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.