What SPC flooring is
SPC stands for stone plastic composite: a dense core made from limestone powder and PVC, with no wood in it, under a printed wood or stone decor and a clear wear layer. Republic Floor describes SPC as waterproof, rigid and stable. Because it belongs to the vinyl family, SPC is often sold as rigid-core or enhanced luxury vinyl plank — see our SPC vinyl plank flooring.
So SPC flooring vs LVP is not vinyl against something else, but rigid vinyl against flexible vinyl. Traditional LVP is a thinner, flexible plank, usually glued down or loose-laid; SPC is a stiff click plank that floats over the subfloor.
Side by side
SPC vs LVP flooring compared
- Core
- SPC: rigid stone plastic composite. Flexible LVP: PVC layers that bend with the subfloor.
- Water
- Both are vinyl, so the planks do not swell. Water at the edges of a floating floor can still reach the subfloor.
- Subfloor
- SPC bridges small dips and does not show minor cracks. Flexible vinyl telegraphs bumps and needs a smoother subfloor.
- Plank size
- The rigid core allows longer, wider planks. Flexible vinyl is usually smaller and thinner.
- Dents
- SPC resists dents from furniture and heels better. Flexible vinyl can mark under concentrated loads.
- Feel and sound
- SPC is firmer; an attached acoustic pad softens footsteps. Flexible vinyl is softer but thin.
- Installation
- SPC: glueless click, floating. Flexible LVP: glue-down, click or loose-lay, depending on the product.
Pros and cons
SPC flooring pros and cons
Pros: a waterproof plank that suits bathrooms, laundry rooms and kitchens; a rigid core that hides small subfloor flaws and allows long planks; good dent resistance; floating click installation over concrete slabs; and, with an attached pad, quieter footsteps than a bare plank.
Cons: it feels firmer and cooler than wood or cork; it cannot be sanded or refinished, so a damaged plank is replaced; the decor is printed, so it does not age or mellow like real oak; and like any floating floor it needs expansion gaps at walls and a flat, dry subfloor.
SPC flooring vs vinyl plank with a WPC core
There is a third member of the family: WPC, wood plastic composite. It is also a rigid core, generally thicker and a little softer and warmer underfoot than SPC, while SPC's denser mineral core is the more dimensionally stable and dent-resistant of the two. If you are comparing SPC flooring vs vinyl plank labeled simply "rigid core", ask which core it has and what the wear layer is.
