SAWLFA Laminate and Solid Wood Flooring

SAWLFA South African Wood and Laminate Flooring Association

UNDERSTANDING LAMINATE & SOLID WOOD FLOORING

The flooring market is full of terminology and manages to confuse even the most informed people in the trade, SAWLFA thought it would be valuable to you to try and make the process of buying flooring simpler.

Full details of all SAWLFA members are provided on the web site www.sawlfa.co.za. Or by contacting Sandra, the full time secretariat of the Association on telephone 011-4552822 or sawlfa@mwebbiz.co.za

Installing wood or laminate flooring in your home can be a risky business if you choose the wrong supplier or quality. Not all floors are created equal and as these types of flooring has become extremely popular as an alternative to carpets or ceramic tiles, it has become necessary to identify, test and classify floors especially on their resistance to wear and to relate this to recommended usage.

There are well over a hundred different brands of flooring on offer in South Africa. Many of these products are of excellent quality and will last for many years. However there are a disturbing number of instances where products do not meet the advertised performance levels, causing serious problems for the consumer.

Unscrupulous importers inflate their product capabilities. Rogue flooring sales people and installers give verbal guarantees that are seldom honoured and even run away with the customers deposits.

The South African Wood and Laminate Flooring Association was formed in 1998 in an attempt to safeguard the interests of the consumer. It does this in three ways:

All applicants are screened before being admitted. Members are required to meet minimum set performance levels and adhere to a code of ethical conduct.

Importer members are required to provide the Association with detailed product specifications verifying their quality claims. Test results from a bona - fide authority such as the South African Bureau of Standards or a European testing facility such as the EPLF (European Producers of Laminate Flooring) are compulsory.

Installers are encouraged to undergo a SAWLFA competency test to verify their ability. (To check if a member is accredited please ask the installer for his badge, this should have their full name, picture and the SAWLFA logo.

Former SAWLFA Chairman Peter Geyer says that people should be wary of buying the lowest priced product. Your bargain may turn out to be very expensive in the long run!

Several years ago flooring manufacturers in Europe devised a grading system for the different qualities of laminate flooring. Products are primarily graded by their resistance to surface wear caused by abrasion or foot traffic. There are basically five different grades or Abrasion Classes

(AC1 to 5). AC1 being the softest or least wear resistant and AC5 being the hardest/ most durable. One should always enquire about the grade or class of laminate flooring before placing an order. Generally speaking grades 1 & 2 should be confined to areas of low use like bedrooms. Grades 3 & 4 are suitable for use anywhere in the home and 5 is mainly used in high traffic restaurants and busy shops.

Wood and laminate flooring products may also vary in their resistance to swelling and fading their density and joint strength. Reputable suppliers will offer full disclosure on all these product features, in writing.
Most problems with flooring products occur as a result of poor installation. It is worth paying a little more to have your flooring installed by a trained team. SAWLFA, in conjunction with the South African Bureau of Standards, have published standards which deal with the general principles of installing solid wood as well as laminate floors. These guidelines are available to the public and should be strictly adhered to by installers.

Apart from providing consumers with access to accredited members, SAWLFA also offer a consultancy service to assist in disputes that may arise. For a small fee, SAWLFA will conduct a thorough technical evaluation of the problem and provide an unbiased opinion. Members are expected to abide by its findings. At present this service is only available in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban but will be spread to other cities in the near future.