SPC Rigid Core Luxury Vinyl Flooring | A Complete Beginner's Guide

From the company that brought you the world's best-reviewed bamboo flooring: introducing Ambient® SPC Rigid Core Luxury Vinyl Plank! Use our complete buying guide below to learn about SPC rigid core luxury vinyl plank (LVP) flooring.

What is SPC luxury vinyl plank flooring?

The first vinyl plank flooring was introduced to the market in the 1970s. It was constructed in planks instead of sheets of vinyl to resemble a more wood like appearance. As vinyl flooring technology has advanced, vinyl plank flooring has come a long way since those early days.

The original vinyl planks were designed to look like hardwood but at a fraction of the cost. Today, luxury vinyl plank flooring offers a much more realistic look and quality of hardwood and still at a more affordable price than hardwood. Often referred to as LVP, one of the newest forms of luxury vinyl plank is an engineered LVP with a stone polymer composite core (SPC).

Due to popular demand from our builders and architects, Ambient has developed top-of-the-line SPC rigid core vinyl plank flooring. Unlike other forms of vinyl planks, Ambient® is a rigid core, waterproof plank that combines limestone and polymers to create a beautiful more durable, stabilized, and dent-resistant floor.

SPC Rigid Core Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring Shot

Features of Ambient^® Brand Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring

Sometimes you can always get what you want!

**Please note the image and features below refer to Ambient brand floors only.

100% Waterproof – Homeowners with small children, pets, or who spend a lot of time entertaining can rest easy. Ambient^® rigid LVP flooring is impervious to moisture, spills, wet mopping, and humidity. This worry-free flooring is great for kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms and basements.

Easy DIY Installation or Hire A Pro – LVP flooring is perfect for a DIY or to hire an installer, as we offer both click-lock designed for floating (loose lay) installation as well as more economical glue down rigid core vinyl flooring options. Additionally, LVP requires no acclimation period and can be installed directly on cement, tile, plywood and other subfloors with minimal subfloor prep. Install on concrete slabs that emit less than 20 lbs per 1000 sq. ft. moisture with peace of mind.

Attached Accoustical Underlayment –Ambient^® Some LVP includes an acoustic underlayment with a 68 STC rating for comfort and sound absorption. The design uses an incredibly easy to install click and lock system.

Solid to the Core – Ambient^® LVP provides a waterproof stone polymer composite core. The planks won’t contract or expand due to temperature fluctuations. The rigid core vinyl plank is high density providing for a thinner plank without sacrificing durability, making it perfect for commercial and high traffic areas.

Ultra Realistic Wood-Look Wear Layer – Ambient^® LVP uses the most real-life design imagery available and is visually and texturally similar to hardwoods. The protective wear layer makes it less likely to scratch or dent than laminate. The rigid core vinyl plank flooring wear layer is UV cured with an aluminum oxide finish, backed by a 30-year residential warranty and 10-year light commercial warranty.

Safe For You And Your Family – Ambient^® Our LVP is Floorscore certified and passes the most strict indoor air standard in the world: CARB Phase 2

Did you know you can touch, inspect, and test Ambient^® LVP for free?

Order up to five free samples. Click here to make your color selection!

Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring Shipping, Warranty and Money Back Guarantee

Free Shipping

Ambient offers free shipping anywhere to the contiguous 48 on orders over 600 square feet*. Simply place an order and schedule the delivery date. For help with how much to order, call and speak to an Ambient floor specialist. *Review our shipping policy here.

Product Warranty

Ambient^® luxury vinyl plank flooring is backed by a 30-year finish warranty for residential use and 10-year finish warranty for commercial use and has a lifetime warranty against structural defects. At Ambient, quality is guaranteed!

Money Back Guarantee

Ambient offers customers in the U.S. & Canada a 30-day money back guarantee on all flooring orders & we are dedicated to your complete satisfaction. If you are not satisfied with your floor you may return your order within 30 days of delivery.

Need more information? Let’s do a little comparing Ambient^® LVP versus Regular LVP

With so many types, forms and grades of LVP flooring on the market, it can be difficult to choose which is best. After reading reviews and clicking through images, it might appear that the many brands of luxury vinyl plank flooring are the same. But don’t be fooled, there are some significant differences.

Ambient^® Luxury Vinyl PlankVSRegular Luxury Vinyl Plank

What are the differences?

Appearance

Beginning with the outside, the Ambient^® LVP (SPC) is both more visually and texturally similar to hardwood than regular LVP. SPC is also more dent resistant and pliable so heavy furniture or high traffic won’t damage the planks as easily as regular LVP.

Construction

The biggest differences between the Ambient^® and regular LVP happen with the construction of the planks. Regular planks have a simple PVC center that is flexible. The SPC vinyl planks have a rigid core made of stone polymer composite. The SPC plank is more durable than regular LVP making it an ideal flooring for commercial and high traffic areas and a safe solution for kitchens, bathrooms, and basements. BONUS: Ambient's Ambient^® LVP also includes an acoustic underlay which will help absorb sound more than regular vinyl!

Thickness

The high-density SPC core allows for a thinner plank without sacrificing durability, stability or comfort. The stone polymer also helps prevent expansion and contraction.

Durability

The SPC core offers a sturdier plank that feels comfortable to walk on but is also solid and stable. A regular LVP floor will not provide as much support.

Subfloor

Both SPC and regular LVP can be installed over plywood, concrete, and other existing flooring, however regular LVP will require more subfloor preparation as it is not as rigid as SPC. Regular LVP tends to take on the shape of any imperfections of the subfloor and SPC is not likely to take on the shape.

Installation

Our LVP flooring comes in either click lock (loose lay) planks or glue down planks. The click lock planks are installed using the fast and easy "floating" method. For our LVP floors with an attached accoustical underlayment pad, no underlayment is required and they can even be installed directly on top of concrete, and there is no acclimation period.

How are Ambient^® LVP and Regular LVP similar?

Applications
Ambient^® LVP and regular LVP have many similar applications. Both can be installed on, below, or above grade. They are an excellent option for an entire house including kitchens, baths, and laundry rooms. Because of their durability, they are also ideal for high traffic businesses like restaurants, medical facilities, and retail shops.
Waterproof
SPC and regular LVP are both waterproof and safe from spills, moisture and humidity. They are ideal for wet environments like bathrooms and kitchens, and also hold up well to pets.
Maintenance
All grades of vinyl flooring are made for easy maintenance and cleaning, just sweep regularly and use a light wet mop. The LVP grade of vinyl flooring allows for deeper cleaning because of its rigid core.

Ambient^® is high-quality to the very core. Reap the benefits of LVP rigid core for years to come.

From the inside out, the innovative construction of Ambient^® luxury vinyl plank flooring is made to last. It is an investment worth making and your long-term flooring costs are greatly reduced because of it.

THREE LAYER WATERPROOF CONSTRUCTION

The construction includes three layers beginning with an underlayment to absorb sound and add comfort. The rigid core layer is made with waterproof stone polymer composite to accommodate for uneven subfloors and add durability. The luxury vinyl print layer provides ultra-realistic hardwood imagery and is topped with a protective aluminum oxide poplyurethane finish to help protect the floor from stains, scratches, dents, and other damage.

**Please note the image above is only of Ambient brand LVP.

What are the Pros and Cons of LVP Flooring?

Buying flooring is a big decision and it can be expensive. It’s also why both homeowners and commercial property owners turn to luxury vinyl flooring as an affordable, high quality solution. If you are considering investing in LVP, review the pros and cons below to help affirm your buying decision.

PROS

100% Waterproof – It may sound too good to be true, but in this case it isn’t. LVP flooring is 100 percent waterproof, making it the perfect flooring for the entire home including basements, kitchens and bathrooms.

Commercial Grade Wear Layer – LVP lasts longer because of the quality construction which includes a protective wear layer to protect against stains, scratches and dents.

Rigid Core Construction with SPC – Rigid core vinyl planks are engineered planks with a waterproof rigid core layer made of stone polymer composite (SPC) for extra durability. The rigid core layer is covered with a thin layer of vinyl with a hyper-realistic wood look.

Easy Installation – There are a variety of installation options with LVP including glue down and floating (click lock). The simple click and lock installation makes LVP an especially DIY-friendly project.

Easy Maintenance and Cleaning – LVP is low maintenance and easy to clean by sweeping regularly and mopping weekly. Determine how often to clean LVP by considering the traffic the floor receives. It is important to sweep LVP floors regularly to help prevent scratches. We recommend mopping with a micro-fiber mop and a pH neutral cleaner or the manufacturer’s recommended cleaner.

Affordability – LVP flooring is less expensive than hardwood. it’s an even more affordable flooring option considering the added durability, 100 percent waterproof, and scratch and dent resistance.

CONS

Removal– When using glue down installation, LVP can be difficult to remove.

Damage – If hit with a sharp object the wear layer can be punctured. Heavy appliances, furniture, and pets can leave dents if enough weight or force is applied.

UV – If there is excessive exposure to sunlight, UV damage and/or fading may occur.

What is the best luxury vinyl plank flooring?

As vinyl technology continues to advance, consumers will find more types and grades of LVP flooring on the market. The best luxury vinyl plank flooring is the brand that meets consumer’s needs from design, quality construction, features, pricing, and warranty. Independent customer reviews from highly respected sources like Yelp, Google and Angie's List are excellent tools for help choosing a supplier. If you have questions, talk to a floor expert.

Questions? Call a flooring expert now at (866) 710-7070!

How do you clean rigid core LVP flooring?

LVP flooring is extremely low maintenance. For residential homes, sweep or vacuum flooring once a week or more often in heavy traffic areas. Clean up spills right away. Use a light mop as needed for a deeper clean.

For high traffic commercial businesses, sweep or vacuum LVP flooring every evening, and wipe up spills right away. To clean dirt left behind from sweeping or vacuuming, use a mop dampened with warm water. If using soap or a cleaning agent is necessary, however, ensure the cleaner is designed for LVP flooring.

Installation Guide for Ambient^® Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring

The Ambient^® brand luxury vinyl plank flooring is easy to install with its click and lock construction. Flooring can be installed directly over many types of subflooring including cement, plywood, tile, laminate and other subfloors. The base layer of Ambient^® LVP includes an underlayment designed to help with uneven subfloors. If the subfloor is extremely uneven, leveling may be required. Read below for a list of materials required for installation and download our complete installation guide with illustrations.

Installation Instructions & Guidelines

For successful installation of your Ambient® luxury vinyl plank flooring, follow the instructions and guidelines listed here.

Tools and Materials Required

Before you begin installment of your flooring, be sure you have access to the following list of tools:

Safety Glasses
T-Square
Utility Knife
Pull Bar
Tape Measure
1/4" Spacers
Jigsaw
Vacuum or Broom
Rubber Mallet (and Tapping Block)
Tools for subfloor repair (if necessary)
Table Saw
Mitre Saw

Quick Tips for Successful Installation

To avoid scratching your floor, be sure to use felt pads when moving furniture, appliances, or other heavy objects.

Place large or heavy furniture and appliances on non-staining floor protectors.
Ball-type castors can damage your floor and are NOT recommended.
If your furniture has wheels or castors on them, make sure the wheels or castors are:
- Clean and free of debris
- Able to roll and swivel easily
- Large surface wheels or castors
- Suitable for resilient-type flooring.
- Non staining