Wood flooring standards map: what each covers, and which to name

At a glance

Titles are shortened. The standards were not read, only BSI's listings. Where BSI shows an older edition withdrawn, that is stated.

Three questions, three kinds of standard

Asking for ‘wood flooring to the British Standard’ asks three different questions, and each has its own document.

1. What is the board? A product standard says what a type of board is. For the parquet standards BSI's descriptors mention dimensional tolerances, moisture, appearance and grades.
2. What does the mark say? BS EN 14342 is the standard behind the CE or UKCA mark and the declaration of performance.
3. How is it laid? BS 8201 is a code of practice for installation. It is not a product standard and carries no mark.

The drawing joins them. A fourth document, BS EN 13756, is only about words: BSI describes it as defining the terms relating to wood flooring and parquet.

What each covers, and the editions that moved

Several of these standards were reissued recently, and the older numbers still circulate on supplier sheets. This is what BSI Knowledge showed on 5 November 2026, with the scope as BSI prints it. We read the listings, not the standards, which are paid documents.

Two editions to watch. BSI lists BS EN 13489:2017 as withdrawn on 7 July 2023 and BS EN 13489:2023 as current. BSI lists BS EN 13226:2009 as withdrawn on 6 December 2024 and BS EN 13226:2024 as current. A declaration or sample specification that still cites the older edition is out of date on its face. Whether the older edition still serves a product made earlier is a question for the maker and the building control body.

BS EN 14342:2013 is also on the government's list of designated standards for Great Britain (notice 0123/25 of 26 September 2025, row 348). The notice carries a note that clause 4.4 of the standard is excluded from the scope of the reference published. We did not read the clause and cannot say what it covers.

Which standard for which board

The table pairs each type of board with the standard BSI lists for it. Which standard a given product comes under is for its maker to say: the declaration of performance names the standard applied.

Solid or engineered is a choice about the board, which our solid vs engineered wood flooring sheet sets out. The standards sit behind it, and neither of the two sheets here fixes a grade: see wood flooring grades.

What the CE or UKCA mark tells you

A CE or UKCA mark on a construction product is tied to a declaration of performance. For a product covered by a designated standard, GOV.UK says the CE mark continues to be available in Great Britain (a ministerial statement of 2 September 2024), and the UK mark, also called UKCA, can also be used, with a UK approved body doing any third-party testing and certification. GOV.UK adds that the longer-term future of CE marking is conditional on wider reforms. Its page was last updated on 21 May 2025, and a reform process has run since, so check the position when you specify. Northern Ireland has its own marking rules, which we did not read.

GOV.UK says the UK mark label should carry:

• the last two digits of the year it was first affixed;
• the manufacturer's name and registered address, or a mark that identifies them;
• the product-type code, and the reference number of the declaration of performance;
• the level or class of performance declared;
• the reference to the harmonised technical specification applied;
• the number of the approved body, where there is one, and the intended use set in that specification.

That is what the mark gives you. It does not tell you whether the level the maker declares meets your requirement: that is for the specification to set. It says nothing about how the floor will be laid, which is BS 8201 and the maker's own instructions. And it does not settle how a board looks. Our reading of BSI's descriptors is that appearance sits with the product standard's classes and the maker's own grades, and a signed sample board is what fixes it.

What to ask a supplier for

Seven things worth asking a supplier for, with what each tells you. The first two cost nothing to check and catch most of the confusion.

[Engineered] flooring: [multi-layer parquet elements to BS EN 13489:2023 / solid parquet elements to BS EN 13226:2024 / solid lamparquet to BS EN 13227:2017], [species], [ ] mm overall. Supplied CE or UKCA marked in accordance with BS EN 14342:2013, with a declaration of performance for the product supplied. The declaration reference is to appear on the pack label and the delivery note, and the declaration is to state the standard and edition it applies.

Floor to be installed in accordance with BS 8201:2011 [Code of practice for installation of flooring of wood and wood-based panels] and the floor maker's written instructions dated [ ]. Where the two differ, [the maker's instructions / the stricter] apply, and the installer is to tell [the contract administrator] before starting.

Standards are to be those current at [tender date]. The supplier is to submit, before ordering: the declaration of performance, the declared reaction-to-fire class for the floor as laid [ ], [emissions information and an environmental product declaration, if required], and a signed sample board [ref].

Standards and sources

• BS EN 14342:2013: BSI listing and scope read 5 Nov 2026: Designated, Current. Standard not read.
• BS EN 13226:2024, BS EN 13227:2017, BS EN 13489:2023: BSI listings read 5 Nov 2026: all Current. BS EN 13226:2009 withdrawn 6 Dec 2024; BS EN 13489:2017 withdrawn 7 Jul 2023. Standards not read.
• BS 8201:2011: BSI listing read 5 Nov 2026: Current, published 31 Oct 2011. Not read.
• BS EN 13756:2018: BSI listing read 5 Nov 2026: Current. BS ISO 5323:2019 is also Current.
• GOV.UK: Construction Products Regulation in Great Britain: read 5 Nov 2026; last updated 21 May 2025.
• GOV.UK: Designated standards for construction products: notice 0123/25 of 26 Sep 2025 read; EN 14342:2013 at row 348, clause 4.4 excluded.

Questions we are asked

Is there a British Standard for wood flooring?

Several. BS EN 14342 covers the characteristics, conformity evaluation and marking of wood flooring and parquet. Product standards sit beside it for types of board, BS EN 13226 for solid parquet elements with grooves or tongues, BS EN 13227 for lamparquet and BS EN 13489 for multi-layer parquet elements. BS 8201 is the code of practice for installing it.

What is BS EN 14342?

The standard behind the CE or UKCA mark and the declaration of performance for wood flooring and parquet. BSI describes it as covering the characteristics and requirements, the test methods, the evaluation of conformity and the marking, for flooring with or without paint, varnish, lacquer, wax or oil. It excludes bamboo, laminate and products made from plants such as cork.

Is BS EN 13489 withdrawn?

The 2017 edition is: BSI shows it as withdrawn on 7 July 2023. BS EN 13489:2023, published by BSI on 31 July 2023, is listed as current. If a supplier cites the 2017 edition, ask which edition the product was assessed to.

Does a CE or UKCA mark mean the floor is good enough for my project?

No. The mark ties the product to a declaration of performance, and the label carries the level or class declared. Whether that level meets your project is for the specification to set, and the mark says nothing about installation or about how the board looks.

Do I need the UKCA mark in Great Britain?

GOV.UK says the CE mark will continue to be available when placing construction products on the market in Great Britain and that the UK mark can also be used. The longer-term position depends on reforms, so check it when you specify. Northern Ireland has its own rules.

What does BS 8201 cover?

BSI describes it as recommendations and guidance on the material, environment and installation variables that decide how finished wood flooring performs. It covers softwoods, hardwoods and wood-based panels. It is not a product standard and carries no mark. We have not read it, so we quote no figure from it.

Do the standards decide what Prime or Select means?

Not that we could find. The parquet product standards are described by BSI as covering appearance and grading, and a maker's own grade may sit beside them. A signed sample board fixes the look. See our wood flooring grades sheet.