(ORLANDO, Fla.) – At the Tile Council of North America’s (TCNA) Coverings press con- ference, held in here in April, TCNA Executive Director Eric Astrachan shared information about current research into floor- ing made from plastic-based material (PBM). This included luxury vinyl tile (LVT), wood polymer composition (WMPC) flooring, stone polymer compos- ite (SPC) flooring, clay polymer composite (CPC) flooring, and rigid core board (RCB) – the com- mon denominator being plastic composition. The study compared some of the popular beliefs about PBM floor- ing with the reality, as revealed in lab testing done in Clemson, S.C. The top beliefs of consum- ers about PBM flooring, derived from preliminary results from independent market research, include: • Belief of scratch resis- tance • Belief of wet area usage • Belief of durability, in general • Assumption of competitive pricing • Assumption of health and safety • Assumption of comparability to ceramic tile Scratch resistant? As testing revealed, the percep- tion and reality differ. Though many PBM floors claim to be Perception vs. reality – the truth behind PBM flooring claims By Lesley Goddin, Editor TECH TALK –––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Sponsored by 76 TileLetter | June 2019