PVC flooring, what is PVC flooring

What is PVC flooring?

PVC flooring is made of polyvinyl chloride and its copolymer resin as the main raw materials, with fillers, stabilizers, lubricants, plasticizers, colorants and other auxiliary materials added. It is produced into a sheet-like continuous substrate through mixing, extrusion or mixing, calendering and other processes. According to different products, the following different processes are selected: coating, laminating, gluing, hot pressing, tempering, cutting and other processing.

Products include hard and semi-hard products.

Common terms for PVC flooring: PVC LVT / WPC / SPC, etc.

Several descriptions of PVC flooring

Vinyl Floor/Plank Vinyl Floor;

LVT (luxury vinyl tile): luxury vinyl floor tile; LVP (luxury vinyl plank): luxury vinyl floor;

WPC (wood plastic composite): Wood plastic composite material, with bamboo and wood flour added to the formula. However, due to the difficulty of processing and recycling after adding bamboo and wood flour, currently WPC flooring base material formula contains little or no wood flour. (The resin can be PE, PP, PVC, etc. with a melting point below 230°C)

SPC (Stone Plastic Composite): Stone plastic composite material, also known as RVP (rigidvinyl plank) in Europe and America, rigid plastic flooring. (Resin can be PE, PP, PVC, ABS, etc.)

PVC floor characteristics

Due to its superior performance and environmental protection, PVC flooring has generally replaced ceramic tiles and wooden floors in European and American countries, becoming the most commonly used and popular type of flooring. It is the first choice for floor decoration materials and has a very broad development prospect.

Green and environmentally friendly: Polyvinyl chloride is a 100% new environmentally friendly and non-toxic resource. The raw materials are non-natural materials, do not damage forest resources, and contain no formaldehyde;

Ultra-strong wear resistance: PVC flooring has a transparent wear-resistant layer on its surface, achieving a T-level wear resistance rating. A 0.55mm thick layer can provide over five years of service under normal conditions, while a 0.7mm thick layer can last over 10 years, making it exceptionally wear-resistant. Tongpu flooring generally has a 20-year warranty. The wear resistance of PVC flooring depends on the thickness of the wear layer, but generally lasts 5-10 years.

Antibacterial properties: The surface of PVC floor has been specially treated with antibacterial agents, which have strong killing ability against most bacteria and the ability to inhibit bacterial reproduction;

Fire retardant: Qualified PVC flooring has a fire resistance index of up to B1, which means it has excellent fire resistance, second only to stone. PVC flooring itself will not burn and can prevent burning.

Waterproof, moisture-proof and moth-proof: PVC flooring is mainly composed of vinyl resin, which has no affinity with water. Therefore, it is naturally not afraid of water. As long as it is not soaked for a long time, it will not be damaged. It will not become moldy due to high humidity and is moth-proof.

Sound absorption and noise prevention: PVC flooring has a sound absorption effect that ordinary floor materials cannot match, and its sound absorption can reach 20 decibels. Therefore, choose PVC flooring in a quiet environment such as hospital wards, school libraries, lecture halls, theaters, etc. You no longer need to worry about the sound of high heels hitting the ground affecting your thinking. PVC flooring can provide you with a more comfortable and more humane living environment.

A wide variety of patterns and colors: PVC flooring has a wide variety of patterns and colors, such as carpet patterns, stone patterns, wooden floor patterns, etc. The patterns are realistic and beautiful, and when combined with colorful accessories and decorative strips, they can create a beautiful decorative effect.

Acid and alkali corrosion resistance: PVC flooring has strong acid and alkali corrosion resistance and can withstand the test of harsh environments. It is very suitable for use in hospitals, laboratories, research institutes and other places.

Easy maintenance: PVC flooring is very easy to maintain. If the floor is dirty, just wipe it with a mop. If you want to keep the floor shiny and long-lasting, you only need to wax it regularly. The maintenance frequency is much lower than other floors.

Related certification systems

Currently, the certifications for PVC products include Floorscore, DIBT, CE, ISO14001:2004 and ISO9001:2008, TUV Rheinland, etc.

Main indicators

Stability: product shrinkage and expansion rate 80℃ 6 hours;

Heating warping: 80℃ 6 hours;

Lock tension;

Peeling strength: the bonding strength between the color film and the middle material;

Scratch resistance and abrasion resistance;

PVC classification and process

Classification

There are two types of PVC flooring: one is homogeneous permeable flooring (semi-rigid), and the other is multi-layer composite flooring (rigid and semi-rigid).

PVC multi-layer composite flooring is categorized by form as roll flooring and sheet flooring. LVT and WPC flooring are semi-rigid sheet plastic flooring, while SPC (RVP) flooring is rigid sheet flooring. Based on assembly method, it can be categorized as regular (dry-back, requiring glue for installation and inexpensive), click-type, and loose-lay (relatively softer). Currently, SPC and WPC flooring are experiencing active promotion and rapid development in both domestic and international markets.

PVC composite flooring

(1) LVT floor (semi-rigid):

[Composition]: ① UV treatment layer: bright, stain-resistant, and protective; ② PVC transparent wear-resistant layer: super wear-resistant and impact-resistant; ③ Color film layer; ④ (glass fiber mesh): reinforcement and dimensional stability; ⑤ Middle material layer: dimensional stability; ⑥ Base material layer: elastic cushioning, sound absorption and improved foot feel (usually PVC, cork or EVA foam).

Processing: 1. Base material, intermediate material (mixing, mixing and calendering); 2. Hot pressing (lamination) and curing; 3. UV roller coating, tempering and curing; 4. Punching and curing; 5. Trimming or slotting; 6. Packaging.

(2) WPC floor (hard): LVT layer (semi-hard) + WPC (hard) layer glued

[Composition]: ① UV-treated layer: Bright, stain-resistant, and protective; ② PVC transparent wear-resistant layer: Superior wear and impact resistance; ③ Color film layer; ④ (Fiberglass mesh: Reinforcement and dimensional stability); ⑤ Middle material layer: LVT layer (thin, generally around 1.5mm); ⑥ WPC layer (thick, generally 4-6mm, low-foaming); ⑦ Base material layer: Elastic cushioning, sound absorption, and improved foot feel (usually PVC, cork, or EVA foam).

[Process]: 1. Base material, intermediate material (mixing, mixing, extrusion and calendaring); 2. Lamination (LVT layer and WPC layer); 3. UV roller coating and tempering; 4. Punching; 5. Trimming or slotting; 6. Packaging;

(3) SPC floor (hard):

[Composition]: ① UV treatment layer: bright, stain-resistant, protective; ② PVC transparent wear-resistant layer: super wear-resistant and impact-resistant; ③ Color film layer; ④ Stone plastic layer.

[Process]: 1. Mixing; 2. Extrusion; 3. Calendering to determine thickness; 4. Film lamination: applying color film → applying wear-resistant layer; 5. Cutting; 6. UV treatment (coating and tempering); 7. Slitting → slotting, trimming, chamfering → inspection → packaging.

Differences between SPC and WPC

(1) SPC has a simpler production process, lower cost, and is a hard product.

(2) SPC is more stable in size, more heat-resistant and cold-resistant, and can be used for floor heating. SPC flooring is suitable for indoor spaces with temperatures ranging from extremely cold (-20°C) to extremely hot (60°C). WPC flooring has the risk of deformation when the indoor temperature is below 0°C.