A loaded stock trolley follows the same route from the stockroom to the shop floor every morning. If that route crosses the flooring you are specifying, put it in the product brief before you approve the range. Your choice needs to account for the trolley, its wheels and the way the floor will be installed.
Describe what rolls across your floor
Start with the equipment your customer actually uses. A photo of the trolley and a marked route on the floor plan can help the factory understand the application.
| What to record | What to send with your flooring brief |
|---|---|
| Loaded trolley | The trolley’s own mass and the maximum stock it carries. Include wheel-load information from the equipment supplier where available. |
| Wheels | The number of wheels, their material, diameter and tread width. A wheel specification gives the floor supplier a clearer basis for review. |
| Route and frequency | How often the trolley passes, where it turns or stops, and whether it crosses doorways, ramps or transitions. |
| Floor and site | The proposed plank, backing and substrate, together with any installation constraints and the time available before rolling traffic resumes. |
Keep these details with each offer you compare. You can then ask both suppliers about the same intended use.
Check the installation method for the selected product
Shaw Contract’s US commercial angle-tap SPC installation instructions require full glue-down installation in corridors or areas subject to rolling loads for the products covered by that guide. When you review an SPC flooring proposal, ask the supplier to confirm the approved method for the exact construction and application you have described. Shaw Contract commercial SPC installation instructions, undated
Gerflor’s Creation Clic instructions, dated 17 June 2024, recommend full adhesive application for heavy traffic from rolling loads on that particular product. Carry the installation requirements through to your costing and programme. If an adhesive is specified, confirm its compatibility, substrate requirements and the manufacturer’s time before rolling traffic can return. Gerflor Creation Clic installation instructions
If you are also considering glue-down LVT, send the same trolley and site brief with that enquiry. Compare the documented suitability and complete installation requirements of each offered system.
Match the test evidence to the floor you will buy
Ask which evidence supports the supplier’s recommendation. The published scope of ASTM F2753-21 describes evaluating dynamic rolling loads on a resilient product or combination of products. Its summary identifies potential failures involving the bond, layers and surface finish. This gives you a reason to look at the tested floor assembly when reviewing a rolling-load result. ASTM F2753-21, last updated 2 September 2021
Request the report reference and date, the tested construction and installation method, and the wheel and load conditions used. Ask the manufacturer to explain how that evidence supports your intended application. Keep its written confirmation with the specification, including any limits or conditions that your customer will need to follow.
For a distributor range or private-label collection, finish the approval with one agreed product specification and the corresponding installation instructions. Include the required adhesive where applicable and the conditions for returning the floor to service. Your customer can then plan the fit-out and restocking around the floor you have approved.