No perimeter gap
The installer butts the planks tight against the wall so the baseboard closes perfectly. When the floor heats up it pushes against the walls and peaks like a tent in the middle of the living room or hallway.
SPC rigid core installation
SPC flooring installation in Medellín
At Pisos Pro Medellín we install SPC flooring in apartments, houses and shops across the Aburrá Valley, usually right over the existing ceramic tile and without hauling out debris. We are a flooring-only company with more than 15 years of experience and over 900 completed jobs.
Our clients include owners renovating before they move in or rent out, short-term rental (Airbnb) investors in El Poblado and Laureles, and offices, clinics and stores with moderate foot traffic.
Every project includes a subfloor moisture reading, an expansion gap sized to the room, transition strips, baseboards and a 1-year warranty on workmanship.
- Over your existing tile
- Apartment done in 2 to 4 days
- Waterproof core
- 1-year warranty
SPC flooring installation in Medellín: the most requested material
SPC (stone plastic composite) is a rigid core floor made from limestone powder and PVC, pressed into 4 to 6.5 mm click-lock planks. On top sits a printed wood or stone decor film under a clear wear layer, and underneath there is almost always an attached acoustic pad.
It is the most searched-for flooring material in Medellín and across Colombia, for practical reasons: it looks like wood, shrugs off water and goes down in a few days without tearing anything out. We recommend it for rental apartments, homes with pets, open kitchens and bedrooms.
Our SPC installation service includes:
- Site visit and moisture test with a meter
- Flatness check and hollow tile detection, with leveling where needed
- Floating installation with a perimeter gap and transition strips
- Baseboards (zócalos) in PVC, moisture-resistant MDF or wood
- Cleanup and handover with a signed completion record
Why SPC does not swell when it gets wet
Traditional laminate has a pressed wood fiber core that soaks up water at the edges and puffs up. SPC has no wood fiber at all; its core is mineral and polymer, so a spill or a damp mop will not warp it.
That does not make it a waterproofing membrane. Water that sneaks through the joints or the perimeter gap reaches the subfloor (contrapiso) and can get trapped underneath, where it breeds mold and odors.
It also does nothing against moisture rising through the concrete slab, a common issue on ground floors and street-level shops. That is why we test before installing and, when readings come back high, recommend a moisture barrier instead of trusting the plank alone.
Thickness, wear layer and attached underlayment
Stores sell SPC by thickness, but to compare two spec sheets you need to read these figures together. The wear layer, listed in millimeters or in mil (thousandths of an inch), decides how many years the surface holds up against grit and sand.
| Feature | Entry level | Mid range | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core thickness | 4 mm | 5 mm | 6.5 mm |
| Wear layer | 0.2 to 0.3 mm (8 to 12 mil) | 0.3 to 0.5 mm (12 to 20 mil) | 0.5 to 0.55 mm (20 to 22 mil) |
| Attached pad | None or 1 mm EVA | 1 mm IXPE | 1.5 mm IXPE |
| Typical plank size | Standard (about 1.22 m x 18 cm) | Standard or XL | XXL (1.5 to 1.8 m x 22 to 23 cm) |
| Best suited for | Bedrooms | The whole home | Pets, offices and retail |
IXPE (cross-linked polyethylene) padding is denser than EVA and does a better job of dampening footstep noise for the neighbor below. XXL planks need a flatter subfloor, because a long board magnifies any dip or ripple.
SPC over existing tile: when it works
Laying SPC over tile is feasible in most Medellín apartments and spares you the tear-out, the noise and the dust. Before we commit, we check four conditions.
What we will not do is cover large areas of hollow tiles: their movement breaks the click joints within a few months.
- Flatness: no more than 3 mm of variation under a 2 m straightedge; beyond that we correct it with self-leveling compound
- Grout lines: joints wider than 3 mm or deeply recessed get filled so they do not telegraph through over time
- Hollow tiles: we find them by tapping tile by tile and re-bond or replace them before covering
- Height: the floor rises 5 to 8 mm, so we check doors, the shower threshold and where it meets other flooring
Common mistakes in cheap SPC installations
Nearly every SPC failure we see on repair calls traces back to the installation, not the material.
Heavy cabinetry pinning the floor
A kitchen island or built-in closet set on top of SPC stops the floating floor from moving, and the joints open up beside it. Those fixtures belong on the subfloor, with the SPC running up to their edge.
Direct sun through big windows
With a west-facing glass facade, the afternoon sun heats the strip by the window far more than the rest of the room. Without curtains or extra expansion room, the planks separate or form a ridge.
Poorly planned transitions
One continuous run from the living room into the bedrooms with no transition strip at the doorways, or a strip screwed down through the planks, locks the SPC in place and concentrates stress at the door openings.
Click joints cracked by hammering
A rigid core does not forgive direct blows from a rubber mallet. A chipped tongue looks fine on day one, but that seam opens within weeks; we close each row with a tapping block and a pull bar instead.
Doubled-up underlayment
Adding extra foam under an SPC that already has an attached pad leaves the joints spongy, snaps the click profile and voids the manufacturer's warranty.
SPC flooring price per m² in Medellín
Reference ranges for the Aburrá Valley in 2026, quoted in Colombian pesos. The final figure depends on the site visit: subfloor condition, cuts, linear meters of baseboard and whether old flooring has to come out.
A 60 to 80 m² apartment takes 2 to 4 days to install. To compare with other materials, see our Medellín flooring price guide.
| Item | Reference range |
|---|---|
| 4 to 6.5 mm SPC material | COP $65,000 to $140,000 per m² |
| Installation labor | COP $18,000 to $28,000 per m² |
| Total installed (material and labor) | COP $85,000 to $170,000 per m² |
| Installed baseboards | COP $12,000 to $30,000 per linear meter |
| Ceramic tile removal (only if needed) | COP $12,000 to $25,000 per m² |
| Self-leveling compound (only if needed) | COP $35,000 to $75,000 per m² |
| Spot repair on an existing SPC floor | From COP $180,000 per visit and repair |
How we install SPC
- 1
Visit and measurements
We measure, count doorways and flooring changes, and show you samples. Your written quote arrives within 24 to 48 hours.
- 2
Moisture test
We take meter readings along exterior walls, bathrooms and laundry areas. Any active moisture gets treated first.
- 3
Leveling and acclimation
We re-bond hollow tiles, fill deep grout lines and correct dips. The sealed boxes rest in the room for 24 to 48 hours, per the manufacturer's spec sheet.
- 4
Floating installation
We run the planks toward the main light source, stagger the end joints more than 30 cm and leave the gap the manufacturer requires, usually 6 to 10 mm. Door casings are undercut so the floor slides beneath them.
- 5
Transitions and baseboards
We fit transition strips at doorways and on runs longer than the maximum length on the spec sheet. Baseboards are fastened to the wall, never to the floor.
- 6
Cleanup and handover
We collect offcuts, vacuum and walk the floor with you. We sign the completion record together, along with SPC floor care guidance and your 1-year workmanship warranty.
SPC flooring FAQ
Can SPC go in a bathroom?
Yes, in the dry area of the bathroom and with conditions. We seal the perimeter gap with flexible silicone, cut precisely around the toilet and finish the shower edge with a trim profile.
We do not install it inside the shower or anywhere water pools. There, water works through the joints and sits on the subfloor, even if the plank itself is unharmed.
How long does SPC flooring last?
It depends on the wear layer and the traffic: 0.3 mm (12 mil) is enough for a bedroom, but a living room with pets or a shop calls for 0.5 mm (20 mil). Many brands offer residential warranties of 10 years or more on wear and manufacturing defects; ours covers the installation.
Does SPC handle direct sun from floor-to-ceiling windows?
Better than flexible vinyl, but it still expands with heat. An uncovered west-facing window heats that strip of floor well above the rest of the apartment.
We manage it with extra expansion room in that zone and a recommendation for curtains or solar control film. Lighter tones absorb less heat.
What is the difference between SPC and WPC?
SPC has a dense mineral core: it is stiffer, resists dents better and costs less. WPC has a foamed core that is lighter, warmer and quieter underfoot.
For kitchens, pets and rentals we usually recommend SPC; for bedrooms on upper floors, WPC flooring is a good alternative.
What if a plank gets damaged?
It can be swapped out without lifting the whole floor, which is why we ask you to keep 2 or 3 planks from the same batch.
That job is handled by our laminate and SPC floor repair service.
Do I need approval from building management?
Under Colombia's condominium regime (propiedad horizontal, Ley 675 de 2001), you must notify building management (administración) and respect its permitted work hours. Since SPC over tile creates no debris, approval is usually simple, and we provide the crew's social security and occupational risk insurance (ARL) paperwork when requested.
Get a quote for your SPC floor
Send us measurements or photos of the space and we will schedule a free site visit within 24 to 72 hours.
Your SPC flooring installation is backed by a 1-year workmanship warranty, with the terms in writing.
Pisos Pro Medellín
Tv. 6 #45-115, El Poblado, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
Monday to Saturday: 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Sunday: 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.