Hard Surface & Resilient Flooring Glossary
A reference guide to material types, product attributes, performance standards, and specification terminology for commercial interior applications.
Product Categories
Porcelain Tile: Dense, subtype of ceramic of finer clay mixture that is impervious with ≤0.5% water absorption, fired at higher temperatures of >2000°F. Suitable for high-traffic, exterior, and freeze/thaw environments.
Ceramic Tile: Softer, clay-based tile with higher water absorption than porcelain, fired at lower temperatures. Suitable for interior walls and light commercial floor applications, where applicable.
Glass Tile: Non-porous decorative tile used for walls, backsplashes, and feature areas. Known for color depth and light reflectivity.
Natural Stone: Quarried materials such as marble, limestone, travertine, slate, and granite. Each piece varies in color, veining, and performance.
Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT): Resilient flooring made from layered vinyl construction. Designed to replicate wood or stone visuals with enhanced durability and water resistance.
Rigid Core (SPC/WPC): Engineered LVT with a solid core for dimensional stability and impact resistance. SPC is denser; WPC offers more comfort underfoot.
Breeze Blocks (Architectural Screen Blocks): Decorative structural or non-structural blocks used to filter light, create partitioning, and add dimensional texture to walls and facades.
Ceramic • Porcelain • Glass Tile • Natural Stone • LVT collections • Breeze Blocks
Product Attributes & Features
Crackle Glaze: Decorative glaze with a fine network of visible surface cracking used for aesthetic effect. Requires sealing.
Glazed Porcelain: Porcelain tile finished with a surface glaze that provides color and pattern.
Glazed Color-Body Porcelain: Glazed porcelain with a body color that closely matches the surface, helping minimize the visibility of chips or wear.
Glazed Non Color-Body Porcelain: Glazed porcelain where the body color differs from the surface glaze, making chips more noticeable.
Unglazed Porcelain: Porcelain without a surface glaze. Color and pattern run through the entire body, offering enhanced durability for high-traffic environments.
Rectified Tile: Tile that is mechanically cut after firing to achieve precise sizing and clean edges, allowing for minimal grout joints. The eased chamfered edge is noticeable.
Non-Rectified Tile: Tile that is not mechanically finished after firing. Noticeably pillowed or softer edges. Slight size variation requires wider grout joints.
Gauged Porcelain Tile / Panels: Porcelain manufactured to a consistent, calibrated thickness of <6.5mm. Used for large-format wall and select floor applications.
Porcelain Pavers: Thick-format porcelain, typically 20 mm or greater, designed for exterior and heavy-load applications such as port cochere, patios, and walkways.
Large Format Tile: Tile with at least one side greater than 15 inches. Reduces grout lines and creates a more continuous surface appearance.
Shade Variation: Indicates the level of color and pattern variation within a tile collection:
- V1: Uniform appearance
- V2: Slight variation
- V3: Moderate variation
- V4: High variation
Technical Performance & Testing
DCOF (Dynamic Coefficient of Friction): Measures slip resistance. Defines performance thresholds for different environments, including dry, wet, oil/grease, and exterior conditions. A value of > 0.42 Dry is commonly required for interior commercial applications. ANSI A326.3-2021 Technical Bulletin
Water Absorption (ASTM C373 / ISO 10545-3): Determines how much moisture a tile absorbs. Lower absorption indicates higher density and durability.
Breaking Strength (ASTM C648 / ISO 10545-4): Measures the force required to break a tile under load. Ensures suitability for floor applications.
Abrasion Resistance (ASTM C1027 / ISO 10545-7): Evaluates how well a glazed tile surface resists wear from foot traffic and abrasion.
Deep Abrasion Resistance (ASTM C1243 / ISO 10545-6): Measures material loss in unglazed porcelain when subjected to mechanical wear. Lower values indicate higher durability.
PEI (Porcelain Enamel Institute Rating): Rates wear resistance of glazed tile surfaces:
- PEI 1: Wall only
- PEI 2: Residential
- PEI 3: Light commercial
- PEI 4: Moderate commercial
- PEI 5: Heavy commercial
Mohs Hardness Scale: Rates scratch resistance from 1 (soft) to 10 (diamond). Porcelain typically falls around 7.
Chemical Resistance (ASTM C650 / ISO 10545-13: Indicates how well a surface resists staining or degradation from cleaning agents and chemicals.
Frost Resistance (ASTM C1026 / ISO 10545-12): Ability of a material to withstand freeze/thaw cycles. Typically associated with low water absorption.
LVT Construction & Composition
Wear Layer: Top surface layer that protects against scratches, stains, and daily wear. Thickness impacts durability.
Printed Layer: Visual layer that replicates natural materials such as wood or stone.
Core Layer: Structural layer that provides stability, strength, and impact resistance.
Backing Layer: Bottom layer that supports the product and influences installation method and dimensional stability.
Water-Resistant vs. Waterproof: Water-resistant materials withstand moisture exposure, while waterproof products prevent water from penetrating the core under normal conditions.
LVT Performance Testing
Static Load Resistance (ASTM F970): Top surface layer that protects against scratches, stains, and daily wear. Thickness impacts durability.
Heat Resistance (ASTM F1514): Measures performance under elevated temperatures and thermal changes.
Light Resistance (ASTM F1515): Evaluates resistance to fading or discoloration from natural or artificial light.
Chemical Resistance (ASTM F925): Assesses how the material responds to exposure to cleaning agents and contaminants.
Smoke Density (ASTM E662): Measures smoke production in fire conditions for life safety compliance.
Flexibility (ASTM F137): Assesses the ability to bend without cracking, important for installation and long-term durability.
Dimensional Stability (ASTM F2199): Evaluates the ability of a product to maintain its shape under temperature and moisture changes.
Squareness (ASTM F540): Measures how accurately the corners of each tile or plank form a true 90° angle. Ensures consistent alignment, tight seams, and clean installation across large floor areas.
Residual Indentation (ASTM F1914): Determines how well flooring recovers after load is removed.
Flooring Radiant Panel (ASTM E648): Evaluates flame spread and fire performance in flooring systems.
Classification (ASTM F1700): Defines product construction and intended use based on performance characteristics.
- Class I: Solid (homogeneous) vinyl tile for heavy commercial applications
- Class II: Surface-decorated tile with a printed layer and protective wear layer
- Class III: Printed film tile with a transparent wear layer (typical LVT construction)
Also categorized by Type based on backing and structure:
- Type A: Smooth-backed, glue-down installation
- Type B: Textured or enhanced backing for improved adhesion
- Type C: Rigid or attached backing systems, including click and SPC constructions
Sustainability & Documentation
LEED: Green building certification system recognizing sustainable design and material selection.
EPD (Environmental Product Declaration): Third-party verified document outlining environmental impact across the lifecycle. This can be product-specific or industry-wide.
HPD (Health Product Declaration): Discloses product ingredients and associated health impacts.
Mindful Materials: Platform providing transparency into product sustainability and health attributes.
Declare Label – Red List Free: A transparency platform that identifies product ingredients.
- Red List Free indicates the product contains no chemicals of concern as defined by the Living Building Challenge.
- Declared products provide full ingredient disclosure.
GreenGuard Certification: Verifies that products meet strict chemical emissions limits for indoor air quality. Gold meets more stringent criteria for sensitive environments such as schools and healthcare facilities.
Green Squared Certification: Evaluates environmental and social impacts across the product lifecycle, including manufacturing, durability, and corporate responsibility.
Cradle to Cradle Certified®: Multi-attribute certification assessing products for material health, circularity, clean air and climate impact, water stewardship, and social fairness. Often used to support advanced sustainability goals.
Recycled Content:
- Pre-consumer: Manufacturing waste diverted and reused.
- Post-consumer: Materials recycled after end use. Example: TV screens
FloorScore®: Certification for indoor air quality, confirming low VOC emissions from flooring products.
Installation & Specification Terms
Thin-Set Installation: Method using cement-based mortar to adhere tile to a substrate.
Glue-Down Installation: Adhesive is applied to secure flooring directly to the subfloor.
Floating Floor: Installation method where flooring is not adhered to the substrate.
Loose Lay: Flooring installed without adhesive, relying on weight and friction.
Substrate / Subfloor: Surface beneath the finished flooring that must be properly prepared prior to installation.
Underlayment: Layer placed between the subfloor and finished flooring to provide support, moisture protection, or sound control.
Grout Joint: Space between tiles that accommodates movement and allows for installation tolerance.
Looks & Aesthetics
Subway: Classic rectangular tile, historically 3”x6”, but now expanded into multiple sizes.
Brick (Glazed / Unglazed): Thin, elongated tiles often with an artisanal glaze or subtle imperfections.
Artisanal / Handmade: Irregular edges, variable surfaces that can be handmade or machine-made to look handmade.
Zellige: Inspired by handmade Moroccan techniques, characterized by tonal variation, irregular edges, and pooled glaze effects.
Dimensional: Tile with sculptural or textured surfaces that add depth, shadow, and visual movement.
Beveled: Tile featuring an angled edge that creates a framed or dimensional look at each joint.
Kit Kat: Narrow, small-format tiles typically mounted on sheets, often used for vertical applications.
Stone Look: Replicates natural materials such as marble, limestone, or slate.
Wood Look: Mimics the appearance of natural wood in plank, square, or alternate rectilinear format.
Concrete & Resin Look: Inspired by industrial materials with subtle movement and tonal variation.
Terrazzo Look: Features aggregate visuals embedded within a matrix, inspired by traditional terrazzo.
Textile Look: Soft, woven-inspired visuals designed to add warmth and texture.
Metal Look: Replicates oxidized or polished metal surfaces for contemporary applications.
Chromatic Look: Emphasize color as the primary driver. Ranges from soft tonal palettes to bold, saturated hues used to define space, create identity, or introduce contrast.
Brick / Clay / Terracotta Look: Inspired by traditional kiln-fired materials, featuring warm, earthy tones, subtle irregularities, and artisanal character.
Patterned Look: Surfaces featuring geometric, floral, or graphic motifs.
Minimalist Look: Clean, restrained surfaces with subtle movement or near-solid color.
Natural Stone Types
Granite: Igneous stone formed from cooled magma; extremely hard and dense.
Limestone: Sedimentary stone composed mostly of calcite; soft, warm, and earthy.
Marble: Metamorphic stone formed from limestone; prized for its veining and elegant appearance.
Onyx: Translucent stone formed by calcium deposits.
Sandstone: Sedimentary stone composed of quartz sand grains; typically has a grainy texture.
Slate: Metamorphic stone formed from shale; has a naturally cleft surface.
Travertine: A type of limestone formed around mineral springs; it has natural holes and troughs.
Quartzite: Metamorphic stone formed from quartz sandstone; very hard and durable.