Polyflor Camaro vs Camaro Rigid Core (2026): Glue-Down vs Click Compared

Polyflor makes two distinct Camaro families. Camaro (glue-down dryback) and Camaro Rigid Core (SPC click). They share the Camaro brand, they share an overlapping design library, and from a distance they look like the same product in different formats. They are not. The construction is different, the installation method is different, the performance over underfloor heating is different, the fitting cost is different, and the buyer who should specify each one is different. This guide covers the comparison in full so you can choose the right one for your project before you buy.

If you already know which format you need, the Polyflor Camaro and Polyflor Camaro Rigid Core category pages list every design in each range. For the full Camaro buyer’s verdict, see our Polyflor Camaro review.

The Short Answer

Choose Camaro (glue-down) when the project is a new build, a major refurbishment, or any installation where the subfloor is being prepared from scratch. Choose Camaro Rigid Core when you are retrofitting over an existing solid floor, the room is upstairs, you want a herringbone layout in click format, or you want a DIY-friendly installation. Both products carry the Polyflor PUR surface treatment and Polyflor’s quality control. The choice is about installation context and room conditions, not about whether one product is better than the other.

Construction: How the Two Products Are Built

Polyflor Camaro (glue-down dryback) is a 2.5mm gauge LVT product with a 0.3mm transparent wear layer, finished with Polyflor’s PUR surface treatment. The construction is the classic LVT sandwich: backing layer, decorative print film, transparent wear layer, PUR top coat. The product has no integral underlay and no click profile. It is installed by bonding the plank or tile directly to a prepared subfloor using Polyflor’s approved pressure-sensitive adhesive.

Polyflor Camaro Rigid Core is a 6mm gauge SPC (stone polymer composite) product with a 0.3mm transparent wear layer, finished with the same Polyflor PUR surface treatment. The construction is layered: integral IXPE acoustic underlay (1mm) bonded to the underside, rigid SPC core (around 4mm), decorative print film, transparent wear layer and PUR top coat. The product carries a Valinge 5G press-fit click locking profile on every edge, so planks click together at the joint without adhesive. It floats over the existing subfloor on the integral underlay.

Both products carry Polyflor’s commercial-grade quality control, both are rated for residential and light commercial use, and both deliver the same 15 to 20 years of normal residential service when correctly installed and maintained. The difference is entirely in how they install and what subfloor they install over.

Specification Comparison

Gauge: Camaro is 2.5mm overall. Camaro Rigid Core is 6mm overall (the rigid SPC core plus integral 1mm acoustic underlay).

Wear layer: Both are 0.3mm transparent PUR-treated. The wear performance over the life of the floor is comparable.

Installation: Camaro is glue-down dryback to a prepared subfloor. Camaro Rigid Core is floating click installation over an existing subfloor.

Subfloor preparation: Camaro requires a flat (3mm tolerance over 2 metres), dry, sound subfloor with full latex screeding where needed. Camaro Rigid Core tolerates more subfloor variation – the rigid SPC core bridges minor undulations and the integral underlay forgives small imperfections, though you still need a reasonably flat substrate.

Acoustic performance: Camaro has no integral acoustic layer (your subfloor structure controls sound transmission). Camaro Rigid Core has an integral IXPE acoustic underlay delivering an 18 decibel impact sound reduction – this matters in upstairs rooms, flats and any installation where impact noise transfer to the room below is a concern.

Underfloor heating: Both products are UFH compatible subject to Polyflor’s 27 degrees Celsius maximum surface temperature. Camaro (glue-down) delivers better heat transfer over UFH because there is no intermediate underlayment between the screed and the floor surface – the product is bonded directly to the heated screed. Camaro Rigid Core’s integral 1mm acoustic underlay slightly insulates the heated screed from the room, which means slower heat-up times and slightly reduced output for the same screed temperature. For UFH-led installations, glue-down Camaro is the better choice.

Slip resistance: Both are R10 to DIN 51130, suitable for residential bathrooms, kitchens, utility rooms and wet zones.

Fire reaction: Both meet EN 13501-1 Class Bfl-S1.

Use Area: Both are rated Class 23 residential heavy plus Class 32 light commercial under ISO 10874.

Warranty: Polyflor’s residential warranty applies to both products when correctly installed using the approved system and maintained in line with the brand’s care guidance.

Design Library: What Each Range Covers

The two ranges share an overlapping design library but each one carries unique designs. The biggest design-led reason to choose between them is which format includes the look you want.

Camaro (glue-down) unique strengths: The dedicated parquet formats are Camaro’s signature, including Cambridge Parquet (2251), Georgian Parquet (2252), Westchester Oak Large Parquet (LPQ2253), Waterside Oak Large Parquet (LPQ2256) and Naked Blond Oak Large Parquet (LPQ2257). These ship at specific plank sizes designed for the parquet layout. The stone-effect range is also broader in Camaro, including Atlantic Slate 2339, Arctic Slate 2341, Ocean Slate 2319, Burnished Concrete 2342, Tribeca Cement 2348 and White Metalstone 2332.

Camaro Rigid Core unique strengths: The herringbone formats in click construction are Camaro Rigid Core’s signature, including Naked Blond Oak Herringbone (RPQ4144), Waterside Oak Herringbone (RPQ4143), Westchester Oak Herringbone (RPQ4141) and Astoria Oak Herringbone (RPQ4147). These let you install a herringbone floor without adhesive, which is rare in the click LVT market and a meaningful product advantage. Camaro Rigid Core also covers the popular Camaro wood designs in click format.

For full design libraries, browse the Polyflor Camaro and Polyflor Camaro Rigid Core category pages.

When to Specify Camaro (Glue-Down)

Glue-down Camaro is the right call in these project scenarios:

New build or major refurbishment. The subfloor is being prepared from scratch (new screed, latex screeded, dry). The thinnest threshold transitions matter. The seamless dryback finish is the look you want.

Whole-home installation across kitchen-diner-utility. A continuous floor with no underlayment differences between rooms gives the best aesthetic continuity. Glue-down delivers this.

Underfloor heating-led installation. Glue-down maximises heat transfer because there is no intermediate underlayment between the heated screed and the floor surface. The same UFH zone reaches working temperature faster and uses less energy.

The design you want is parquet or large parquet. Camaro’s dedicated parquet formats (Cambridge Parquet, Georgian Parquet, the LPQ Large Parquet range) ship at specific plank sizes designed for the parquet layout. Cutting standard click planks down to fit a herringbone pattern is possible but compromises the aesthetic – the dedicated parquet products give a better finish.

Specifier or commercial project. Architects and commercial specifiers typically default to glue-down for known long-term performance and easier remediation if a single tile needs replacement years down the line.

When to Specify Camaro Rigid Core

Camaro Rigid Core is the right call in these project scenarios:

Retrofitting over an existing floor. An existing solid floor that you do not want to lift – existing screed, existing tile, even existing engineered wood in good condition – can be a perfect substrate for Camaro Rigid Core’s floating installation. The product floats on the integral underlay without bonding to the existing floor.

Upstairs rooms, flats, or multi-storey installations. The integral IXPE acoustic underlay delivers an 18 decibel impact sound reduction. For installations where impact noise transfer to the room below matters – first-floor bedrooms above living rooms, flats, holiday lets, hotels – the built-in acoustic layer matters.

You want a herringbone layout in click format. The Camaro Rigid Core herringbone designs (RPQ4141 Westchester Oak Herringbone, RPQ4143 Waterside Oak Herringbone, RPQ4144 Naked Blond Oak Herringbone, RPQ4147 Astoria Oak Herringbone) let you fit a herringbone floor without adhesive and without specialist parquet-fitter skill. This is a genuinely strong product offering – most click-LVT manufacturers do not offer herringbone in rigid-core format.

DIY-friendly installation. Click installation is significantly more forgiving than glue-down for a DIY fitter or a competent general builder. There is no adhesive set time, no second-chance restriction, no spread-rate tolerance to worry about. If the floor is going to be self-installed, Camaro Rigid Core is the practical choice.

Speed-led installation. Click installation is faster than glue-down because there is no adhesive curing time and the floor can be walked on immediately after fitting. For commercial environments needing to reopen quickly, or domestic installations on a tight timeline, this matters.

Fitting Cost Comparison

Fitting cost is one of the most common reasons buyers ask us about this comparison.

Camaro (glue-down): Fitting requires a competent LVT fitter with experience of dryback installation, full subfloor preparation (latex screed where needed), correct adhesive application at the manufacturer’s spread rate, and proper rolling. Day-rate for a skilled LVT fitter in the North West sits in the typical residential LVT range. Pattern layouts (Cambridge Parquet, Georgian Parquet, the Large Parquet formats) add roughly 30 to 50 per cent to the fitting cost compared to straight-lay plank, because of additional cutting, layout alignment and edge work.

Camaro Rigid Core: Fitting is significantly faster than glue-down because there is no adhesive application, no setting time and no rolling. A competent general fitter can install Camaro Rigid Core without specialist LVT-fitting skill. Day-rate is typically lower than glue-down LVT fitting, and the same floor often takes a fraction of the time. Herringbone layouts in click format add some additional fitting time relative to straight-lay plank but less than glue-down parquet because no adhesive layout management is required.

For supply and fit projects across Altrincham, Manchester and Cheshire, our team installs both products regularly. For project pricing, contact us with room measurements via our enquiry form.

Common Mistakes Buyers Make

Specifying glue-down when a retrofit calls for click. If the existing floor is sound, level, and you do not want the cost or disruption of lifting it, click installation is the better answer. Buyers who specify glue-down anyway often end up either paying for unnecessary subfloor prep or running into adhesion problems against an unsuitable substrate.

Specifying click for a UFH-led installation. Glue-down delivers better heat transfer over UFH and faster heat-up times. If the UFH performance is the driver behind the floor choice, do not compromise it by adding an integral underlayment between the heated screed and the floor.

Forgetting that glue-down Camaro has no integral acoustic layer. For first-floor installations above living rooms or in flats, the lack of an acoustic layer in glue-down Camaro can mean noticeable impact-noise transfer. If acoustic performance matters and a glue-down install is non-negotiable, you need a separate acoustic underlayment – which adds cost and reduces the heat-transfer advantage of dryback. Camaro Rigid Core’s integral underlay is often the cleaner answer.

Mixing the two products across a single floor. A continuous run that switches from glue-down Camaro in one room to Camaro Rigid Core in the next will show at the threshold – different floor heights (2.5mm vs 6mm), different transition strips, and the join is rarely clean. If the floor needs to run continuously across a kitchen-diner-utility or hallway-living-room run, pick one product and stick with it.

Confusing Camaro Loc with Camaro Rigid Core. Polyflor used to make a click product called Camaro Loc. It has been discontinued and replaced by Camaro Rigid Core. If you have arrived here researching Camaro Loc, Camaro Rigid Core is the current product and a meaningful improvement on the older Camaro Loc design.

The Decision Framework

If you are still undecided, run through these five questions:

1. Is the project a new build or a retrofit? New build or full refurbishment with new screed favours glue-down. Retrofit over an existing solid floor favours click.

2. Is the room upstairs or above a room where noise matters? If yes, the integral acoustic underlay on Camaro Rigid Core matters and click is the better call.

3. Is there underfloor heating? If UFH is the primary heat source, glue-down delivers better heat transfer and is the better call.

4. Do you want a herringbone or parquet layout? If you want parquet in dedicated parquet format, glue-down Camaro carries the dedicated parquet products. If you want herringbone in click format without dealing with adhesive, Camaro Rigid Core is the only Polyflor product that does it.

5. Will the floor be DIY or professionally installed? DIY installation favours click. Professional skilled installation supports either.

If you answer “click” to three or more of these questions, specify Camaro Rigid Core. If you answer “glue-down” to three or more, specify Camaro. For mixed answers, the priority order is: UFH (favours glue-down), then upstairs noise (favours click), then design library (whichever range carries the look you want).

FAQ

Polyflor Camaro vs Camaro Rigid Core – which is better? Neither is better. Each is built for a specific installation context. Camaro (glue-down) suits new builds, refurbishments with full subfloor prep, UFH-led installations and parquet layouts. Camaro Rigid Core suits retrofits, upstairs rooms, herringbone in click format and DIY-friendly installation.

Is Camaro Rigid Core the same as Camaro Loc? No. Camaro Loc was Polyflor’s older click Camaro product, discontinued and replaced by Camaro Rigid Core. The new product uses a Valinge 5G press-fit locking system, rigid SPC core construction and integral IXPE acoustic underlay – all upgrades on the older Camaro Loc design.

Does Camaro Rigid Core need underlay? No. The acoustic underlay is integral to the product – bonded to the underside at the factory. Adding a separate underlay underneath is unnecessary and can compromise the click joint performance. Camaro (glue-down) does not need underlay either as it bonds directly to the prepared subfloor.

Can I fit Camaro Rigid Core over tiles? Yes, provided the existing tile floor is sound, level (3mm tolerance over 2 metres is a sensible benchmark), clean and dry. Any cracked or loose tiles need to be remediated first. For grout lines wider than 5mm, a self-levelling compound is often advisable.

Which has better heat transfer over UFH – Camaro or Camaro Rigid Core? Glue-down Camaro. Direct bonding to the heated screed gives faster heat-up times and more efficient output for the same screed temperature. The integral 1mm acoustic underlay on Camaro Rigid Core insulates the heated screed slightly from the room.

Can I lay Camaro Rigid Core in a herringbone pattern? Yes – Camaro Rigid Core carries dedicated herringbone designs (RPQ4141, RPQ4143, RPQ4144, RPQ4147) that ship at the correct plank size for a herringbone layout in click format. This is one of the strongest reasons to choose Camaro Rigid Core over glue-down Camaro if you want a herringbone floor without adhesive.

How do I know if my subfloor is suitable for glue-down Camaro? The subfloor needs to be flat (3mm tolerance over 2 metres), dry (moisture-tested on solid subfloors, with damp-proof membrane where required), sound (no cracks, no loose patches) and clean. A skilled LVT fitter will assess and recommend latex screeding where needed before laying. For LVT installation context across all our brands, see our LVT installation guide.

Where can I buy Polyflor Camaro and Camaro Rigid Core? Grosvenor Flooring is a Polyflor Approved Retailer supplying both ranges with a UK competitor price-match promise across the range. Browse the Polyflor Camaro and Polyflor Camaro Rigid Core category pages, or for local supply and fit visit our where to buy Polyflor in Altrincham page.

Related Reading

For the wider Camaro verdict, see our Polyflor Camaro review and Polyflor flooring review. For cross-brand comparison, Polyflor Camaro vs Karndean covers Camaro against Knight Tile. For parquet and herringbone layouts in detail, the Polyflor Camaro herringbone guide covers every parquet and herringbone format in both Camaro and Camaro Rigid Core.