WPC vs SPC for 4 season sunroom?

[nickmv]

I've got a sunroom ~ 325 sq ft that we're going to put down LVP in to replace the disgusting carpet that's 20 years old. I'm torn between some COREtec Plus HD WPC (Belle Mead Oak 8mm/20mil) and some COREtec Pro Plus SPC (Nicola Oak 5mm/20mil) and need some advice because it's a sunroom. (FYI sunlight exposure is not a big concern, there's very little direct light).

This is a 4 season room that I spend a ton of my time in -- I've been working from home in it since the pandemic began and even before then, it's my "man cave" with TV and what not. It has its own Central AC HVAC unit, but that unit is electric (read: expensive) and I don't run the heat super often since we have a furnace and a ceramic heater fan in here. So when we go to bed I have the thermostat set to 40 and it DOES get down to 40 in the winter, then the next morning I'll fire up the heat to get it back to 65.

In the summertime when we go out of town I set the thermostat to 90F and it definitely will get there in the TN heat. So as you can see, it definitely will see a sizeable range of temperatures -- but not necessarily in a super short time period. I always keep the thermostat with "emergency" stop points of 40 and 90 so it'll never see anything outside that range.

How much a concern is WPC vs SPC in this scenario? I'd prefer to get the WPC since it's a good bit thicker and the pattern is slightly nicer IMO. Per the installation instructions from COREtec, it sounds like it might not be that big a deal:

• For installations involving 3 season scenarios, meaning, the dwelling or installed space is without climate control for extended periods during certain seasons of the year, the post installation temperature range allowed is an ambient room temperature between 32°F and 100°F (0°C- 37.7°C). This allowance is for floating floors only and does not apply to glue-down installations.

I've called various flooring stores and get a ridiculous range of responses:

• it'll be fine
• no you need to get SPC
• no you cant use vinyl at all, you need to use actual tile
• no you cant use tile, the grout will crack

Makes me think nobody has a clue what's going on.

 

[C.J.]

LVP has come a long way and as long as you get a quality brand you should be just fine. I say if you like the WPC then go with the WPC. I install a ton of it here in Phoenix and these people go north during the summer so these houses easily see 85 to 90 degrees on a regular extended basis. They don’t see 40 so I can’t comment as to the cold but you’ll be just fine. Glue the joints if you’re still sketched out. Titebond works and isn’t permanent like super glue.