In the year of 2016, SPC flooring has become a trending product in our market. It is the only floor decoration material that can be recycled to protect our planet’s natural resources as well as the environment. SPC flooring is a new environmentally friendly floor developed based on high technology, featuring zero formaldehyde, mildew proof, waterproof, fireproof, insect-proof, and simple installation. It is made of stone powder, polyvinyl chloride, and a special stabilizer. It is an upgrade version of luxury vinyl flooring and it is designed with a click locking system.
The new product called SPC Flooring is also vinyl floor but it is defined as Stone Plastic Composite. This is most durable waterproof vinyl flooring option in the market. SPC is generally composed of 4 layers which are including:
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Support layer: the backbone of your board.
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SPC Core: It does not ripple, swell, or peel, regardless of the liquid to which you submit it. This nucleus is ultra-dense without the use of foaming agents. It prevents expansion and contraction. It also gives you a little less resilience under your feet, but it makes the floor more durable.
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Printed vinyl layer: this is where you get your photographic images that make vinyl (almost) identical to natural materials like marble, stone, and wood.
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Wear layer: this is similar to the traditional vinyl. It is to protect the authentic color and embossing from abrasion. The thickness of a wear layer of SPC flooring of a wear layer is between 0.30 mm and 0.50mm.
1) Pros and Cons of SPC Flooring
PROS
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Easy installation- SPC flooring can be installed in two methods, either with glue or with a loose-lay floor. They are floating and come with a click interlocking system, so it will be easy to install them above both the raw and existing surface, hence cut down the cost of installation
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Durable- SPC flooring is the most durable vinyl flooring in the market
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Eco-friendly- SPC flooring can be recycled and many of the materials used in its production are those of renewable products.
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Waterproof- Due to their PVC core layer, these planks can withstand liquids. Regardless there are dirty shoes or spilling liquids on the floor all this will no longer be a problem
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Underfoot Comfort- A thin layer of foam is normally used to backed SPC flooring. This structure adds softness and flexibility and makes standing long hours feel less tired..
CONS
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Difficult To Remove Once Installed- Depend on the type of SPC flooring installed, removing adhesive type would be hard to remove.
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Not Fade resistance – if you’re putting SPC in a spot that has a lot of natural light, it can fade over time. We don’t recommend it for sunrooms.
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No extra resale vlue added- Resell your home will be lower with SPC than true hardwood (Solid) floors.
2) Is SPC Flooring a good choice?
SPC flooring is a good choice for you if you focus on the durability and longevity of floorings. It is an affordable choice for the main floors of residential homes in kitchens, living spaces, and laundry room since it is waterproof. It is also good for basements where you’ll benefit from waterproofing, as well as vacation homes, or rental homes as it is very low maintenance because of the anti-stain feature of SPC flooring and is cost-effective to change out to maintain a modern look.
3) What are the types of SPC Floorings?
There are 3 brands of SPC Flooring available in Floor Culture, which are including Shaw, Muji and Protex. Shaw Flooring is made in US and it is easier to identify how their products are designed to keep material, moisture, sound, air, and clean. The thickness of Shaw flooring is 5.5mm, which is including a cork underlayment with the floorboard. Secondly, Muji flooring has two types, which are Moku and Rokku. Moku is in wooden pattern series while Rokku is in stone pattern series. The thickness of both series is the same which is 5mm and attached with 1mm IXPE underlayment while the size is different. Lastly, Protex SPC flooring comes with a 4mm thickness and a 0.3mm of wear layer. SPC Vinyl Flooring can have a variety of pattern, design, texture, and color that you may choose to cater to your preference.
4) How to maintain the floor?
The way to take care of SPC flooring is pretty simple. As it is waterproof, just have to ensure that you have a regular routine of basic cleaning like sweeping and moping. However, there are few things that we have to be extra careful of which is including cleaning after installation, types of cleaning tools and solutions used. Wash the floor occasionally with a gentle (non-abrasive) floor cleaner and always follow cleaning product instructions and adhere to caution before use. Other than that, highly abrasive scrubbing tools are not recommended as they can damage your flooring.
5) Can I install SPC flooring outdoor, the staircase, or on the wall?
SPC flooring is definitely not suitable for outdoor application since it is made of stone polymer composite which contains the PVC element. Also, there is a decorative print on the wear layer of SPC, it will get to peel off easily if contact with rainwater. The colour of the floorboards will be faded if right direct under sun for too long.
Besides, SPC flooring is definitely suitable for staircase and skillful installer will be able to provide such service using appropriate parts and tools.
SPC pieces showing the beauty of natural variation have gain the attractions of many interior designers to use it as a wall or even ceiling decoration. It is a genius idea indeed! However, the usage of SPC flooring on walls or ceilings very much depends on the type of SPC floor used and the installation method. Just bear in mind that the cost will be higher than normal installation as it required a special skill of installation.
6) How to install SPC Flooring?
Interlock system. SPC plank that comes with a click-lock fitting system is specially made to interlock with the neighboring plank without the application of glue or underlay. The fabulous part about this click-lock fitting system is it takes only half the time required for traditional adhesive SPC installation.
7) Can it be installed on the existing floor?
Yes. But it depends on the type of your existing flooring, ensure that there are no nails sticking out above the surface if you are planning to install SPC flooring over your existing floor. Besides that, make sure to clean the subfloor and keep it dry completely. Also, fill up any cracks with cement-based patches if there is any uneven and crack surface.
8) Warranty
SPC Flooring only has a manufacturing warranty, which means the whole pack of defective floorboards can be changed when only happens before the installation. Once Vinyl is being installed, there is no warranty for other repairments and changes as well.
9) Cost
Price of SPC flooring will be different according to the brand. The price is between the range of RM5-RM15 per square foot which is excluded the installation fee. To get a more accurate quote, feel free to send your inquiries to Floor Culture FB page.
Still confuse about which type of SPC flooring is right for you? Don’t be hesitate! Just get in touch with our flooring experts:
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