When a plank is sold as 8mm or 9mm SPC, the number in the title can read like the thickness of one solid board. On the four Riche planks below, the number on the label is two layers added together: a rigid core and a foam pad attached to the back at the factory. Our 9mm SPC vinyl plank collection shows it well, because the Pacific Teak plank in it carries a 9mm label on a 7mm core. Below, we split four of our planks into core, pad and wear layer, set EVA and IXPE pads side by side using only what the product pages say, and put a price on each millimetre of core.
Total thickness vs core thickness in SPC flooring: the short answer
On the four planks below, the total comes from both the core and the pad, though not in equal parts. The product pages for the four planks below write total thickness as a sum. Our heavy-duty 8mm plank is 6mm of core plus 2mm of EVA pad, and the Pacific Teak 9mm plank is 7mm of core plus 2mm of EVA pad. The wear layer, the clear surface coating, sits on its own line measured in mil and is not part of either sum.
- Total thickness: the headline figure in the product title, such as 8mm or 9mm. On these planks it equals core plus pad.
- Core thickness: the rigid SPC board. Our product pages describe it as the waterproof rigid core.
- Attached pad: a foam layer bonded to the underside. Two of the planks below use EVA and two use IXPE.
- Wear layer: the protective top surface, listed as 12mil or 20mil on these four planks.
Four planks split into core, pad and wear layer
This table lists the breakdown straight from each product page's Total Thickness line. The last column is simple arithmetic: pad thickness divided by total thickness, rounded to a whole percent.
| Plank | Total thickness | Rigid core | Attached pad | Pad share of total | Wear layer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy-Duty Driftwood Mist | 8mm | 6mm | 2mm EVA | 25% | 20mil |
| Pacific Teak | 9mm | 7mm | 2mm EVA | 22% | 12mil |
| Blonde Sand Oak | 6mm | 4.5mm | 1.5mm IXPE | 25% | 12mil |
| Olive Sand Oak | 6.5mm | 5mm | 1.5mm IXPE | 23% | 12mil |
Reading across the rows turns up a few things a headline number hides:
- Moving from the heavy-duty 8mm plank to Pacific Teak adds 1mm of total thickness, and all of it is core. The pad stays at 2mm.
- The Olive Sand Oak plank is 1.5mm thinner overall than the heavy-duty 8mm plank, but only 1mm of that gap is core. The other 0.5mm is the thinner pad.
- Blonde Sand Oak and Olive Sand Oak share the same 1.5mm IXPE pad. Their 0.5mm difference in total is entirely core.
- A bigger label does not mean a thicker surface. Pacific Teak is the 9mm plank with a 12mil wear layer, while the 8mm heavy-duty plank has 20mil.
The durability field on each product record matches the wear-layer split: it lists the 20mil plank as Commercial / Heavy Duty and the 12mil planks as Residential. Pad and core are a different question from wear layer, so treat them as three separate numbers when you compare planks.
Three lines to read on any SPC thickness label
The same habit works on any plank you are weighing, ours or not:
- Find the total. This is the figure in the title.
- Find the split. Look for a line such as "9mm (7mm Core + 2mm EVA Pad)". If a page gives only the total, you cannot tell how much of it is rigid board, so ask before you compare it with another plank.
- Find the wear layer. It is quoted in mil, and a plank with a bigger total can still carry the smaller number.
Titles often leave out the split. The IXPE planks name their pad in the title, while the heavy-duty 8mm and Pacific Teak titles do not mention EVA at all and the breakdown only appears on the product page. For that reason, read the Total Thickness line on the product page, not just the title, before treating two planks as equal.
EVA and IXPE pads: what our product pages say, and what they leave out
Our heavy-duty 8mm page describes a 2mm high-density EVA pad that is pre-attached, giving a cushioned feel underfoot and sound reduction. The Pacific Teak page also lists a 2mm EVA pad pre-attached and ties it to a cushioned feel. The two IXPE pages describe a factory-attached 1.5mm IXPE underpad and credit it with underfoot comfort, thermal insulation and noise reduction. In plain terms, both pad types are sold as a comfort layer, and neither is described as part of the rigid structure.
What the pages do not give is just as useful to know:
- There is no head-to-head result for EVA against IXPE, so we are not ranking one above the other.
- The two pad types sit on different planks. The EVA planks have 6mm and 7mm cores and 2mm pads, while the IXPE planks have 4.5mm and 5mm cores and 1.5mm pads, so any difference you feel could come from the core, the pad thickness or the material.
- No pad density or compression figures are published on these pages.
That is why we suggest judging the whole plank (core, pad thickness and wear layer) rather than choosing on the letters EVA or IXPE. If sound is your main concern, our guide to hollow sound underfoot on SPC vinyl covers what influences it. Whether a separate layer ever goes under a plank has its own answer in our underlayment guide for SPC vinyl.
What each millimetre of core costs per square foot
Box price divided by square feet per box gives the price per square foot. Divide that by the core thickness and you get the price per square foot for each millimetre of core. It is a way to see where the money goes, nothing more, because it ignores the pad, the wear layer and box size.
| Plank | Box price | Coverage per box | Price per sq ft | Core | Per sq ft, per mm of core |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy-Duty Driftwood Mist | $59.00 | 16.55 sq ft | $3.56 | 6mm | $0.59 |
| Pacific Teak | $69.99 | 13.79 sq ft | $5.08 | 7mm | $0.73 |
| Blonde Sand Oak | $62.93 | 23.64 sq ft | $2.66 | 4.5mm | $0.59 |
| Olive Sand Oak | $59.00 | 21.27 sq ft | $2.77 | 5mm | $0.55 |
Prices checked October 4, 2026. Box prices and coverage come from our current catalogue.
Pacific Teak costs $1.52 more per square foot than the heavy-duty 8mm plank. For that difference you get 1mm more core and a 12mil wear layer instead of 20mil. Two planks land on the same $0.59 per millimetre of core, the heavy-duty 8mm and Blonde Sand Oak, even though one is a commercial-grade 20mil plank and the other a 12mil residential plank on a thinner core. The 6.5mm Olive Sand Oak plank comes out at $0.55, the smallest figure of the four. Its page says the extra core thickness of the 6.5mm profile delivers a more solid underfoot feel, and it costs $0.11 more per square foot than the 6mm plank for 0.5mm more core. Whether that trade suits you is a judgment call for your room.
Box sizes differ too, so compare rooms by price per square foot, not by box price. A box of Pacific Teak covers 13.79 sq ft, while a box of Blonde Sand Oak covers 23.64 sq ft, and our quote process rounds up to whole boxes after allowing for waste.
How the range lines up by headline thickness
Our 95 SPC vinyl products are grouped into collections by headline thickness. The table counts every product in each collection and shows the price range for the ones in stock today.
| Collection | Products | In stock | In-stock price per sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6mm | 10 | 10 | $2.66 |
| 6.5mm | 10 | 10 | $2.77 |
| 8mm | 24 | 21 | $3.56 to $4.00 |
| 9mm | 26 | 22 | $4.37 to $5.08 |
| 10mm | 25 | 24 | $4.99 |
A single collection can hold more than one construction, so a headline figure is only a starting point. We have broken down the four planks above, and the other products in these collections should be checked page by page. For a wider look at the brands behind these lines, see our guide to SPC vinyl plank brands in Toronto.
When each detail is the one to check
- Floor height at a doorway: the Blonde Sand Oak page calls its 6mm total a slim profile for renovations where the transition to neighbouring flooring matters. Total thickness includes the pad, so it is the number to use for that question.
- A thicker rigid board: among these four, Pacific Teak has the most core at 7mm.
- A heavier wear layer: the heavy-duty 8mm plank has the 20mil surface, against 12mil on the other three.
- A lower price per square foot: the two IXPE planks are $2.66 and $2.77, below the two EVA planks, and they have the thinnest cores.
Choosing a thickness by room type is a separate question that we handle in which total thickness suits which room. Our broader SPC vinyl explainer adds click systems and the rest of the construction.
FAQ: SPC cores, pads and thickness labels
Is an 8mm vinyl plank thick because of the core or the pad?
Both contribute. On our heavy-duty Driftwood Mist plank, the page lists 6mm of SPC core and 2mm of EVA pad, which add up to the 8mm in the title. The core supplies the larger share.
Does a 10mm vinyl plank have a 10mm core?
Do not assume so. The Pacific Teak example shows a 9mm label carrying a 7mm core, so a 10mm label may also include a pad. Open the product page and read the Total Thickness line before you compare it with another plank.
Does the wear layer count toward the thickness?
Not on the four planks here. Their pages add core and pad to reach the total and list the wear layer separately: 12mil (0.3mm) on three planks and 20mil (0.5mm) on the heavy-duty one.
Is an IXPE pad better than an EVA pad?
Our pages do not compare them, so we do not rank them. They also appear on planks with different cores and pad thicknesses, which makes a direct comparison unreliable. Look at the full breakdown of each plank instead.
Can I compare the 6mm and 6.5mm IXPE planks directly?
Yes, because the pad is the same 1.5mm on both. The 6.5mm plank has 5mm of core against 4.5mm, and it costs $2.77 per square foot against $2.66.
Get a quote for the SPC plank you are weighing
Tell us the plank, the room size and what is on the floor now, and we will price it with you. You can request a quote online and we will reply with numbers for your own space.
Top Floorings Depot
3781 Victoria Park Avenue, Unit 1, Toronto, ON M1W 3K5
www.topfloorings.com
Call: 416-499-0117
Text: 416-770-8819