Glossary

The Top Layer Of Laminate Flooring Is Called The “Wear Layer.” This Is The Protective Coating That Keeps Your Floor Free Of Moisture And Stains. Unbiased, Third-Party Testers Perform Each Ac Rating Wear Test On This Layer And Classify Laminate Flooring Into One Of Five Categories, Ac1, Ac2, Ac3, Ac4 & Ac5. During The Test, They Use A Variety Of Techniques And Methods To Intentionally Wear Down The Protective Coating On The Wear Layer And See How Resistant And Durable Each Piece Of Flooring Is To Determine The Laminate Rating. The Higher The Rating, The More Durable The Wear Layer.

Luxury Vinyl Products Where Edges And Ends That Fit Squarely Together While Resisting Water Penetration To The Subfloor

The Flooring Surface Is Lightly Sculpted To Create A Softly Furrowed Surface.  The Effect Is Subtle And Understated But Lends A Lightly Distressed Character To The Floor And Creates Additional Surface Interest.

The Surface Of The Boards Is Given A Wire Brushing Treatment Prior To Staining (If Wood) And Finishing. This Removes Some Of The Soft Fibers And ‘Opens’ The Grain Of The Wood (Illusion Of Grain For Non-Wood Products) Which Adds Texture And Interest And Interest To The Surface. Brushed Are Also More Forgiving Of Minor Wear And Tear.

The California Air Resource Board (Carb) Is A State Agency That Governs Everything From Truck Exhaust Emissions To Agricultural Concerns. In The Flooring Industry, We Know It Best As Shorthand For Airborne Toxic Control Measure 93120, The First North American Standard Establishing Limits On Formaldehyde Emissions For Specified Composite Wood Products. Extensive Media Coverage Has Resulted In Carb Being Recognized By Many Consumers Throughout The Us And Canada, Despite This Standard Being Only Legally Applicable In The State Of California. 

When The Surface Of A Wood Plank Has Saw Marks Across The Face Of The Floorboard Perpendicular To The Lengths. This Look Is Replicated In Some Of Our Non-Wood Flooring To Replicate The Look And Feel Of Real Natural Wood.

Clear Top Coat With Embedded Ceramic For Durability

With Our Luxury Vinyl Products, You Can Lay The Flooring In Any Direction To Create Any Unique Pattern Installation Style Such As Herringbone, Staggered, H-Pattern, Etc.

Distressing Is A General Term Applied To A Variety Of Artificial ‘Aging’ And ‘Weathering’ Effects Applied To The Flooring Surface Including Scuffs, Scrapes, Pinholes, And Sawmarks.

Product Can Be Reused By Removing Then Reinstalling. Reuse Or Salvaging Of  Materials Is Environmentally Responsible And Eliminates The Energy And Resources That Are Required To Recycle Or Dispose Of The Product.

 An Embossing (Stamping) Process That Produces Texture Which Follows The Pattern In The Design Image On A Non-Natural Product, Such As Vinyl, Rigid Core & Laminate.  This Technology Adds Ultimate Realism To Achieve The Look And Texture Of A Natural Wood Material.  

The Boards Of This Product Measure 8 1/2” (215mm) Or Wider. Check The Product Specifications For Actual Measurement As This Varies Widely.

A Clear Finish That Protects The Product Surface From Damaging Uv Light Rays. This Premium Finish Guards Against Color Fading After Exposure Once Installed.

This Certification Complies With Ca 01350 But Under Stricter Certification Requirements Than Any Other Branded Emissions Program.  In Addition To Meeting Ca 01350 Requirements, It Also Establishes A Very Low Total Voc Level And Sets Emissions For Specific Vocs At 1/100th Of The Us Federal Government’s Threshold Limit Value (Tlv) For Occupational Exposure. 

The Look Of A Natural Aged Wood Floor With Uneven Surface Texture.  This Look Is Replicated In Some Of Our Non-Wood Flooring To Replicate The Look And Feel Of Real Natural Wood.

Flooring Designed With Durability In Mind. Perfect For High-Traffic And High-Impact Areas Such As Lobbies, Restaurants And Retail Stores.  This Flooring Is More Resistant To The Wear And Tear Of Foot Traffic, Especially From More Taxing Footwear Such As High Heels Or Work Boots. It Is Also Less Likely To Scuff Or Buckle Under Heavy Pieces Like Tables, Chairs And Other Furniture Pieces That May Be Moved Around Or Rearranged Often.

A Classic Style That Is Coming Back Into Fashion, Herringbone Flooring Consists Of Short, Uniform-Length Boards That Can Be Installed In A Variety Of Patterns.  

 Is A High-Quality Composite Material That Is Thinner And Denser Than Regular Particle Board. It Is Composed Of Wood Fibers Which Are Compressed And Bonded Together With Resin Under High Pressure And High Heat, Creating An Incredibly Strong Material.

A Synthetic Resin That Is Applied As A Liquid And ‘Cured’ To A Hardened State To Create A Protective Surface. Other Additives Are Used To Give The Finish Properties Like Scratch And Stain Resistance, Hardness And Flexibility, Visual Clarity, And More. Kentwood Floors Are Typically Finished With Seven Or Eight Coating Layers, Including Some ‘High-Performance’ Layers With Special Sealing And Strengthening Properties. This Produces An Excellent Finish That Out-Performs Many Competitors’ Products And Has Proven Itself In The Many Thousands Of Homes Where Kentwood Floors Have Been Installed Over The Past 20+ Years.

All The Benefits Of High Polyurethane With An Added Additive Called Aluminum Oxide. This Component Makes The Finish Even More Durable And Resistant To Wear Through. 

This Standard Provides A Framework By Which To Evaluate And Certify Sustainability Of Resilient Flooring Products Across Their Entire Product Life Cycle. Nsf/Ansi 332 Employs A Point System To Evaluate Resilient Flooring Against Established Prerequisite Requirements, Performance Criteria And Quantifiable Metrics In The Areas Of Product Design, Product Manufacturing, Long-Term Value, End-Of-Life Management, Corporate Governance And Innovation.

The Boards Of This Product Style Will All Be 5’ (1500mm) Or Longer. Some Product Styles May Include Some Half Length Or Shorter Boards To Facilitate Installation.

Gloss Level Of 8% Or Less.

Micro-Beveled Flooring Features Slight Grooves Or Indentations At The Plank Edges. This Unique Characteristic Lends A Depth And Definition To The Floor, Setting It Apart From More Traditional Styles

A Painted Bevel Has A Thin Strip Of Paint Applied To The Beveled Edges Of The Plank, Creating A Subtle Shadow Line And A More Realistic Look

Phthalates Are A Type Of Plasticiser, An Ingredient That Makes Materials Like Pvc Flexible Enough To Be Turned Into Products Like Flooring. Although Not Proven, Some Believe Phthalates To Have A Harmful Effect On Our Health. Based On This, We Have Taken A Different Direction In Our Production Of Rigid Core And Luxury Vinyl Products.

The Beveled Edge Is Created By Pressing Down The Decor Layer So That The Decor Layer And Structure Continues All The Way To The Deepest Point Of The Bevel.

In Older Sawmilling Operations It Was Common For The Sawblades To Leave A Variety Of Scars And Marks On Wood Surfaces.  This Feature Is Now Included On Some Styles Of Flooring To Add A Rustic Character.

Sculpting Is Designed To Create A Naturally Aged And Weathered Surface In The Flooring.  Sculpted Effects May Include Random Chisel Marks, Scrapes And Scuffs, Small Pinholes, Cross-Hatched Distressing, Brushing And Other ‘Antique’ Treatments.

Square Edge Floors Fit Together Flush On All 4 Ends Of The Flooring Plank. This Results Is A Sleek And Seamless Looking Transition Between Planks.

Flooring Material With A Core Composition Of Approximately 60% Calcium Carbonate (Limestone), Polyvinyl Chloride, And Plasticizers. The Combination Results In A Thin, Yet Exceptionally Dense, Core. It Delivers Unmatched Resilience And Complete Waterproofing To The Flooring Planks While Offering A Perfect Balance Of Strength And Versatility For Numerous Applications.

The Coating Used Is Designed To Combat Abrasive Wear While Maintaining Enough Ductility To Resist Impact As Well As Permanent Staining Resulting From Spills.

When The Surface Of The Non-Wood Floor Is Given A Texture That You Can Feel When You Touch It. This Will Give It A More Realistic Look And Feel Of Real Wood.

Products With This Technology Are Printed Using A Transfer Ink Process Which Creates More Realistic Visuals And Eliminates Distortion Of Patterns. Patterns Are Crisp And Clear With No Bur. With Its Realistic Texture And Low-Level Sheen, This Creates An Upscale Look With Enduring Appeal.

Tsca Stands For The Toxic Substances Control Act And Is A Program Supervised By The Us Environmental Protection Agency (Epa). The Original Act Was Created In 1976 To Regulate Commercial Chemical Use. The Emission Standards Were Set At The Same Level As Carb’s And The Program Looks At The Same Products.

Used In Our Fiberglass Scrim Lv Products Providing Even More Stability.

A Rigid Core Made Of Vinyl. This Type Of Flooring Is Particularly Suited For High-Traffic Areas Or Areas Where There Is A Risk Of Impact Damage.

A Solid Core Luxury Vinyl That Still Maintains It’s Flexibility. Up To 30% More Thermal Stability Than Other Luxury Vinyl Products That Don’t Contain Fiberglass.

Able To Resist The Penetration Of Water To Some Degree, But Not Entirely. It Allows For Light Spills And Such That Will Not Cause Any Damage To The Flooring As Long As It Is Cleaned Up Relatively Quickly.

Water Exposure Resulting From Normal Residential Activities Will Not Damage The Integrity And Stability Of The Flooring If It Is Removed Within 24hrs.

The Wear Layer Of Vinyl Flooring Is The Top Layer Of The Flooring That Protects The Design And Colour Layer From Wear And Tear. It Is Made Of Clear Vinyl And Is Measured In Mils (Thousands Of An Inch). The Most Common Residential Wear Layer Is 12 Mils Or 20 Mils. A 20 Mil Wear Layer Is Thicker Than A 12 Mil Wear Layer And Therefore Will Provide More Durability And Resistance To Scratches, Scuffs, And Stains. This Means That A Flooring With 20 Mil Wear Layer Will Last Longer Than Vinyl Flooring With A 12 Mil Wear Layer.

The Boards Of This Product Measure Between 6 ½” (165mm) But Less Than 8 ¼” (210mm). Check The Product Specifications For Actual Measurement As This Varies Widely.

Core Made With Wood Fibres Pressed And Glued Together Under An Intense Pressure. The Recycled Nature Of Their Construction Makes Them Environmentally Friendly, And The Pressure Used To Create Them Makes Them Highly Durable.

Flooring Material With A Core Composition Typically Including Polyvinyl Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Plasticizers, A Foaming Agent, And Wood-Like Materials Such As Wood Flour. Together, These Materials Surpass Other Conventional Types Of Flooring Pertaining To Care, Durability, And Water Resistance

Natural Markings Found In Wood Made By Ticks. This Look Is Replicated In Some Of Our Non-Wood Flooring To Replicate The Look And Feel Of Real Natural Wood.