Abrasion class ratings also known as ac ratings is an industry wide system of classifying laminate flooring by how durable it is.
Laminate flooring abrasion classification.
Curious about laminate flooring abrasion resistance and how to test it.
Laminate flooring is available in various styles patterns textures and colors regardless of its ac rating.
Jody smith head of quality control for swiss krono shows how abrasion resistance is.
All laminate flooring has a wear rating denoted by an ac abrasion class followed by a number.
Laminate flooring durability is rated according to a special classification from the ac1 up to ac5 which is the highest rating.
Using a rating scale the laminate flooring producer can determine which classification the laminate floor satisfies and to what market segment it should be promoted.
The ac rating is a good gauge as to how well.
The ac rating system was first created by the association of european producers of laminate flooring elpf but ultimately became the standard rating system for laminate flooring products worldwide.
When buying or specifying commercial laminate flooring it is vital to understand the product s suitability for its intended application or usage class.
In australia a laminate undergoes many different testing methods in line with the european standard en 13329 2000 to assess its long term wear resistance.
Fortunately laminate flooring is grouped by what is called an abrasion class or some call it the abrasion coefficient expressed in the ac rating of the product.
As an example the ac rating is often referenced.
Ac stands for abrasion class and the ac rating you can see on product descriptions is an internationally accepted system of classification of laminate flooring durability.
Commercial buyers would opt for an even higher rating than that.
While a few factors go into giving laminate flooring an abrasion class rating the system is designed to help buyers choose durable materials ideal for their spaces.
It has become the accepted industry standard for communicating with customers about the level of use a floor can handle no matter who the manufacturer is.
In practice high traffic residential spaces typically utilize laminate flooring with a higher abrasion class rating.
The ac rating is the measurement which specifies the durability level of laminate flooring.
The internationally accepted classification of laminate flooring durability is the abrasion criteria or ac rating.
Ac ratings are applied to laminate floors by an independent organisation known as european producers of laminate flooring eplf.