Regularly sweep and vacuum the floor using a vacuum meant for hard surfaces (with the beater bar turned off).

Clean spills with clean water and a damp mop. Dry excess water with a dry mop and allow the floor to air dry.

Avoid using polishes, waxes, abrasive cleaners, or ammonia-based products. These can leave a residue that attracts dirt. Test any new cleaner on a small area first.

Minimise direct sunlight exposure by using drapes or blinds during peak hours to protect the vinyl flooring from damage. Prolonged sunlight and high temperatures can harm resilient floors.

If the floor gets excessively wet (e.g., from flooding), quickly remove the water and use a dehumidifier to restore normal moisture levels. Avoid drying the room below its original moisture level.

Remove scuff marks with a damp rag; for stubborn marks, gently rub with a tennis ball or pencil eraser along the plank's direction.

Protect the floor from damage caused by shoes with heels by using protectors under furniture legs. Place mats at entrances to prevent debris from shoes and be mindful of pets with long nails, which can also cause damage.

Here are the preparations required before installing SPC flooring:

1.       Ensure the floor surface is dry, clean and stable.

2.       Remove any polish, dirt or paint from the surface.

3.       Use a scraper and putty knife to level the floor surface.

4.       Maintain room temperature above 15℃ before installation.

5.       Check that doors can open and close properly after installing the SPC flooring (leave at least 1 cm clearance).

For SPC flooring installation, make sure all flooring comes from the same batch.

Move the plank up and down while pushing it forward.

The planks will click into place automatically.

Align the tongue with the groove.

Using the tongue and groove method is the simplest way. For more details, please consult the installation instructions.

Guidelines:

a. The existing floor surface must be nearly level, with a tolerance of only 1mm. Otherwise, unevenness could cause gaps and waviness in the vinyl planks after installation.

b. It's recommended to apply self-levelling cement to even out an uneven floor before laying vinyl planks.

c. For vinyl planks that require glue, ensure the floor and wall moisture levels are acceptable. If not, apply waterproofing liquid on the floor and primer on the wall before using self-levelling cement.

d. Uneven wall surfaces may create gaps between the vinyl and the wall. It's advised to skim-coat these gaps after flooring is complete or use wall skirting.

e. Without floor skirting, install SPC flooring before laying any wall panels, partitions or furniture to prevent visible gaps between the wall and vinyl planks. Cover the floor during this process to protect the SPC flooring.

f. With floor skirting, install vinyl planks last to avoid damaging the SPC flooring.

Start in a corner. Place the first plank with its tongue facing the wall. Use spacers to keep a 2-3 mm gap between the wall and the flooring for expansion.

Insert the tongue of the second plank into the groove of the first plank at a 15° to 20° angle. It will click into place when lowered. Ensure edges are aligned and the planks lie flat on the floor.

For the last plank in a row, flip a full plank upside down next to the row. Measure and mark the needed length. Score the plank with a ruler and utility knife, then snap it off. Insert it as shown in the previous diagram.

Begin the next row with the last cut piece from the previous row to stagger the pattern. Assemble the entire row on the subfloor before attaching it to the first row. Tilt and push the tongue of the side into the groove of the first row at a 15° to 20° angle to attach it. Lower and click it into place, ensuring edges are aligned. Continue laying the remaining planks in the same way.

To install the last row of planks, place one plank upside down with the tongue side near the wall, following the diagram. Place another plank on top of the previous row to guide your cuts. Remember to leave space for spacers. Cut the plank to fit and secure it in place.

For heating vents, start by cutting the plank to the correct length. Position it and mark where cuts are needed using a ruler. Cut along the marks, ensuring there's enough room for expansion.

Maintain a 1 cm gap between the SPC flooring and the bottom of doors. To trim door frames, use an upside-down plank as shown in the diagram. Use a handsaw to trim the frame so the planks can slide underneath easily.

If you own or plan to own a modern home, you've probably come across vinyl flooring. These stylish and cost-effective options are increasingly popular among homeowners and businesses looking to update their spaces. There are three main types: WPC, LVT and SPC flooring. Traditional Luxury Vinyl Tile has been around for years, but evolving preferences have led to the introduction of advanced options like WPC and SPC, known for their durable rigid cores.

However, each type of flooring has its own advantages and disadvantages that you should think about before deciding. Despite their differences, these three types of flooring also have several things in common.

When choosing SPC flooring, consider the options for board size, board thickness and wear layer thickness. Board size affects the style, so look at photos of installed floors to find your preferred look. Thicker boards enhance durability and stability, typically ranging from 3.2 to 7 mm thick. A thicker wear layer, usually between 0.2 to 0.7 mm, is also recommended for longevity. SPC flooring may also be marketed as:

Hard vinyl board

Waterproof vinyl floor

Engineered luxury vinyl floor

Make sure to verify the materials used in the wood core to ensure its genuine SPC hard vinyl flooring. Other types of luxury vinyl flooring don't include natural limestone powder, PVC and stabilisers. If you're planning a significant home upgrade, think about installing SPC hard vinyl flooring. It offers numerous advantages, making it a worthwhile investment, especially for households with pets and kids. The ease of installation and relatively affordable prices can also help cut down costs. Plus, with a wide range of design options available, you can easily find a style that matches your preferences.

When considering flooring options for either a new home build or renovating an older house, the main choices typically include hardwood, laminate and vinyl flooring. Many of these products are certified as FloorScore® or GreenGuard tested, ensuring they meet certain indoor air quality standards under normal room temperatures. However, it's important to note that the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from these materials can increase as temperatures rise.

Underfloor heating, which warms the floor from beneath, creates a temperature differential that can enhance the release of VOCs compared to heating through walls or air conditioning. KAIDE utilises experimental data to demonstrate how VOCs are emitted from hardwood, laminate and vinyl flooring when underfloor heating is applied, as well as other effects that underfloor heating may have on the flooring materials.

1. Test Material

KAIDE tested its own SPC flooring production alongside hardwood and laminate flooring purchased from a leading building materials market. The samples, detailed in the table below, represent products of similar quality grades. KAIDE chose not to reveal details about other brands involved in the testing.

2. Test for Thermal Conductivity

The test involves placing the sample on a heated floor and measuring its surface temperature at a consistent setting.

Based on the results, it's observed that as the floor thickness increases, the surface temperature decreases. SPC flooring exhibits the highest thermal conductivity, likely attributed to the presence of stone dust. Conversely, hardwood flooring shows the lowest thermal conductivity, mainly due to its greater thickness.

3. How the thickness of a wear-resistant layer affects heat transfer.

Temperature transfer experiments were conducted on vinyl flooring, which had a thickness of 6mm, with wear layer thicknesses of 0.5mm and 0.7mm. The results are depicted in the graph below.

4. Measuring how quickly volatile substances are lost.

We follow the standards ISO1269:2006 and GB/T2914-2008 for "Plastics – Vinyl chloride homopolymer and copolymer resins – Measurement of volatile matter (including water)". These standard measures the percentage of weight lost by the tested item at specific times and temperatures.

The stability of PVC flooring, as shown by measurements, is higher compared to other types of flooring. Solid wood flooring typically has higher water content and may require a humidifier to maintain balanced humidity when used with underfloor heating to prevent deformation. In contrast, solid wood laminate flooring and laminate flooring have lower water content and release more volatile substances at the same temperature. This suggests that these types of flooring may emit significant amounts of volatile substances in prolonged heated environments, making them unsuitable for use with underfloor heating. Research indicates that formaldehyde release increases notably as temperatures rise.

5. Dimensional Stability

We tested the floor coverings following the standards GB/T 34440-2017 and ISO 10582:2017, which specify the requirements for heterogeneous poly (vinyl chloride) floor coverings.

After subjecting the samples to 80°C for 6 hours, we allowed them to cool at room temperature for 24 hours and then measured their dimensions.

The difference in size between PVC flooring pieces is very small, while solid wood flooring pieces can vary more. Therefore, when fitting solid wood flooring in places where temperatures change a lot, it's wise to include expansion joints to account for temperature changes. This helps to prevent the floor from warping.

6. Testing the deformation of the installation joint

We measured the dimensions of the joints in the flooring installed over underfloor heating using a feeler gauge, following the methods outlined in GB/T 34440-2017 and ISO 10582:2017. The results are presented in the table below.

Our findings indicate that KAIDE’s SPC flooring remains stable without deformation in the joints when the underfloor heating is set to 60 °C. This demonstrates that KAIDE’s SPC flooring offers excellent thermal and dimensional stability, making it ideal for long-term use in underfloor heating systems.

Additionally, SPC flooring manufactured by KAIDE undergoes sampling to assess its resistance to high temperatures before leaving the factory.

7. Weathering Performance Test

The floorboards were cut to a size of 50mm x 120mm and placed in a UV weathering chamber where they were exposed to radiation energy of 0.89J/m2 at a temperature of 50°C. After 100 hours, the solid wood flooring noticeably faded, whereas the colour of the SPC flooring remained largely unchanged.

Key Points:

• SPC flooring conducts heat more effectively than solid wood flooring, reducing energy loss.

• SPC flooring has lower VOC emissions compared to solid wood and laminate flooring and it does not contain formaldehyde, making it eco-friendly.

• SPC flooring is more dimensionally stable than solid wood flooring, making it better suited for environments with underfloor heating.

SPC flooring demonstrates superior weather resistance compared to solid wood flooring, making it suitable for long-term use in underfloor heating environments.

SPC can be applied to walls or ceilings. Kaide SPC Tiles has developed SPC wall panels specifically designed for wall decoration. These panels are waterproof and moisture-proof, making them ideal for areas like bathrooms. Some SPC products may not be suitable for wall applications. For further information, please contact KAIDE GROUP at specifications@kaide.co.uk.

The time it takes to install SPC flooring varies based on the size and complexity of the area. Compared to traditional materials like ceramic tiles and wooden floors, SPC flooring is quicker and easier to install. A skilled worker can typically install 200 square metres in one day. If you're new to the job, it will likely take longer to cover the same area.