What does LVP stand for? How is it different from LVT? And what the heck is SPC flooring?
So here’s a question to start with: What is the difference between LVP, LVT, and SPC flooring?
Find the answers to these questions and more in this flooring acronym explainer video featuring Floorily CEO David Requa.
LVP vs LVT
Guest interviewee and CEO of Floorily, David Requa, responds, “Yeah, that’s right. What’s funny is that I sell this stuff, and I hear them twist it up so many times in the industry that even I can’t keep it clear. I referred to LVP, the Luxury Vinyl Plank, as the wood look stuff, so it’s longer. Luxury Vinyl Tile is actually a product we sell, like we have a 12” by 24” or an 18” by 36”. It’s still Luxury Vinyl, so it’s the same material, but it’s a tile look instead of a plank look.”
Lindsay the Stager observes, “So the Luxury Vinyl Tile you would use more in your kitchens and bathrooms while the plank you would have in your living room or entryway. Or it can flow into your kitchen and you can keep the whole thing the same, which I love doing because I think it makes the space appear bigger. It doesn’t stop the flow with a different kind of flooring. So I say we keep it all in one family and just go with the P, the Luxury Vinyl PLANK. Then that way the Luxury Vinyl Tile is in that family.”
David agrees, saying, “I’m good with that. And honestly, that’s sort of how I do it. I talk to other suppliers and manufacturers and it’s just common that even flooring store owners will call it just LVT when actually what they mean, or what I interpret, is LVP.”
SPC Flooring
During the interview, David expounds on the various acronyms used to describe flooring options [edited for readability]:
“It can be a little confusing. For our audience, it’s useful to know that LVT and LVP are essentially the same thing. They’re made out of the same materials, it may just come down to a different design style. I also hear SPC a lot, which is Stone Polymer Core, and that is the same as LVP.
“SPC is a stone core product. It’s the waterproof product that everyone’s asking for because it’s made from crushed limestone aggregate mixed with PVC (poly vinyl carbonate) as the bonding agent. If you can imagine crushed some limestone, it’s pretty much dust or pieces, and at that point it doesn’t stick together—so the PVC is what makes the product stick together. It’s the bonding agent that holds the flooring layers together. But most importantly the result is waterproof and durable.”
Yeah, I think if you’re shopping, that’s a confusing thing. And maybe that’s something we’re clearing up now for a few people. When you’re shopping for floors, you get all these terms thrown out and you’re thinking, ‘What is this? What is that? Should I care about this? Should I care about that?’ That’s confusing, and maybe we clear that up now for a few people: LVP, SPC, and LVT are essentially all the exact same stuff.”
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