The next time you go shopping for flooring, the first question to ask the salesperson is, “What’s the AC Rating of this flooring?” If the individual doesn’t know the answer, you want to shop somewhere else! The Abrasion Rating System (or AC Rating) was formulated by European Producers of Laminate Flooring to give a dependable standard for all laminate flooring.
An AC Rating label indicates that flooring has been rated based on a series of tests, including, impact resistance, stain resistance, swelling when exposed to moisture and the Taber Abrasion Test. The Taber Abrasion Test uses a machine to sand a small sample of flooring on a mechanical part that looks a lot like an old 45 record player. How many revolutions will it take to sand off the finish of a laminate flooring sample?
Here’s what you need to know about the Abrasion Rating System AKA the AC Rating:
AC1: Moderate Residential. For a closet or bedroom area that doesn’t see much traffic.
AC2: General Residential. For family rooms or dining rooms.
AC3: Heavy Residential/ Moderate Commercial. For all residential applications as well as light commercial like hotel rooms or small offices. It takes 2000 revolutions on a Taber Abrasion Machine to remove the finish of an AC3 rated laminate flooring.
AC4: General Commercial. For all residential usage plus offices, boutiques and cafes. It takes 4000 revolutions on a Taber Abrasion Machine to remove the finish of an AC4 rated laminate flooring.
AC5: Heavy Commercial. For all residential use plus public buildings, department stores, etc. It takes 6000 revolutions on a Taber Abrasion Machine to remove the finish of an AC5 rated laminate flooring.
If you’re in the market for laminate flooring, drop by Southside and take a look. We are the only place in the Triad that actually carries AC Rated 5 flooring. In fact, we only carry commercial grades! You’ll be amazed by the quality – and even more amazed by the reasonable prices.