In the past, only five of the ten quality testing standards for laminate flooring in Los Angeles were applied. Today, there are five more testing standards, according to the guidelines set by the North American Laminate Flooring Association (NALFA). You can say that this is the other half of the battle a laminate floor must pass to win the coveted NALFA seal of quality.
Light resistance
The light resistance test puts laminate floors under the crucible of sunlight coming from window glass. But the test only calls for a xenon-arc light source, which is capable of simulating the condition of sunlight passing through window glass. The exposure will last for 100 hours under a temperature of 23 degrees Celsius and a relative humidity of 50 percent.
Quality laminate flooring should not sustain any noticeable change in color or finish as a result of exposure to (simulated) sunlight. Keep in mind, however, that this test isn’t designed to determine how resistant the floor is outdoors.
Cleanability and stain resistance
The cleanability and stain resistance test measures how resistant laminate floors are to staining, as well as how easy they can be cleaned. For the test, 15 substances are applied to the flooring material, from fluid distilled water to viscous black shoe polish. Laminate floors are known for their ease of cleaning.
Dimensional tolerance
The dimensional tolerance test determines by how much the length, width, and thickness of the laminate floor pieces will be offset. Most products, such as hardwood floors in Los Angeles, have to display measurements with a plus or minus tolerance. Most flooring products do not retain their original shape over time.
Castor chair resistance
The castor chair resistance test finds out how resilient laminate flooring is under the movement of a castor chair. A castor chair is somewhat the same as a computer chair with wheels. However, the test involves subjecting laminate flooring to the bulk of the castor chair plus a weight of 90 kg (198 lbs) attached to the chair, along with straining the flooring to the pressure of as much as 25,000 to 35,000 revolutions.
Surface bond
The surface bond test measures how much it takes for the laminate surface to split away from the flooring material. A tensile tester is used to measure the force required for the laminate to split away within 30 to 90 seconds.
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