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AC Rating System Laminate Flooring

AC Rating System: Understanding Your Laminate Flooring

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Laminate flooring remains to be a very popular choice among homeowners, with reason. Its functionality, resistance to moisture, and easy to maintain quality makes it an excellent flooring option for both residential and commercial spaces. However, there’s more to consider about laminate flooring than just the looks of it. Apart from appearance, one of the most important qualities of any flooring is durability. How well can it sustain foot traffic and stand the test of wear, tear, and time? When searching for the perfect laminate flooring, you’ll want to consider its AC rating, which stands for abrasion class. An AC rating measures the durability of laminate flooring. It indicates how well the laminate can withstand and resist impact, abrasion, stains, moisture, and burns. When shopping for laminate, it is beneficial to understand what each AC rating signifies and how to determine which is best for you home.

AC Rating System

The AC rating system initially began with the Association of European Producers of Laminate Flooring (ELPF), and has now become a worldwide standard to measure durability. The AC rating scale divides into two groups or applications: residential and commercial. Each group is broken down into traffic intensity levels. Starting from least to most durable, the levels are moderate, general, and heavy.

Residential

  • AC1: Suitable for moderate foot traffic. This includes bedrooms, bathrooms, or closets.
  • AC2: Suitable for general foot traffic. Typically recommended for dining rooms, living rooms, or kitchens.
  • AC3: Suitable for heavy foot traffic. This rating is durable enough for all areas of your home, especially rooms that receive the most traffic.

Commercial

  • AC4: Suitable for moderate/general foot traffic in commercial spaces. This includes small offices, hotel rooms, cafés, salons, or boutiques.
  • AC5: Suitable for heavy foot traffic in commercial spaces. This type of laminate is most recommended for public buildings, department stores, warehouses, busy offices, etc.)

The higher the AC rating, the more durable the flooring. For this reason, AC1-AC3 laminate are the most recommended for homes. So, you can achieve both durability and comfort with these available options.

Determining AC Rating

In order to determine AC rating, laminate flooring goes through rigorous testing, known as the Taber Test. There are many elements that manufacturers keep in mind when testing the durability of laminate. Conducting the Taber test allows manufacturers to produce high quality flooring that is free from defects and proves to maintain superior performance.

Taber tests involve mounting a flat specimen onto a a platform that rotates at a fixed speed. Depending on the material being rotated, manufacturers are able to determine how well the laminate can sustain itself. The ability for laminate to pass the resistance test will establish its AC rating. Otherwise, if the laminate fails to pass, it will be labeled “unrated.” In other words, it is not a reliable flooring for residential and commercial areas.

Shopping for Laminate

Most homeowners assume that the thicker and more durable the laminate, the better for their home in terms of longevity. However, this is not always true. While there are durability benefits to higher rated laminate, there are also higher benefits to using AC1-AC3 laminate over higher ratings when it comes to your home. The higher the rating, the rougher and harder the texture is on the surface. Tough-standing floors are an excellent option for busy commercial traffic. However, high rated laminate is not recommended in homes, as it will provide discomfort underfoot and throughout the body overtime. For this reason, AC1-AC3 laminate gives homeowners flexibility when choosing the right material, while still being sufficiently durable to last. Have a plan of where you want to install the laminate flooring. This will make the shopping and decision process as smooth as possible

Benefits of Laminate

Laminate flooring is a versatile, environmentally friendly choice that is affordable and easy to maintain. It comes in a variety of styles, such as the simulated look of hardwood, ceramic, and natural stone. Laminate flooring is reusable and offers hassle-free installation. It is able to withstand UV rays, stiletto heels, furniture legs, cleaning solutions, and much more, as the flooring is fade, chemical, burn, wear, impact, and scratch resistant. Additionally, it can resist mold and mildew growth. At Go Mobile Flooring, we can install laminate over any existing flooring with the exception of carpet. 

The Go Mobile Flooring Variety

Every home speaks for itself when it comes to interior design and we have plenty of options readily available to homeowners. We maintain relationships with the best laminate flooring manufacturers in the country, and strive to educate our clients about their flooring options whenever possible. Not only do we believe in having the best laminate flooring manufacturers as partners, but we also believe in educating you in your decision. This process happens in three ways:

You can rely on our team of experts to guide you through your next project. We are happy to answer any questions or concerns regarding your home and are happy to help you reach your renovation dreams. Contact us today to get started!

Manufacturer Spotlight: Tarkett

Manufacturer Spotlight: Tarkett

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Go Mobile Flooring serves the greater Tampa Bay area with the latest in home flooring solutions. Today, we’d like to introduce you to one of our many manufacturing partners, Tarkett. Tarkett is a world-renowned leader in sustainable flooring design. As a result, it brings the latest in flooring options and sustainability to Tampa Bay.

Manufacturer Spotlight: Tarkett

Multiple Options, Multiple Solutions

In total, Tarkett has over 260 design options to offer among 13 distinct collections. These options range from luxury vinyl tile and planks to vinyl sheets and laminate. As a result, by combining different colors, looks, and textures, Tarkett and Go Mobile Flooring can deliver customers a truly unique flooring choice.

Award-Winning Design From Tarkett

In 2017, the company earned the Red Dot Award for its iD Mixonomi flooring collection. This prestigious award recognized Tarkett for a truly innovative collection that gave consumers the ability to create personalized flooring options. More information regarding the iD Mixonomi flooring collection can be found here.

Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly

In addition to its award-winning designs, the company has worked to reduce its environmental impact. In fact, it has reduced waste-to-landfill contribution by 16 percent year over year. Similarly, Tarkett designers are constantly looking for ways to reduce the amount of energy and water needed to create their products. The company has also received certification from The Asthma and Allergy Foundation for its use of products that promote good health. Further, Tarkett is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2020. This is all part of the company’s mission to “design for life.”

Trusted Tampa Partner

Go Mobile Flooring is proud to serve the Tampa Bay community. By offering outstanding solutions from partners like Tarkett, Go Mobile Flooring provides the latest in design and innovation to customers. Our mobile showroom is the best way to experience all we have to offer. By bringing all of your flooring options to your front door, we let you weigh the choices right in the comfort of your home.

For more information about Go Mobile Flooring and our partners, like Tarkett, please contact us today. We are excited to bring our mobile showroom to your area, whether you are in Tampa, Brandon, Clearwater or Land O’ Lakes.