By FCNews staff
The meteoric rise of the resilient flooring category can be directly attributed to the performance of subcategories such as SPC and rigid core, which doubled in terms of volume and more than doubled in terms of dollars between 2018 and 2019.
FCNews research found that the subsegment accounted for 37.1% of the LVT market in terms of residential dollars in 2019, or $1.126 billion, com- pared to $490 million in 2018. In terms of residential volume, SPC accounted for 33.4% of the LVT market, or 667.5 million square feet, compared to 335.5 million square feet in 2018. With these flourishing numbers, it’s no wonder flooring companies are ramping up their R&D efforts to meet the needs of consumers who desire a waterproof solution in their homes.
FCNews’ ultimate waterproof guide reflects today’s market: category leaders like COREtec, which continues to blaze a trail with realistic wood and stone looks, as well as newcomers such as FlexiFlor (and its NextFlor brand) and SAR Floors. “We designed NextFlor to check all the boxes when it comes to the ideal floor,” Shane Price, president of FlexiFlor, said of the company’s new waterproof brand. Price said six criteria were met in advance of NextFlor’s introduction: extreme durability, low maintenance, comfort, hygiene, easy installation and no harmful substances.
The ability to withstand temperature extremes is at the crux of SAR Floors’ TriCore technology, which features a three-layer ESPC core that stands up to cold, heat and sunlight better than some single standard SPC cores, the company stated. SAR Floors’ two waterproof collections—Titan and Versailles—come in 7 x 48 formats, attached cushion and micro-beveled edge.
Ceramic, stone looks impress
When it comes to waterproof vinyl, wood looks aren’t the only design that’s trending these days. Indeed, vinyl products that resemble ceramic and stone visuals are all the rage.
Take Karndean, for example, which next month will debut Australian slate, English limestone, Italian marble and antique French cotta from its Korlok Select collection. Fifteen of the new Korlok Select stones feature vinyl grouting that is integrated into the construction.
MSI, known for its tile and stone products, successfully made the transition to waterproof vinyl in 2019 with the launch of products like the Everlife collection. Everlife represents the latest in rigid core technology, offering ultra-indentation resistance and dimensional stability.
Superior dimensional stability is also one of the hallmarks of Axiscor’s Pro, Prime and Trio collections of SPC flooring. The products are designed to perform well in extreme temperature situations while offering high impact and scuff resistance.
Flooring mainstays Shaw and Mohawk continue to make their mark. Shaw Floors’ new Floorté Hardwood series is an engineered hardwood that is reasonably priced, DIY friendly and 100% waterproof with minimal installation disruption.
With research showing that today’s consumers are asking for waterproof flooring solutions for their home, Mohawk responded with a suite of waterproof products. RevWood Plus, which combines the power of three advanced technologies to create a unique waterproof flooring system, and U.S.-made SolidTech Plus—an easy-to-clean, stain-resistant, rigid core product with a “no-gap” guarantee—highlight the selections.
Within these pages of FCNews‘ 2020 Waterproof Guide, readers will learn more about SPC and rigid core—how the products are constructed, how they perform and what flooring dealers can expect in the coming months. The objective is to arm store owners and retail salespeople with the product knowledge and information on the category’s latest trends so they will be better equipped to respond to customer inquiries and close the sale.
