Shopping for a 12 mil vs 20 mil vinyl plank usually comes down to one question: is the thinner wear layer enough for my house, or is the thicker one worth paying for? Here is the short answer. In our SPC vinyl plank collection, 12 mil planks carry a Residential label and 20 mil planks carry a Commercial / Heavy Duty label. A 12 mil plank suits bedrooms and offices. A 20 mil plank puts more material at the surface for entries, hallways, kitchens and rental units, and at some thicknesses it is also priced lower per square foot than the 12 mil version. This guide explains what a mil is, shows how our 95 Riche SPC products split between the two wear layers, and compares four planks using live box prices.
What a mil measures, and what 12 and 20 mil are in millimetres
A mil is not a millimetre. The US National Institute of Standards and Technology describes the industrial term as one that represents thousandths of an inch (that is, 1 mil = 0.001 in.). NIST also states that the inch is exactly equivalent to 25.4 mm, so turning mil into millimetres is a single multiplication.
| Wear layer | In inches | In millimetres |
|---|---|---|
| 12 mil | 0.012 inch | 0.30 mm |
| 20 mil | 0.020 inch | 0.51 mm |
The working is 12 × 0.001 × 25.4 = 0.3048 mm for the thinner layer and 20 × 0.001 × 25.4 = 0.508 mm for the thicker one, rounded to two decimals. The gap between them is 8 mil, or about 0.20 mm. That sounds tiny, but this clear top layer is what protects the printed wood pattern underneath. ASTM's specification for solid vinyl floor tile covers tiles that are surface decorated or printed, and protected by a clear wear layer, and ASTM F410 is the published test method for measuring wear layer thickness of resilient floor coverings by optical measurement.
Plank thickness is a separate number. Our listings give it in millimetres for the whole plank (6 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm or 10 mm), while the mil figure describes only the clear top layer.
How our 95 SPC products divide between 12 mil and 20 mil
Every SPC product in our vinyl collection is a Riche plank with its wear level recorded as a product spec, and every one is either 12 mil or 20 mil.
| Wear layer | Label on product pages | Products | In stock | Box price, in stock | Per sq ft, in stock | Plank thickness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 mil | Residential | 50 | 45 | $59.00 to $69.99 | $2.66 to $5.08 | 6 mm to 9 mm |
| 20 mil | Commercial / Heavy Duty | 45 | 42 | $59.00 to $62.00 | $3.56 to $4.99 | 8 mm to 10 mm |
Prices checked October 4, 2026. Box prices and coverage come from our current catalogue, and the price ranges cover products that are in stock.
Same thickness, different wear layer
The per-square-foot figures show something that surprises many buyers. Lining up the in-stock planks by thickness gives this:
| Plank thickness | 12 mil, per sq ft | 20 mil, per sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| 6 mm | $2.66 | not offered |
| 8 mm | $3.74 to $4.00 | $3.56 |
| 9 mm | $4.50 to $5.08 | $4.37 |
| 10 mm | not offered | $4.99 |
Read down either column and the price climbs with plank thickness. Read across and the 20 mil plank is $0.18 lower per square foot at 8 mm and $0.13 lower at 9 mm than the lowest 12 mil price at the same thickness. In our catalogue, then, price tracks plank thickness more closely than it tracks wear layer. One further 12 mil line (10 products at $2.77 per sq ft) is left out because the thickness in its listing needs checking against its spec before you compare it.
Pads differ from line to line too. Some listings name an attached pad in the title and others do not, so compare product pages and not only the numbers above.
Four Riche planks to compare, with live box prices
These four products cover both wear layers and four plank thicknesses. Each is click-lock and listed as waterproof in our product data.
| Plank | Wear layer | Thickness | Box price | Coverage per box | Per sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riche Blonde Sand Oak SPC | 12 mil | 6 mm | $62.93 | 23.64 sq ft | $2.66 |
| Riche Sandstone Oak SPC | 12 mil | 9 mm | $62.00 | 13.79 sq ft | $4.50 |
| Riche Heavy-Duty Driftwood Mist SPC | 20 mil | 8 mm | $59.00 | 16.55 sq ft | $3.56 |
| Riche Ultra-Thick Greige Mist SPC | 20 mil | 10 mm | $59.00 | 11.82 sq ft | $4.99 |
Each per-square-foot figure is the box price divided by that box's coverage, rounded to the cent.
A 12 mil starting point: Blonde Sand Oak at 6 mm
Blonde Sand Oak is the entry point in the data above. At $62.93 for a 23.64 sq ft box it works out to $2.66 per square foot, and the listing includes an IXPE pad. It is a sensible match for a spare room, a home office or a bedroom, where the Residential label fits how the floor will be used.
A thick 12 mil option: Sandstone Oak at 9 mm
Sandstone Oak shows why thickness and wear layer should be judged separately. It is a 9 mm plank with a 12 mil wear layer, and its listing says an EVA pad is included. A $62.00 box holds only 13.79 sq ft, so the cost is $4.50 per square foot, which is higher than the 20 mil Driftwood Mist plank below even though the box price is only $3.00 apart.
A 20 mil entry point: Heavy-Duty Driftwood Mist at 8 mm
Driftwood Mist carries the 20 mil wear layer and the Commercial / Heavy Duty label. A $59.00 box covers 16.55 sq ft, giving $3.56 per square foot, the bottom of our $3.56 to $4.99 range for 20 mil planks. Compare the box coverage as well as the box price: this box and the Greige Mist box below cost the same, but they do not cover the same area.
The thickest 20 mil option: Ultra-Thick Greige Mist at 10 mm
Greige Mist pairs the same 20 mil layer with a 10 mm plank. The box is $59.00, but it covers 11.82 sq ft, so the price is $4.99 per square foot, the top of the 20 mil range. Choose it when you want the thickest plank we list in this wear layer; choose Driftwood Mist when the budget matters more than plank thickness.
What each plank costs in material for a 500 sq ft floor
You buy whole boxes and we add a 5% waste allowance for cuts. For a reader-chosen 500 sq ft floor the steps are: 500 × 1.05 = 525 sq ft, boxes = 525 divided by the coverage per box, rounded up, then material = boxes × box price. The table covers material only, before HST, delivery and installation.
| Plank | Wear layer | Boxes for 525 sq ft | Material total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blonde Sand Oak, 6 mm | 12 mil | 23 | $1,447.39 |
| Sandstone Oak, 9 mm | 12 mil | 39 | $2,418.00 |
| Driftwood Mist, 8 mm | 20 mil | 32 | $1,888.00 |
| Greige Mist, 10 mm | 20 mil | 45 | $2,655.00 |
Stepping from Blonde Sand Oak to Driftwood Mist adds $440.61 in material on this floor, and that buys both the 20 mil layer and two more millimetres of plank. Choosing Sandstone Oak over Driftwood Mist adds $530.00 for a thinner wear layer, so the 9 mm plank only makes sense if you specifically want that thickness or colour.
A rule of thumb by room, kept inside the spec
We can state two things from our product data: the 12 mil planks are labelled Residential and the 20 mil planks are labelled Commercial / Heavy Duty. The table below turns those labels into a starting point. It is a way to shortlist, not a lifespan promise for either wear layer.
| Room or use | Starting point | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Bedroom, guest room, home office | 12 mil | Quieter rooms where the Residential label matches the use |
| Living and dining rooms | 12 mil or 20 mil | Depends on pets, children and how often furniture is dragged |
| Entry, hallway, kitchen | 20 mil | Every person in the household crosses these spots, often in outdoor shoes |
| Rental unit or basement apartment | 20 mil | Tenant turnover means more moves and more wear on one floor |
If the floor is going into a basement, moisture and subfloor questions matter as much as the wear layer, and our guide to LVP for basements and basement apartments covers them.
What the mil number leaves out
Because a mil is a unit of length, a 20 mil label tells you how thick the clear layer is. It does not tell you how the floor scored in a scratch or stain test, and we make no such claim for either wear layer. Core construction, pad, finish and installation all sit alongside it.
Plank thickness is the other spec worth reading properly, and our SPC thickness comparison covers it. For click systems, sound ratings and what SPC is made of, see our SPC vinyl plank flooring explainer. If you are still choosing a line before a wear layer, our guide to SPC vinyl plank brands is the place to begin.
12 mil and 20 mil vinyl plank FAQ
What is a good wear layer for LVP in a house?
It depends on the room. Our 12 mil planks are labelled Residential, which fits bedrooms and offices, while our 20 mil planks are labelled Commercial / Heavy Duty and suit the rooms with the most traffic. Where the budget allows, move the busiest rooms up to 20 mil.
Is 20 mil LVP worth the extra money?
Sometimes it is not extra at all. Compared with the lowest in-stock 12 mil price at the same thickness, our 20 mil planks are $0.18 lower per square foot in 8 mm and $0.13 lower in 9 mm. The 10 mm planks sit at the top of the 20 mil range at $4.99 per square foot.
Does a higher mil number mean a thicker plank?
No. The mil figure covers the clear top layer only, while the plank thickness is listed in millimetres. Blonde Sand Oak is a 6 mm plank with a 12 mil layer, Driftwood Mist is 8 mm with 20 mil, and Sandstone Oak is 9 mm with 12 mil.
Where do I find the wear layer on a product?
Each of our SPC products has its wear level recorded as a spec, and some titles state it too, such as the Driftwood Mist and Greige Mist titles that say 20mil. If a page does not make it clear, name the product in a quote request and we will confirm it.
Do you sell 20 mil vinyl plank flooring in Canada?
We are a Toronto flooring retailer and installer. Our catalogue lists 45 Riche SPC products with a 20 mil wear layer, 42 of them in stock when we last checked, at $3.56 to $4.99 per square foot.
Get a quote on 12 mil or 20 mil SPC vinyl in Toronto and the GTA
Send us your room sizes, what is on the floor now and the planks you are considering, and we will price them using the same box and waste steps shown above. You can request a quote online when you are ready.
Top Floorings Depot
3781 Victoria Park Avenue, Unit 1, Toronto, ON M1W 3K5
www.topfloorings.com
Call: 416-499-0117
Text: 416-770-8819