FAQ
General | SPC (vinyl composite core) | Luxury Vinyl
General
What’s the difference between laminate, luxury vinyl and SPC floors?
Laminates are a hard surface flooring manufactured from several layers of material fused together with heat and pressure to form rigid, fixed size boards. The primary material used is high density fiberboard (HDF) which forms the core.
Luxury vinyl is a also a hard surface flooring material but has the added benefit of being “softer underfoot”. Luxury vinyl is used in homes but most often in commercial environments where products need to stand up to heavy use conditions like high foot traffic or rolling loads. The surface of the product is protected by a high performance wear layer and durable UV-cured coating.
Vinyl Composite Core(SPC) is a new comer to the manufactured flooring industries. SPC combines best features of both laminate and luxury vinyl. Just like laminate, the boards are rigid planks with a click together joint system but they’re constructed from a waterproof vinyl composite material, which means can be installed everywhere.
Luxury vinyl is a also a hard surface flooring material but has the added benefit of being “softer underfoot”. Luxury vinyl is used in homes but most often in commercial environments where products need to stand up to heavy use conditions like high foot traffic or rolling loads. The surface of the product is protected by a high performance wear layer and durable UV-cured coating.
Vinyl Composite Core(SPC) is a new comer to the manufactured flooring industries. SPC combines best features of both laminate and luxury vinyl. Just like laminate, the boards are rigid planks with a click together joint system but they’re constructed from a waterproof vinyl composite material, which means can be installed everywhere.
What is an AC rating?
An AC rating refers to how suitable a product is for use in a commercial environment. An AC4 rating means the flooring is durable enough for a medium industrial use, like a care home or light manufacturing facility.
How do I clean the floor?
Regular sweeping and vacuuming are enough to keep the floor clean. For a more thorough cleaning, use a product recommended for laminate flooring.
Do I need to install an underlay?
For our laminate product underlay is request upon installation.
Can it be installed over radiant heat?
Yes, all Cyrus floors are approved for use over radiant heat. Refer to the installation guide that in resource section.
Can I install the floor myself?
Most of Cyprus product are DIY friendly. Make sure follow the installation instruction carefully.
Can laminate floors be damaged by moisture?
Yes. The principal component of a laminate floor is the HDF core which, like any wood-based material, can absorb moisture and deform. Cyrus laminate floors all use premium grade HDF with very low absorption rates, which means they have a certain measure of moisture resistance, but as a general rule laminate floors should not be exposed to moisture. However, our resilience collection is an new wood composite core product with 80 hour surface moisture protection which is perform better than regular laminate product.
SPC (vinyl composite core)
Does Cyrus offer flooring trims/ accessories to complete the flooring installation?
Yes, Cyrus offers all accessories for our full line of SPC floors including flush-mount square stair nose, flush-mount round stair nose, T-molding, reducer and quarter round trims. For more information, please refer to accessories profile page
Is there a limit to how large an area SPC flooring can be installed?
Generally speaking, SPC flooring should be installed within an area that smaller than 40’ by 40’. For large space we recommend to covered with a molding.
Do I need to install an underlay?
All Cyrus Vinyl Composite Core floors have an underlay attached to each board. We do not recommend to put extra underlay.
Can it be installed over radiant heat?
Yes, all Cyrus floors are approved for use over radiant heat. Refer to the installation guide that in resource section.
Will exposure to sunlight discolor or fade the flooring?
Yes. The finish on Cyrus SPC floors contains a UV inhibitor to help minimize the effects of exposure to sunlight but some fading and discoloration may occur over time. To reduce the risk, use shades or blinds to minimize the floor’s exposure to direct sunlight.
Luxury Vinyl
Can I install luxury vinyl directly over plywood or OSB?
Yes, However,we highly recommend to do the floor preparation before before installation since plywood and OSB substrates tend to get ‘roughed up’ during construction
Can it be installed over radiant heat?
Yes, all Cyrus floors are approved for use over radiant heat. Refer to the installation guide that in resource section.
Which installation method should I choose?
It can be laid down or glue down;the location, how busy is the traffic of the area and installation requirements will be the factor to which installation you should go with.
