ESTABLISHMENT OF QUALITY CLASSES FOR HARDWOOD FLOORINGS BY SIMULATED USE

Abstract

Many wood species have been employed as floor however their performance can greatly varies according to the wood properties and the type of application. Mechanical tests can be performed for simulating the wood floors in service, but there is no system for sorting the materials as a function of their quality as flooring. In this study, tests were carried out in commercial wood species to simulate their performance as flooring and a new standard of resistance classes for is proposed. Moreover, the performance of new wood species as wood floor in service was investigated. Bowdichia nitida Benth (Spr.), Dipteryx odorata (aubl.) Willd, Mimosa scabrella Benth and Tabebuia impetiginosa wood were investigated. Commercial wood floors were submitted to the following tests: falling of spherical steel ball, rolling load and static and dynamic friction. The indentation caused by loads applied in small areas were measured by an automated device coupled to a computer. Three classes of resistance were established according to the wood floors performance in the simulation tests: high for indentations lower than 0.005 mm from the tests of loads applied in small areas, intermediate for depressions ​​from 0,121 to 0,300 mm from the rolling load test and low, for depressions greater than 0,301 from the falling of steel ball test​​. These classes can be used as reference values ​​for predicting mechanical performance as wood floor of unknown species and for comparisons between wood floors.