Laminate flooring and SPC flooring are considered excellent floor treatments and have wide uses in nearly every setting. Though each option is good enough, they don’t always prove to be a perfect match for a certain area and requirement. And this aspect is meant to lead to a lot of indecisiveness, regarding which flooring to go for.
You can relate to this issue if you’ve been or are dealing with this dilemma for home improvement. To help you out, or maybe just get more educated, Dubai Vinyl Flooring has conducted a thorough debate about these two flooring options, making it easy to decide on a suitable one.
Laminate vs SPC Flooring: A Quick Guide
From structural details to the best application, we’ll be going through each factor to help you determine which flooring type will work best for your unique requirements.
1- Construction
Though this aspect hasn’t a lot to do with the selection, you might prefer knowing about the materials and construction of your home flooring if you’ve got certain concerns.
Laminate Flooring
It’s a synthetic and composite flooring that is made of a fiber-based wood composite called HDF (High-Density Fiberboard). Its core is made of compressed wood and resin.
SPC Flooring
Stone Plastic Composite (SPC) flooring is an innovative version of LVT flooring. Its dense core features limestone, PVC, certain plasticizers, and stabilizers.
Best One
Both floorings are distinct in their construction and structures and can provide well for different requirements.
2- Resilience
We’ll be evaluating this aspect primarily in terms of moisture resistance, with other factors being impact, foot traffic, temperature changes, and environmental effects.
Laminate Flooring
Waterproof laminate flooring comes with a reasonable level of toughness against damage. Certain versions can be moisture-resistant, but not up to a great extent. This flooring can withstand normal levels of footfall, impact damage, and temperature intensity, but you need to find one with high build quality.
SPC Flooring
This flooring is, foremost, 100% waterproof and an excellent recommendation for moisture-prone areas. This makes it resilient against spills, splashes, and other forms of moisture damage. Also, this flooring shows excellent resistance against wear and tear and temperature fluctuations.
Best One
SPC Flooring is the best choice if completely waterproof and maximally tough flooring is your requirement.
3- Durability
Of course, evaluating the longevity level of flooring is essential to ensuring cost-effective dimensions.
Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring is moderately durable in general, with high-quality options offering more longevity and performance. In residential settings, it can last for a good 15 to 25 years with the right extent of upkeep.
SPC Flooring
SPC Flooring offers extreme levels of durability and is the kind of treatment that will stay the same, even under the circumstances of intense use. It can be serviceable for more than two decades.
Best One
SPC flooring is more durable because it has a better tendency to withstand dents, chips, cracks, and scratches.
4- Versatility
It’s always the best approach to invest in a floor covering that can be used in multiple areas and for several purposes.
Laminate Flooring
This flooring is a good choice for areas like bedrooms, living rooms, guest rooms, and home offices. However, it cannot be installed in highly moisture-prone spaces such as kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, or outdoors.
SPC Flooring
This flooring can be used in just about every space, as it does not get affected by water or other factors. It is also a great recommendation for homes with pets, as claws or nails are impossible to scratch.
Best One
SPC Flooring takes the lead regarding usage versatility because it can also be installed in humid areas and outdoors.
5- Installation
Knowing how flooring gets fitted will help you determine whether to go for professional services or consider a DIY attempt.
Laminate Flooring
This one is a highly DIY-friendly flooring option and comes with easy-fitting methods like click-lock, basic laying, pre-glued, and glueless ones. Every mechanism is convenient to deal with and helps save on installation expenses.
SPC Flooring
This flooring is also quite easy to install, and with a little bit of effort and accurate equipment, it can prove to be an effortless floor treatment, particularly the click-lock SPC plank option. However, more high-end types and bigger spaces require experts’ work.
Best One
Both laminate and SPC flooring are easy to fit.
6- Pricing
A floor treatment doesn’t always have to be a very costly project, and selecting an affordable option always requires plenty of research.
Laminate Flooring
Most options for laminate material flooring are highly budget-friendly and provide quite a good value for the money. However, when making a laminate flooring choice, keep in mind that the pricing does increase with the build quality and plank thickness.
SPC Flooring
SPC flooring is not as economical as laminate, but you can find certain options according to your budget. The cost is worth the benefits and most importantly, the perks of waterproofing and longevity.
Best One
Laminate flooring is the most pocket-friendly flooring option for homes and workplaces.
7- Soundproofing
This factor is equally crucial for both residential and commercial settings, and for some individuals, it’s the most important feature to be ensured.
Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring is not very good at noise reduction, and the thinner versions tend to be even poorer. However, it is possible to achieve some sound dampening by choosing thicker planks and adding high-quality underlayments.
SPC Flooring
This floor covering is excellent at noise reduction thanks to its dense core, which effectively absorbs all kinds of sounds and shocks. Thicker versions, such as those 5 mm or 7 mm thick, are even better at sound absorption and comfort provision.
Best One
SPC flooring is the best choice for a fine soundproofing floor treatment for residential and commercial settings and even staircases.
8: Resale Benefits
Investing in a floor treatment has to be beneficial in the long run as well, particularly if you’re someone who plans on selling their property any time soon.
Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring benefits add moderately to the resale value of a place. However, it does look incredibly sleek and modern and helps improve the look of a place. Moreover, you can find plenty of eye-catching options, like wood, stone, or tile-like designs.
SPC Flooring
SPC flooring is quite similar to laminate in this regard; however, its luxurious versions can improve a property’s resale value up to an acceptable extent. And its longevity can be prolonged through good maintenance.
Best One
Neither of the two floorings is extraordinary at increasing resale value, yet they offer impressive aesthetics, which can be beneficial.
Maintenance Requirements
Learning about the upkeep needs of a floor treatment not only helps with practical selections but also provides insights into the upcoming expenses.
Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring requires sweeping or vacuum cleaning as well as occasional mopping. Any regular detergent can be used to clean it, however, it’s very important to use minimal amounts of water during cleanups. Besides, all spills and splashes must be cleaned immediately, as this flooring can easily get damaged due to exposure to moisture. In case of any damage, you might need laminate flooring repair to restore its original look and functionality.
SPC Flooring
SPC flooring can be cleaned with brooms or vacuum cleaners using the hard floor setting. Damp mopping can also be done in the case of staining or sticky buildups. Other than commercial cleaners, this flooring can also be addressed with homemade solutions like diluted vinegar. And there’s no chance of moisture damage, either.
Best One
SPC flooring is a somewhat better option than laminate because it can withstand spills and splashes if they are not addressed immediately. The rest of the cleaning requirements for both floors are quite similar.
In A Nutshell
Choosing the right kind of floor treatment is among the most crucial decisions for the betterment of every residential and commercial interior (or maybe exterior!). This very decision requires enough knowledge of the available or accessible options to relate to one’s preferences. After all, a floor treatment is a major project requiring plenty of time, money, and effort, so you’d want it to be as fruitful as possible. Therefore, we’ve got you a streamlined comparison of laminate and SPC flooring, and we’ve high hopes that you’ll find it incredibly helpful.
