ANSI Approves NALFA Standard Update

New Levels of Performance Criteria Raise the Bar for Laminate Industry

The North American Laminate Flooring Association (NALFA) recently announced that its newly revised and upgraded LF-01-2003 standard for laminate flooring has been approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). This standard takes effect immediately and adds two levels of performance criteria for an expanding array of "light commercial" and "commercial" laminate flooring products.

NALFA's original standard (LF-01-2001), which outlined the performance criteria for laminate flooring products, was certified and published through ANSI in 2001. However, as the laminate industry expanded and evolved over the past two years, NALFA realized the need to create a more stringent and broader standard that would apply to the increasingly sophisticated laminate flooring products being introduced to the marketplace.

"Representing nearly 80 percent of North American laminate flooring manufacturers and importers, NALFA's mission is to encourage the establishment and maintenance of high standards in our industry and to recognize those that meet these standards," said Bill Dearing, president of NALFA. "Witnessing the increasing versatility and the upgraded performance of laminate flooring products today, especially in the commercial arena, we have developed requirements that reflect the high quality of these achievements and that protect users against inappropriate products."

The NALFA Technical Committee, working closely with trade organizations, consumers and manufacturers, diligently revised and upgraded the current standard to create a three-tiered system of performance criteria. The requirements outlined in the original NALFA standard now will apply only to laminate product used in a "residential" setting, which is the most basic of the three tiers.

New performance requirements have been written to evaluate laminates in the "light commercial" and "commercial" tiers. These standards are specifically designed to compensate for the higher wear levels that exist in commercial applications. Increased performance minimums have been established for static load, thickness/swell, ball impact, small ball impact and wear resistance.

The new NALFA/ANSI standard also has been developed to harmonize with the International Organization for Standardization's (ISO) requirements, which represent European products. Additionally, test methods have been incorporated into the new specification. This self-standing document provides performance criteria and test methods within the same document. Additional documents are no longer required in order to complete testing.

For a product to become NALFA-certified, a company must have a sample tested according to the established protocol. The manufacturer simply submits samples to a NALFA-approved testing facility, where procedures are strictly specified so that all approved laboratories can conduct the tests consistently. Approved labs are listed on the NALFA Web site. Inspectors test for resistance to such factors as impact, light, stains, radiant heat, static loads and general wear. Product that meets the NALFA/ANSI standard is awarded the prestigious NALFA seal of certification.

The NALFA seal assures a wide range of customers - from retailers, architects and builders to end users - that certified products have passed stringent tests and will provide high-grade performance. The seal has been designed for marketing use on product packaging, collateral materials and store signage.

Copies of the updated NALFA standard will be available to download at www.nalfa.com in time for SURFACES 2004, which begins on January 28.

Formed in 1997, the North American Laminate Flooring Association (NALFA) is comprised of US and Canadian manufacturers and importers of laminate flooring, who share a goal to encourage the establishment and maintenance of high standards in laminate flooring throughout North America. NALFA does not require that members submit their products for testing. For more information, visit www.nalfa.com

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private, non-profit organization that administers and coordinates the U.S. voluntary standardization and conformity assessment system. The Institute's mission is to enhance both the global competitiveness of the U.S. business and the U.S. quality of life by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems, and safeguarding their integrity. For more information, visit www.ansi.org