SPC vs. Laminate, Foam vs. Cork

[dannehboy]

Hi, I've been looking into SPC (vinyl) for a Las Vegas home (low humidity + significant temperature fluctuations). I want something that looks realistic and has great texture (I have a dog and want him to have some grip). Laminate has generally seemed more slippery to me and slightly harder on the feet. In particular I have been leaning towards a specific Coretec SPC model which of course has a cork underlayment. During my search, a few flooring stores have sales people who have tried to push me towards Laminate claiming that some laminate is now waterproof and that vinyl in general can get ruined just from an office chair rolling on it. I assumed they have have self-interested reasons to push laminate, but then I spoke to someone by phone who I had requested a quote from who then realized I was in another state and couldn't even help me, yet she wanted to give me some advice and said to wait on vinyl as all their installers are having trouble with it getting scratched and the pieces popping out, etc., and she also said to stay away from products like Coretec due to the cork underlayment which she says will grow and is a health hazard. The only reason I am considering what she is saying is that she didn't actually have any persona incentive to push me a certain direction as it was already clear she couldn't sell me anything. It does seem unlikely that is LVP was so bad that an entire industry would be producing and selling them like crazy for so long without people coming to the consensus that it isn't a reasonable option for waterproof flooring.

Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.

 

[Commercial Floor Rep]

Laminate has a higher scratch resistance and higher impact resistance than SPC. I would not use a product with a porous and dimensionally unstable backing material like cork. Whether laminate or vinyl plank, I would use something with a closed cell urethane foam cushion. It could be attached or separate but that would provide the best performance with the least potential for a problem. Look for the term IXPE regarding the cushion. If it doesn’t say that I would avoid the product.

The two biggest factors in whether an SPC performs well are the locking system and the pad. You want a Valinge 2nd generation or higher locking system and an IXPE cushion and you will have a great chance for success. Avoid “drop lock” locking systems at all costs. You want an “angle angle” or an “angle drop” for best performance.

With your dog, I would recommend a minimum 20 mil modified urethane wear layer. Ceramic bead, aluminum oxide, or diamond modifiers are all good options.

I would stay with a 5mm over all thickness minimum for a vinyl plank and a 9mm to 12mm over all thickness minimum for laminate.

The number one cause of failure for any floating floor is not meeting the specifications for floor flatness. The subfloor has to be within an 1/8” in a 6’ span or 3/16” in a 10’ span. If it is outside of this it will break down the locking mechanism and cause separation or breaking of the lock.

The second most common cause for failure is slab moisture. If a slab doesn’t have a proper vapor retarder, intact, and in contact with the underside of the slab it can emit moisture that will condense back to a liquid underneath the floor. This moisture becomes more and more concentrated in pH resulting in a highly alkaline liquid. This is why you don’t want a porous cushion or underlayment. It will absorb and hold this high alkalinity moisture against the bottom of the floor. Alkalinity can and will affect the dimensional stability of the vinyl. This usually results in cupping and failure of the floor.

Many people assume that all these floors are the same but the reality is that there are significant differences in long term performance based on these criteria I’ve mentioned. Follow what I’ve outlined and you should have a good floor. Skip a step or overlook one of these criteria and you’re basically rolling the dice.

I know that is a lot to absorb, but these floors can perform very well but you have to understand what the differences are and seemingly minor differences can have a major impact on long term performance.

Hope that helps.

All the best with your project!