Every technical specification on this site was checked against a standards body, trade association or manufacturer document. This page says where each claim comes from, and — just as importantly — which figures are editorial judgment rather than measured data.
Not everything here carries the same weight, and pretending otherwise would be dishonest.
Test methods, rating scales and code thresholds — DCOF, PEI, AC, Janka, ASTM and ADA limits. Traceable to a published standard or the association that maintains it. Cited below.
Cross-checked across several 2026 cost aggregators and mill price lists. Real ranges, but national averages — regional variation of ±20–40% is normal and your bids will differ.
The 1–5 scores for durability, water, comfort, quiet, DIY, environment and maintenance. No published index assigns these. They are our judgment, calibrated relative to each other so the comparison tool ranks sensibly.
It is not a substitute for a manufacturer's technical data sheet, a specification written by a design professional, or a bid from a licensed installer. Warranty terms, tested assembly ratings and product certifications change by SKU and by year. Always confirm against current documentation for the specific product before you buy or specify.
These are the organizations that write and maintain the numbers used throughout the site. If you are specifying professionally, go to these rather than to us.
| Organization | Covers | Used on this site for |
|---|---|---|
| TCNA Tile Council of North America |
Ceramic, glass and stone tile installation methods | DCOF threshold, deflection limits (L/360 ceramic, L/720 stone), uncoupling and membrane practice, grout selection, substrate flatness for tile 15"+ (1/8" in 10 ft, 1/16" in 24"), and the 33% maximum running-bond offset for plank |
| ANSI A137.1, A326.3, A108 |
Ceramic tile specifications and slip-resistance test method | Wet DCOF ≥ 0.42, water-absorption classes (impervious ≤0.5%, vitreous 0.5–3%, semi-vitreous 3–7%, non-vitreous >7%) |
| NWFA National Wood Flooring Association |
Wood flooring installation, sanding, finishing | Janka reference values, 30–50% RH at 60–80 °F, acclimation and moisture-content tolerances |
| CRI Carpet and Rug Institute |
Carpet performance, testing and indoor air quality | Average pile yarn density formula and thresholds, Green Label Plus certification |
| NALFA North American Laminate Flooring Association |
Laminate flooring standard LF-01 | The distinction between NALFA certification and the European AC scale |
| RFCI Resilient Floor Covering Institute |
Resilient flooring, FloorScore certification | Indoor air quality certification, resilient category definitions |
| NTMA National Terrazzo & Mosaic Association |
Terrazzo systems and guide specifications | 3/8" nominal epoxy terrazzo thickness, divider-strip practice, system types |
| Natural Stone Institute | Dimension stone selection, installation, care | Calcareous versus siliceous behavior, sealing and etching guidance |
| ICRI Guideline 310.2R |
Concrete surface preparation for coatings | CSP 1–10 profiles and which coating type needs which profile |
| ASTM International | Test methods | F2170 and F1869 moisture limits, F710 substrate prep, E648 flame spread, E662 smoke, E492/E90 acoustics, C373 absorption |
| US Access Board 2010 ADA Standards |
Accessible design | Section 302 carpet pile ≤ 1/2", Section 303 level changes |
| ICC International Building Code |
Building code, Section 1206 sound transmission | STC/IIC 50 laboratory, 45 field, between dwelling units |
Publishing the corrections matters as much as making them. Every item below was wrong or imprecise in an earlier draft of this site and has been fixed against the source named.
| Claim | Was | Now | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indoor humidity for wood | 35–55% RH | 30–50% RH at 60–80 °F | NWFA |
| Engineered wear-layer refinishes | 3 mm = one refinish; 4–6 mm = two to three | 2 mm = one to two; 3 mm = two to three; 4 mm = three to four; 6 mm ≈ solid | Mill and fabricator guidance; ~0.5–1 mm removed per refinish |
| Concrete profile for epoxy | CSP 2–4 | CSP 1–2 thin sealers, 3–5 high-build, 6+ overlays | ICRI 310.2R |
| Slab RH limit | "Most adhesives cap at 75–85%" | F2170 caps at 75% unless the manufacturer states otherwise; some allow 80–85% | ASTM F2170 |
| Entry matting capture | 80% in the first 12 feet | ~80% across 12–15 feet counting outside and inside the door | Commercial matting industry guidance |
| Terrazzo service life | "75+ years documented" | Life of the building; 50-year installations still in service | Softened — the 75-year figure was not traceable to NTMA |
| Nylon 6 vs 6,6 | 6,6 "more resistant to stains" | ~20% higher tensile strength and 12% surface hardness, but modern topical treatments narrow the practical gap considerably | Commercial carpet performance comparisons |
| Carpet density thresholds | "Above 3,000 good, above 5,000 commercial" | Typical range 1,000–7,000; CRI recommends ≥5,000 for extra-heavy traffic | CRI |
| AC ratings | AC1–AC5, no cycle counts | AC1–AC6 with Taber cycle minimums; NALFA LF-01 does not use AC | EN 13329, NALFA |
| Lifecycle cost table | Presented as data | Labelled as an illustrative model, with the one sourced row identified | Honesty |
Checked and unchanged: Janka values for the listed species, PEI classes 1–5, tile water-absorption classes, wet DCOF 0.42, deflection limits L/360 and L/720, vinyl wear-layer tiers (6/8/12 mil residential, 20–30 mil commercial), ASTM E648 Class I 0.45 and Class II 0.22 W/cm², ADA carpet pile and level-change limits, ASTM F1869 3 lbs/1,000 sq ft/24 hr, the carpet density formula, and 3/8" nominal epoxy terrazzo.
Ranges are US national averages for mid-2026, covering material plus professional installation labor per square foot. Each was cross-checked across at least two independent aggregators.
The project calculator carries these as separate line items for that reason.
Product-level specifications — wear layers, warranty structures, core construction, tested hardness — were checked against published documentation from major US mills and manufacturers.
Shaw (Floorté, Premio, Classico), Mohawk (SolidTech), COREtec (Plus, Pro), Armstrong Flooring, Tarkett, Forbo (Marmoleum) — wear-layer tiers, core types and residential versus commercial warranty structures.
Shaw, Mohawk, Interface, Tarkett, Milliken — fiber systems, solution dyeing, modular backing construction, attic-stock practice.
Daltile, Marazzi, Crossville, MSI — PEI and DCOF published values, rectified edges, through-body construction, large-format substrate requirements.
Mirage, Kährs, Shaw, Mohawk — species hardness, veneer and wear-layer construction, finish systems, acclimation and humidity requirements.
Sherwin-Williams industrial, Laticrete, Sika — system types, slip resistance, moisture mitigation, surface-preparation requirements.
Schluter, Laticrete, Custom Building Products — uncoupling membranes, grout chemistry, deflection and flatness tolerances.
Mill-published numbers are accurate for the product tested and are also marketing. Janka values above 3,000, "lifetime" warranties and headline acoustic ratings all deserve a second look: ask what was tested, under what assembly, and what the warranty actually covers after year one. Where a figure on this site comes from manufacturer testing rather than an independent standard, it is labelled as such.
Specifications change, standards get revised, and no reference is error-free. If a figure here does not match current manufacturer or association documentation, we would rather know.