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Advertising supplement provided by Domco Tarkett Commercial

Looking at the Specs

Designers looking at flooring spec for the first time may find the nomenclature mysterious. Let’s demystify it. A typical commercial vinyl flooring spec reads something like this:

Type: ASTM F 1066-99, Composition 1, non-asbestos formulated; 12 inch by 12 inch; 1/8 [3/32] inch gage; minimum .45 CRF per ASTM E 648; maximum smoke density of less than 450 per ASTM E 662; static load limit of 125 psi or higher; minimum slip resistance rating per ASTM D 2047.

ASTM F 1066-99 (the final figure refers to the most recent standard update, in this case in 1999) is the American Society for Testing and Materials standard for most vinyl flooring.

Composition 1, or Class 1, means that the surface pattern of the flooring runs through the entire thickness of the product. By federal law, vinyl flooring can no longer contain asbestos. No one manufactures a product in the U.S. that does contain asbestos, and you cannot buy one, but specifications still contain the caveat.

Minimum .45 CRF refers to the “critical radiant flux” (CRF) of the flooring surface, and ASTM E 648 refers to the testing procedure for CRF.

Maximum smoke density of less than 450 is the ASTM spec every manufacturer must meet to govern the volume of smoke generated by the flooring in a fire.

As shown above, Linoleum is a tremendously versatile product that lends to imaginative designs.

Static load limit is usually measured by ASTM F 970. In recent years, several modified versions of ASTM F 970 have been created to provide a broad range of static indentation performance. Higher ratings should be expected from enhanced or solid vinyl tile. When comparing psi ratings, be sure identical tests were conducted, i.e. how was the standard test method changed. To accommodate equipment such as motorized beds in hospital rooms, designers most often turn to a “homogeneous” flooring product.