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How Quickly Can Different Floor Protection Materials Cover a 100m² Apartment?
Installation time is often overlooked when choosing temporary floor protection. The material price may appear to be the largest cost, but measuring, cutting, taping and repeatedly adjusting the covering can add several hours of labour to a project.
This test is part of the Floor Protection® Test Centre, where we document practical product assessments, test methods and measurable results to help contractors make informed floor protection decisions.
FPT-002 compares the installation process for five commonly used floor protection materials:
- STD Blue multi-layer self-adhesive floor protection
- Paper floor protection roll
- Plastic film
- Fabric drop sheets
- Cardboard sheets
The test is based on one installer covering 100m² of floor area in a two-bedroom Sydney apartment. Preparation specific to the protection system, material handling, measuring, cutting, overlapping, taping and final adjustments are included.
Based on the installation process, STD Blue is tested to cover the apartment in approximately 72 minutes. The other systems are estimated to require between 125 and 238 minutes.
Installation rate = covered area ÷ installation time
For STD Blue:
100m² ÷ 1.2 hours = 83.3m² per hour
This does not mean that every 100m² apartment will take exactly 72 minutes. Room shape, access, fixed joinery, stairs, columns and the number of detailed cuts can all change the result. The comparison indicates the likely difference when the same installer and apartment layout are used for each material.
Table of contents
- How Quickly Can Different Floor Protection Materials Cover a 100m² Apartment?
- FPT-002 Test Summary
- Test Results
- Tested Installation-Time Difference
- How the Installation Times Were Estimated
- Why STD Blue Is Installed Faster
- Paper Floor Protection Roll
- Plastic Film
- Fabric Drop Sheets
- Cardboard Sheets
- Estimated Labour-Cost Effect
- Limitations of FPT-002
- Conclusion
FPT-002 Test Summary
Test detail | Specification |
Test reference | FPT-002 |
Assessment | Temporary floor protection installation speed |
Test location | 2-bedroom apartment unit, Sydney, NSW |
Floor area | 100m² |
Number of installers | One |
Floor condition | Clean, dry and suitable for temporary protection |
Layout | Multiple rooms, hallway and open living area |
Products compared | Multi-layer protection, paper, plastic, fabric and cardboard |
Tasks included | Handling, layout, measuring, cutting, overlapping, taping and adjustment |
General floor cleaning | Excluded because it is required for every system |
Timing status | installation of floor protection |
Test objective | Compare labour time and installation complexity |
Test Results
Protection material | Tested time | Minutes per m² | Installation rate | Tape required |
STD Blue multi-layer protection | 72 minutes | 0.72 | 83.3m²/hour | 0m |
Fabric drop sheets | 125 minutes | 1.25 | 48.0m²/hour | Approx. 80m |
Plastic film | 132 minutes | 1.32 | 45.5m²/hour | Approx. 100m |
Paper roll | 165 minutes | 1.65 | 36.4m²/hour | Approx. 175m |
Cardboard sheets | 238 minutes | 2.38 | 25.2m²/hour | Approx. 180m |
Under these test, STD Blue had the highest estimated installation rate at 83.3m² per installer-hour.
Tested Installation-Time Difference
Compared with STD Blue | time saved | Reduction in installation time |
Fabric drop sheets | 53 minutes | 42% |
Plastic film | 60 minutes | 45% |
Paper roll | 93 minutes | 56% |
Cardboard sheets | 166 minutes | 70% |
The percentage reduction is calculated as:
(Alternative time − STD Blue time) ÷ Alternative time × 100
For example, compared with paper:
(165 − 72) ÷ 165 × 100 = 56%
For a contractor, saving 93 minutes on one apartment may not initially sound significant. Across 20 similar units, however, the modelled saving becomes approximately 31 labour hours. Compared with cardboard, the potential saving across 20 units increases to more than 55 hours.
These figures relate only to the initial installation. They do not include additional visits to repair displaced sheets, replace torn paper or re-tape loose joints.
How the Installation Times Were Estimated
The total time for each system was developed from the work involved in bringing the material into the apartment, setting it out, cutting around the layout, securing joints and completing a final check.
Installation activity | STD Blue | Paper | Plastic | Fabric | Cardboard |
Material handling | 8 min | 10 min | 8 min | 12 min | 25 min |
Measuring and initial layout | 8 min | 10 min | 10 min | 12 min | 18 min |
Rolling, unfolding or laying sheets | 36 min | 50 min | 35 min | 45 min | 67 min |
Overlapping and taping | 12 min | 70 min | 54 min | 28 min | 95 min |
Final cutting and adjustment | 8 min | 25 min | 25 min | 28 min | 33 min |
Tested total | 72 min | 165 min | 132 min | 125 min | 238 min |
The tests have held in a typical 2-bedroom apartment rather than an empty, uninterrupted 10m × 10m test area. A perfectly square open floor would make every material faster to install but would not properly represent apartment construction, renovation or fit-out work.
Why STD Blue Is Installed Faster
STD Blue is supplied as a 1m × 50m self-adhesive roll. During installation, it was rolled out, lightly pressed into position and cut at the end of each run. Adjacent runs were installed with a 7cm overlap.
Its self-adhesive backing removed a separate taping stage. The installer didn't need to stop after every sheet to tape longitudinal seams or secure loose edges.
For the 100m² apartment, approximately 110m² of raw material is allowed. The additional material accounts for the 7cm overlaps, end trimming and cuts around the apartment layout. Three rolls should therefore be available on site, although the entire third roll did not be consumed.
The key estimated efficiency factors are:
- 1m-wide continuous installation
- No separate seam tape
- No perimeter taping under normal suitable conditions
- Fewer loose pieces to position
- 7cm overlap between adjacent runs
- Easy cutting around walls and fixed elements
- Less time spent correcting movement during installation
The adhesive was intended to hold the material in position while it was being laid. This is different from loose coverings that move as the installer walks backwards, unfolds another section or applies tape.
Paper Floor Protection Roll
Paper was relatively quick to roll out in a simple room, but its installation became more time-consuming when the system needed secure seams and edges.
The 165-minute installation includes approximately 175 linear metres of tape. This allowance covers joints, selected perimeter edges and short sections created around doorways and corners.
Paper also curl, tear or move while it is being installed. Applying tape is not simply a matter of measuring its length; the installer must kneel, align the joint, apply the tape and press it down. Irregular sections increase this labour requirement.
At 36.4m² per hour, the paper system takes approximately 2.3 times as long to install as STD Blue in the 100m2 apartment.
Plastic Film
Plastic film covered a large open section quickly, particularly when a wide roll was used. Its total increased once cutting, flattening and securing the material were considered.
Loose plastic fold back on itself, develop wrinkles or move across a smooth floor. Approximately 100m of tape has therefore been included to secure important seams and edges in this comparison.
The installation time was 132 minutes, giving a rate of 45.5m² per hour. This made plastic faster than paper and cardboard, but approximately 60 minutes slower than STD Blue across the 100m² unit.
Installation speed is also not the only consideration. Loose or wrinkled plastic create an unsuitable walking surface, and non-breathable materials may not be appropriate for every newly installed or curing floor.
Fabric Drop Sheets
Fabric drop sheets were familiar to the painter and it was laid down without extensive cutting. However, protecting an entire apartment was different from covering a small painting zone.
Approximately 12 to 14 standard drop sheets were needed to provide continuous coverage, depending on their dimensions and overlap. Each sheet must be carried, unfolded, positioned and aligned with the surrounding sheets.
The 100m2 apartment allowed approximately 80m of suitable tape for areas where movement or open edges needed to be controlled. This produces an installation time of 125 minutes.
Fabric has the second-fastest tested, but installation speed should not be confused with equivalent protection. Gaps can open between sheets, liquid can pass through some fabrics, and bunched material require attention during the job.
Cardboard Sheets
Cardboard produced the slowest tested installation in FPT-002. 38 sheets measuring around 1.2m × 2.4m was required after allowing for cutting, overlap and layout waste.
Each sheet was carried into the apartment, positioned and cut around walls, corners, door jambs and fixed features. The joints then needed to be connected with tape to create a more continuous covering.
The 100 m2 apartment allowed 180m of tape and a total installation time of 238 minutes. This was equivalent to 25.2m² per hour, or 3.3 times the STD Blue installation time.
Cardboard can still provide useful protection in selected situations, particularly where rigid load distribution is required. Its slower result relates to whole-apartment installation, not whether cardboard is suitable for every individual application.
Estimated Labour-Cost Effect
Installation time can be converted into a project cost using the contractor’s actual loaded labour rate.
The following example uses an illustrative labour cost of $65 per hour:
Material | Labour hours | Estimated installation labour |
STD Blue | 1.20 hours | $78.00 |
Fabric drop sheets | 2.08 hours | $135.42 |
Plastic film | 2.20 hours | $143.00 |
Paper roll | 2.75 hours | $178.75 |
Cardboard sheets | 3.97 hours | $257.92 |
The $65 hourly rate is an example only. Businesses should insert their own labour cost, including wages, supervision, insurance, travel and overheads.
The table also excludes the purchase price of the protection material and tape. Its purpose is to show why installation speed should be considered alongside the unit price.
Limitations of FPT-002
This assessment provided a consistent comparison, but it didn't not represent every building layout or installation condition.
Results can be affected by:
- The installer was 3 year experienced painter.
- Furniture or stored materials
- Columns, stairs and curved walls
- Roll and sheet dimensions
- Number of penetrations and detailed cuts
- Floor cleanliness and surface suitability
- Site access and material-delivery distance
- Required perimeter sealing
- Whether only walkways or the entire floor are protected
The five materials do not necessarily deliver identical impact, spill, slip or moisture performance. FPT-002 measured installation efficiency only.
FAQs about installation test
Conclusion
FPT-002 estimated that one installer can protect a 100m² Sydney apartment with STD Blue multi-layer floor protection in 72 minutes. Under the same model, fabric takes 125 minutes, plastic 132 minutes, paper 165 minutes and cardboard 238 minutes.
STD Blue’s estimated advantage mainly comes from its self-adhesive backing and continuous roll format. The installer used a 7cm overlap between runs but does not need to tape every seam.
For projects involving multiple apartments, commercial fit-outs or repeated floor layouts, reducing protection time can produce a meaningful labour saving. Contractors should still consider surface suitability, protection level, breathability, site traffic and expected project duration alongside installation speed.
Floor Protection® is an Australian wholesale supplier of multi-layer temporary floor protection for builders, painters, flooring contractors, renovators, resellers and commercial project teams.
