CHARACTERISTICS OF LAMINATED FLOORING MATERIALS

Wong Lip Gen

Bachelor of Engineering with Honours (Mechanical Engineering and Manufacturing Systems) 2009

UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARAWAK

R13a

BORANG PENYERAHAN TESIS Judul:

Characteristics of laminated flooring materials SESI PENGAJIAN

: 2008/2009

Saya WONG LIP GEN mengaku membenarkan tesis * ini disimpan di Pusat Khidmat Maklumat Akademik, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak dengan syarat-syarat kegunaan seperti berikut: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Tesis adalah hakmilik Universiti Malaysia Sarawak. Pusat Khidmat Maklumat Akademik, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak dibenarkan membuat salinan untuk tujuan pengajian sahaja. Membuat pendigitan untuk membangunkan Pangkalan Data Kandungan Tempatan. Pusat Khidmat Maklumat Akademik, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak dibenarkan membuat salinan tesis ini sebagai bahan pertukaran antara institusi pengajian tinggi. ** Sila tandakan (√) di mana kotak yang berkenaan

√

SULIT

(Mengandungi maklumat yang berdarjah keselamatan atau kepentingan Malaysia seperti yang termaktub di dalam AKTA RAHSIA RASMI 1972).

TERHAD

(Mengandungi maklumat TERHAD yang telah ditentukan oleh organisasi/badan di mana penyelidikan dijalankan).

TIDAK TERHAD Disahkan oleh

_________________________ (TANDATANGAN PENULIS) Alamat tetap:

No 191, Tmn Sejahtera, Bakar Arang, 08000 Sungai Petani, Kedah.

Tarikh: __________ Catatan

___________________________ (TANDATANGAN PENYELIA) Pn. Marini binti Sawawi

Tarikh: __________

*

Tesis ini dimaksudkan sebagai tesis bagi Ijazah Doktor Falsafah, Sarjana, dan Sarjana Muda.

**

Jika tesis ini SULIT atau TERHAD, sila lampirkan surat daripada pihak berkuasa/organisasi berkenaan dengan menyertakan sekali sebab dan tempoh tesis ini perlu dikelaskan sebagai SULIT atau TERHAD.

APPROVAL SHEET

This Final Year Project report entitled “CHARACTERISTICS OF LAMINATED FLOORING MATERIALS” was prepared by WONG LIP GEN as a partial fulfillment of the requirement for the Bachelor of Engineering (Hons.) Mechanical Engineering and Manufacturing System is here by read and approved by:

Madam Marini Sawawi Project Supervisor Faculty of Engineering University Malaysia Sarawak

Date

CHARACTERISTICS OF LAMINATED FLOORING MATERIALS

WONG LIP GEN

This project is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Engineering with Honours (Mechanical Engineering and Manufacturing Systems)

Faculty of Engineering UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARAWAK 2009

Dedicated to my beloved family and friends

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to address my appreciation to University Malaysia Sarawak for providing the university facilities to conduct the research. I also would like to express my gratitude towards the substantial assistance and guidance offered by my supervisor, Mdm. Marini in accomplishing this final year project. Again, I wish to dedicate my appreciation towards Mdm. Marini effort contributed to the writing of the report by commenting on an earlier draft of each chapter. Nevertheless, I would like to take this opportunity to thanks Mdm. Mahsuri who had inspired and corrected my point of views. Other than that, I want to emphasis my deepest thank to the various people who have provided technical support in order for me to proceed with the experiments. In alphabetical order they are: Mdm. Hasmiza Kontet, Mr. Masri Zaini and Mr. Sabariman Bakar.

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ABSTRACT

In this study, the surface and moisture characteristics of commercially manufactured laminated floorings and engineered hardwood floorings were evaluated. The influences of outdoor exposure on surface quality of the samples ranging from 1 week to 3 weeks were determined using Stylus technique. In additional, the influences of the indoor moisture conditions on the surface roughness, absorption rate and swelling thickness of the samples soaked from 2 hours to 15 days were investigated. Two roughness parameters, average roughness Ra and maximum roughness Rmax, calculated from the surface profiles of the samples employing a profilometer were used for the analyses. The samples have higher Ra and Rmax values when the Stylus tip traversed across the grain compared to along the grain. Statistically, a significant difference existed between laminated and engineered hardwood floorings. As a result, the engineered hardwood showed higher values for the outdoor and indoor tests compared to laminated flooring in terms of Ra, Rmax, moisture absorption rate and swelling thickness. The experimental result also proven the influence of moisture have higher tendency

iii

damaging the flooring samples compared to the influence of environment. Throughout the experiment, engineered hardwood samples degraded the most. This is because they are prone to moisture and weathering damages. The experimental results also showed laminated flooring samples have better surface quality, higher moisture resistance and are more durable.

It was concluded that the laminated and engineered hardwood floorings is only limited for interior installation except for bathrooms. Laminated flooring is suitable to be used for the damp places such as kitchen, dining rooms and vicinity nearby the bathrooms which have higher tendencies exposed to the moisture. For engineered hardwood, the applications only limited to interior parts with the lowest moisture exposure such as living room, bedrooms, and staircase.

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ABSTRAK

Dalam kajian ini, sifat kekasaran dan kelembapan lantai berlaminar dan lantai kayu keras kejuruteraan telah disiasat. Faktor yang mempengaruhi kualiti permukaan sampel semasa pendedahannya terhadap persekitaran selama satu sehingga tiga minggu telah dikenal pasti dengan menggunakan teknik Stylus. Selain itu, pengaruh daripada kelembapan keadaan dalaman keatas sifat kekasaran permukaan, kadar penyerapan, dan penebalan setelah direndam dalam air selama 2 jam hingga 15 hari telah dikajikan. Keduaan parameter iaitu purata kekasaran Ra dan kekasaran maximum Rmax, telah dikirakan dari permukaan profil sampel dengan menggunakan profilometer bagi tujuan menganalisis. Kesemua sampel telah mempamerkan nilai Ra dan Rmax yang lebih tinggi sekiranya penghujung Stylus merentasi ira dengan melawan orientasinya dibangdingkan mengikuti orientasi ira. Perbezaan statistik yang nyata wujud diantara lantai berlaminar dengan kayu keras kejuruteraan. Sebagai akibatnya, sampel kayu keras kejuruteraan mempamerkan nilai keseluruhan yang lebih tinggi yang merangkumi aspek Ra , Rmax, kadar penyerapan mahupun dari segi penebalan saiz. Sepanjang tempoh eksperiment

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dijalankan, kualiti kayu keras kejuruteraan merosot dengan ketara. Penyerosotan kualiti sampel tersebut berpunca daripada sifat semula jadinya yang lebih cenderung terhadap kerosakkan yang diakibatkan oleh kelembapan dan penukaran cuaca yang tidak menentu. Keputusan eksperimen juga menunjukkan bahawa lantai berlaminar mempunyai kualiti permukaan yang lebih baik, sifat pertahanan kelembapan yang tinggi dan lebih tahan lama.

Sebagai kesimpulan, lantai berlaminar dan lantai kayu keras kejuruteraan hanya dihadkan untuk kegunaan dalaman sahaja kecuali bilik mandi. Lantai berlaminar sesuai untuk kawasan yang berkecenderungan tinggi terdedah kepada kelembapan seperti dapur, bilik makan, dan perkeliling bilik mandi. Lantai kayu keras kejuruteraan applikasinya hanya terhad kepada kawasan yang kering sahaja seperti ruang tamu, bilik tidur dan tangga.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE Thesis Title Dedication Acknowledgements

ii

Abstract

iii

Abstrak

v

Table of Contents

vii

List of Tables

ix

List of Figures

x

Nomenclature

xiv

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

INTRODUCTION 1.1

Background Study

1

1.2

Objectives

6

1.3

Problem Statement

7

LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1

Introduction to Flooring Options

8

2.2

The Structure of the Laminated and Engineered

12

Hardwood Flooring

2.3

2.2.1 Layout of Laminated Flooring

12

2.2.2 Layout of Engineered Hardwood Flooring

14

Surface Texture Definitions

16

2.3.1

Surface Texture Parameters

17

2.3.2

Surface Roughness Measurement Test

17

vii

2.3.2.1 High Density Fiberboard (HDF)

19

2.3.2.2 Medium Density Fiberboard

23

(MDF) 2.3.2.3 Hardwood 2.4

Moisture Absorption

39

2.4.1

40

Sorption Behaviour

2.4.2 Effect of Moisture Absorption

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

47

2.4.2.1 Tensile Properties

50

2.4.2.2 Flexural Properties

51

2.4.2.3 Modulus Properties

52

METHODOLOGY 3.1

Introduction to Stylus Technique

53

3.2

Apparatus

54

3.3

Process and Procedure

58

3.4

Expected Problems

63

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 4.1

Introduction

64

4.2

Surface Roughness Test

65

4.2.1 Environmental Exposure Test

65

4.2.2

74

4.3

Chapter 5

34

Moisture test

Moisture Absorption Rate

85

4.3.1 Swelling Thickness

87

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 5.1

Conclusions

90

5.2

Recommendations

92

REFERENCES

99

APPENDIX A

112

APPENDIX B

126 viii

LIST OF TABLES

TABLE

2.1

PAGE

Comparison between the commercially available

9

hard flooring materials 2.2

Comparison between the commercially available

10

resilience flooring materials 2.3

Janka hardness values of wood

15

2.4

Comparison of MDF and HDF physical properties

25

2.5

Property data for eight commercial MDF

25

2.6

Experimental design and properties of the samples

30

2.7

Characteristics of samples and experimental

32

schedule 2.8

Chemical constituents of the lignocellulosic fillers

45

(rice-husk flour, wood flour and rice-husk powder) 3.1

Table of cut-off values (recommended cut-off by

54

ISO 4288 – 1996) 4.1

The average of the roughness parameters based on

66

exposure duration to the environment 4.2

Average roughness parameters of the flooring

74

panels 4.3

Average density of the samples

85

4.4

Average moisture absorption rate based on the

85

soaking duration 4.5

Average swelling thickness for the flooring panels ix

88

LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE

PAGE

1.1

The lock and fold mechanism of the floating floors

3

1.2

Boards are placed on a cushioned underlayment and

4

ensure the boards were orientated in the right position. After that lock and fold it 1.3

The floating floors were joined together without

4

glue or tapping 2.1

The structure of laminated flooring

12

2.2

The structure of engineered hardwood flooring

14

2.3

Surface roughness of the samples at: (A) dry

21

condition, (B) 2-h soaked, and (c) 24-h soaked 2.4

Average Ra values of the samples

22

2.5

Average R z values of the samples

22

2.6

Average R max values of the samples

23

2.7

Average roughness value of parameters of samples

27

treated with 3% concentration of ZnB 2.8

Average roughness value of parameters of samples

27

treated with 5% concentration of ZnB 2.9

Surface roughness of Thai particleboard and MDF

29

2.10

Comparison between the MDF panels

31

2.11

Average roughness, Ra values for all samples

33

2.12

Average values of Ra, R z and R max of keruing

35

samples x

2.13

Average values of Ra, R z and R max of merbau

36

samples 2.14

Average values of Ra, R z and R max of keranji

36

samples 2.15

Average values of Ra, R z and R max of balau samples

37

2.16

Average values of Ra, R z and R max of dark red

37

meranti samples 2.17

Water absorption curves at (a) room temperature

44

(23˚C) and (b) boiling temperature (100˚C) for different specimens 2.18

Thickness swelling and moisture absorption of the

46

PP-RHF bio-composites and control panels 2.19

SEM micrograph failure showing (a) matrix

48

cracking, (b) fracture running along the interface and (c) fiber–matrix debonding due to attack by water molecules 2.20

SEM micrograph showing degradation of

48

composite (a) crack development (b) lost of resin particles due to high accelerated ageing at 100 ˚C 2.21

SEM micrograph of composite fiber (a) showing

49

kinks or nodes (b) showing fiber misalignment and entanglement 2.22

SEM micrograph of water immersed composite

50

showing effects of voids (a) voids, (b) voids acting as reservoirs and (c) matrix cracking and delamination after 37 days of immersion 2.23

Three-point bending test

51

3.1

The main measuring unit of Taylor Hobson

55

Surtronic 25

xi

3.2

Right Angle Pick-up, 5 µm (200 µin) Stylus tip

55

radius (code: 112/1505) 3.3

The Sketch depicting how a probe stylus travels

56

over a surface 3.4

Flow chart for surface roughness and moisture

58

absorption tests 3.5

The Stylus profilometer is set at dump mode by

60

connecting to a PC 3.6

The direction of traverse of the stylus tip is from

61

left to the right 4.1

Graph (a) and (b), the average roughness versus

67

exposure duration 4.2

Graph (a) and (b), the maximum roughness versus

71

exposure duration 4.3

Graph (a) and (b), the average roughness versus

75

soaking duration 4.4

(a) Water stains were spotted along the edges of LF

78

II panel (top) after oven for 8 hours and the LF II panel (bottom) was fully dried after 24 hours. (b) White ash panel after oven for 8 hours without water stain along the edges. 4.5

Graph (a) and (b), the maximum roughness versus

80

soaking duration 4.6

Cupping and crowning observed on the flooring

84

materials 4.7

The graph of the moisture absorption rate versus

86

soaking 4.8

Graph of swelling thickness versus soaking

88

5.1

The backing layer and surface failure on the walnut

95

panel after soaked for 15 days xii

5.2

Surfaces of the laminated flooring panels, (a) and

96

backing layers, (b) after soaked for 15 days 5.3

The pick-up mounting

97

xiii

NOMENCLATURE

HDF

-

High Density Fiberboard

MDF

-

Medium Density Fiberboard

PVC

-

Polyvinyl Chloride

VOCs

-

Volatile Organic Compounds

Al2O3

-

Aluminum Oxide

UV

-

Ultra-violet

Hj

-

Janka hardness (Pa)

S

-

Surface area of the ball (mm2 )

F

-

Force (N)

R

-

Radius of the ball (mm)

h

-

Depth of impression (mm) or thickness of the specimens (mm)

Ra

-

Arithmetic mean of the absolute departures of the roughness profile from the mean line (µm)

Rmax/Rt

-

Maximum roughness aka. maximum peak to valley profile height (µm)

CoF

-

Coefficient of friction

TP

-

Test Person

ANOVA

-

Analysis of variance

ZnB

-

Zinc Borates

PB

-

Particleboard

UF

-

Urea-formaldehyde

PF

-

Phenol-formaldehyde

SEM

-

Scanning Electron Microscope

ΔM (t)

-

Moisture uptakes (%) xiv

mo

-

Mass of the specimen before aging (kg)

mt

-

Mass of the specimen during aging (kg)

Wa

-

Air-dried weight of the material (N)

Wo

-

Oven-dried weight of the material (N)

mi

-

Initial weight of the moisture in the material (kg)

ms

-

Weight moisture in the materials when the material is fully saturated

D

-

Mass diffusivity in the composite

t

-

Time (s)

j

-

Summation index

Mm

-

Maximum weight gain

d

-

Sample thickness in (mm)

t70

-

Time taken to reach 70% saturation (s)

k

-

Initial slope of a plot of M (t) versus √ t

HFRUPE

-

Hemp fiber reinforced unsaturated polyester

DI

-

De-ionized

UPE

-

Unsaturated polyester

CSM

-

Chopped Strand Mat

ASTM

-

American Society of Testing and Materials

RHF

-

Rice-husk flour

WF

-

Wood flour

RHP

-

Rice-husk powder

MAPP

-

Maleated polypropylene

PP

-

Polypropylene

ρ

-

Density (kg/m3)

LF I

-

Laminated flooring panel with the thickness of 0.8 cm

LF II

-

Laminated flooring panel with the thickness of 1.2 cm

WAL

-

Walnut panel

ASH

-

White Ash

xv

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

This chapter will briefly discuss the flooring options available in the market. Among all the flooring options available, the main focus will be the laminated flooring materials. Other than that, the engineered flooring materials will be used as comparison. After that, the objectives and problem statement of this study were drawn out.

1.1

Background Study Before our early ancestors built shelters, they very likely softened their

primitive caves with sweet grasses, warm animal’s skins, and clean sand. All those materials provided practical aids to comfort and cleanliness, as well as aesthetic and tactile pleasure. Our ancestor wisdom has been evolving into today sophisticated modern flooring technology. The flooring materials are categories into two types “hard” and “soft”. The hard flooring materials include tile, stone, hardwood, and laminated flooring. Meanwhile the soft flooring materials are such as cork, linoleum, vinyl, carpet, and rubber. Normally hard flooring materials reflect more sound than soft materials since the hard surface is an ideal sound reflector [1].

1

Laminated flooring has been widely used in Europe for over 20 years and recently it is getting popular in North America [2]. In Malaysia, laminated flooring is considering as a relatively new flooring option but it has gained a tremendous response among Malaysian. The term “laminate” is defines as overlay (a flat surface) with a layer of protective material or manufacture by placing layer on layer [3]. Generally the layout of the laminated flooring made up of four layers. The layers are such as overlay, decorative paper, high density fiberboard (HDF), and backing [4, 5, 6, 7]. The engineered hardwood flooring is considered as the competitor to the laminated flooring. The term “engineered” in the engineered hardwood flooring referring to products that have several layers of wood laminated together to form one board [8,9,10,11,12]. The layers of the engineered hardwood flooring are such as finish layers, wear layer, rubberwood core, and bottom ply [9, 11]. The similarity between laminated and engineered hardwood flooring are both also wood-based materials which made up of several layers. With the innovation of nowadays flooring technology both floors are available as floating floors. The floating floors are those floors that are not mechanically fastened to the subfloor. They are suspended on top of the floor while resting on a cushioned underlayment [13]. Therefore, floating floors are easily to install or dismantle as compared to granite, marble, and tile which are fixed to the ground. Originally only one method called “glue together” for the installation of the floating floors where a bead of glue is squeezed into the grooves of each plank or on top of the tongue. After the glue applied, the floating floors will be tapped into place with hammer and tapping block [13]. The further improvement had changed the installation method of the floating floors from glue together into lock and fold method. This lock and fold method is more simple and no glue or tapping

2

required, Figure 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3 illustrated how the floating floors were joined together.

Figure 1.1: The lock and fold mechanism of the floating floors.

Figure 1.2: Boards are placed on a cushioned underlayment and ensure the boards were orientated in the right position. After that lock and fold it. 3

Figure 1.3: The floating floors were joined together without glue or tapping.

4

There are many types of flooring materials available in today market but most of the consumer facing difficulty to distinguish their qualities because the data regarding the surface and moisture characteristics are insufficient. In general, the degree of surface roughness is defines as function of both raw material characteristics such as species, particle size, fiber distribution, and manufacturing variables including press parameters, resin content, face layer densification, and sanding process of the panels [45]. Whereas the moisture absorption is related with the swelling thickness of the material after soaked in water. The swelling thickness is directly proportional with the rate of moisture absorption whereby the percentage of moisture absorption can be calculated through the weight gained. Other than that, the microstructure of the flooring materials is directly affected by the moisture absorption. The moisture effect will weaken the mechanical properties of the woodbased flooring materials besides altering the microstructure of the materials.

Currently, the information for commercially produced laminated flooring is very limited. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to establish a database for the laminated flooring regarding their surface and moisture characteristics in order to clarify the queries from the consumer. In addition, the surface and moisture characteristics of engineered hardwood flooring will be included as a comparison with the laminated flooring. There are series of experiments will be conducted to determine the surface roughness and moisture absorption characteristics of the both flooring materials. After that comparison between both materials will be included in the database.

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