Errors teach the floors, or From vinyls to SPC and bio floorings

Which flooring is soft, pleasant to the touch, has a long lifespan, durability, and is easy to maintain, plus available in popular decors mimicking natural materials? Until recently, there was only one answer to this question – vinyl. The flooring, which is still a popular choice in both private and commercial spaces, now has its successors. SPC floors and bio floors retain the advantages of vinyl, but thanks to entirely different technologies and materials used in production, they also offer something extra. The most important added value is the aspect of environmental friendliness, as these are 100% recyclable floorings.

Although vinyl flooring, SPC floors, and ecological floors are often mentioned together and sometimes confused, they are three completely different types of materials. The reason they are so often associated is that vinyl was at the beginning of their origin. Even though manufacturers continuously improved its properties, they could not eliminate one of them: Vinyl floors are still made from plastic. In the search for more ecological options, manufacturers necessarily had to go in a different direction and found new possibilities. “One of the paths is so-called SPC flooring, whose primary component is aggregate, a renewable material. Another option is so-called elastic floorings made from biopolyurethane, which are 100% ecological,” says Milan Mrkáček, regional sales manager of Kratochvíl parket profi (KPP), which offers a rich assortment of all three types of mentioned floorings.

It started with vinyl

Both types of new floorings owe their existence to vinyl – without the manufacturers' efforts to eliminate the drawbacks of PVC floorings, modern SPC or bio floors probably would not exist. “They retain the best features that vinyls offer: A warm surface pleasant to the touch and when walking, low footfall noise, resistance to wear even under higher loads, which predisposes them for use in commercial spaces, along with long lifespan, colorfastness, and resistance to UV radiation,” lists Milan Mrkáček from KPP. Due to their low thermal resistance, all three types are also suitable for use with underfloor heating, and it should also be mentioned that maintenance is easy – in all cases, only water with a small amount of regular cleaning agent is needed, or even without the use of any detergent.

SPC floors – solid and dimensionally stable, yet soft and warm to the touch

The SPC floorings (from English Stone Polymer Composite), also referred to as SPC rigid, are made from a mixture of crushed aggregate – minerals. They are often called mineral floors (e.g., brands like KPP, Wineo, Kährs, or Arbiton). The aggregate provides these floorings with strength and flexibility, while polymers ensure their elasticity. No plasticizers, such as phthalates, or other harmful substances are used in production. Therefore, SPC floors are completely health-safe and also 100% recyclable. What other advantages does this type of flooring have? A mineral core floor is highly strong, resistant to point loads, and overall wear. “Compared to vinyl floors, it also has greater dimensional stability, yet it is soft (compared to, for example, laminate floors), warm to the touch, flexible, and cushions impacts, etc. A practical advantage is that most SPC floorings are manufactured with an integrated sound-absorbing underlay, which greatly simplifies installation,” adds Milan Mrkáček. For now, SPC floors are only available in a click-together version.

Still unmatched bio floors

In the effort to eliminate the shortcomings of vinyl floors, the so-called ecological floors, also called bio floorings, emerged. “To manufacture them, only natural substances from renewable sources are used – castor or flaxseed oil and gypsum. No artificial additives, no plasticizers, or chlorine are used. Because of this, these floorings are also 100% recyclable, odorless, and emission-free. They can be safely disposed of in the regular trash together with mixed waste. In case of fire, no toxic gases are produced, and there is almost no smoke,” lists the expert from KPP. This type of flooring is represented on the market by the Purline collection from the manufacturer Wineo. The ecological nature of these bio floors is confirmed by a number of certificates and awards.

Regarding utility properties, the most important fact to mention is that the Wineo Purline floors fall into the highest load class. The surface consists of a 0.3 mm thick polyurethane layer, which ensures maximum durability while also providing flexibility and softness to the flooring, as well as high resistance to dirt accumulation or chemical action. The Purline bio floors meet high hygiene standards, as required in healthcare facilities, research labs, or schools. Within the Wineo Purline range, flooring designed for click installation and glue-down application are available.

An advantage of the Wineo Purline floors is also the fact that the entire manufacturing process is concentrated in Germany, and thus is not dependent on components manufactured in Asia, as is the case with many other manufacturers.

Back to vinyl floorings

However, even with vinyl floors, also known as PVC (polyvinyl chloride) in the roll form or LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tiles) in tile form, the technological development is moving towards the most ecological material, and many manufacturers have replaced phthalates with other plasticizers. As a result, current vinyls are mostly phthalate-free, and if this type of plasticizer is present, it is in such minimal amounts that it is safe for health.

The question arises why vinyls still enjoy such popularity in today's environmentally sensitive time. “The main reason is that they offer two installation options – floating installation and full-spread glue down. At the same time, vinyls are available in various thicknesses, including a thickness of 2 mm, which is practical, for example, during renovations. Additionally, they are available in HDF board format along with an integrated underlay. This maximally simplifies installation, ensures greater dimensional stability of the flooring and helps to cover minor imperfections in the subfloor. Another reason is the still widest range of decors, which the other two flooring types have yet to reach. A compelling reason also remains the price – vinyls are the cheapest material with their excellent utility properties,” explains Milan Mrkáček from KPP. However, according to him, the future of PVC flooring is uncertain. “Given that the ecological nature of building materials is becoming an ever-greater priority for both manufacturers and users, and 100% ecological floors are already available, it is only a matter of time before they become more accessible, and vinyl will gradually be pushed out,” anticipates the expert from Kratochvíl parket profi, which offers its own brands of vinyl floors as well as products from manufacturers like Wineo, Kährs, and mFLOR.

DICTIONARY OF TERMS

Vinyl floors or also soft PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or LVT floorings (shortened from Luxury Vinyl Tiles). These are floorings made from plastic and supplied in rolls or tiles designed for floating installation or glue down. Current manufacturers use other types of plasticizers instead of phthalates, eliminating one of the former significant disadvantages of PVC floors.

SPC floors (from English Stone Polymer Composite) or mineral floors and rigid tiles are made from a mixture (composite) of crushed minerals (stone) and polymers. Although they are referred to as a new generation of vinyls, this designation is misleading. Unlike vinyls, they do not contain any synthetic materials; their composition is of natural origin, and the resulting material is 100% recyclable.

Ecological or bio floors are also 100% recyclable, made from castor oil or flaxseed oil and gypsum, with the top layer, which provides them with unusual strength and elasticity, made of biopolyurethane.