SPC flooring: if you’ve been looking into the best vinyl plank flooring brands, you’ve probably come across this term at least once. 

 

But what is this type of luxury vinyl plank flooring? Is it any good? Are there specific SPC flooring brands you should look into (or avoid)?

 

Don’t fret—in this article, we’ll go over just about everything you could ever want to know about SPC vinyl plank flooring. 

 

We’re going to show you what SPC flooring is, talk about its pros and cons (especially compared to other types of rigid core luxury vinyl like WPC), go over common SPC flooring reviews, and take you through our list of top SPC flooring brands.

 

Finally, we’ll explain how SPC stacks up against other types of fake wood flooring like laminate and tile!

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS [Show]

 

What Does “SPC” Stand for? 

SPC stands for stone-polymer composite (though it’s sometimes known as stone-plastic composite). Essentially, it’s a type of rigid vinyl plank flooring that uses a mix of stone and plastic in its core/base layer. 

 

Different brands tend to change up the exact formula, but the general idea is that SPC vinyl plank flooring includes material like powdered limestone in its core for enhanced hardness and durability.

 

So remember: any time you hear “SPC”, it’s referring to the core of a luxury vinyl floor.

 

Is SPC the Same as LVP?

SPC is actually a type of LVP, which stands for luxury vinyl plank. 

 

And to make things more complicated, you might also see LVP referred to as “LVT”, which stands for luxury vinyl tile. LVT is the exact same thing as LVP, only in the shape (and look) of a tile rather than a plank. You can find SPC cores in luxury vinyl tile (LVT) and luxury vinyl plank (LVP) looks.

 

Still with us? Good.

 

You may also see LVP and LVT referred to as PVC flooring. “PVC” just means “vinyl”, so this term is much more generic. All you need to know is that we usually refer to all luxury vinyl products as “vinyl plank” or “LVP” (and this includes LVT).

 

SPC Flooring Is a Type of Rigid Core LVP/LVT

Again: SPC flooring is a type of rigid-core LVP. Most of the best types of vinyl flooring are rigid-core, but the quality of these products depends on what that rigid core is actually made of.

 

For example: some rigid-core LVP or LVT products don’t add anything special to their core layers. The core is just a different type of vinyl (looking at you, NuCore flooring). Be wary of these products—they’re usually not very durable. 

 

Oh, and just so you know: rigid core LVP/LVT is sometimes known as EVP flooring, aka engineered vinyl plank. We know, it’s a lot of acronyms. We’re done now, promise.

 

How is SPC Vinyl Plank Flooring Made?

Vinyl plank flooring cross section

Generally, vinyl plank flooring (aka LVP or LVT)—including SPC vinyl plank flooring—is made up of 3 layers:

 

A core or base layer that serves as the floor’s foundation. In SPC flooring, this layer is made of a mix of vinyl and stone.

A textured design layer that gives the floor its look and feel. 

A wear layer that protects the floor from scratches, sun damage, and so on. 

Big Question: What’s the Difference Between SPC and WPC?

You may have read about WPC flooring and wondered how it compared to SPC. Think of them like two sides of the same coin. One of them (SPC) is optimized for durability. The other (WPC) is optimized for comfort.

 

That doesn’t mean SPC is uncomfortable—far from it! It just means that it’s designed with durability in mind.

 

The Difference is in The Core Construction

WPC stands for wood-polymer composite. So whereas SPC uses stone powder in its core, WPC uses (you guessed it) wood powder! Don’t worry—there’s no actual wood in the product. It just makes for a bouncier and more comfy core.