Laboratory design 1 min read
In laboratory flooring, the properties that determine service life matter as much as appearance. The values and standards to check for PVC and linoleum floors.
Laboratory flooring has to combine appearance, continuity and function. Walls, floors and ceilings that are easy to clean and disinfect are one of the basic laboratory rules, and the floor must withstand chemicals, heavy use and cleaning for many years.
Properties of Homogeneous PVC Flooring
- It is water-resistant: it does not lift, does not harbour mould or odours, and provides an antibacterial surface.
- By its nature it resists scratches and impacts; its reinforced top layer stands up to heavy foot traffic.
- A wide range of colours and patterns is available.
- Requiring no maintenance, it keeps its properties for many years.
For these reasons homogeneous PVC is chosen not only for laboratories but also for heavily used spaces such as hospitals, schools, offices, factories, public buildings and healthcare facilities.
What to Check When Choosing
When choosing a product, look beyond appearance to the properties that determine service life under TS EN 649 (homogeneous and heterogeneous PVC floor coverings) and the related test standards. For an acid-resistant, antimicrobial and antistatic laboratory floor, these are the values to look for:
- Wear: wear group P (EN 660-2); thickness loss ≤ 0.15 mm (EN 660-1); volume loss ≤ 4 mm³
- Thickness: total thickness 2 mm (EN 428); wear layer 2 mm (EN 429)
- Residual indentation: 0.03 mm (EN 433)
- Dimensional stability: ≤ 0.25% (EN 434)
- Surface treatment: PUR
- Body voltage: < 2 kV (EN 1815)
- Reaction-to-fire class: Bfl-s1
- Light fastness: 6 (EN ISO 105-B02)
- Thermal resistance: 0.01 m²K/W (EN 12667)
Floor coverings with these properties prevent mould and fungal growth, do not fade, and can be laid in 22 colours.
KRCLAB installs PVC and linoleum floor coverings in its turnkey laboratory projects.
