorings - WPC, SPC and Luxury Plank Vinyl have a high resistance to wear and tear. This means if you 

choose to install any of them in your home or commercial entity, you can use them for a long time without seeing signs of 

wear and tear on them. 


    2.Do Not Fade Fast


    While WPC, LVT and SPC floorings will eventually fade, they do not do so fast. As a matter of fact, these flooring 

score moderately when it comes to fade resistance. This is because they have a UV coating treatment that keeps their color 

from fading fast. This means that once installed, you don't have to worry about your floor losing its shine and color 

in a few years. With proper maintenance, you can enjoy a great floor appearance for a considerably long time. 


    3. 100% waterfroof


    When constructing a home or a commercial building, you'll need to put waterproof flooring in rooms. The 

high moisture resistance feature in LVT, SPC and WPC floor makes them an obvious choice for such spaces. SPC and WPC floor 

have a core that is completely waterproof. These vinyl click floor can be installed in places like kitchens, bathrooms, 

basements and laundry rooms where hardwood or moisture sensitive floor types are not recommended. 


    4.Easy to Install


    Installing WPC, SPC or LVT floor is pretty easy and DIY installation is possible. Since the vinyl planks are easy to 

attach and lock, they can be installed on any existing floor or subfloor without using glues. 


    However, there are places that each floor type works well. For instance, due to their rigid core, SPC vinyl plank 

flooring are suitable for commercial buildings. On the other hand, WPC floor are most suitable for residential spaces due 

to their ability to hide floor imperfections. LVT vinyl flooring work well in leveling uneven surfaces while WPC can cover 

crafts on concrete or wooden floor. 


    5.Design Options 


    If you decide to fix a WPC, LVT or SPC floor in your commercial or living space, you'll be spoilt for design 

choices. All the three floor types are available in numerous designs. They are available in just about any pattern and 

color.


    Making them in different designs is easy - all manufacturers have to do is to print patterns on the vinyl layer. Most 

designs resemble other floor types. For instance, you'll find SPC and WPC floor that have designs similar to stone, 

tile and hardwood flooring.


    6.Easy to Maintain 


    All three floor types are pretty easy to clean and maintain. To keep them looking great, all that home or commercial 

space users have to do is sweep them regularly and clean them occasionally. 


    Key Differences and Similarities Between LVT, WPC and SPC Flooring


    While they have similarities, WPC, LTV and SPC floorings also have several differences. These include: 


    1.Manufacturing Materials


    These three vinyl floorings differ in the composition of the materials that are used to make them. SPC flooring is made 

from polyvinyl chloride, limestone powder and stabilizers. While WPC floorings also contain polyvinyl chloride, the other 

materials differ from those used in SPC flooring. The limestone powder and stabilizers are replaced by plasticisers, wood 

flour and calcium carbonate in WPC flooring. 


    2.Structural Design


    LVT, WPC and SPC are all hybrid flooring. This means they are designed with several layers. However, the layers vary in 

type from one flooring type to another. For instance,

wood grain SPC flooring has a core layer that is made of PVC powder, a stabilizer and calcium powder. On the other 

hand, LVT Vinyl Flooring have a decor and a wear layer. For the WPC floor, the core area comprises a foaming layer and an 

LVT layer that has PVC powder, calcium powder and a plasticizer.


    The other major structural difference between WPC and LVT or SPC flooring is in the way they have been 

constructed. LVT Plank flooring have a PVC core while SPC vinyl plank flooring have a rigid core. However, both of 

them can move and even flex with ease. This is not the case with WPC floorings. Due to the wood-plastic composite material 

that is used to fix their core, these floorings are more stable and more solid compared to LVT and SPC vinyl flooring.


    3.UV Top Coating


    The top layer in the all three vinyl floors -SPC, LVT and WPC - are the same. Each of these floor has a UV coating that 

helps in maintaining their lush appearance by preventing color fading. 


    4.Thickness of Floor Planks


    Generally, the thickness of the three flooring planks ranges between between 3.2mm and 8mm. However, WPC floor planks 

are much thicker compared to LVT and SPC floorings. With a thickness that ranges between 3.2 mm and 7mm, SPC Vinyl flooring 

are not as thick as LVT plank flooring that measure 4mm and WPC flooring that have a minimum thickness of 5mm.  


    5.Firmness of Vinyl Planks


    When it comes to firmness and cushioning, WPC floor carry the day. The sturdiness of floor vinyl is largely determined 

by the material that is used to develop its core. Since WPC vinyls have a thicker core than 

stone grain SPC flooring or 

stone grain LVT flooring, it is more stable 

and has a cushioned feel when you walk on it. SPC floor also have a relatively high level of sturdiness, which causes the 

floor to feel softer. The sturdiness also protects SPC flooring against dents and wear.


    6.Floor Plank Insulation


    Insulation capabilities vary from one floor type to the other. If you prioritize sound insulation, go for a floor plank 

that has a thicker core like WPC. Because they do not have thick cores, LVT and SPC flooring perform poorly when it comes 

to absorbing noise than WPC floor. The thickness absorbs impact sounds, which reduces the noise that the floors produce as 

you walk on them. 


    7.Durability of Vinyl Planks


    While all three floor types are designed to last for an extended period of time, their durability varies from one floor 

type to another. In most instances, durability of vinyl floor is determined by how thick the top wear layer is. 


    Even so, SPC floor is not as thick as WPC flooring. However, the former are denser than WPC floor - an aspect that 

makes them more resistant to damage arising from heavy weight or impacts. Since they do not tear or wear easily, SPC floor 

become ideal for areas that are prone to high traffic.


    8.Cost of Vinyl Planks


    Vinyl planks are generally not as expensive as other forms of flooring. However, out of WPC, SPC and LVT flooring, SPC 

flooring tends to be the most affordable. 


    9.Resistance to High Temperature


    While LVT, SPC and WPC flooring can be installed in rooms that have high moisture exposure, not all of them can 

withstand high temperatures. WPC and LVT floor do not work well in spaces that experience high temperature changes. If you 

have such spaces, carpet grain SPC flooring will 

perform much better compared to the other two. This is because SPC floor have a denser core that causes them to resist 

contractions and expansions compared to WPC floors. 


    10.Environmental Friendliness


    Eco-friendliness of vinyl floors depends on the materials that are used to make them. Since WPC and 

Wood grain LVT flooring contain plasticiser, a 

material that is not eco-friendly, they are not considered environmental friendly. SPC flooring do not contain artificial 

materials like glue and plasticiser. These vinyl floors are therefore considered eco-friendly - which makes them a great 

choice for pets and kids.