A new flooring category: Stone Plastic Composite

[zayd]

I am replacing the floor covering in my Safari 25' with some sort of vinyl. I live in Michigan, so dimensional stability is my foremost concern. In my endless research for the perfect floor for this environment, I've come across a new type of flooring that does not seem to have been out long: Stone Plastic Composite (SPC) tile/plank, such as Supercore flooring:

https://www.weshipfloors.com/floorin...core-originals

It boasts many of the same benefits of other LVTs, such as it being waterproof and easy to install. However, according to their claims, dimensional stability is a non-issue. I've found a couple of manufacturers of SPC tile -- the one linked above actually guarantees dimensional stability from -30F to 155F. It seems outrageous, but if true, seems to be a perfect flooring for trailers. Strength and dent/scratch resistance is also claimed to be better than other LVTs. The icing on the cake is that it seems to hover around $2.50 to $3.50/sf.

So the question: has anyone ever heard of this stuff, much less installed it? If I have to be the guinea pig, I'm willing. But I'm hoping to get a few opinions on this stuff before I take the plunge.

[SCOTTinNJ]

Interesting for sure.

[moparjohn]

looks good, I sent a message to see if they offer to mail out samples. John

[zayd]

Originally Posted by moparjohn

looks good, I sent a message to see if they offer to mail out samples. John

John -- samples are $1 each (but shipping was $8) and I have a few on the way. I'll let you know how they look when they arrive.

If all checks out, I'll give this flooring a try and post an update here. I'm looking to install in the next 30 days or so.

[Popcornkid]

Originally Posted by SCOTTinNJ

Interesting for sure.

Also interested and watching , looking to install on a '05 Land Yacht MH with self installed electric heated floors , sounds like it will take the beating of the temp extremes.

[Popcornkid]

E-mail message from supplier
-----Original Message-----
Hi I’m remodelling a RV , would it be possible to use any of the SuperCore products in a electric heated floor application

Len
====================
Hello Len,
Our SuperCore is rated for radiant heat. It should be okay for that application.

Warm regards,
Zoe
zoe@weshipfloors.com

[zayd]

An update on my installation.

Installation was relatively straightforward. It is a rigid-core plank flooring with typical click-lock installation method. A couple of notes:

1. When installing, pay particular attention to how to line up the end joints. If the alignment is just a bit off, it's easy to deform the locking profiles and render them useless.

2. If the new plank you are installing against the long edge of the previous row does not sit completely flat against the subfloor, it's not totally engaged. The seam may look tight, but use a block against the long edge and tap it home. It should drop right to the floor after a few taps along its length.

Texture and sheen are nice -- not too pronounced but enough to make it a big step up from the factory sheet vinyl. The main reason I purchased it was the dimensional stability claimed by the manufacturer. I installed during chillier Michigan days and will be out west this year during the summer heat, so I'll be able to validate those claims then.

A few pics for those interested. This particular color is called Napa Valley. It is a little more rustic than the sample let on, but we're still fine with it.

I kind of forgot to take pics before placing the furniture back in.

[ScottandMoni]

Wow, this is great looking. We are heavily researching and scratching our heads right now.

How does the weight of this product compare to vinyl planks?

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. We just may order this product~

[zayd]

ScottandMoni,

By feel, I’d put the weight at or a little above vinyl. It’s dense and that adds weight, but the 6mm thickness keeps the weight manageable. I got the commercial version of the flooring, which has a 30-mil wear layer.

Zayd

[ScribeStylus]

Originally Posted by zayd

ScottandMoni,

By feel, I’d put the weight at or a little above vinyl. It’s dense and that adds weight, but the 6mm thickness keeps the weight manageable. I got the commercial version of the flooring, which has a 30-mil wear layer.

Zayd

Zayd,
It has been a while since you installed. Could you give us your impressions as to how it has worn and gotten dirty and been able to be cleaned over time?
If possible, would you please take some pictures from similar views to your previous photos.

It sounds like it might wear better over time then other materials?

Thank you for your posts on this. The spelling checker kept fixing your name. Lots of variations are possible! Auto-correction is dangerous.

Walk in His Peace,
Scribe With A Stylus

[zayd]

Originally Posted by ScribeStylus

Zayd,
It has been a while since you installed. Could you give us your impressions as to how it has worn and gotten dirty and been able to be cleaned over time?
If possible, would you please take some pictures from similar views to your previous photos.

It sounds like it might wear better over time then other materials?

Thank you for your posts on this. The spelling checker kept fixing your name. Lots of variations are possible! Auto-correction is dangerous.

Walk in His Peace,
Scribe With A Stylus

I'm glad you poked me on this -- I've been meaning to update the forum.

To give some background, I'm one of those guys that researches the heck out of anything I plan to do. I settled on SPC despite it's relatively short time on the market.

We've now spent approximately 30 camping days and nights in it since we installed. Overall impressions:

Durability: it has held up well. But take this with a grain of salt. Although we have three young children, we always take our shoes off at the door. We are also good about always running the cordless vac over it every hour or two so we don't grind any dirt or food into the flooring. This is our first camper so I don't have baseline expectations on how long a floor should last, but it at least meets my expectations.

Dimensional stability: this has impressed me more than anything else. I installed the flooring at about 40 degrees F. We camped over the summer in Utah where daytime temps were over 100. At that time, I did not notice any buckling at all. And I just checked on the camper today in the single digits (it is in storage -- and I forgot to take pics!). The joints are still tight. And this is especially promising given that I entirely ignored the installation recommendation to install with a 1/2" gap around the perimeter to allow for expansion/contraction. I was more interested in testing their stability claims than allowing room for them to fail.

Ease of cleaning: This is as you'd expect from a laminate-type product. It has a pleasing sheen that is not so shiny that it looks overly artificial but still has enough that sweeping up spills is not a problem. The few times that we spilled liquids on the floor (three young kids, remember?), I was particular about looking for seepage into joints. It seems they are tight enough to prevent that for liquids with decent surface tension like water or milk.

I'll take pics next time I'm at the storage lot, but suffice it to say that the flooring looks the same as at installation.

Feel free to ask any specific questions!

[Julaeaton]

I love how you did the install the short way. Must have taken longer to install but it look great! I’m assuming it weighs more than the original floor.