With so many Luxury Vinyl Flooring options, you need an expert to guide you – and with CarpetsPlus COLORTILE retailers, that's exactly what you'll find. Here, we explain the features and benefits of rigid core vinyl flooring to help you make an educated selection.Rigid core flooring is what most people think of these days when they consider luxury vinyl flooring that will go in their home or office.
The rigid core category has been around for only about 10 years but its rapid growth and innovations have led to some manufacturers using different names and acronyms, causing some confusion. You may have heard terms like LVT, LVP, LVF, WPC, SPC and MGO but were at a loss as to their meanings. Let's define these terms:
- LVT - Luxury Vinyl Tile (may or may not be tile looks because in the beginning this is what people called the entire category)
- LVP - Luxury Vinyl Plank (wood looks)
- LVF - Luxury Vinyl Flooring (some use this term to refer to the entire category)
- EIR - Embossed in Register (the embossing follows the wood grain)
- WPC - Wood Plastic Composite Core
- SPC - Stone Plastic Composite Core
- MGO - Magnesium Oxide or Mineral Core
When selecting the right rigid core floor for your customer or client, consider several factors including application and performance expectations in addition to their preference. Some benefits will cross over WPC, SPC and MgO cores and there will be differences where one will slightly outshine the other.
WPC stands for Wood Plastic Composite. This core was introduced in vinyl flooring form by US Floors around 2012. This core is made of wood dust, plastic and foaming agents. Compared to SPC, WPC is thicker, softer, warmer underfoot and quieter. This softness allows deeper texturing for more realism, but it can be dented slightly easier. It can be installed over many existing floors without telegraphing what's underneath. Most installations are floating; that means they are not glued or stapled to the subfloor. WPC is typically only installed in residential homes.
SPC came next in the evolution of rigid core flooring. It stands for Stone Plastic Composite. SPC's core exchanges the wood of WPC for stone making a harder, more dent resistant floor. The stone in the core is calcium carbonate also known as limestone mixed with plasticizers and PVC. SPC began its life in the commercial market but moved quickly into residential due to the fact it was less expensive and very durable.
MgO, also known as Mineral Core, got its start in commercial applications but is a relative newcomer in flooring. It's ultra-durable, strong, nearly dent proof and even provides protection against fire. It has a more laminate-like finish that's also very scratch resistant. This type of core contains no plasticizers. It will not warp or shrink and is 100% waterproof. This is a top-of-the-line product available in up to 9" widths and 86" lengths.