Understanding EN 14904: Sports Floor Requirements & Annex B Types



EN 14904:2006 is a performance specification for indoor floors used for multiple sports. It evaluates the floor system including its supporting and upper layers, through measured properties such as friction, shock absorption, vertical deformation, ball rebound, and resistance to rolling loads. Its main clauses set requirements; Annex B gives informative typical performance types for elastic floors. A type label is not a substitute for the test results for the exact system being specified.

For anyone comparing the EN 14904 sports floor standard with a supplier’s submittal, the key is to match every value to the assembly, method, and test conditions in the report.

AI-generated concept illustration.

What EN 14904 covers and what it does not

EN 14904:2006 specifies indoor surfaces for multi-sports use. Its scope covers the installed sports-floor system rather than only the visible wood or synthetic surface. Indoor tennis halls are excluded. That distinction matters when comparing proposals: a top-layer sample cannot by itself describe the performance of a complete floor assembly.

The standard referenced here is EN 14904:2006. On 2026-10-25, NEN’s catalogue listed that edition as current in its national register; this does not decide which edition applies in another market. Specify the national adoption and edition required by the project contract. In the European Union, harmonised technical specifications sit within a changing Construction Products Regulation framework; the European Commission distinguishes the CPR-2011 and CPR-2024 definitions.

The main EN 14904 performance requirements

The requirements below are from the visible normative clauses in the EN 14904:2006 English preview; the preview is not the complete standard. Each result belongs to the tested assembly and method. Use the complete standard and laboratory report when preparing a contract specification.

AI-generated concept illustration. The standard gives laboratory values for force reduction and vertical deformation. If on-site measurements are taken at different temperatures and humidity, it says the report should record surface temperature and relative humidity.

Read the five results as different measurements: friction is the Pendulum Test Value (PTV); force reduction is reported as a percentage; vertical deformation is the measured displacement in millimetres; basketball rebound compares rebound height with concrete; and rolling-load resistance reports the applied load, indentation, and observed damage. These outputs describe different properties, so one cannot stand in for another. Compare each with the project criteria and confirm that the test report identifies the same assembly. For a basketball event, match each measured property to the event criteria before using the competition basketball flooringcompetition basketball flooring plan.

Normative requirements vs. Annex B types

The normative clauses establish the measurable requirements. Annex B is informative and presents typical shock-absorption and vertical-deformation values organized by elastic floor family and performance property. The accessible standard preview does not include the complete Annex B tables, so a type number should be read from the full table together with its floor family, performance property, and measured result. The four elastic system families describe how the floor construction responds to impact:

These are system-family descriptions, not a ranking from poor to good. ASET’s explainer maps optional type numbers separately for different families and for force reduction or vertical deformation. Use it as explanatory context; confirm acceptance criteria against the full standard and project specification.

When a proposal cites an Annex B type, record its family and performance property beside the reported measurement. This lets reviewers interpret labels consistently across bids.

How to read a sports-floor test report

Start with the product identity. The report should make it possible to connect the tested construction to the proposed floor: surface layer, resilient or support layers, assembly details, and the model or configuration name. If a proposal changes the build-up, thickness, or materials, ask whether the report still represents that configuration.

Then check how the measurements were produced:

• Method and edition: Match each result to the relevant EN test method and the edition named in the project documents.
• Test location and conditions: Separate laboratory figures from measurements taken in the sports hall. Ask the report to identify the conditions used so bidders can be compared on a like-for-like basis.
• Sampling: Compare the tested area and number of readings with the standard’s sampling instructions. For force reduction and basketball rebound, EN 14904:2006 specifies at least four tests plus one for every 500 m².
• Mean and spread: Compare the mean with every individual reading to confirm that the results stay within the permitted range.
• Scope of the report: Confirm that it identifies the same assembly and performance properties required by the tender.

AI-generated concept illustration.

A practical EN 14904 specification checklist

Before comparing bids, put these items in the specification or submittal checklist:

1. Name the governing edition and market. State which national adoption and contract requirements apply.
2. Describe the complete floor build-up. Identify the tested assembly, not just the wood species or top finish.
3. List required properties and test methods. Include friction, force reduction, vertical deformation, ball rebound, rolling-load resistance, and any additional project requirements.
4. Set reporting expectations. Request the laboratory report, test date, sample/configuration identity, test conditions, readings, and mean values.
5. Separate mandatory values from optional types. Treat Annex B types as descriptive context; write the project’s actual acceptance criteria explicitly.
6. Check sport and operational use. Consider the activities, equipment movement, and facility rules that the floor must support.

Plan your sports-floor project

Before requesting a proposal, prepare three items:

1. Sport and competition level: name the activities and any governing-body requirements.
2. Venue information: share the playing area, planned floor build-up, and operating conditions available to the design team.
3. Performance evidence: request the report and configuration details for the proposed assembly.

For a project-specific comparison, review the proposed indoor wooden basketball floor system against the required test report and assembly details. Use a report for the exact proposed construction to support performance claims. Competition approval is a separate check: FIBA’s Venue Guide says Level 1 competitions must use a FIBA Approved wooden or glass surface. Budget planning can begin with this basketball floor cost guide; for a project discussion, contact LDK.

Conclusion

Keep three items together in the procurement record:

1. Assembly: identify the surface and supporting layers represented by the report.
2. Test evidence: pair each required property with its method, conditions, and result.
3. Acceptance: state the project criteria separately from any Annex B label.

FAQ

Does EN 14904 set one thickness for every sports floor?

The visible performance clauses discussed here do not give one thickness for every assembly. Check the complete standard and project specification for any dimensional requirements, and identify the tested build-up in the supplier’s report. The measured properties describe separate performance questions; the sports flooring technical resourcessports flooring technical resources can support a report-by-report review.

What is a sports floor under EN 14904?

It is an indoor floor system for multi-sports use, including the supporting and upper layers that make up the tested construction. Indoor tennis halls are excluded from the standard’s stated scope.

What does EN 14904 require for floor friction?

Under EN 14904:2006, the mean Pendulum Test Value must be 80–110, with each individual result within 4 units of the mean. The specified test uses EN 13036-4, CEN rubber, dry conditions, and a temperature of (23 ± 2) °C.

References

• SIST EN 14904:2006 English preview, European Committee for Standardization (CEN), hosted by iTeh.
• NEN-EN 14904:2006 catalogue record, Royal Netherlands Standardization Institute.
• EN 14904: Introduction to Performance Types, ASET Services; explanatory context for the informative type groupings.
• Products & harmonised technical specifications, European Commission.
• Venue design, FIBA Venue Guide; Level 1 competition flooring requirements.