Why SPC handles a bad subfloor better
A rigid core spans small hollows that would make a glue-down plank drum or a laminate joint creak. On older Fife properties with lifted chipboard or a patched screed, that saves a full latex levelling job on many rooms — we still check with a straight edge and tell you honestly if levelling is unavoidable.
The trade-off is feel: SPC is harder and colder underfoot than glue-down LVT. In a lounge that matters; in a utility room it does not.
Specification points we check at survey
- Wear layer thickness — 0.3mm minimum domestic, 0.55mm for hallways and pets
- Room size against the range's maximum uninterrupted run before an expansion break
- Underfloor heating compatibility and maximum surface temperature
- Threshold detailing where SPC meets carpet, tile or existing timber
- Acoustic requirement if you are in an upstairs flat with a tenement deed condition
SPC vs glue-down LVT
Glue-down LVT gives the flattest, quietest, most premium result and lets us use borders and patterns — but it demands a properly prepared subfloor and adds a levelling cost. SPC gets you a waterproof floor faster and cheaper on an imperfect base.
In practice we fit SPC in kitchens, utilities and rentals, and glue-down LVT in open-plan spaces where the finish is the point.