Floorcoverings
flammability
Under the Construction Products Directive, manufacturers must test
floorcoverings for ‘reaction to fire’ against one or more of the test standards
specified in EN 13501-1:2002.
It used to be the case that to sell
floorcoverings throughout the individual
European countries that now make up the
European Economic Area (EEA) required
assessment of products against more than
20 different national test standards relating
to fire resistance.
With the implementation of the
Construction Products Directive
(89/106/EEC) in the floorcoverings sector,
the new ‘Euro-standard’ test and
classification system is being put into
practice across Europe, superseding
national standards. This requires the
product to be assessed against one or
more of the test standards specified in
EN 13501-1:2002 Fire classification of
construction products and building
elements. Part 1: Classification using test
16 SATRA Spotlight December 2006 / January 2007
data from reaction to fire tests. This
classification is then used to inform
customers of the ‘reaction to fire’
performance. In the case of floorcoverings
it is also used to CE mark products against
the mandatory product specification
requirements.
However, it should be noted that
although the classification is acceptable
throughout Europe and will be recorded on
the CE label, it does not mean that a
product is suitable for the same applications
in different countries. It is a harmonised
classification system, not a harmonised fire
safety standard. For example, in one
country, a material for a hotel lobby may
require a product which is at least Class Dfl,
whilst in another, a product of at least Class
Cfl may be demanded.
by Steve Ferry
Floorcoverings
EN 13501-1:2002 consists of four
European ‘reaction to fire’ test methods
that can be applied to floorcoverings.
One or more of the tests are used to
obtain a classification from A1fl (no
contribution to fire) down to Ffl (no
performance determined). Table 1 shows
the required tests in combination.
For manufacturers of textile, resilient,
laminate and hardwood flooring
products, EN ISO 11925-2 and EN ISO
9239-1 are the most important test
methods called up for classification.
Commercial and contract application
floorcovering products will most probably
be tested against the requirements which
need to be met to obtain a class Bfl, Cfl
or Dfl classification. For domestic
products Class Efl is likely to be sufficient.

Left: Floorcovering burning. Above: Burnt area.
Main flammability tests
EN ISO 9239-1:2002 Reaction to fire
tests for floorings. Part 1:
Determination of the burning
behaviour using a radiant heat source.
EN ISO 9239-1:2002 describes a test
procedure for assessing the burning
behaviour (spread of flame and smoke
development) of horizontally mounted
floorcoverings firstly exposed to a radiant
heat source and then ignited with a pilot
flame. The applied radiant heat flux
(kW/m2) simulates the thermal radiation
levels likely to impinge on a floor whose
upper surface is heated by flames or hot
gases or both, from a fire in an adjacent
room or compartment.
The test is applicable to all types of
floorcovering including textile carpet, cork,
wood, rubber, resilient, laminates and
resins. It is used for classification against
EN 13501-1 Classes A2fl, Bfl, Cfl or Dfl.
EN ISO 11925-2:2002 Reaction to fire
tests – Ignitability of building products
subjected to direct impingement of
flame. Part 2: Single flame source test.
This test determines the ignitability of a
Table 1: EN 13501-1 Fire classification testing requirements for floorcoverings.
Class Test method(s)
A1fl EN ISO 1182 and EN ISO 1716
A2fl EN ISO 1182 or EN ISO 1716 and EN ISO 9239-1
Bfl EN ISO 9239-1 and EN ISO 11925-2, Exposure = 15s
Cfl EN ISO 9239-1 and EN ISO 11925-2, Exposure = 15s
Dfl EN ISO 9239-1 and EN ISO 11925-2, Exposure = 15s
Efl EN ISO 11925-2, Exposure = 15s
Ffl No performance determined
Note: fl denotes classification for floorcovering applications only.
EN ISO 1716:1998 Reaction to fire
tests for building products –
Determination of the heat of
combustion.
This test specifies a method for the
determination of the heat of combustion of
floorcoverings when tested in a bomb
calorimeter. The sample is sealed in a
chamber and heated to a specified
temperature until complete combustion has
occurred. This provides a measurement of
the gross heat of combustion.
In order to obtain an A1fl classification, EN
ISO 1182 and EN ISO 1716 must be met.
In order to obtain an A2fl
classification, EN ISO 9239 must be
performed, together with EN ISO 1182
and/or EN ISO 1716. The combinations
of EN ISO 1182 and EN ISO 1716
required to obtain a classification will
normally be determined by the
construction of the product – i.e. whether
it is homogeneous (a product consisting
of a single material, having uniform
density and composition throughout) or
non-homogeneous – and the results
obtained from individual tests.
Class Ffl is designated for a product that
vertically mounted test specimen when a has no performance determined (i.e. not
small flame is directly applied to its surface tested).
and/or one of its edges. No other heat
source is used. The test is used for
classification against EN 13501-1 Classes
Bfl, Cfl, Dfl or Efl.
EN ISO 1182:2002 Reaction to fire
tests for building products – Non-
combustibility test.
This test specifies a method of test for
determining the non-combustibility
performance (e.g. resistance to burning),
under specified conditions, of
homogeneous building products and
substantial components of non-
homogeneous building products.
A test specimen is subjected to a
temperature of 750ºC in a furnace for a
period of 30 minutes whilst observations
are made of any flaming of the test
specimen that occurs together with changes
in the temperature of the test chamber
created by the burning of the sample. On
completion of the test, the test samples,
including all pieces that have not burnt,
are weighed and checked against the
initial measurements.
Radiant heat source.
How can SATRA help?
For further information on SATRA’s
floorcoverings testing capabilities, contact
the author.
SATRA Spotlight December 2006 / January 2007 17