Laminate Flooring AC Ratings – A Buyer’s Guide

What type of laminate flooring is right for your home? Besides the obvious considerations for color and style (e.g. hardwood, slate), it’s also important to pick the right laminate that will withstand the kind of wear and tear your floor is subjected to on a regular basis. The easiest way to make this determination is by getting to know the AC ratings for laminate flooring. Learn more in this BuildDirect video:

An AC (Abrasion Class) rating is a standardized measure which rates resistance to abrasion, impact and staining as well as thickness swelling along the edges. Laminate flooring has five different AC ratings. In general, the higher the AC Rating, the higher the price. The price you pay should be in line with your needs based on foot traffic; don’t pay too little or too much.

The five AC ratings and their associated uses are as follows:

AC1 Moderate Residential: Suitable for light foot traffic areas only, such as bedrooms or closets.

AC2 General Residential: Build for rooms with a moderate amount of foot traffic, such as living rooms or dining rooms.

AC3 Heavy Residential/Moderate Commercial: Suitable for all kinds of residential foot traffic (i.e. any room) and commercial light foot traffic areas like hotel rooms and offices with no off-street traffic.

AC4 General Commercial: Built for all types of residential uses as well as commercial spaces with heavier off-street traffic such as shops, restaurants and offices.

AC5 Heavy Commercial: Built for busy commercial spaces and high-traffic areas such as government buildings and department stores.