Click or Dryback? Floating vs glue-down vinyl flooring compared.
Same decors, two systems: COREPEL comes as click SPC for floating installation and as Dryback for glue-down. Here is where each system is strong, what it really costs and how installation works.
Two systems, one look
COREPEL Premium is an SPC click floor: 5 mm stone composite core plus 1 mm integrated IXPE underlay, installed floating. COREPEL Pro Dryback is a 2.5 mm LVT design floor that is fully bonded to the screed. Both have a 0.55 mm wear layer, use class 33 and embossed-in-register surfaces. Brown, Beige, Nature and Warm Oak come in both systems – in the same decor.
The comparison at a glance
| Criterion | Click (Premium SPC) | Dryback (Pro LVT) |
|---|---|---|
| Build-up | 6 mm (5 + 1 mm IXPE), Välinge 2G click | 2.5 mm, fully bonded |
| Subfloor | flat (max. 3 mm over 1 m), fill local dips | prime and smooth the full area – every unevenness shows through |
| Over tiles / old floors | often possible if solid and flat | only after preparation; remove old coverings |
| Installation | professional fitter or experienced DIYer | professional fitter with adhesive, roller and experience |
| Time for 20 m² | around 4–8 hours | around 2–3 days incl. smoothing, drying and curing |
| Ready for use / mopping | walk on straight away; damp-mop after 24 h if acrylic or silicone joints were used | after the adhesive has cured; damp-mop after 72 h at the earliest |
| Area without profiles | up to 15 × 15 m, 5 mm perimeter gap | large areas without expansion profiles; screed movement joints are carried through |
| Build-up height | 6 mm | 2.5 mm + smoothing compound – ideal where door heights are tight |
| Room sound | integrated underlay, 20 dB impact sound improvement | bonded flat, no hollow sound; impact sound via screed build-up |
| Underfloor heating | suitable, max. 27 °C surface; thermal resistance 0.0252 m²K/W incl. underlay | suitable, max. 27 °C; thin and bonded without an air layer – heat arrives a little more directly, hardly noticeable in daily use |
| Sun, floor-to-ceiling windows, conservatory | suitable with a 10 mm perimeter gap; movement joint in front of glazing from 8 m length | our recommendation for very strong sun: bonded, the floor hardly moves and can run flush to the window frame (adhesive approved for higher temperatures) |
| Kitchen, bathroom, utility | waterproof core; do not let water stand in joints, seal perimeter gaps in wet areas with silicone | fully bonded, no water under the floor; well suited to heavily used wet areas |
| Castors and loads | office chairs with soft castors (type W) or a floor mat | robust under wheelchairs, office chairs and trolleys |
| Repair | single plank replaceable, may need lifting to the wall | cut out a single plank and re-bond it (fitter) |
| Removal | can be lifted and reused | removal takes effort |
| RRP material | €34.95 / m² (Wood) | €24.95 / m² |
Values from COREPEL data sheets, installation guides and technical notes on underfloor heating and conservatories (status 09–11/2026). Times are guide values.
What does it really cost? Example for 20 m²
Dryback is cheaper as material. Because it is only 2.5 mm thick, every unevenness shows – the subfloor is therefore primed and smoothed over the full area. This step decides the total cost.
| Item (20 m² room) | Click · Premium Wood | Dryback · Pro Wood |
|---|---|---|
| Material (7 % waste, whole boxes, RRP) | 13 boxes · 22.3 m² ≈ €778 | 6 boxes · 21.7 m² ≈ €542 |
| Subfloor preparation | usually local only | prime + smooth ≈ €300–700 |
| Installation | ≈ €260–300 | ≈ €200–400 plus adhesive |
| Total | ≈ €1,040–1,080 | ≈ €1,040–1,640 plus adhesive |
| If the subfloor is already smoothed and ready | ≈ €1,040–1,080 | ≈ €740–940 plus adhesive |
Material from box contents on the data sheet (1.712 m² and 3.618 m²) and RRP of €34.95 / €24.95 per m². Labour costs are German guide values: click installation €13–15 per m²; Dryback installation €10–20 per m² and subfloor preparation €15–35 per m² according to Aroundhome, 09/2026. For orientation in the UK and Ireland, typical fitting rates are around £8–15 per m² for click and £15–25 per m² for glue-down (Tile Mountain). Your partner quotes the exact price.
Bottom line: in a renovation both systems cost about the same, and click is faster and simpler. In new builds or commercial projects, where the screed is smoothed anyway, Dryback is the cheaper solution per m².
How installation works
Click (Premium SPC)
- Acclimatise the boxes in the room for at least 48 h.
- Check the subfloor: solid, dry, flat (max. 3 mm over 1 m). On mineral subfloors lay a PE film as vapour barrier.
- Lay the first row with a 5 mm perimeter gap, angle the planks in and click them down.
- Stagger end joints and lay the rest – no adhesive, no separate underlay.
- Fit skirting boards. Done – walk on it straight away.
Dryback (Pro LVT)
- Store boxes flat in the room for at least 24 h (48 h in winter); room climate 18 °C, max. 70 % relative humidity.
- Check the subfloor, measure residual moisture, remove old coverings.
- Prime and smooth the full area, let it dry (12–24 h depending on product).
- Apply adhesive with a notched trowel, lay planks, rub them down and roll with a floor roller (min. 50 kg).
- Let the adhesive cure; damp-mop after 72 h at the earliest.
Which system when?
Choose click if …
- you renovate and want to lay over tiles or a solid old floor.
- it needs to be quick and the room is used again the same day.
- you want to install it yourself.
- the floor may be lifted later (rented flat, showroom).
- impact sound to neighbours matters.
Choose Dryback if …
- large, continuous areas without profiles are needed (office, hotel, practice, shop).
- wheelchairs, office chairs or trolleys load the floor.
- build-up height is tight – doors, stair transitions, refurbishment.
- a fitter prepares the screed anyway (new build, commercial).
- a quiet footfall without hollow sound matters.
- floor-to-ceiling windows or a heated conservatory bring a lot of sun onto the floor.
Common mistakes – and how to avoid them
- Gluing a click floor: click SPC is installed floating. Bonding it over the full area stops the floor from moving and is not intended.
- Dryback on an unsmoothed subfloor: every unevenness, every grain of sand shows through 2.5 mm. Priming and smoothing are a must.
- Residual moisture not measured: a damp screed weakens the adhesive. Measure before gluing – with click, the PE film protects the floor.
- Wrong adhesive: for underfloor heating and conservatories use only adhesives approved for it by the maker.
- Loaded too early: with Dryback, put furniture and mopping water on it only after the adhesive has cured; damp-mop after 72 h at the earliest.
Same look at home and at work
Because Brown, Beige, Nature and Warm Oak come in both systems, a home (click) and an adjoining practice, office or shop (Dryback) can share the same decor. The Dryback range launches in January 2027; special prices for projects on request.
These decors come in both systems
Brown Oak
Beige Oak
Nature Oak
Warm OakFind your floor in 5 clicks.
The Floor Studio shows the COREPEL floors that suit your room – and your partner prepares the quote, also for Dryback projects.
START FLOOR STUDIOFrequently asked questions
Is click or glue-down better?
Neither is better in general. Click is faster, more flexible and ideal for renovation. Dryback is the first choice for large commercial areas, rolling loads and low build-up heights.
Can I install Dryback myself?
We recommend a professional fitter. Subfloor preparation, adhesive application and rolling decide the result and the guarantee.
Are both systems suitable for underfloor heating?
Yes, hydronic and approved electric systems, at max. 27 °C surface temperature. Details in the underfloor heating guide.
Why is Dryback cheaper as material?
At 2.5 mm Dryback is much thinner and has neither a click profile nor an integrated underlay. It needs a smoothed subfloor and adhesive instead – so total costs are often similar.
Are the same decors available in both systems?
Yes, Brown, Beige, Nature and Warm Oak come as Premium click and as Pro Dryback.
Can I glue a click floor as well?
No. Click SPC is installed floating so the floor can move. If you want a bonded floor, choose Dryback.
Which system is better for large windows?
For very strong sunlight we recommend Dryback, bonded with an adhesive approved for higher temperatures. Click SPC also works with a 10 mm perimeter gap and shading – see the conservatory technical note.