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Surface of finished wood floorings - characteristics and testing

Article · January 2011

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Vjekoslav Živković H. Turkulin

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which depends on the wood species and the system of surface finishing. Transparent and
translucent coatings are particularly sensitive to light. Most of the clear lacquers affect the
natural colour of wood already in application, giving wood the darker yellowish or reddish
appearance. The action of light causes then additional yellowing, especially of paler wood
species like fir-wood or ash-wood, but also affects the appearance of darker species like oak-
wood (Jirouš-Rajković et al., 2003, Jirouš-Rajković et al., 2006, Miklečić et al., 2011).
However, the colour changes in interior are almost exclusively of aesthetic nature and do not
influence the quality and durability of lacquered surface. Changes of the indoor climate cause
much greater effect on wood than on the film of the lacquer. Possible cracks in the film may
be brought about by the movement of wood due to significant changes in moisture content of
wood, and the humidity affects wood to much greater extent than the film of the lacquer. Hot
objects, like heating surfaces or deposited hot objects, may cause various changes of gloss and
colour, but also the peeling of the coating film.
The third group of influences form the influence of chemical agents. Various
chemicals in domestic use, like acetone, alcohol, milk, coffee, wine, ink etc. that may come
into contact with lacquered surface, result in more or less expressed changes in wood
appearance. Even trivial situations, like a wet baby’s napkin left on the floor, may affect the
appearance of the floor surface. The changes may be manifested as only small alterations of
gloss or colour, but may also appear as severe damage caused by the destruction of the surface
film or the disintegration of the wooden substrate. Testing of chemical influences on the
lacquer records the softening or diluting action of the liquid which causes the partial or
permanent adhesion of the filter paper on the wetted and covered film.
It could be summarized that the basic indicators of the quality of lacquered wood
flooring surfaces are the adhesion, resistance to wear, elasticity, impact resistance and
resistance to various chemical agents. Testing of these properties are the objectives of quality
assessment protocols and the procedures are covered by relevant standards. However, the
testing systems lacks in definition of minimal requirements in case of solid wood flooring
elements. For example, the hardness or elasticity of lacquer is determined by the height of the
indenting cone that caused the concentrical cracks in the film, but the standard does not define
the critical cone height that would classify the film as the product of good, sufficient or
inadequate elasticity. Furthermore, the impact resistance is determined by the minimal height
of the drop of a steel ball on the surface at which the cracks in the film occur. Still, the
standard does not list the ranges of fall heights that would sort the lacquer films in suitable
functional classes. Nevertheless, the assessment of the quality of lacquered solid wood

 
flooring surfaces can be substantiated by the use of standardized classifications of functional
properties of other flooring products. For example, the standard HRN EN 14354:2008 for
wood veneered flooring boards brings the testing procedure, but also defines the reference
values for the technical properties of the surfaces. Still this standard defines classes only for
the impact resistance and for the wear resistance, and not for other properties. If it would be
expected that all finished wooden surfaces of certain quality class exhibit the same range of
physical properties, then the values listed in Table 1 for veneered flooring boards may be
applied on solid wood flooring elements as well. The same testing methods should apply for
both groups of products. Within range of each end-use class of floors – domestic use or public
traffic – there are three subclasses of loads in use, namely the subclasses of moderate, general
and heavy intensity of traffic.

Table 1 Minimal requirements for classification of surface finished wood veneered floorings (modified
according to HRN EN 14354:2008)
Class 21 22 23 31 32 33

Symbol

Area of
Private areas Public areas
use
Traffic
Moderate General Heavy Moderate General Heavy
intensity
Example Public
Hotel, Classroom,
(according Living Same as 22, corridor, shop,
bedroom, smaller
to HRN Bedroom room, dining room building hall,
conference hall, hotel,
EN lounge and corridor school, public
smaller office boutique
685:2008) office
Height of
the ball ≥ 800 ≥ 1000 ≥ 1200 ≥ 1400
drop (mm)
Abrasion
(Nr of
Taber
≥ 1000 ≥ 3000 ≥ 5000 ≥ 7000
cycles to
complete
wear out)

The standard for classification of resilient, textile and laminate flooring surfaces HRN
EN 685:2008 brings the examples of the end-use categories, presented in Table 1. We
consider that the analogy between the functional durability demands for both groups of
flooring products could be drawn, enabling the consequent classification of lacquered solid
wood floors. In addition to that, the Austrian standard ÖNORM C 2354:2009 regulates the
requirements for solid wood floorings, but only for three end-use classes. These depend on the

 
frequency of pedestrian traffic in shoes in particular indoor area. Class A is covering the areas
which are only seldom entered in shoes (living rooms and bedrooms). Class B defines the
areas generally used in shoes (kindergartens, corridors) and class C relates to the areas which
are exclusively walked in shoes (classrooms, offices, shops etc.).

Flooring sealants (lacquers) are put on market with accompanying documentation that
mostly declares the results of the testing of the liquid material, such as density, viscosity and
solid content. These results present the properties of the sealant in the liquid phase, and can
therefore only serve to confirm that the material has been manufactured according to its
declared specification. Such data give no information as to the properties of the solid film of
the finish. The properties of the solid film on the surface depend partly on the properties of
the sealant, but also on the properties of the substrate. Therefore this paper brings the review
of the testing methods, along with the results of the testing of various finishing systems for
wood lacquers on oak-wood and ash-wood substrates. The influence of other substrates (wood
species) on wood flooring surface properties shall form the object of the additional paper.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Flooring lacquers were applied according to the manufacturers' instructions for use on
wooden flooring boards. The substrates were seasoned and conditioned oak-wood flooring
boards of radial and semi-radial texture, of dimensions 1000x120x21mm in longitudinal,
radial and tangential direction. One part of the samples were finished in the Laboratory for
wood in construction of the Faculty of Forestry (LDG) in standard laboratory climatic
conditions (23±2°C i 50±5% rel. humidity). The other part of the samples were chosen from
the flooring elements finished by the manufacturers of the lacquers. Additionally, factory
finished parquet elements of oak-wood and ash-wood served as samples for comparative
analysis. All the tests were conducted according to the accredited standard methods of the
LDG.

Dry film thickness

Dry film thickness determines the desired appearance, but also influences the technical
properties and durability of the wooden floor. Film thickness depends on the application rate,
depth of penetration of the primer, solid content of the sealant, amount of material removed

 
during sanding and polishing, as well as on the number of coats. Dry film thickness
measurement according to standard HRN EN 13696:2010 should be executed with a
resolution equal to or better than ±2 μm. The procedure is based on the use of the optical light
microscope with 100 to 200 times magnification, equipped with a camera and appropriate
image analysis software. The alternative may be the use of the dial gauge that records the
movement of the microscope mounting table (Figure 1).

Table 6 presents the values of dry film thickness of various finishing systems applied
at the LDG laboratory according to manufacturer's instructions for use, as well as the systems
applied by the manufacturer of flooring finishing materials. Additionally, several UV-curing
systems applied in finishing lines of the parquet manufacturing factories serve for
comparison. It is obvious that the differences in dry film thicknesses are relatively great, and
further text shall present their influences on other tested properties of flooring surfaces.

Adhesion
One of the crucial indicators of the quality of lacquered floorings is the adhesion of the
dry film to the substrate. The consequence of the poor adhesion is peeling of the film. In cases
of insufficient adhesion the peeling happens soon after curing of the lacquer, even under
conditions of normal use.
Adhesion test consists of a cross-cutting of the lacquer in a grid pattern with a set of 2
mm distanced knives of precisely defined blade geometry (HRN EN 14354:2008). Two
perpendicular cuts are crossed at an 45° angle to the fiber direction of the wood substrate. The
handle of the cutting tool is fixed to a head of a multi-blade tool by a flexible joint, thus
enabling the uniform pressure and action of every blade. The pressure to the tool must be such
that the blades cut through the whole film to the surface of the wooden substrate.
The grid pattern is assessed according to the criteria listed in Table 2. The main
criteria are the consistency of the edges and proportion of detached edges and flakes shown in
Figure 2. Standard HRN EN 14354:2008 defines only the classes and values of assessment
criteria, while the Austrian standard ÖNORM C 2354:2009 presents an additional
requirement that the sum value, regardless of the end-use class of the floor, should not exceed
the value of 1.

 
Figure 1 Film thickness measurement system using Figure 2 Cutting tool with parallel blades and stained
optical light microscope surface of a cross-cut net on oak-wood substrate

Table 2 Criteria for assessment of adhesion by a cut-cross test (HRN EN 14354:2008)

Appearance of the
Classification Description
cross-cut surface

0 Edges are completely smooth; none of the squares is detached. -

Detachment of small flakes at the intersections of the cuts (not more

1
than 5% of total grid area is affected).

Detachment of flakes and narrow surfaces along the edges and/or at the
2 intersections of the cuts (>5% but less than 15%of total grid area is
affected).

The coating has flaked along the edges of the cuts partly or wholly in
3 large ribbons, and/or on different parts of the squares (>15% but less than
35% of total grid area is affected).

The coating has flaked along the edges of the cuts in large ribbons,
4 and/or some squares have detached partly or wholly (>35% but less than
65% of total grid area is affected).

5 Any degree of flaking classified worse than by classification 4. -

An alternative method for adhesion assessment consists of measuring the pull-off

tensile strength of adhering surface layer perpendicular to the tested surface, and the result is
expressed in MPa. Procedure proscribes that the studs of defined geometry are glued to the
surface by 2-pack epoxy resin. After the adhesive has cured, the studs are detached using the
tensile testing machine. This method is less prone to subjective interpretation of an operator
than the cross-cut test, but does not list the reference values for adhesion classes, what renders
the interpretation of results difficult. It is worth noticing that this method is standardized only
for adhesion testing of wood veneered flooring boards and laminates, but not for lacquered
solid wood flooring elements.

 
Impact resistance

Testing of impact resistance is defined by as much as three standards (see table 4), but
only the standard for wood veneered flooring boards brings the classification of resistance
based on obtained testing results.
Test is basically executed by dropping on the sample the steel ball of defined mass and
diameter from various heights (the drop height being increased in increments of 50 mm) until
the failure of the film occurs. In such way the highest level of drop is determined that still did
not cause the damage. This value is further confirmed by two additional drops on undamaged
areas of the sample. In case of any failure occurring during these two additional tests, the drop
height is being further adjusted in increments of 25 mm until three consecutive tests without
any damage are concluded.

Figure 3 Dropping the ball from the magnetic console on the flooring
element fixed in a testing frame according to HRN EN 438-2 (left) and
resulting indentation on the tested surface (above)

Table 3 Classification of the impact resistance according to HRN EN

14354
Drop height
≥ 800 ≥ 1000 ≥ 1200 ≥ 1400
of ball (mm)
Class EC0 EC1 EC2 EC3

In order to simulate the use conditions in the best possible way, the test is conducted
on samples laid according to the flooring manufacturer’s instructions for use. Flooring
elements intended for floating fitting are tested over a layer of PE foam or other substrate

 
specified by the manufacturer. The flooring elements intended for gluing are tested by direct
positioning on the thick steel base, laterally fixed to prevent side movement during testing.
The laminate flooring elements are tested fixed in frames such as the one shown in figure 3.

Table 4 Review of various systems for testing of impact resistance

Ball diameter Sample
Standard Flooring product Ball mass (g)
(mm) substrate/support

Solid wood flooring PE foam / customer's

HRN EN 13696 38,1 224 ± 3
products specification
Wood veneered
HRN EN 14354 42,8 324 ± 5 PE foam
flooring boards

HRN EN 438-2 Laminates 38,1 or 42,8 224 or 324 Metal fixing frame

Elasticity
Elasticity of lacquer is tested by pressing onto the sample the steel block with 12 cones
of different angels and heights (0,4 to 2,6 mm, Figure 4). The block is pressed onto wood
surface in the mechanical loading machine with a head movement velocity of 10±5 mm/min
until the base of the block contacts the sample surface. The height of the cone under which the
lacquer has cracked is the measure of its elasticity. Only circular cracks equal to or longer
than 2 mm are relevant, while radial cracks are not taken into account.

Figure 4 Blocks with indenting cones (left) and the crack caused by the penetrating cone (right)

The relevant standard for elasticity (HRN EN 13696:2008) is another testing standard
that does not declare the criterion for the assessment of the results. However, Austrian
standard ÖNORM C 2354:2009, which is based on the same testing procedure, defines the
requirement that the cracks may not exceed 1,2 mm for floors in areas of normal domestic
use, while the 1,0 mm presents the crack length limit for the floors in other private and all
public areas. This requirement is controversial; since it would appear that the product of

 
smaller elasticity may be applied in areas of heavier intensity of traffic. The Discussion
chapter shall present the interpretation of this phenomenon through the comparison of
elasticity with other technical properties of the lacquered floor surfaces.

Abrasion resistance
There exist a number of methods for testing the resistance to wear (abrasion).
Generally, the tests are conducted by fixing the sample to the rotating table. The sample is
pressed on the table by abrasive wheels and additional weights, and is subsequently subjected
to rotation. The rotation causes abrasive friction between the wheels and the sample surface.
The number of cycles needed to completely wear out the film is the measure of the abrasion
resistance.
Testing of the abrasion resistance of lacquered parquet and veneered flooring elements
is based on the use of leather-covered wheels which roll on the sample surface over a thin
layer of the falling sand. This layer of sand causes friction between the leather wheels and the
sample, resulting in the wear of the lacquer of the surface. Again, the number of cycles
needed to completely wear out the film is the measure of the abrasion resistance.

Condition of the film is checked by application of a dye that colours the wood but not
the synthetic lacquer. The intensity of wear-out is measured using a special transparent plate,
divided by radial lines into 4 quadrants and 16 sectors. The lacquer is regarded fully abraded
when at least 12 out of 16 sectors show continuous wear, with at least one marked sector per
each quadrant. (figure 5, right).

Figure 4 The „falling sand“ method for abrasion testing of flooring lacquers (left). Assessment of the lacquer
wear-out using transparent plate divided into quadrants (thicker lines) and sectors (thinner lines, right).

 
 In contrast to the standard for lacquered wood floorings, which does not contain
classification of results of abrasion resistance, the standard for veneered flooring boards
classifies the products according to the number of cycles to complete wear-out (table 5).
Table 5 Classification of the abrasion resistance according to HRN EN 14354

Nr of revolutions ≥ 1000 ≥ 3000 ≥ 5000 ≥ 7000

Class WR0 WR1 WR2 WR3

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Results of laboratory tests of parquet lacquers of various generic types and from
various manufacturers exhibited excellent adhesion. All the tested systems fulfil the
requirements for all areas of use according to Austrian standard ÖNORM C 2354:2009. On
the other hand, the elasticity of tested finishing systems shows very large range of results, and
only one UV-curing system failed to fulfil the requirement of minimum elasticity according to
ÖNORM C 2354:2009 (the circular crack was caused by the 0,6 mm high cone). Interestingly
enough, this very product of UV-curing water-based industrial finish system (the only one
that was tested on ash-wood boards) exhibited excellent results of the impact resistance and
abrasion resistance. This lacquer, applied in the same thickness as the other laboratory
prepared samples, fulfilled all other requirements for the use in private areas with high
intensity traffic (class 23). Such discrepancy of results could be attributed to the influence of
the substrate and/or to the characteristic properties of the finishing system, since the UV-
curing lacquers show generally smaller elasticity and better wear resistance than the other
finishing systems. However, other “classic” systems did not show the straight correlation
between the properties of abrasion, impact resistance and elasticity. For example, the one-
component polyurethane acrylic lacquer, classified by its wear resistance and elasticity into
products for intensive traffic in private areas (class 23 according to HRN EN 685), expressed
impact resistance that does not fulfil minimum requirements for areas of moderate traffic
(class 21). One could argue that the elasticity and impact resistance should correlate better to
express the functional properties of the film.

 
Table 6 Testing results for various systems of wood flooring finishes

Abrasion
Type of Description (number of base Dry film Adhe- Impact resistance
lacquer coats and top coats ) thickness sion resistance Elasticity (Taber)
Nr of
(mm) Value (mm) (mm) cycles
UV V 1 UV –curing water based (5+2) 28 1 415 1,6 2800
UV V 2 UV –curing water based (5+2) 75 0 1050 0,6 4100
One component water based -
1K V (1+3) 66 0 1375 1,4
One component polyurethane
1K PU V water based (0+3) 75 1 1935 2,1 5400
1K PU A One component polyurethane
hibr. 1 acrylic hybrid (1+2) 70 1 <300 1,4 3500
1K PU A One component polyurethane
hibr. 2 acrylic hybrid (1+2) 70 1 <300 1,5 1000
One component water + two
2K PU V component polyurethane water
1 based (1+2) 59 1 640 1,3 1300
2K PU V two component polyurethane
2 water based (1+2) 68 1 1320 1,3 3400
One component water + two
2K PU V component polyurethane water
3 based (1+2) 70 1 1765 1,7 5400
2K PU O two component polyurethane
1 solvent-borne (1+1) 73 1 1075 1,1 1900
impregnation + two component
2K PU O polyurethane solvent-borne
2 (1+2) 69 1 1090 1,4 2500
HS basecoat + two component
2K PU O polyurethane solvent-borne
3 (1+2) 72 1 1045 1,3 2900
2K PU O two component polyurethane
4 solvent-borne (0+3) 84 1 1500 1,3 3600

So called „classic“ flooring finishing systems (water-borne polyurethanes) exhibit

high quality and very uniform properties. This group of products encompass single-
component water-based polyurethane top finish in three coats, and two-component water-
based polyurethane top finish in to coats, applied with single-component water-based
polyurethane base coat in single coating. These two systems exhibit abrasion resistance
suitable for use in public areas with traffic of moderate intensity (hotel rooms and conference
halls, smaller offices - class 32). Impact resistance of these systems classifies them in class 32
(public areas with heaviest traffic intensity). Another two classic sealants could be pointed
out, namely a two-component solvent-borne polyurethane lacquer (2K PU O 4) and two-

 
component water-borne PU lacquer (2K PU V 2), which properties render them suitable for
the use in private areas of highest traffic intensity.
Testing of all finishing systems indicated that the thickness of film significantly
influences the quality of the coated surface. This is particularly noticeable by UV-curing
systems (industrial application) and by water-based polyurethanes, where the differences in
dry film thickness of only ten micrometers may be associated with very marked
differentiations of resistances to impact and wear.
Standardised testing methods often lack the classifications of products according to the
obtained results. It should be noticed that the criteria for assessment of functional quality are
listed in the standard for wood veneered flooring boards. Since the tests on lacquered solid
wood flooring elements are conducted using the same methodology, the classification systems
for veneered boards could be relevant for all wood flooring products. However, the testing of
impact resistance should bring distinction of the assessment criteria as to the size and mass of
the dropping steel ball, as well as the type of the fitting base for the sample. The quality
classes should be clearly defined according to numerical results of the conducted tests.

CONCLUSION

This paper did not aim to create a list of quality levels of various generic types of
flooring lacquers. Record of the test of various finishing products is presented with the
following purposes:
1. to present the testing systems for flooring lacquers
2. quality assessment methodology on the basis of test results
3. correlation of the functional properties of lacquers between various test values

The results indicate that particular tested properties show discrepancies in estimated
levels of quality. A flooring finishing product may fulfil the requirements of the highest class
regarding particular functional property, still prove very poor in quality regarding other tested
properties. This may sometimes be a coincidence or the consequence of testing the
unrepresentative sample. However, results indicate that the discrepancies in testing
methodologies or in criteria for quality assessment play a dominant role. The analysis of
results strongly suggests that the criteria for quality assessment for finished flooring surfaces
be re-evaluated. This would partly include the testing according to standardized methods, but

 
 also development of standard annexes or formulation of a new standard for classification of
technical quality of wooden floorings.

LITERATURE

1. Miklečić, J., Jirouš-Rajković, V., Antonović, A., Španić, N. 2011: Discolouration of

thermally modified wood during simulated indoor sunlight exposure. BioResources. 6
2. Jirouš-Rajković, V., Mihulja, G., Horvat, B. 2006: Promjene boje lakirane trešnjevine
i javorovine u interijeru. Drvna industrija. 57(2): 59-65
3. Jirouš-Rajković, V., Turkulin, H., Dolušić, Ž., Štivičić, Š. 2003: Lightresistance of
wood indoors. Wood in construction industry / Jambreković, V. ; Despot, R. (ur.).
Zagreb : Šumarski fakultet, 2003. 59-68
4. HRN EN 14354:2008 Wood-based panels – Wood veneer floor covering (EN
14354:2004+AC:2006) HRN EN 685:2008 Resilient, textile and laminate floor coverings –
Classification (EN 685:2007)
5. ÖNORM C 2354:2009 Transparent sealing materials for wooden floors and sealings
made thereof ― Minimum requirements and test methods
6. HRN EN 13696:2010: Wood flooring – Test methods to determine elasticity and
resistance to wear and impact resistance
7. HRN EN 438-2:2008: High-pressure decorative laminates (HPL) Sheets based on
thermosetting resins (usually called laminates) Part 2: Determination of properties.

 
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