What is BS 5325:2021 about?
This revised British Standard gives guidance on the steps that should be taken to install textile floor coverings successfully. BS 5325:2021 covers carpets, carpet tiles and flock floor coverings, among other products.
Who is BS 5325:2021 for?
- Flooring contractors
- Flooring retailers
- Main contractors
- Builders
- Fit-out companies
- Architects and designers
- Landlords
- Floor covering manufacturers
- Floor covering installers
- Inspection authorities
What does BS 5325:2021 cover?
It gives recommendations for the installation of textile floor coverings in new or existing buildings and covers all products composed of textile material with a pile or non-pile use surface. It includes the laying of modular carpet, e.g. tiles and planks.
BS 5325:2021 details suitable methods of design and installation and advises on the selection of the materials required for their implementation.
NOTE: The standard doesn’t give advice on cleaning and maintenance, but does include guidance on the decisions made at the design stage that assist cleaning and maintenance and enable the installation to give satisfactory service.
Why should you use BS 5325:2021?
Textile floor coverings need careful installation to ensure the best possible performance. BS 5325:2021 supplies tried and tested methods that will help users achieve high quality installations. These result in better aesthetics, fewer immediate and longer-term problems with the installation, no premature wear of products, and fewer health and safety issues (badly laid carpets can lead to trip hazards).
The standard also helps installers to:
- Consider some critical elements such application of gripper, position of joints and installation of underlay, to improve the efficiency and quality of installations
- Write better specifications, quotations and scopes of work that create workable projects for flooring professionals to translate into the finished article
- Develop their expertise
- Increase trust in their services
- Enter new markets and facilitate trade
- Better manage their risk
What’s new about BS 5325:2021?
BS 5325 has not been updated since 2001. In those two decades significant advances have been introduced by the industry. This major revision therefore ensures the standard reflects those changes and is aligned with other flooring standards that have been updated during this period such as BS 8203 and BS 8201.
The revisions includes the following principal changes:
- Update to new/revised methods of installation
- Update to new/revised application products
- Update due to health and safety and legislative issues
New content has been added in areas such as power stretching, moisture measurement and fabricated underlays.
This revision has also been drafted to align with the format of BS 8203:2017 where possible, and where appropriate, using the same wording so as not to cause any confusion or differences. This means that users who install both textile and resilient floor coverings can use both standards more easily.