And then came WPC
By Sandy
Posted on
Friday, September 1, 2017 5:36 AM
And then came WPC ...
Updated January 11, 2018
Taking Luxury Vinyl to the Next Level
Luxury vinyl tile and plank (LVT/P) may have been the perfect combination of superior performance, style and design, ease of installation plus moisture resistance.
And then came WPC – wood plastic composite, sometimes referred to as water proof core – which takes all those great attributes to the next level.
Scratch and scuff resistance comes naturally to vinyl flooring and WPC is no exception. New enhanced wear layers make it one of the most technologically advanced floors on the market. Of course, they are also among the easiest to clean.
Click installation systems which were developed for laminate flooring, made their way to LVT/P and now WPC’s increased core thickness makes them more stable and easier to install.
WPC’s thermoplastic core also provides improved dimensional stability so it doesn’t have the expansion and contraction issues common with some other LVT/P product. It also offers improved dent resistance that is second only to rigid core luxury vinyl. This also makes it superior for use over imperfect subfloors because it does not telegraph those imperfections.
But where WPC really shows its stuff over other luxury vinyl offerings is in style and design. That same increased core thickness allows for deeper embossing which highlights fantastic visuals that are just a notch below real hard surface floors like wood, ceramic and stone.
There are differences between WPC products – in core thickness (4mm, 5.5mm, 6.5mm and 8mm) as well as differences in wear layer thicknesses (8 mil, 12 mil and 20 mil) with thicker floors being the premium offering (and can even be used in commercial settings).
Prices range generally between $3 to $7 per foot, which is fairly pricey for a vinyl floor, but does offer unmatched performance and ease of maintenance.
WPC can literally be used anywhere in the home, most often in kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms but now making its way into children’s bedrooms, dining rooms, home offices and even living rooms.
This is WPC today. Shown: Coretec
- Sandy