All laminate flooring has a wear rating denoted by an ac abrasion class followed by a number.
Wood laminate flooring with best ac rating.
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.
We set the criteria for reviewing the brands first and picked ten of the most popular.
What is ac rating.
The ac rating is a good gauge as to how well a laminate flooring product will perform in your residential or commercial setting so it s a good.
The ac rating is the universal measurement for determining how durable a flooring is in the laminate flooring world.
There are five ac ratings for laminate floors ranging from ac1 for low traffic areas to ac5.
The berkshire hathaway connection is not the main reason shaw laminate makes our top laminate brands list.
The ac rating for laminate flooring is how the durability of your flooring is measured.
Laminate flooring is usually designed so that individual segments can be quickly and easily snapped into place or fitted together easing the overall process of installing the floor.
The ratings are generally thought of as follows.
It measures the resistance to a variety of factors including abrasion staining burning and swelling.
Laminate flooring is a much cheaper alternative to natural wood or stone floors.
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.
Laminate flooring is not completely a waterproof flooring option unlike the vinyl or ceramic tile.
To summarize the best laminate flooring will have a thick hard wearing protective top layer 3 to 4 further inner core layers for maximum structural stability preferably with underlayment pre attached and a quality click lock system or uniclic system for a quick and easy floating floor installation.
When buying laminate flooring it is important to be familiar with all of the features.
The ac rating was developed by laminate floor makers and a floor that has a certified rating is definitely a good way to go.
Like most others it is guaranteed to resist moisture absorption for 24 hours.
Laminate flooring is a synthetic floor that had its first trade in the market in the 1970s it is the first man made alternative to natural wood manufacturers have created more realistic looks that could be easily mistaken as a real wood.
Why shaw is the runner up best laminate.
The ac rating for laminate flooring was created by the european producers of laminate flooring eplf.