Overview
ISO 4918:2016 - Resilient, textile and laminate floor coverings - Castor chair test specifies laboratory methods to evaluate how floor coverings withstand the movement of a castor chair. The standard defines test procedures, apparatus and assessment criteria to determine changes in appearance, stability and any damage such as detachment of layers, opening of joints or crazing under simulated castor traffic.
Keywords: ISO 4918:2016, castor chair test, floor coverings, resilient floor, textile floor, laminate floor.
Key topics and requirements
- Scope of testing: Procedures for textile, resilient and laminate floor coverings to assess appearance change and mechanical damage caused by castor movement.
- Test principle: A specimen is subjected to repeated cycles by three castors moving in epicyclical paths with direction changes, stops/starts and variable passage frequency.
- Defined cycles and assessments:
- Textile: appearance assessed at 5 000 and 25 000 cycles (Test A); colour change after 750 cycles (Test B); structural deterioration after 10 000 or 25 000 cycles (Test C).
- Resilient and laminate: assessment of detachment, opening of joints or crazing after prescribed cycles.
- Apparatus and parameters:
- Rotating test platform minimum 800 mm diameter.
- Castor assembly loaded to (90 ± 1) kg total mass.
- Platform and castor assembly speeds specified (e.g. platform ~19 ± 2 r/min).
- Castor specifications (single-wheel swivel): diameter 50 ± 2 mm, width 20 ± 2 mm; Type H polyamide and Type W polyurethane castors with defined hardness and replacement limits.
- Suction device, specimen support, vacuuming and controlled illumination for assessments.
- Specimen mounting, conditioning and assessment: Sampling, conditioning (per referenced standards), mounting, test execution, and visual/objective assessment methods (ISO 9405 referenced for appearance).
Applications and who uses it
- Flooring manufacturers: product development, quality control, and conformity testing for castor resistance.
- Test laboratories and certification bodies: standardized methods for repeatable, comparable results.
- Specifiers, architects and procurement teams: verify suitability of flooring for contract spaces with office chairs and wheeled traffic.
- Installers and warranty providers: evaluate installation types and joint integrity under use conditions.
Practical benefits include predicting wear under everyday chair traffic, supporting claims for durability, and informing material or construction choices for commercial and office interiors.
Related standards
- ISO 9405 - Assessment of changes in appearance (used for Test A)
- ISO 139 - Standard atmospheres for conditioning and testing
- ISO 1957 - Sampling of textile floor coverings
- ISO 2424 - Textile floor coverings vocabulary
- CEN/TS 16354 and EN 12466 - related laminate and resilient floor covering references
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