Home Improvement Guide
Usage Classes and Abrasion Classes for Laminate Floors
Laminate flooring is not only considered beautiful but also durable flooring.
However, not all laminate is the same. There are significant differences in quality within this category.
Two criteria are used to assess the suitability of laminate flooring: the usage class and the abrasion class.
The Usage Class
The usage class indicates the intended application of the laminate flooring. It is abbreviated as UC. The UC is followed by two numbers that specify the potential location of use and the permissible load.
The first number signifies:
- 2 = Installation in residential areas
- 3 = Suitable for commercial spaces
- 4 = Designed for industrial environments
The second number indicates the load capacity:
- 1 = Very low stress
- 2 = Low load
- 3 = Normal stress
- 4 = Heavy load
For residential areas, this translates to:
- Usage Class 21: suitable for lightly used spaces, such as guest rooms or bedrooms
- Usage Class 22: intended for rooms with moderate usage, like dining rooms or living rooms
- Usage Class 23: suitable for rooms with heavy usage, such as hallways or children's rooms
Usage Class Residential |
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Usage Class 21: Light Use (e.g., bedrooms or guest rooms) |
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Usage Class 22: Normal Use (e.g., living rooms or dining rooms) |
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Usage Class 23: Heavy Use (e.g., kitchen, hallway, children's room) |
Usage Class Commercial |
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Usage Class 31: Light Use (e.g., hotel rooms) |
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Usage Class 32: Normal Use (e.g., office, waiting room, small shop) |
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Usage Class 33: Heavy Use (e.g., department store, open office) |
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Usage Class 34: Intensive Use (e.g., airport, multipurpose hall) |
Usage Class Industrial |
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Usage Class 41: Light Use (e.g., precision engineering workshop) |
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Usage Class 42: Normal Use (e.g., storage room, electronics workshop) |
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Usage Class 43: Heavy Use (e.g., warehouse space, production hall) |
Abrasion Classes
The abrasion class indicates the external wear and tear that the laminate flooring can withstand. Abrasion class is measured by mounting a wheel with sandpaper on it and rotating it on the laminate until the first signs of damage appear. This is the IP value, which is indicated by the number of wheel rotations. The higher the IP value, the higher the abrasion class, abbreviated as AC. There are five classes of abrasion values:
- AC 1: At least 900 rotations. This laminate should be rarely walked on without street shoes.
- AC 2: At least 1,500 rotations. This laminate can be walked on with street shoes but is not suitable for entrance areas.
- AC 3: At least 2,000 rotations. Minimum requirement for laminate flooring in residential areas.
- AC 4: At least 4,000 rotations. This laminate is suitable for residential purposes and moderate commercial use.
- AC 5: At least 6,000 rotations. This floor is also suitable for commercial spaces with public traffic.
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