I'm currently shopping for SPC and WPC flooring. Based on my understanding, WPC feels better on the foot but less durable than SPC. SPC feels hard, but more durable than WPC?

As for Specs:
For SPC Flooring, based on what i can find, it ranges from 4mm to 7mm. In terms of wear layer, based on google the thickness's from 0.2 to 0.7mm. Some has underlayment some doesnt?

If i'm shopping for a Mid-High spec (not too expensive) SPC Flooring, what spec should i be looking for the best value? (balance between cost and quality, at the same time no issues such as color degradation from UV damage, Vinyl plank damage from moisture, scratched easily, not flexible?) What would be the cost range? Any brands or companies to recommend? I've looked at Floor Depot, the prices are too expensive i think?

Update (19th Aug 2020)

I've raised this question in Flooring Africa's youtube video comment section, figured his answer would help everyone on this.

Q:
Hi, very insightful video! About SPC, from 4mm to 7mm thickness SPC (4mm and 5mm are common here), what thickness would you consider low quality? Medium quality or high quality? In terms of wear layer, what would be the thickness for these qualities? (commonly found 0.3mm in my country's market) As for underlay, in terms of sound reduction, other than cork, is EVA a bad choice? I can only find EVA and PE foam here. A flooring seller told me they do not distribute cork underlayment as it will dissolve during usage, any comments on this? Should I avoid SPC without added underlayment? If I have an existing ceramic tile floor, do I need to dismantle these tiles before installation ? Any potential problems if kitchen cabinets are installed on top SPC and ceramic ?

A:
WOW - Tz, thats a lot of good questions... Here goes...
1. 4-5mm are the most common thicknesses but quality is determined by the intended use and expected foot traffic. 4mm is fine for residential and light commercial use. The thicker options would be more suitable for heavier commercial or slightly more uneven substrates.
2. Wear layer grades would have the same answer as above. Thinner for less foot traffic and thicker for commercial. 0.3mm is fine for your home.
3. Underlayment, the greater the mass of the underlayment the better the acoustic benefits. I would choose the option that has the best density and compression memory (when you squash it..., how easily does it compress and how quickly does it spring back?). Cork is an excellent option and your advisor sounds biased to the options he/she is selling. Cork is a very well known acoustic medium and highly proven to be an excellent underfloor system. If the substrate is wet or no damp proof membrane is installed, cork when exposed to continued moisture will break down as it is a natural product but so will these other EVA and foam underlayments. This deterioration however is a result of incorrect installation rather than a faulty product. If installing on cement or tiles, just install a plastic DPM down prior to the spc (with bonded underlayment). This should be done with any SPC version if installed over cementitious substrates. An underlayment IS ALWAYS advised if floating the floor (Not gluing the floor to the substrate) warranty requirement. SPC without underlayment bonded to the underside is just a marketing tactic. You still need to buy underlayment as mentioned above.
4. You can install SPC over tiles if there is no major height variances between tiles. Maximum of 2mm variance over 3m diameter. If height variances are a problem, you can lay a lite screed over the top of the tiles. Again, this requires a technical process and best to follow screed manufacturers instructions for this situation.
5. Installing kitchen cupboards on top of your floating floor could cause a problem with other floor types but should not be a problem for SPC. It really depends on the weight of the filled cupboards and the compressive strength of your underlay. I would generally always advise clients to install cupboards first and leave the bottom kicker plate off. Install floors and then fix kicker plate. This saves you a considerable volume of flooring material that would have been installed under the fitted cupboards which will never be seen. Cost saving.

I hope these answers have helped slightly. I can always recommend chatting to professional flooring installers for advice. The saving of doing it yourself or hiring non-experienced labour without the right knowledge can put the entire project at risk.

Good luck and thanks for the awesome questions.

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80MUqtFd3Yg...h8-9CUyddvR9I_)





This post has been edited by mrvex: Aug 19 2020, 03:14 PM

Parking, sorry i don't have answer.I'd like to know about this too and how do we choose the right one? Some spc produce creaking sound when it is stepped on. Hope someone can suggest good spc

Parking. Thinking to install spc too. I engaged one of the forummer here. liang8888

This post has been edited by Silfer: Aug 16 2020, 10:54 AM

Here the explaination ...

https://youtu.be/7AExq-o_fgE

Need answer on ideal thickness for plank and wear layer thickness. Proper underlayment material.

Current market is filled with 4mm, 0.3mm wear layer, PE foam underlayment. Seems to be the low end in terms of thickness and underlayment quality.

I've updated my post, feel free to read the update for the answers for my questions. Thank you.

thanks for posting that. i liked flooring africa's video too. anyway until now i cant decide between laminate vs wpc vs spc. the biggest problem is there doesnt seem to be any key players in these field to choose from. have you been shopping around and if yes, which one impresses you more?

This post has been edited by idoblu: Aug 19 2020, 04:37 PM

my showroom using nii flooring if not mistaken is 5mm, good enough. Jus a bit slippery, not sure other brand the same or not, cannot run around walking is ok