These are the explanations we give homeowners and property managers in person: what the specs mean, what the substrate needs, and what actually makes a vinyl plank floor last through dry Idaho winters and hot summers.
Core type is the spec that decides how your floor behaves through an Idaho year. Here is the practical difference between SPC and WPC, and where each belongs.
— SPC: harder, more stable, better for big glass, big temperature swings and unconditioned second homes
— WPC: warmer and softer underfoot, but dents more easily under concentrated loads
— Wear layer thickness in mils is the strongest predictor of how the floor looks in five years