Ac Wear Rating Laminate Flooring

All laminate flooring has a wear rating denoted by an ac abrasion class followed by a number.

Ac wear rating laminate flooring.

Each of the five ac ratings is 60 higher than the rating before it. 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. The ac rating for laminate flooring is how the durability of your flooring is measured. Another bonus the ac rating system provides is a bias free opinion stemming from the fact they re an independent association.

Failing just one test will disqualify a product. Products are designated a rating after being tested for their resistance to abrasion impact staining and cigarette burns. 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. The ac rating is the 1 rating you can trust.

A laminate floor s durability is measured by the association of european producers of laminate flooring s eplf ac1 through ac5 wear rating system. What is laminate rating. Can an ac rating be trusted. These ratings are applied to all laminate floors by an independent body known as european producers of laminate flooring eplf.

Usually it can be difficult to judge the durability of a floor from one test. Ac ratings apply to both residential and commercial flooring. The five types of ac ratings for laminate flooring are. Similarly to the ac rating on laminate flooring the wear layer is the additional coating applied on the top of the vinyl planks to add durability and protect the floor against scratches stains and scuff marks.

To help buyers understand the difference in durability among laminate flooring products these ratings indicate a laminate s resistance to stress. Ac1 flooring is the lightest laminate class for moderate residential use. An ac rating is a common term used to indicate the durability level of laminate flooring. The wear layer can range from 0 10mm 4 mil to 0 5mm 20 mil.

However the ac rating covers almost every way laminate can wear. When a laminate flooring product has a rating that means it has passed all of the test criteria. With higher ac ratings you will thus benefit from a longer life for your laminate flooring. The ratings also indicate that the product has been tested for the effects of furniture legs castors and swelling along its edges.

Every laminate is rated based on a series of rigorous tests including an abrasion test burn resistance impact resistance stain resistance and swelling under moist conditions. Ac4 rated laminate is more wear resistant than ac3 by 60 than ac2 by 120 and than ac1 by 180. Ac2 flooring is for general residential use. Ac ratings are an abbreviated representation of a laminate s overlay film resistance to abrasion impact stains and cigarette burns.

It is designed to withstand light foot traffic. Use this in rooms that get moderate levels of foot traffic.