There are several types of vinyl flooring, each with its own format and installation method. Here’s a rundown of the common types:

• Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP): Resembles hardwood planks in size/shape. Planks usually click together (floating floor) or glue down. Great for wood-look floors. Often constructed with either flexible cores or rigid cores (see WPC/SPC below).

• Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT): Resembles ceramic or stone tiles in shape (squares or rectangles). Can also be click or glue. Some LVT can be grouted to enhance the tile look (special vinyl tile that allows grout). Used for stone or patterned looks.

• Sheet Vinyl Flooring: Comes in large sheets (often 6, 12, or 13-foot widths) cut to fit the room. Fewer seams, very water-resistant. Installation can be fully glued, partially glued, or loose lay (where the sheet just lies flat due to its backing weight and perhaps a few adhesive strips). Good for bathrooms or large areas where you want minimal seams​. Sheet vinyl can have cushioned backing for comfort.

• Self-Adhesive Vinyl Tiles/Planks (Peel-and-Stick): These are thinner vinyl pieces with a peel-off adhesive backing. You stick them directly onto a prepared subfloor or old floor. These are more of a DIY-friendly, low-cost option. They are easy to install but typically not as durable or thick as LVP/LVT. Good for quick fixes or low-traffic areas.

• Rigid Core Vinyl:

  • WPC Vinyl: Wood-Plastic Composite core vinyl. It’s a type of luxury vinyl plank with a core made of a composite of wood fiber and plastic/polymer. WPC is rigid, stable, and usually has a bit of cushioning (it often feels slightly softer underfoot). WPC vinyl is 100% waterproof and often a bit thicker. It was one of the earlier rigid core types that made a splash in “engineered vinyl” floors​. It’s great for residential use and can handle subfloor imperfections well due to a slight flex.

  • SPC Vinyl: Stone-Plastic Composite (or Stone-Polymer Composite) core vinyl. This is another rigid core plank where the core is made of limestone powder and plastic. SPC is very dense and firm (even more than WPC). It’s also 100% waterproof and highly dimensionally stable with temperature changes. SPC vinyl tends to be very durable and is often used in both residential and commercial because it can handle heavy traffic. Because it’s so dense, it can feel harder underfoot than WPC.
    (Both WPC and SPC are sub-types of LVP; they just describe the core composition. Often these products have brand names, but asking if a vinyl plank is WPC or SPC is good to know the characteristics.)

• Vinyl Composition Tile (VCT): These are commercial 12”x12” tiles, often used in schools or grocery stores. They are made from vinyl resins and limestone and require waxing as maintenance. Not typically used in homes nowadays, but they are a type of vinyl tile (mostly phased out in residential by LVT).

• Printed Vinyl Roll (Resilient sheet): A variant of sheet vinyl, usually used commercially (like healthcare) – basically sheet vinyl but can be very high quality, with wear layers and sometimes patterns.

For most homeowners, the likely choices are LVP/LVT click-lock planks/tiles or sheet vinyl for large areas/bathrooms. Each type has its pros and cons in terms of installation and where it’s best used, but collectively they cover a wide range of needs.