How to Install SPC Click Flooring: Subfloor, Expansion and Common Mistakes

Most SPC installation problems are decided before the first plank is clicked: the subfloor is not flat, the underlay is wrong, or the expansion gap is missing. This guide is written for importers and contractors who need to brief an installer, and for buyers who want to know what the factory can and cannot control.

1. Let the cartons acclimatise

SPC is dimensionally stable, but the cartons should still sit in the room for the period the manufacturer specifies, at normal living temperature. Cold boards are stiffer and can crack at the click; very warm boards expand. Follow the instruction on the carton or the installation guide supplied with the order.

2. Check the subfloor

The subfloor has to be flat, dry and clean. Small variations are tolerated by a rigid core; hollows and ridges are not. Check with a straight edge across the room, fill low spots and grind high ones. A floor that rocks underfoot will fail at the joint, not at the wear layer.

3. Choose the underlay

IXPE is the common choice for SPC: closed-cell, moisture resistant and available in different thicknesses. EVA is softer but compresses. If the underlay is attached to the board, do not add a second layer unless the manufacturer allows it — too much cushion is worse than too little for a click floor.

4. Leave an expansion gap

Leave the gap specified by the manufacturer at every wall, pipe and doorway. A 5–10 mm gap is typical, but confirm it for the product. Skirting and profile cover the gap; do not fill it with sealant.

5. Plan the layout

Measure the room and decide the direction before laying. Avoid a narrow strip at the last wall; split the difference. Herringbone and chevron patterns need a centre line and a careful first row, because every later row follows it.

6. Click, do not force

Engage the long edge first, then the short edge, at a low angle. If a joint needs force, the profile is not aligned. A mallet with a tapping block is for closing a joint, not for hitting the surface.

7. Doorways and transitions

Undercut the door frame rather than cutting the plank around it. Use the correct profile at thresholds and at changes of flooring. A floating floor should not be pinned by a heavy fixed object across two rooms.

Common mistakes

• Laying over a dusty or uneven subfloor;
• No expansion gap at walls or pipes;
• Adding a thick underlay under an attached pad;
• Forcing a joint instead of re-aligning it;
• Storing cartons in a cold container or an unheated site.

What the factory provides

Each order can include an installation and care sheet, and the packing list states the batch and decor. If the installer needs a written method statement for the project, ask before the order ships so it travels with the documents.

For the product side, start from the SPC range; for subfloor and specification questions, see the specification guide.