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Antistatic vs ESD Flooring

Learn when earthing is required, and how to specify for sensitive zones in Australia.

Forbo antistatic vs esd flooring guide for specifiers

Static control and antistatic flooring explained

Static control is a common source of confusion in commercial and industrial flooring. While many use “antistatic” and "electrostatic discharge (ESD) flooring” interchangeably, they have distinct technical and compliance implications.

This guide explains the difference, where each is used, and how to specify.

Difference between antistatic and ESD flooring system

Infographic difference between antistatic floor and static control conducitve floor

What is Antistatic Flooring?

Antistatic flooring

Reduces the generation of static when people walk on it. It’s typically determined with a walk test (EN 1815 is commonly used in Europe).

How it’s tested (EN 1815 walk test)
A floor that achieves equal or below 2kV is considered antistatic; it won’t generate nuisance shocks in normal use and usually does not require earthing.

All of Forbo flooring is considered antistatic and has been tested against the EN 1815 walk test.

Antistatic flooring system test standard infographic

What is ESD Flooring?

ESD (electrostatic discharge) flooring

Is part of a system that controls and safely discharges earth charges.

That requires conductive or dissipative flooring + copper + conductive adhesive and grounding strategy (conductive footwear or wrist straps, earth connections, and tested continuity).

Testing standard Electrical resistance for dissipative (SD) and conductive (EC) floors is measured using EN 1081, the European standard for assessing how well a resilient floor conducts or dissipates static electricity.

Conductive and dissipative flooring symbols infographic difference

When does a project need earthing?

Ask for earthing when the project brief includes:

  • Electronics assembly, PCB production, or manufacturing of electro-sensitive devices.
  • Cleanrooms or test labs where component damage from ESD would be costly.
  • Environments specified in client or industry standards that explicitly require a grounded ESD control system.


    • If the location is a server/communications room, verify the client’s risk tolerance many comms rooms only require antistatic (no earthing and all Forbo flooring can be used), but some high-availability datacentres require full ESD systems (flooring, adhesives, earthing, footwear/wrist straps, and testing).

Before selecting floor covering ask these questions

1. Does the client require a grounded ESD system, or is antistatic performance sufficient?

2. If ESD system is required. Check the type of space and equipment being used. The Ohms Ω resistance requirement of electrically sensitive equipment will determine whether an EC (electrostatic conductive) or SD (static dissipative) flooring system is required.

Always confirm this with the client, project brief, or a qualified electrician.

Understanding electrical resistance ratings for flooring

The European standard EN 1081 measures the electrical resistance of resilient flooring designed to control static specifically static dissipative (SD) and electro-conductive (EC) types.

Learning different ratings classification conductive flooring vs standard (anstistatic floor)

For further details, view our whitepapers below:
FORBO WHITEPAPER CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT KEY TERMS
FORBO WHITEPAPER ESD STANDARDS AND TEST METHODS
FORBO WHITEPAPER ESD ESSENTIALS

When to specify EC vs SD flooring

Use EC (Conductive) flooring for highly static-sensitive or high-risk areas, such as:

  • Semiconductor or electronics manufacturing
  • Laboratories handling volatile materials
  • Cleanrooms and data centres

    • Use SD (Dissipative) flooring where moderate static control is needed, such as:

  • Healthcare and operating theatres
  • Pharmaceutical manufacturing
  • Printing or packaging areas

    • view our static control collection

Specifying Ec vs SD Flooring guide - Healthcare operating theatres

Example: ESD flooring system

A compliant ESD system using Forbo Sphera EC typically includes:


  • Sphera EC sheet flooring – a homogeneous vinyl floor with carbon black chips dispersed throughout to provide permanent conductivity.

  • Conductive adhesive – used to bond the floor covering to the subfloor, maintaining conductivity through the entire installation.

  • Copper earthing strip – installed beneath the floor and connected to the building’s earth point. This ensures that static charges collected on the floor surface are safely transferred to ground.

Sphera EC ESD System Infographic

Our static control flooring ranges

  • Marmoleum Ohmex SD flooring used in lab

    Marmoleum Ohmex

    Dissipative (SD) Linoleum flooring

    Marmoleum Ohmex is linoleum that meets higher requirements for electrical conductivity. Electrical resistance is improved to < 1-10 ⁸ Ω (EN1081), ensuring personal safety and protecting equipment that is sensitive to static electricity.

  • Sphera EC 450000 white | static control vinyl sheet flooring in lab

    Sphera SD | EC

    Homogeneous static control vinyl sheet

    The Forbo Sphera SD | EC sheet collection consists of 2 sub-collections: Sphera SD (Static Dissipative) and Sphera EC (Electrostatic Conductive). Both floor coverings offer a trustworthy flooring solution for the most demanding of controlled environments.

  • https://www.forbo.com/flooring/en-au/product-finder/pci9xs#search=Sphera%20ec%20sd&category=PRCATESD1&format=DFTIL

    Colorex

    Homogeneous static control vinyl tile and adhesive free solution

    Colorex is especially designed to withstand and control the most demanding conditions. Heavy-duty and is repairable. Available in honeycomb backing and dovetail system.

Forbo static control flooring classifications

RangesIntensity loadESD controlFormatRepairableSlip rating
Colorex SDExtremeStatic dissipativeTileRepairableR9
Colorex ECExtremeElectrostatic conductiveTileRepairableR9
Colorex plus ECHeavyElectrostatic conductiveTileRepairableR9
Colorex plus basicHeavyAntistaticTileRepairableR9
Sphera SDModerateStatic dissipativeSheet-R10
Sphera ECModerateElectrostatic conductiveSheet-R10
Marmoleum OhmexModerateStatic dissipativeSheet-R10



Note: Material is laboratory tested. Site conditions such as substrate, humidity, temperature and installation methods may impact the results in relation to the lower limit of static resistance. Always confirm the project brief and check with the client, electrical engineer, or ESD specialist before specifying a floor. The equipment used, the process type, and the sensitivity of the environment will determine whether EC, SD, or standard antistatic flooring is most suitable.

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