Sepia SPC Rigid-Core Plank starts at $3.99/sq ft installed in Fort Myers — a warm honey-toned floor from Alon Floors’ Optimux Collection that brings a natural wood feel to any room. At 7.5 mm thick with a 28-mil wear layer, it’s built for the realities of coastal Florida living rather than showroom performance alone. The EIR texture and wide 7-inch plank width give it a grounded, unhurried look.
Southwest Florida homes sit on concrete slab foundations, face year-round humidity, and often cycle through seasonal tenants or vacation renters. Sepia’s 100% waterproof polymer rigid core won’t swell or buckle when humidity spikes or when water finds its way onto the surface — a real advantage over wood-based products in this climate. The attached 2 MM IXPE pad smooths minor slab imperfections without a separate underlayment purchase.
The 28-mil wear layer is thick enough for households with pets, kids, or rental traffic, and the floor’s residential and commercial approval rating means it holds up in high-foot-count spaces. Salt-air environments near the coast won’t compromise it, and it performs equally well in a primary residence or a home that sits empty for months between seasons.
| Construction | 100% Waterproof Polymer Rigid Core |
|---|---|
| Plank Width | 7” |
| Plank Length | 48” |
| Thickness | 7.5 MM |
| Wear Layer | 28 mill wear layer |
| Attached Pad | 2 MM IXPE |
| Installation Method | Float |
| Click System | Valinge |
| Edges | EIR |
Flooring Queen installs Sepia at $3.99 per square foot, a price that covers material, delivery to your Fort Myers home, removal of your existing floor covering, subfloor preparation for standard conditions, installation of the planks, new baseboards, and transition strips where needed. Old flooring goes out with our crew — no separate hauling fees.
Some conditions add to the base price: significant subfloor leveling beyond routine prep, stair nosing on multi-level homes, diagonal or herringbone layouts, and decorative border work are all quoted separately. Contact us for a free in-home measurement and a written estimate before any work is scheduled.
Sepia and engineered hardwood both target homeowners who want a wood-look floor, but they’re built differently and suit different priorities. Sepia’s rigid polymer core is genuinely waterproof — you can mop it aggressively, leave wet beach towels on it, and it won’t delaminate. Engineered hardwood tolerates occasional splashes but isn’t designed for prolonged moisture, which is a meaningful limitation in Southwest Florida’s humidity and on slab foundations prone to moisture vapor.
Where engineered hardwood wins: it’s real wood on the surface, which matters to buyers who want authenticity, refinishability, and resale appeal. Sepia can’t be sanded and refinished. The installed cost difference is also significant — engineered hardwood typically runs about $8.99/sq ft installed versus $3.99 for Sepia.
| Sepia | Engineered Hardwood | |
|---|---|---|
| Water resistance | 100% waterproof core | Moisture-sensitive — not waterproof |
| Scratch resistance / wear layer | 28-mil commercial-grade wear layer | Depends on wood species; no mil rating |
| Comfort underfoot | Firm; IXPE pad softens slightly | Slightly warmer, softer feel |
| Installed price | $3.99/sq ft | $8.99/sq ft |
| Best room | Kitchens, baths, any grade | Living rooms, bedrooms above grade |
Sweep or dry-mop Sepia regularly to keep sand and grit — both unavoidable in Southwest Florida — from grinding against the surface. For deeper cleaning, use a pH-neutral hard-surface cleaner such as Bona Stone, Tile & Laminate or a vinyl-specific formula diluted per label directions. Avoid steam mops entirely: the pressurized heat can force moisture into seams and degrade the IXPE pad over time. Skip wax, polish, and any cleaner with citrus or ammonia — they dull the finish and aren’t necessary on a 28-mil wear layer. For technical guidance, see the World Floor Covering Association vinyl flooring guide.
Sepia’s 100% waterproof polymer rigid core will not swell, warp, or delaminate from standing water — that’s a structural property, not a surface coating. The wear layer and core are unaffected by moisture. The one caveat: water that gets under the floor through unsealed perimeter edges or damaged baseboards can still cause issues, so proper installation matters.
Sepia’s 28-mil wear layer is thick enough to resist daily scratching from pet nails under normal conditions. For context, most residential vinyl runs 12–20 mil, so 28 mil offers meaningfully more protection. Cleanup is simple — the waterproof surface handles accidents without staining or odor absorption into the core.
SPC stands for Stone Plastic Composite — the core contains limestone powder, making it denser and more rigid than standard LVP, which uses a softer PVC core. Sepia is SPC, which means it’s more dimensionally stable under temperature swings and foot traffic, and less prone to denting. The trade-off is that SPC is slightly harder underfoot than flexible LVP, though the IXPE pad on Sepia offsets some of that.
Sepia is approved for residential and commercial use and can be installed on any grade — above, on, or below ground level — using the float method. It works in kitchens, bathrooms, living areas, and bedrooms. The only practical limitation is outdoors or in direct-sunlight spaces like screen porches, where UV exposure and temperature extremes exceed what any SPC product is rated for.
Specific warranty terms for the Alon Floors Optimux Collection aren’t listed in the published product specs, so ask us for the manufacturer’s warranty documentation before you buy. Generally, SPC floors in this category carry residential wear-layer warranties and limited structural warranties — coverage for manufacturing defects, core integrity, and finish performance under normal use conditions.
Many Southwest Florida condo associations require floors to meet an IIC (Impact Insulation Class) rating, often 50 or higher, and may require board approval before installation. Sepia includes a 2 MM IXPE attached pad, which contributes to impact sound reduction, but the total assembly rating depends on the subfloor. Bring your HOA’s specific requirements to your Flooring Queen consultation so we can confirm compliance before installation begins.
We chose every vinyl product in this catalog because it stands up to the realities of Florida living: humidity, sandy substrate, busy households. Flooring Queen installs what we sell, licensed and insured. Free in-home measure: (239) 763-0770.
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Reviewed by Jack Maya, Lead Installer at Flooring Queen — 20+ years installing flooring in Southwest Florida.
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