If you’re comparing 4mm SPC flooring, 5mm SPC, 6mm SPC flooring, 7mm SPC, and 8mm SPC flooring, you’re probably not looking for a generic “thicker is better” answer. You’re trying to lock down a spec that won’t blow up later—after the quote, after the install schedule is set, or worse, after the first complaints show up. In B2B sourcing, overall thickness (also called total thickness) is one of those deceptively simple numbers that can either keep a program clean and repeatable, or turn every reorder into a fresh argument.
This buyer guide is written for distributors, importers, and project teams who need a practical decision framework. We’ll talk about where each thickness band fits, where it doesn’t, and how to write it into an RFQ so suppliers quote the same thing. For reference, Lanhe’s SPC range covers 3.5mm to 8mm, with multiple thickness options available and customization for specific programs.
If you want to see current collections and technical ranges in one place, start with the SPC flooring collection.
Thickness ≠ Wear Layer: The Buyer Mistake That Causes Re-Quotes
Overall thickness is not a durability shortcut
Buyers often treat thickness like a simple strength rating. It isn’t. Thickness mainly changes how the floor behaves as a system—how forgiving it is over imperfect subfloors, how it feels underfoot, how it handles minor movement, and how stable it stays when a room gets busy.
Durability is influenced by a whole construction stack, and one of the easiest sourcing mistakes is mixing those concepts. Two “6mm SPC” quotes can be priced and built very differently if one includes an attached pad or different surface build choices, even if the headline thickness number looks the same. That’s why thickness comparisons are useful only when you’re strict about what “total thickness” includes.
The real-world problem: quote mismatch
Here’s how the headache usually starts. A distributor asks for “5mm SPC” for an entry-level line. Factory A quotes 5mm as a bare plank; Factory B quotes 5mm as a total thickness including an attached layer. Both quotes look reasonable until the samples arrive and the “same thickness” doesn’t feel or install the same. The project team gets confused. The buyer gets stuck re-quoting in the middle of a launch.
A solid thickness decision is less about picking the “best” number and more about making sure everyone is talking about the same build.
Buyer takeaway: treat thickness as a spec language issue first, and a performance issue second. If you do that, you’ll save time and avoid the kind of disputes that burn relationships on both sides.
4–5mm: Use Cases, Cost Upside, and Risk Boundaries
Where 4–5mm wins
4mm SPC flooring and 5mm SPC are often used to hit specific price points or to support fast-moving, high-volume SKUs. For distributors, this thickness band can make sense as a clean entry tier—especially when the market is sensitive to landed cost and the customer cares more about visuals and waterproof performance than a “premium feel.”
It can also work for controlled environments where you know the subfloor is prepared correctly and traffic is predictable. In some multifamily turnover programs, for example, the priority is speed and consistency across units. If the substrate work is done right and your installer knows the routine, thinner can be a sensible business decision.
The risk boundary isn’t theoretical—it shows up as complaints
The trade-off is that thinner constructions tend to be less forgiving. If the floor underneath isn’t flat enough, you can see more stress at joints and more telegraphing of minor imperfections. Another common complaint is underfoot feel. A floor can look great and still feel “hard” in the wrong application, which becomes a customer perception problem, not just a technical one.
Indentation and point-load issues are also worth thinking about at the planning stage. In residential settings, that might be heavy furniture on small feet. In commercial spaces, it’s often rolling loads, displays, or carts. Thickness alone doesn’t solve those issues, but a thinner build gives you less margin for error when conditions aren’t ideal.
What to confirm before you specify 4–5mm
If you’re considering this band, don’t guess. Confirm the project type, subfloor condition, and how the space is actually used day to day. Then make sure the thickness you’re buying is defined the same way across all bids. The cleanest programs are the ones where the buyer can look at an RFQ and know that the supplier can only interpret it one way.
6mm: Why It’s the Distributor “Sweet Spot”
The balance point that holds up in the field
6mm SPC flooring sits in a practical middle zone for many wholesale programs because it often balances cost, stability, and install risk. In distribution, that balance matters. Your best-selling SKU usually isn’t the absolute cheapest or the most premium; it’s the one that performs consistently across the widest range of jobs with the fewest callbacks.
In the field, 6mm often gives installers more breathing room than a thinner build when the substrate isn’t perfect, while still staying competitive on pricing. It can also help with perceived quality. Many buyers find that 6mm feels more “finished” in hand and underfoot, which is a real sales factor in showrooms and sample presentations.
How 6mm anchors a product ladder
From a product planning perspective, 6mm is often the anchor thickness. The line can be structured so that 4–5mm supports entry pricing and fast turns, 6mm carries the majority of volume, and 7–8mm serves as an upgrade option for projects where comfort, acoustic perception, or a more premium position matters.
That structure also helps your sales team. When customers ask, “What should I choose?” you can guide them to a clear middle option instead of forcing every conversation into a trade-up.
The “which 6mm” question matters more than the number itself
The most common mistake with 6mm programs is treating “6mm” as a full spec. It isn’t. Buyers should treat it as one line in a build definition, not the entire build definition. If you standardize what “6mm total thickness” includes across your line, you can quote faster, reorder faster, and keep claims lower simply because fewer misunderstandings survive into production.
For a realistic view of Lanhe’s thickness options and how they’re offered across programs, you can reference the SPC flooring technical data on the product page.
7–8mm: What You’re Buying When You Go Thicker
Comfort and acoustic perception—without the fairy tale
Buyers usually step up to 7mm SPC or 8mm SPC flooring when the conversation shifts from “Can we hit the price?” to “Can we reduce complaints?” This is especially common in offices, hospitality corridors, and any project where the space has a lot of footfall and the customer is sensitive to sound and feel.
Thicker doesn’t automatically mean “quiet,” and it doesn’t magically fix a bad substrate. But in many real installations, it can improve perceived comfort and help the floor feel more stable under traffic, which reduces the kind of low-grade dissatisfaction that shows up as “It feels cheap” even when the product is technically fine.
More margin during installation
In busy commercial work, schedule pressure is real. Crews move fast. Furniture comes in early. Trades overlap. A thicker build can sometimes provide more tolerance in the real world, especially when installers have to deal with minor inconsistencies across rooms or when rolling loads are part of the daily routine. That doesn’t mean you should rely on thickness to cover sloppy prep, but it can reduce the chance that a minor issue turns into a visible problem.
When 7–8mm is worth it—and when it’s wasted budget
A good rule is to tie thicker options to a clear project reason: higher perceived comfort expectations, heavier daily use patterns, or a customer who is especially sensitive to “feel” and sound. On the other hand, if the substrate is excellent, the space is low-stress, and the budget is tight, a jump to 8mm can be money spent without a measurable business benefit.
Work Backwards from the Project Type
Multifamily turns: speed, budget, predictable performance
In multifamily, the enemy is inconsistency. One building manager wants low cost, another wants fewer complaints, and the schedule never stops. Thickness choices should support repeatability. If your maintenance team can rely on consistent prep and consistent install crews, thinner options can be workable. If crews vary and substrate quality varies, that’s where a mid-range thickness often pays for itself by reducing rework.
Retail: rolling loads, replacement strategy, visible complaints
Retail floors live a harder life than people expect. Displays move. Carts roll. Staff works long shifts. The thickness choice here should be tied to operational reality, not just a showroom sample. The most expensive retail issue isn’t the floor itself—it’s the disruption when you have to fix it. If the store expects frequent remerchandising, consider the thickness band that gives more stability and better “in-service” confidence.
Office: chair movement, noise perception, daily wear patterns
Offices are tricky because complaints are often perception-based. People notice sound and feel. They also notice gaps and edge issues because they stare at the same paths every day. Thickness decisions here should support a stable feel and a clean visual over time, especially in open-plan spaces where traffic concentrates.
Hotel: corridors, housekeeping routines, reputation risk
Hotels care about guest experience and downtime. Corridors get constant traffic, housekeeping routines are aggressive, and a visible issue becomes a reputation issue. This is one of the clearest places where moving into 7–8mm can make business sense—if it’s paired with clear installation controls and a defined inspection plan.
RFQ Must-Haves: The Fields That Prevent Re-Quoting
Write thickness in a way suppliers can’t misread
If you want comparable quotes, your RFQ should state thickness as overall thickness / total thickness, and it should clarify whether that number includes any attached layer. You don’t need a long spec sheet to do this well, but you do need precision.
A simple, buyer-friendly way to phrase it is: “Overall thickness (total thickness) requested: X mm. Please confirm whether the quoted thickness includes any attached backing layer, and state the build definition used for pricing.” When suppliers are forced to answer that question clearly, your comparisons become apples-to-apples.
Tolerance and inspection points are where disputes are avoided
If thickness is a key decision point, state the allowed tolerance and how it will be checked. You can keep it practical: specify that thickness will be verified during pre-shipment inspection, that measurements will be taken from multiple cartons, and that results will be documented with photos and a short report. That kind of language keeps everyone honest without turning the RFQ into a legal document.
The “build definition” paragraph that makes quoting faster
A strong RFQ includes the project type, target price band, thickness target, installation environment (residential, retail, office, hotel), expected traffic, and any packaging or labeling requirements that could affect production. When you send that in one clean paragraph, most suppliers can quote faster and more accurately because the hidden variables are already on the table.
If you’re building your program around Lanhe’s thickness range, the Lanhe Flooring home page is a quick way to confirm product scope before you finalize the RFQ language.
Common Failure Modes Linked to Thickness (and How Buyers Prevent Them)
Peaking and tenting: thickness won’t save bad conditions
When floors peak or tent, thickness isn’t the root cause. It’s usually an installation and environment problem: poor expansion allowance, moisture issues, or substrate conditions that weren’t addressed. Thinner builds tend to show problems sooner because they have less forgiveness, but even thicker options will fail if the system is constrained.
The buyer’s job here is prevention. Ask for a simple installation plan and a checklist of site conditions that must be met. If the project team can’t answer what the subfloor looks like, thickness discussions are premature.
Joint stress and visible gaps: small errors get expensive
Gapping complaints and joint stress often start with rushed installation, uneven substrate, or inconsistent room conditions. A thinner option can make those issues more likely to become visible, especially in commercial spaces with concentrated traffic. A thicker option can add margin, but the better solution is to tie thickness choice to clear install controls and inspection requirements.
The claims problem is usually documentation, not a mystery defect
When something goes wrong, the fastest path to resolution is a clean evidence package: photos of the issue, photos of the broader room, notes on site conditions, and batch traceability from cartons. Buyers who treat this as routine—rather than a scramble after the fact—typically resolve disputes faster and protect the relationship with the supplier and the end customer.
About Shandong Lanhe Import and Export Co., Ltd.
Shandong Lanhe Import and Export Co., Ltd. is a production-and-export enterprise with a documented quality management approach, serving overseas markets including North America, Europe, Australia, and Southeast Asia. On the SPC side, Lanhe positions itself as a China-based manufacturer with more than 15 years of production experience and exports to over 60 countries, supported by in-house production and R&D capabilities for stable supply and ongoing product development.
If your goal is to build a thickness ladder that sells—entry SKUs, mid-range core volume, and higher-end project options—the most productive next step is usually a short spec alignment call. You can learn more about the company background and quality approach on the About Us page. For buyers who want to cross-check thickness availability against current designs, revisit the SPC flooring product page and align the RFQ to the exact thickness band you intend to sell.
Conclusion
Thickness decisions get easier when you stop treating them like a one-line spec and start treating them like a risk-control tool. 4mm SPC flooring and 5mm SPC can be smart when cost and speed matter and site conditions are controlled. 6mm SPC flooring is often the best “program thickness” because it balances price, stability, and field performance. 7mm SPC and 8mm SPC flooring make sense when the project demands a more premium feel, higher in-service confidence, or stronger perception around comfort and noise. Write thickness as overall thickness / total thickness, define what it includes, and tie it to project realities. That’s how you cut re-quotes and reduce claims.
Send us your project type + target price → we recommend thickness & construction
FAQs
Is 4mm SPC flooring a good option for commercial projects?
4mm SPC flooring can work in certain light commercial environments, but it’s usually best when the subfloor is well prepared and traffic patterns are predictable. For retail or hospitality corridors with heavier daily use, many buyers prefer a thicker option to add more margin against installation and service conditions.
When does 5mm SPC make sense for a distributor assortment?
5mm SPC is commonly used as an entry tier when a distributor needs competitive landed cost and fast turns. It performs best when the RFQ is written clearly using overall thickness / total thickness language so every supplier quotes the same build definition.
Why is 6mm SPC flooring often considered the best all-around thickness?
6mm SPC flooring is frequently chosen because it balances cost and stability across a wide range of residential and light commercial jobs. In wholesale programs, that balance usually translates into fewer callback risks than thinner tiers, while still staying price-competitive versus thicker upgrade lines.
What’s the practical difference between 7mm SPC and 8mm SPC flooring?
7mm SPC and 8mm SPC flooring are typically selected when buyers want a more premium feel, stronger perceived stability, or better confidence in higher-traffic settings. The right choice depends on the project type and whether the customer will actually notice and value the incremental change in feel and performance.
Should I specify overall thickness or total thickness in my RFQ?
Use overall thickness / total thickness wording and ask the supplier to confirm what the number includes. That single clarification prevents many of the “same thickness, different product” issues that lead to re-quotes, sample mismatch, and downstream disputes.
