How to read a vinyl flooring datasheet: wear layer, TVOC and certificates

Published 2026-09-12

A datasheet is not read top to bottom: you read the five figures that decide whether the product survives the project, then everything else. This guide explains what each one means, how it is tested, and what documentation to have ready before the procurement committee asks for it.

The five figures that decide

• Wear layer (or total thickness, if the product is homogeneous) — defines service life.
• Dimensional stability — defines whether the floor opens, lifts or ripples over time.
• TVOC emission — defines whether the product can enter an area with continuous occupancy.
• Use classification — translates the product into building type and traffic level.
• Chemical resistance — defines whether it survives the disinfectant already used in the building.

Wear layer: what 0.70mm actually means

On heterogeneous flooring the wear layer is the clear film protecting the print. It takes the wear and therefore sets the service life: a 0.70mm wear layer carries heavy institutional traffic, while 0.35mm corresponds to domestic or light commercial use. Choosing by design instead of by this number is the most common mistake on school projects.

Dimensional stability: the figure that predicts trouble

Dimensional stability measures how much a specimen changes dimension after conditioning at elevated temperature, expressed as a percentage. On contract sheet vinyl the usual value is ≤ 0.40 %, and it depends as much on product construction (fibreglass reinforcement) as on the substrate and adhesive used. A floor with good stability on an out-of-range substrate still fails.

TVOC emission and indoor air quality

TVOC emission is measured in a chamber and classifies the material by the volatile organic compounds it releases. In paediatric hospitals, schools and continuously occupied areas, class A+ is the entry requirement: it is not a catalogue ornament, it is the condition for the material to be installed in an occupied building. When a tender asks for class A+ TVOC emission and the supplier offers only a self-declaration, ask for the laboratory report behind it.

INEN, IBNORCA and the standards that show up in a specification

In Ecuador a public-works specification normally requires the INEN certificate of conformity for floor covering, in addition to the manufacturer's datasheet. Tests are submitted by an accredited laboratory and are the same for every bidder: if the product does not already carry the test, it cannot be improvised mid-tender.

• Ecuador: INEN certificate plus manufacturer datasheet with the full test set.
• Bolivia: the specification usually requires conformity with the Bolivian technical standard (IBNORCA) or, failing that, with the adopted international equivalent.
• Where the supplier is a brand representative, it pays to attach the authorisation letter and certificate of origin alongside the tests.

The Brazilian case: ABNT NBR 14917-1

In Brazil the reference for vinyl flooring is NBR 14917-1, which sets requirements for vinyl tile and sheet and points to specific tests for dimensional stability, abrasion resistance, volatile compound emission and fire behaviour. A properly prepared Brazilian enquiry does not ask “do you have a certificate?”, it asks “which test, under which standard?” — and the right answer cites standard number, laboratory and date.

• NBR 14917-1 vinyl flooring requirements: the document that organises the technical discussion in Brazil.
• Tests are requested with standard and laboratory numbers: without them conformity cannot be verified.
• On Brazilian hospital work, TVOC emission and fire behaviour for the intended use are added requirements.

Brand representative and local backing

Buying European material through an accredited brand representative changes what you can demand later: batch traceability, replacement stock from the same production run, on-site technical advice, and a response when the test does not match the promise. In Bolivia, where these materials are supplied through authorised distributors, that role is precisely what makes multi-year hospital and school programmes sustainable.

Frequently asked questions

What documents should I request for a flooring tender?

Manufacturer datasheet with the full test set, current certificate of conformity, representative authorisation letter, physical samples from the offered production run, and the proposed installation method statement. With those five the dossier is covered before the committee asks.

Does one product certificate cover the whole range?

No. Tests are issued per product reference and often per thickness and finish. A certificate for the 2.0 mm range does not back the 3.0 mm one, nor a conductive variant, which is additionally tested for electrical resistance. That is worth clarifying in writing before bidding.

How often are the tests updated?

It depends on the certification scheme and the body. As a practical rule, before submitting a bid confirm the validity of each report and that the reference and thickness match what is offered: an expired certificate, or one for a different reference, is an observation that can cost the award.

Technical documents

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