How to specify vinyl flooring
What a vinyl tile or LVT clause has to say, the decisions behind it, the standards to cite, and how to write it in CAWS and in Uniclass.
Photo: U.S. Army USAGW by Emily Jennings, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
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How do you specify vinyl floor tiles?
To specify vinyl flooring, name the product type (heterogeneous or homogeneous PVC, tile or plank) and its product standard, then state the BS EN ISO 10874 use class, wear layer thickness, slip resistance as a wet PTV and reaction to fire class. Include the subfloor moisture limit, adhesive and joint treatment in the same clause, and leave room-by-room locations to the finishes schedule.
A vinyl clause usually starts life as a range name and a colourway copied from a sample board. That is enough to order the right look, and nowhere near enough to stop a thinner, domestic-grade plank being swapped in on a busy corridor, or a decorative LVT ending up in a kitchen where it is slippery once wet. The use class, the wear layer and the wet slip value are what a substitution has to be checked against, and they are the parts most often missing.
This guide covers Uniclass Pr_35_57_71_68 Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tiles, the code for luxury vinyl tiles and planks. Safety flooring with slip-resistant particles has its own code, Pr_35_57_71_62 Particle-based enhanced slip-resistant polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tiles, and wet areas usually belong under that one rather than as an exception to the LVT clause.
What does a vinyl floor tile clause need to cover?
Some properties are specific to vinyl floor tiles. Others belong in every product clause. A clause that leaves either out gives the contractor room to substitute.
Properties of vinyl floor tiles
- Product typeHeterogeneous or homogeneous; tile, plank or sheet.
- Nominal sizeTile or plank format sets the layout and wastage.
- ThicknessOverall thickness, matched to adjoining finishes and thresholds.
- Wear layer thicknessClear wear layer, not overall thickness, sets service life.
- Mass per unit areaChecks the submitted product matches the one specified.
- FinishDesign, colour, emboss and factory surface treatment.
- Use classBS EN ISO 10874 class matched to the traffic.
- Wear resistanceAbrasion group or wear layer, per product standard.
- Slip resistanceNever guessWet PTV by pendulum; safety flooring where wet.
- Reaction to fire classificationFloor Euroclass to BS EN 13501-1, e.g. Bfl-s1.
- Residual indentationResistance to dents from furniture and equipment.
- Dimensional stabilityLimits shrinkage and gapping at tile joints.
- Castor chair suitabilityNeeded where office chairs or trolleys are used.
- Chemical resistanceResistance to cleaning agents, disinfectants and staining.
- LightfastnessPrevents fading next to glazing.
- Electrostatic behaviourAntistatic or dissipative near sensitive equipment.
- Infection controlHealthcare and hygiene areas: cleanable, sealed joints.
- EmissionsLow VOC, certified to a recognised indoor air scheme.
- Acoustic performanceImpact sound reduction where the floor build-up relies on it.
- Thermal performanceThermal resistance and suitability over underfloor heating.
- Recycled contentFor sustainability targets and reporting.
- Moisture content before coveringSubfloor relative humidity tested by hygrometer to BS 8203.
- AdhesiveSuited to product, substrate, heating and solar gain.
- Joint treatmentButt jointed for tiles; welded where sheet is used.
- Laying patternStraight, staggered, herringbone or quarter-turned.
- AccessoriesSkirtings, cove formers, edge trims and transitions.
- Sample approvalAgree colour and batch before ordering.
What every product clause needs
- Manufacturer and product referenceNamed range and colourway, or a performance description.
- Product standardBS EN ISO 10582 or 10581, with a BS EN 14041 DoP.
- Installation methodBS 8203 and the manufacturer's instructions.
- Technical submittalsData sheet, DoP, slip and fire test evidence.
- Operation and maintenance informationInitial clean, maintenance regime and approved cleaning products.
- MaterialPVC, with any rigid or composite core stated.
- SubstrateScreed or panel, smoothed and level before laying.
Uniclass Pr_35_57_71_68 Vinyl flooring. Not every property applies to every project; where one does not, say so rather than leaving it blank.
Fields marked Never guess (slip resistance) depend on the project and should never be filled from a default or a previous job. If the information is not available yet, the clause should say so with a TBC and a reason.
Which decisions does the clause depend on?
Most properties follow from the product you choose. These depend on the project, so they need a decision from the designer before the clause is written.
- 01
Slip resistance in wet areas
Never guessPrinted LVT is designed for appearance, and many ranges give a respectable dry pendulum figure and a poor wet one. The value to specify is the wet pendulum test value (PTV) measured by the pendulum method in BS EN 16165 Annex C, because that is how the floor behaves when someone walks in with a wet umbrella or a tray is spilt. UK Slip Resistance Group guidance treats a wet PTV of 36 or more as low slip potential. If the range cannot reach that on its standard emboss, the area needs safety flooring to BS EN 13845, written as a separate type.
How to decide
- List the rooms that will be wet in use: entrances, kitchens, tea points, WCs, shower areas and anything next to an external door.
- For shod areas ask for the wet PTV using slider 96; for barefoot areas such as changing rooms, slider 57.
- Where the plank cannot show a wet PTV of 36 or more, switch that area to safety flooring to BS EN 13845 rather than accepting a lower figure.
- Ask for the test report for the exact emboss and finish being supplied, not the range brochure.
Write it asSlip resistance: Wet PTV not less than 36, tested to BS EN 16165 Annex C using slider 96. Submit test report for the finish supplied. - 02
Use class for the traffic
TrafficBS EN ISO 10874 sorts resilient floorings into domestic classes 21 to 23, commercial classes 31 to 34 and light industrial classes 41 to 43. The class is the quickest check on whether a proposed substitute is built for the space. Write the class the area needs, not the one printed on the product you happen to like. A single class for a whole building is rarely right: a cellular office, a school corridor and a shop floor wear at very different rates, and the schedule can carry the variation by type mark.
How to decide
- Bedrooms and private living areas: class 23 is usually enough.
- Offices, hotel rooms and general circulation: class 32 or 33.
- Heavy commercial traffic such as retail, schools and main entrances: class 34, and check the light industrial class if trolleys are part of the use.
- Where one product covers several classes, state the highest class it has to meet.
Write it asUse class: 33 to BS EN ISO 10874, declared on the declaration of performance. - 03
Wear layer, not overall thickness
DurabilityIn heterogeneous vinyl the clear wear layer over the printed film is the part that wears away. Two planks can both be 2.5 mm thick overall while one has a wear layer twice the depth of the other. Overall thickness matters for thresholds and floor build-up; the wear layer is what sets service life. BS EN ISO 10582 groups wear layers by thickness and sets minimums for each use class, so a stated wear layer and a stated class together close off most poor substitutions.
How to decide
- State both figures: overall thickness for detailing and wear layer for durability.
- Check the wear layer against the use class you have set; a thin wear layer with a high class claim needs the declaration of performance behind it.
- For homogeneous vinyl, which has no separate wear layer, specify the abrasion group to BS EN ISO 10581 instead.
Write it asThickness: 2.5 mm overall. Wear layer: not less than 0.55 mm, to BS EN ISO 10582. - 04
Subfloor moisture and preparation
SubfloorMost adhered vinyl failures start in the screed. Moisture rising through the base breaks down the adhesive, tiles lift at the edges and joints open. BS 8203 asks for a hygrometer test showing 75% relative humidity or less before laying, and the screed must also be smoothed so that ridges and trowel marks do not read through a thin plank. A clause that just says "screed to be dry" gives nobody anything to measure.
How to decide
- Allow drying time in the programme for the screed type and thickness, then require the hygrometer test before laying.
- Where the programme will not allow the screed to dry, specify a surface damp-proof membrane compatible with the smoothing compound and adhesive.
- Specify a smoothing underlayment over the screed so the flatness suits the covering, not just the screed tolerance.
Write it asMoisture before covering: Not more than 75% RH, tested by hygrometer to BS 8203 Annex A. Readings to be submitted before laying. - 05
Adhesive near heat and glazing
FixingPVC expands with temperature. Over underfloor heating, and in strips of floor next to full-height glazing that take direct sun, a standard acrylic adhesive can allow planks to move, peak or gap. The installer will usually price the cheapest adhesive that the manufacturer lists, so the clause has to say which zones need the high-temperature or two-part product. Loose-lay and click LVT are a different case again and need the manufacturer's limits on room size and perimeter fixing.
How to decide
- Mark heated zones and areas within a few metres of large south or west facing glazing on the finishes drawings.
- Name the flooring manufacturer's adhesive for each condition, or require written confirmation of which adhesive applies to which zone.
- If the plank is loose-lay or click, check the manufacturer's maximum unbroken area and where perimeter fixing is required.
Write it asAdhesive: Flooring manufacturer's recommended adhesive. In zones exposed to direct sun and over underfloor heating, manufacturer's high-temperature adhesive.
The values under "Write it as" are examples. The right value depends on the location, the use and the fire strategy.
Which standards should the clause cite?
Cite the product standard the declaration of performance refers to, the code of practice for installation, and the test method behind each value you set. A value without its test method cannot be checked against a submittal.
- BS EN ISO 10582
- Resilient floor coverings. Heterogeneous poly(vinyl chloride) floor coverings. Specification
The product standard for LVT and other heterogeneous vinyl. It classifies wear layer thickness and sets requirements by use class.
In the clause Cite it as the product standard: "Product standard: BS EN ISO 10582, wear layer not less than 0.55 mm".
- BS EN ISO 10581
- Resilient floor coverings. Homogeneous poly(vinyl chloride) floor covering. Specification
The product standard for homogeneous vinyl, where the composition is the same through the thickness and durability is given as an abrasion group.
In the clause Use it instead of 10582 for homogeneous tiles: "Product standard: BS EN ISO 10581, abrasion group T".
- BS EN 14041
- Resilient, textile, laminate and modular multilayer floor coverings. Essential characteristics
The harmonised standard behind the declaration of performance, including reaction to fire, slip resistance and electrical behaviour.
In the clause Ask for evidence against it: "Submit declaration of performance to BS EN 14041".
- BS EN ISO 10874
- Resilient, textile and laminate floor coverings. Classification
The use classes 21 to 23, 31 to 34 and 41 to 43 that match a floor covering to its traffic.
In the clause "Use class: 33 to BS EN ISO 10874."
- BS 8203
- Code of practice for installation of resilient floor coverings
UK code of practice for base preparation, moisture testing by hygrometer, adhesives, laying and protection.
In the clause Use it for workmanship and the moisture test: "Moisture before covering: not more than 75% RH, tested to BS 8203 Annex A".
- BS EN 16165
- Determination of slip resistance of pedestrian surfaces. Methods of evaluation
Annex C is the pendulum test, including slider choice: slider 96 for shod use and slider 57 for barefoot use. BSI withdrew BS 7976-2 in 2022, so older test reports may still quote it.
In the clause Name the annex and the slider: "Wet PTV not less than 36, tested to BS EN 16165 Annex C using slider 96".
- BS EN 13845
- Resilient floor coverings. Polyvinyl chloride floor coverings with particle based enhanced slip resistance. Specification
The product standard for PVC safety flooring, with slip resistance that is designed to last through the life of the floor.
In the clause For wet-area types only: "Product standard: BS EN 13845".
- BS EN 13501-1
- Fire classification of construction products and building elements. Classification using data from reaction to fire tests
The Euroclass system; floorings carry the fl suffix, for example Bfl-s1.
In the clause "Reaction to fire: Class Bfl-s1 to BS EN 13501-1."
Confirm the current edition of each standard at every issue. Avoice's State of UK Specifications 2026 found a withdrawn standard cited in 40% of specifications at contract issue.
For the regulations behind these choices, see Approved Document M explained, Approved Document B explained, or search the Avoice Regulations library.
How do you write it in CAWS?
In CAWS, vinyl tiles and LVT are written in M50, the section that also holds rubber, cork, linoleum and carpet. Each floor finish on the project gets its own type clause in the 100s, for example "150 Plastics flooring", and that clause describes one complete covering: the product, the base it goes on, the preparation, the adhesive and any welding, skirtings or trims.
The type clause stays short because most of the workmanship sits further down the section and is written once for every covering. Base suitability, the moisture test, smoothing compound, conditioning, adhesive fixing, colour batches and protection all live in the 200 to 800 clauses. The type clause points to them by number, and the contractor reads the two together. A safety floor for the kitchens and an LVT for the offices are two type clauses sharing the same general clauses.
- Base
- Sand and cement screed, as clause 410
- Preparation
- Smoothing underlayment compound, as clause 460
- Flooring
- Heterogeneous PVC planks to BS EN ISO 10582
- Manufacturer
- Submit proposals
- Product reference
- Submit proposals
- Classification
- Use class 33 to BS EN ISO 10874
- Size
- 1219 x 184 mm
- Thickness
- 2.5 mm overall, wear layer not less than 0.55 mm
- Colour and design
- TBC Client finishes selection outstanding. Resolve before ordering.
- Slip resistance
- Wet PTV not less than 36 to BS EN 16165 Annex C, slider 96
- Reaction to fire
- Class Bfl-s1 to BS EN 13501-1
- Adhesive
- Manufacturer's recommended, high-temperature grade in sunlit zones, as clause 640
- Laying pattern
- Staggered, end joints offset to manufacturer's minimum
- Accessories
- Edge trims and cover strips at changes of finish, as clause 740
- Skirting
- Sit-on coved PVC skirting to match
Illustrative, not from a real project. One property is left as a TBC with a reason so it can be tracked and closed before issue.
Clauses the type clause relies on
- M50/410
- Suitability of new bases and conditions Starting work is taken as acceptance that the base and site conditions are suitable.
- M50/430
- Dampness Hygrometer readings to BS 8203 at 75% RH or less before any covering is laid.
- M50/460
- Smoothing underlayment compound Product and minimum thickness of the smoothing layer over the screed.
- M50/620
- Colour consistency One production batch per room or area so shade differences do not show.
- M50/640
- Adhesive fixing generally Adhesive spread, rolling, and removing surplus adhesive as work proceeds.
- M50/870
- Protection Covering the finished floor with non-staining material until handover.
Clause numbers vary between NBS versions and practice masters. These follow the M50 layout used in published NBS manufacturer clauses; check that every clause your type clause refers to actually exists in your M50.
Photo: Filarek02, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
For more on clause structure and checks, see NBS clause writing: common mistakes.
How do you write it in Uniclass?
Uniclass 2015 separates the floor into a system and its products. The system clause, here Ss_30_42_72_75 Resilient tile floor covering systems, says what the finished floor is made of, what it is laid on and how it has to perform once installed. The plank itself is a product clause with its own Pr code, and the system clause calls it up by that code and type mark.
For vinyl this split is useful because the same plank often appears in several systems: adhered on screed in one area, over a plywood overlay on a timber floor in another. Both systems point to one Pr_35_57_71_68 clause, so a change of colour or wear layer is made once. Base preparation, moisture testing and laying sit in the system section, not in the product clause.
- Description
- LVT planks adhered to smoothed sand and cement screed
- Base
- Sand and cement screed, as the screed system clause
- Preparation
- Smoothing underlayment, flatness to suit the covering
- Moisture before covering
- Not more than 75% RH by hygrometer to BS 8203
- Covering
- Pr_35_57_71_68 Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tiles (F01)
- Adhesive
- Covering manufacturer's recommended, high-temperature grade in sunlit zones
- Accessories
- Matching sit-on coved skirting, edge trims at changes of finish
- Slip resistance of finished floor
- Wet PTV not less than 36 to BS EN 16165 Annex C, slider 96
- Manufacturer
- Submit proposals
- Product reference
- Submit proposals
- Standard
- BS EN ISO 10582, declaration of performance to BS EN 14041
- Nominal size
- 1219 x 184 mm
- Thickness
- 2.5 mm overall, wear layer not less than 0.55 mm
- Use class
- 33 to BS EN ISO 10874
- Colour and design
- TBC Client finishes selection outstanding. Resolve before ordering.
- Reaction to fire
- Class Bfl-s1 to BS EN 13501-1
- Castor chair suitability
- Suitable for continuous use, tested to BS EN ISO 4918
- Recycled content
- Submit manufacturer's declared value
Illustrative. Performance of the finished system sits in the system clause; properties of the product sit in the product clause.
In NBS Chorus the product clause also carries an NBS reference (for PVC tiles, 45-20-70/430); use whichever your masters use, but keep CAWS and Uniclass references out of the same specification.
What goes in the spec, and what goes in the schedule?
The specification defines each type once. The schedule and drawings say where each type goes.
In the specification
What the product is and how it performs and is installed. Written once per type.
In the schedule or drawings
Where each type goes and how much of it. Changes with every plan revision.
Write each flooring type once with a type mark (for example F01) and let the finishes schedule and drawings say where it goes. Wet areas that need safety flooring should be a separate type, not a note against the LVT clause.
What are the common mistakes?
Most problems are a missing property, a property filled with the wrong kind of value, or a decision left silently open.
- Overall thickness instead of wear layer. Two planks of the same thickness can have very different wear layers. Specify the wear layer and the use class, which is what decides how long the floor lasts.
- Decorative LVT in wet areas. A plank that suits a living room can be slippery in a kitchen or entrance once wet. Make wet areas a separate safety flooring type with its own wet PTV.
- No moisture test. "Screed to be dry" cannot be checked. Require a hygrometer reading to BS 8203 before laying, or specify a surface DPM.
- One adhesive everywhere. Floors over underfloor heating or in full sun move more. Say which adhesive goes where, or the installer will use the cheapest one throughout.
- Room names in the clause. "LVT to bedrooms 2 and 3" goes out of date at the next plan revision. Use a type mark and the finishes schedule.
- A silent default on colour. If the client has not chosen, say so with a TBC and a reason, so it is resolved before ordering rather than discovered on site.
How Avoice helps
Avoice's spec writer drafts vinyl clauses from the finishes information already on the project and marks clearly what it could not settle.
- Drafts from your drawings and schedules
It picks up the flooring types (F01 LVT, F02 safety flooring) from the finishes schedule and plans, chooses the M50 type clause or the Uniclass system and product headings, and fills in the properties your information supports.
- Leaves a TBC with a reason
If the client has not picked a colourway, or nobody has decided whether the tea points need safety flooring, the line says TBC and why. Every TBC goes into one project register so it can be closed before tender.
- Works from your own masters
Choose CAWS or Uniclass. Avoice adapts your practice's existing M50 clauses and wording instead of replacing them with generic text.
- Checks the spec against the drawings
QA/QC flags an F03 on the finishes schedule with no clause behind it, a wet room scheduled as decorative LVT, a reference to clause 460 that does not exist in your M50, or a withdrawn standard.
- Links product data to the clause
Data sheets, slip test reports and declarations of performance sit in the Product Room against the clause. Edit a linked product once and every clause that uses it updates. Approved Document M guidance is to hand in the Avoice Regulations library.
Related guides: How to specify rubber flooring, How to specify carpet tiles, How to specify screeds.
Software can draft and check. The designer still chooses the product and is responsible for the specification.
For more on the evidence behind product choices, see the role of manufacturer product data in specification writing.
Draft your vinyl floor tile clause in Avoice
Upload your drawings and schedules. Avoice drafts the clause in CAWS or Uniclass, cites the standards and flags anything your information does not settle.
This guide is for general education and is not professional advice. Check current editions of standards and Approved Documents, the manufacturer's data, and the requirements of your project before relying on any clause.