Laminate flooring products undergo various grading tests before the quality is determined. Consumers should therefore be careful not to base the quality of laminates on the abrasion classification alone, warns Peter Geyer, National Training and Sales Manager of Berry Floor laminates at Pioneer Flooring in South Africa.

A laminate's abrasion figure, namely its ability to resist scraping or wearing away of the top layer, is certainly one of the most important factors to consider when determining the quality of a laminate floor. It is however not the only aspect that indicates the superiority of laminates. There are other factors that also need to be assessed.

"Any inferior laminate can have a high abrasion score since the weight and thickness of the top wear layer or overlay that affects the abrasion class can be manipulated," notes Geyer. The heavier the overlay – the more resistant the product is to abrasion which range from AC1 to AC5 as part of an abrasion classification (AC) standard developed by the European Producers of Laminate Flooring (EPLF).

It is however important to note that the revised test method for abrasion resistance, known as the Taber test, inaugurated in April 2000, results in lower abrasion resistance numbers than the old European method because the abrasive paper used on the test equipment is replaced more frequently. "It would therefore be wise to buy laminates that comply with the latest EN13329 standard," says Geyer.

Other tests and techniques that are used to determine the superiority of laminate floors like the Berry Floor laminate flooring range for example include:

• The impact resistance test – "This test determines how the laminate flooring will react when knocked by hard objects," notes Geyer. The impact resistance of the laminate is tested by dropping an iron ball onto the surface of the laminate. "The HDF board is used as the substrate for high quality laminate flooring as the high material density gives the laminate a high durability," Geyer says, adding that lower quality laminates use medium density boards or sometimes chipboard

• The Castor chair effect – Here soft chair rollers are dragged over the surface and the damages are then measured after a set time of several thousand movements.

• Impact Sound / Foot Step Sound test – "The sound values of the laminate are measured, they are absolute and linear and comparable with each other and can be represented on an objective scale of values," notes Geyer.

• Swelling Test – Planks are merged in water for 24 hours, they are then taken out and dried for 12 hours. Once the drying process is complete, the boards are tested for the percentage that they have swelled. In good quality laminates, this should be between 12% and 18%.

The Euro-standard, which lists all pre-requisites for high quality laminate flooring and all relevant tests in a systematic and comprehensive order, also assess laminates on the bleach resistance, pressure resistance, staining resistance, scratch resistance and cigarette burns.

There are also other classifications that make up the usage classification, namely, the Emission classification, which is based on the formaldehyde emission of the board as well as the inflammability classification.

Usage classification
All of the above-mentioned factors determine the overall usage class of the laminate, The Usage Class is divided into six categories, according to the European Producers of Laminate Flooring, which Berry Floor adheres to, indicates six usage classifications, namely 21, 22, 23, 31, 32 and 33. Private living areas fall under classifications 21-23 and commercial areas fall under classifications 31-33. Each area is subdivided into three intensity levels, namely, moderate, general and heavy. "Bedrooms for example, would fall under classification 21, moderate usage and living and dining rooms under classification 22, general usage," explains Geyer.

The most imperative step when buying laminates is to identify the precise application of the flooring, as this determines the wear- and tear- classification of the product that needs to be selected. "The abrasion class should therefore not be the overriding quality indicator when buying laminate floors, but rather the usage classification," concludes Geyer.

Photo: Room setting picture: Private living areas, such as the bedroom, fall under usage classification 21-23.

For more information contact (011) 345 2900.

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