Certification Tests

PITTSBURGH TESTING LABORATORY DIVISION
Tabor Abrasion
Three samples of three-ply laminated Oak Hardwood flooring (nominal thickness 13.5mm) were tested for abrasion resistance. The Abrasion Resistance tests were based on procedures of the American Society for Testing and Materials ASTM D4060 Standard using the standardized “Tabor Abrasion” machine. Each of the two CS-17 Taber Abrasive wheels used in the test were weighted to 500 grams total for the two wheels. Samples were prepared as received to a dimension of 13.5mm x 101.6mm x 101.6mm. The abrasive wheels wore a circular path through the surface identified as a ‘circle’. Abrasion resistance was determined by the number of revolutions or cycles that were counted and the depth of the wear through the surface coating.

There are described as follows:
- Initial Wear-through-First wear-through at any one point of the coating to the substrate.
- Final Wear-through-Complete coating wear-through at all points of the test circle.
- Average Wear-through-Average of initial and Final coating wear-through.
- Coating thickness-Average depth of the coating in four quadrants of the circle.
- Wear Rate-No, of cycles or revolutions per 0.1mm.

TABOR ABRASION ADHESIVE BOND

Two samples of the three-ply laminated Oak Hardwood Flooring (nominal thickness 13.5mm) were tested to the American National Standard ANSJ/HPVA HP- I-2000 Hardwood plywood & Veneer Association for Hardwood and Decorative Plywood for Adhesive Bond Durability. Testing was conducted under two separate adhesive Bond Types including Technical/Type I and Type II. The first, having water resistant exterior-use durability. The test for this included a cyclic boil/oven dry exposure followed by shearing the glue line. And the second (Type II) is rated for interior-use only. The test for this was a cyclic soak at 24± 3 C followed by oven drying and examining for delamination at the glue line after each cycle. Ten specimens were tested from each sample for each durability test.

Technical/Type I Requirements- Minimum tensile shear loads are required depending on the percentage of fiber pull at the glue line. For the tests conducted in this case, all of the specimens delaminated at the glue lines completely after the first boil/dry cycle. This is considered a failure for rating this product under this durability.

Type II Requirements-Minimum amounts of glue line delamination are required after each cycle. No delamination resulted after completion of two cycles. This is considered passing for rating this product under this durability.

LARGE CHAMBER TEST FOR FORMADEHYDE EMISSIONS
This test was run in accordance with ASTM E1333
(Determining Formaldehyde Levels using a Large Chamber Test Method.