Vinyl flooring use classes: 21, 23, 31, 32, 33, 34 — what they mean in practice

The salesperson says "class 33" and the customer nods. Two years later the floor in the hallway is worn down to the backing, while the bedroom still looks new. Let's unpack what these numbers actually stand for, why the class matters more than the thickness, and how to avoid paying for performance you don't need.

Where the classes come from: EN ISO 10874

The classification of floor coverings by intensity of use is set out in EN ISO 10874 (before 2012, EN 685). It maps every space onto two axes: type of use and intensity of load.

The first digit of the class is the type of space:

• 2x — residential (domestic use);
• 3x — public and commercial premises;
• 4x — industrial premises.

The second digit is the intensity:

• x1 — moderate;
• x2 — normal;
• x3 — heavy;
• x4 — very heavy.

That is how the marking reads: 32 — commercial space with normal load; 34 — commercial space with very heavy load.

Table: which class your space needs

Note this: class 32 also covers residential use in full. Material certified for an office will not wear out in a flat at all — domestic load is well below what it was rated for.

The key point: the class is defined by the wear layer, not the thickness

This is the most common mistake when choosing. The buyer compares two products, 4 mm and 2 mm, and confidently takes the first one "because it's thicker".

A vinyl plank is a multi-layer sandwich. From the top down:

1. Polyurethane (PU) lacquer — protection against scratches and dirt, makes cleaning easier;
2. Wear (protective) layer of clear PVC — this is what determines the service life of the floor;
3. Decorative film — the wood, stone or concrete pattern;
4. PVC core layer — rigidity and geometry;
5. Balancing layer — stability, protection against cupping.

Only the wear layer abrades. Once it is gone, the decorative film is exposed and the floor "dies" visually, however many millimetres remain underneath. That is why "how thick is it?" is the wrong question. The right one is "what is the wear layer?".

Total thickness answers something else: underfoot comfort, footstep sound, resistance to point indentation and, with click floors, the strength of the locking joint itself. It has nothing to do with abrasion.

Hence a simple corollary. A glue-down LVT vinyl floor 2 mm thick with a 0.3 mm wear layer and class 32 will last longer in a home than a 4 mm click plank with a 0.15 mm wear layer and class 23 — at half the build-up height.

How the class is verified in the laboratory

Behind the class there are not marketing promises but tests:

• Abrasion (EN 660-2, Frick-Taber method) — determines wear group T, P, M, F. Commercial floors need group T, the most resistant;
• Residual indentation (EN 433) — indentation under static load: a table leg, a shelving unit, a gym machine. The smaller the residual mark, the better;
• Castor chair resistance (EN 425) — a test with a wheeled office chair, critical for offices;
• Dimensional stability (EN 434) — change of geometry under heat, a key parameter for sunlit rooms and underfloor heating.

If a supplier claims a class but cannot show a test report or a declaration with these figures, the claimed class exists only on the label.

How the class relates to other mandatory characteristics

The class covers wear only. In a public building that is not enough — there, two more parameters are checked, and both are mandatory under Spanish regulations:

• Reaction to fire — for commercial floors the requirement is class Bfl-s1 (hard to ignite, minimal smoke production). Required by the Technical Building Code, section DB-SI;
• Slip resistance — classes 1, 2 or 3 under DB-SUA, depending on the space and the moisture present. For a commercial kitchen or an entrance area, class 2–3 is mandatory.

Plus a hygiene parameter: volatile emissions E1 — minimal, safe for homes, schools and healthcare facilities.

These three points deserve exactly as much scrutiny as the class. A class 34 floor without Bfl-s1 simply cannot be used in a public building.

Three mistakes that cost real money

Mistake one: a single class for the whole project. In a 90 m² flat the load is distributed extremely unevenly. The hallway and kitchen take several times more footfall than the bedroom. The logical solution is class 32–33 in circulation zones and a more economical material in private areas. On a 300 m² project the difference in the budget is substantial.

Mistake two: overpaying for class 34 in an office. Class 34 means airports, stations, supermarkets. An office for 40 people is class 32, at most 33 in corridors and at reception. Class 34 material will do the job, but you will have paid for a service life that will never be used up.

Mistake three: cutting costs at the entrance. The first 5–7 metres from the door take up to 80% of the abrasive dirt brought in from the street. Here you either specify one class above the rest of the space, or set up a barrier matting zone — and then the whole remaining floor lasts noticeably longer.

What to choose for a specific job

Flat, house, apartments. Class 32 with a 0.3 mm wear layer covers every zone with margin to spare. Glue-down LVT vinyl planks 2 mm thick, bonded with adhesive, give a fully stable floor with no perimeter expansion gaps.

Office, private office, showroom, small shop. Class 32 in work areas, 33 in corridors, at reception and in the entrance area. Be sure to check the castor chair resistance figure (EN 425) — chairs on wheels kill cheap vinyl faster than feet do.

Retail, HoReCa, gym, clinic. Class 33–34 and a move to commercial sheet vinyl. Sheet material leaves a minimum of joints, and the remaining seams are welded with a rod into a watertight monolith — which is essential wherever water, grease or disinfectant solutions reach the floor.

Warehouse, production, plant areas. Classes 41–43: studded and homogeneous PVC floors designed for wheeled loads and chemical exposure.

How to read a supplier's documents

The minimum set you are entitled to request before buying:

1. Declaration of Performance (DoP) and CE marking to EN 14041 — mandatory for a floor covering to be sold legally in the EU;
2. Class to EN ISO 10874 stating the abrasion group;
3. Reaction to fire — Bfl-s1;
4. Slip class — to DIN 51130 (R9/R10/R11) and/or classes 1–3 of DB-SUA;
5. Emissions — E1;
6. Total thickness and wear layer thickness — as separate lines.

If the answer to this list is just a glossy catalogue, that is an answer in itself.

FAQ

Is class 32 suitable for a flat? Yes, with a large margin. Class 32 is rated for commercial load, which is higher than any domestic one. In a home such a floor barely wears at all.

Which matters more — 2 mm or 4 mm thickness? Neither, directly. Service life is set by the wear layer: 0.3 mm at 2 mm total thickness beats 0.15 mm at 4 mm. Thickness affects comfort and indentation resistance, but not wear.

How does class 33 differ from 34? In load intensity. Class 33 is a shop, a bar, a gym. Class 34 is an airport, a station, a supermarket — a continuous flow of people. For an office and for most retail outlets, 34 is overkill.

Do I have to look at Bfl-s1? For public buildings, yes — it is a building code requirement. For private homes there is no formal requirement, but the parameter is useful all the same.

How can I tell whether the declared class is genuine? Ask for the DoP and the CE marking. The declaration states the figures actually tested. A class written only in a catalogue is backed by nothing.

For more detail, see our article on vinyl flooring thickness and wear layer and our guide to industrial vinyl flooring for warehouses.