How to Choose The Thickness of Vinyl Plank Flooring

SPC vinyl flooring is very popular in decoration, especially home decoration and office decoration. It's waterproof and wear-resisting is favored by many customers. But do you really know how to choose suitable flooring?

SPC vinyl flooring has 4 parts(From top to bottom): Wear Layer, Decor Film, Rigid Core, Attached Underlayment. And It total thickness is 3.0mm to 8.5mm. You’ll find a wide range here, with lower quality planks falling in the 4mm range and higher quality planks boasting 7mm or thicker. Before buying, you need to understand the composition of the flooring.

First, Wear Layer.

The wear layer lies between the printed design and urethane finish. They are typically 6, 12 or 20 mils thick. This layer is a key factor of how well your floors will hold up over time. If the wear layer breaks down, the printed design will damage and fade. Better vinyl floors have wear layers that include a protective top coat. This coating often contains additives like ceramic or other substances to increase the hardness level of the planks.

You should look for vinyl planks with a wear layer of at least 12 mil. If you have an active family or an assemblage of pets, consider buying 20 mil or higher.

Second, Rigid Core.

For SPC floors, the core consists of natural limestone powder, polyvinyl chloride, and stabilizers. The core layers are completely waterproof. This type of flooring is free of phthalates and safer for your family.

Planks with a rigid center allow for increased durability and better stability. Solid cores are water resistant and mask minor imperfections in the subflooring, making them a better choice when installing over an existing floor.

Third, Attached Underlayment.

The backing or bottom may include IXPE/EVA or other soundproofing material. These layers provide underfoot cushioning. The thicker it is, the more comfortable it will be to stand on. Many popular brands use bottom layers made of recyclable materials. While environmentally friendly, these backings have been shown to break down quicker.

Finally, Residential or Commercial?

Generally, we recommend customers choose 5.0mm or 5.5mm for commercial use, 6.0mm or above for household use, and 7.0mm or 8.0mm for high-quality ones. The SPC flooring for commercial use should choose thicker wear layer because of high frequency use.

It's helpful to compare the commercial warranty with the residential. An extended industrial warranty usually signifies a thicker wear layer.

Gold Lion New Collection - Premium 7 Series is a nice choice. High quality 8.0mm thickness, Waterproof vinyl plank, 14 color films and 7 days fast delivery. Of course, warranty is required.