Maintaining a competitive position in the crowded rigid core arena requires more than just meeting or exceeding stringent quality standards—those are table stakes. Lasting success in this product segment comes with providing a product that truly stands apart from the pack.
Sawyer and Southern, marketers of the Quartz PC line of rigid core flooring, said its offerings excel in each of those aspects. Initially created nearly six years ago but gaining traction due to recent enhancements, Quartz PC is billed as the antidote to poor-quality SPC.
As the name implies, Quartz PC uses a mineral-infused surface that creates a natural matte appearance similar to what you might see in real European oak wood flooring. The difference is this product is more scratch resistant than most wood floors, the company stated. Ironically, according to Chris Dillon, president of Sawyer and Southern, Quartz PC was invented by a wood enthusiast who had a disdain for the look of plastic floors.
The differences don’t stop there. Whereas traditional vinyl utilizes a plastic wear layer that can sometimes create a glossy surface reflection—a characteristic that some designers deem undesirable—with Quartz PC there is a lot more control when it comes to sheen levels of the floor, according to Dillon. It is also fireproof and naturally waterproof. Moreover, the product will not yellow over time, according to the company.
“What makes Quartz PC so special is there’s no vinyl wear layer on top—zero,” Dillon said. “Instead, we put a quartz coating on top of the film and then ceramic bead on top of that, which offers more quartz protection. The end result is a product with a 6% matte finish, so it truly does look more like a true hardwood floor. With the sheen on most vinyl products—whether that’s sunlight or artificial light—you can tell that it’s a vinyl product. With our product, you cannot.”
Quartz PC also maintains an edge over traditional vinyl products when it comes to performance, Dillon noted. He cited independent testing that shows the expansion rate of Quartz PC is 0.08%—that’s closer to tile than your standard SPC, which starts at half a percent and goes up from there. That means extremely low dimensional movement. Moreover, the product boasts a Class 34 commercial performance classification—all independently verified by Intertek Labs.
“We’re actually closer to porcelain than vinyl,” Dillon said. “The product is fireproof, waterproof, and the scratch protection is the best in the industry. It even outperforms vinyl products with a 30-mil wear layer. More importantly, we haven’t had any claims.”
The product’s construction is equally impressive, according to Dillon, who categorizes it as an SPC/quartz hybrid. While it’s not the industry’s first attempt at combining the two materials for flooring applications, he did say it’s the most successful endeavor in that regard. In fact, Dillon noted, the technology is protected by proprietary intellectual property developed specifically for Quartz PC.
“Our product was created after years of frustration with rigid core flooring that looked increasingly artificial while still generating claims from expansion, wear and surface damage,” Dillon stated. “We kept hearing the complaints so we did something about it.”
Specifically, he cited shortcomings of some existing resilient products as well as previous iterations of quartz-based floors that didn’t live up to expectations. “Where others have failed coming out with a quartz-based product is they ignored the core,” Dillon explained. “It’s one thing to have the best finish in the industry, but if your core is unstable and can’t handle it, the product is no good. If your click joint is going to break, the product is no good—no matter how strong the quartz is on top. It took several years for us to figure this out.”
Tried and true
Quartz PC has been utilized successfully in a variety of high-traffic applications ranging from malls and universities to multifamily uses—all with zero claims, according to Dillon. But don’t just take the company’s word at it; customers who carry the product also sing its praises.
“After six years of selling it, I can confidently say that Quartz PC delivers an exceptional combination of performance, durability, appearance and value,” said Ron Persley, owner of End Of The Roll Flooring Centres Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. “The core is exceptionally stable, dimensionally, and highly resistant to dents, outperforming traditional WPC and SPC products. The wear surface is equally impressive—offering outstanding durability while avoiding the artificial, plastic appearance found in many rigid flooring options. It has earned its place as one of the best rigid flooring options available today.”
Top-selling Quartz PC collections in Persley’s store include London, Milano and Calais, along with several regionally selected décors that have resonated strongly with its customers. “It has been one of the easiest flooring products for us to sell.”
Persley is not alone in his assessments of Quartz PC. Fernando Soler, interior designer and sales consultant at Main Street Kitchen and Bath, Sarasota, Fla., is similarly impressed. “Helping clients select materials that are beautiful, durable and easy to install is very important, and I have found all of those features with Sawyer & Southern’s Aride & Urbano Flooring Collections. Renowned for perfectly emulating the warmth and texture of natural wood, these collections offer the extreme durability required for modern, high-traffic homes. I am a big fan of the product.”
Beyond the proven performance attributes and visual appeal, Quartz PC also provides retailers and distributors with higher profit-margin opportunities compared to typical SPC floors and derivatives of SPC. With a manufacturer suggested retail price of $5.49-$5.99 per square foot, it’s attractive enough to dealers looking for alternatives to competing hard surfaces while still being accessible to mainstream consumers.
“Given the durability along with the added UV finish, the flooring is an excellent choice when compared to luxury vinyl or engineered wood,” Soler added. “Being able to provide this material allows us to increase the overall sale when designing a full room.”
Quartz PC is currently manufactured in Vietnam, but more than 20,000 square feet of each color offered in the line is available at the company’s primary distribution facility in Tampa, Fla. An additional warehouse facility located in Austin, Texas, is also now up and running and stocking Quartz PC.
