Walk into any flooring showroom in India and you will be offered three floors that look almost identical in a photo: an oak-look SPC plank, an oak-look laminate and a real engineered oak. They behave very differently once they are in your home. The difference is almost entirely in the core — the layer you never see.
What each floor is made of
- SPC (stone-polymer composite, or “rigid core”) — a dense core of limestone powder and PVC, a printed decor film, and a clear wear layer (typically 0.3–0.55 mm) on top. Many planks have a foam underlay (IXPE) attached underneath.
- Laminate — a high-density fibreboard (HDF) core made from wood fibre and resin, a printed decor paper and a hard melamine surface. Its surface toughness is graded AC3 to AC5.
- Engineered wood — a real hardwood top layer (often 2–4 mm of oak or walnut) glued onto a multi-ply or softwood core. What you walk on is real timber.
Water and mopping
Indian homes are wet-mopped, often daily. This is where the cores matter most.
- SPC has no wood fibre, so the core does not swell when it gets wet. That makes it the practical choice for kitchens, ground floors and humid coastal cities. The joints are still joints: wipe standing water and do not treat a click floor as a waterproof membrane for a bathroom.
- Laminate is wood-based. Better boards have sealed edges and are tested to resist surface water for a stated number of hours, but prolonged water at the joints can make the edges swell. Use a barely damp mop.
- Engineered wood is timber: it moves with humidity and does not like standing water. Dry or lightly damp mopping only.
Read more in waterproof vs water-resistant flooring.
Termites
SPC contains no wood fibre, so there is nothing in the core for termites to feed on. Laminate and engineered wood are wood-based, so we recommend anti-termite treatment of the slab before installation, whichever brand you buy. No floor makes a building termite-free — treat the structure, not just the floor.
Installation and renovation
Both SPC and laminate are “floating” floors that click together, so they can often be laid over existing vitrified tiles that are firmly bonded and flat — no demolition, little dust, a typical apartment done in a day or two. SPC tolerates small subfloor imperfections slightly better because the core is rigid. Engineered wood can float too, but premium installations are usually glued, and the subfloor must be dry and flat.
Feel and sound
- SPC is firm underfoot. A thicker core (5–6 mm) and a 1.5 mm IXPE underlay reduce the hollow “click-clack” sound.
- Laminate can sound hollow on a poor subfloor; 12 mm boards and a good underlay help.
- Engineered wood feels and sounds like what it is: real wood, warmer and softer.
Wear and lifespan
SPC durability is mostly the wear layer: 0.3 mm is fine for most homes, 0.5–0.55 mm for busy family homes and light commercial use. Laminate is graded by AC class — AC4 is a sensible choice for homes, AC5 for heavy use (see AC ratings explained). Engineered wood scratches more easily, but a 3 mm top layer can usually be sanded and refinished, which neither SPC nor laminate can.
What it costs (indicative)
Indicative Indian retail ranges for material only, before GST, from public 2026 price guides:
- SPC: about ₹70–110/sq ft entry, ₹110–180 mid-range, ₹180–300 premium.
- Laminate: about ₹80–120 entry, ₹120–180 mid, ₹180–250 for European brands.
- Engineered wood: about ₹180–280 entry, ₹280–450 mid, ₹450–900 premium.
Installation is extra — roughly ₹15–40/sq ft for SPC, ₹25–40 for laminate and ₹40–60 for floating engineered wood — and GST applies (18% on these flooring types). These are market ranges, not our prices; each Vantafloor product page shows our own price or says “on request”.
A simple way to decide
- Kitchen, ground floor, coastal city, kids or pets: SPC.
- Dry bedrooms or an office on a budget: laminate.
- You want real wood and the rooms stay dry and air-conditioned: engineered wood.
Still unsure? Compare all types in one table on our type comparison page, then order up to five free samples and look at them in your own light.