Installation Guide

EARTHWERKS SPC FLOATING PLANK FLOOR
INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE GUIDELINES
A product of Swiff-Train Company ▪ 10850 Train Court, Houston TX 77095 ▪ 800-275-7943
J a n u a r y 2018 3 | P a g e
All substrates must be properly prepared and tested according to the following guidelines.
1. Concrete Subfloors
a. Concrete substrates should be properly prepared according to the latest revision of ASTM F710,
Preparing Concrete Floors to Receive Resilient Flooring.
b. All concrete substrates, regardless of grade or age of slab, must be properly tested using one of the
methods outlined below for warranty to apply. Acceptable test method is the ASTM F 2170 and ASTM
F1869. Testing shall be conducted according to the relevant ASTM documentation and instructions of
the manufacturer of the testing equipment. Consult Technical support for RH values greater than 85%
or MVER 5 lbs./1,000 sqft./24 hrs.
c. Concrete Alkalinity / pH Test shall be conducted in accordance with ASTM standards. Acceptable level
of pH in the substrate is between 7 and 10.
d. New concrete slabs must be thoroughly dry (at least six weeks) and completely cured. The final
responsibility for determining if the concrete is dry enough for installation of the flooring lies with the
floor covering installer. Although Click Rigid Vinyl Plank is not susceptible to damage from moisture,
excessive subfloor moisture is an ideal breeding ground for mold, mildew and fungus. The limited
warranties do not cover discoloration from mold or from flooding, leaking plumbing or appliances,
water entering through sliding glass doors or similar conditions.
2. Wood Subfloors
a. All wood substrates should be prepared according to the latest revision of ASTM F1482 Installation and
Preparation of Panel Type Underlayments to Receive Resilient Flooring.
b. Wood panel subfloor construction shall be a minimum of 1” in total thickness.
c. Panels designed as suitable underlayment shall be at a minimum ¼” in thickness, dimensionally stable,
fully sanded face to eliminate grain texture or show through, and have a written manufacturer’s
warranty and installation instructions. Panels shall be installed according to manufacturer’s instructions
regarding stapling pattern, sanding and filling of joints, and acclimation to installed environment.
Where not specified consult ASTM 1482 or the relevant document from the American Plywood
Association.
3. Gypsum and Lightweight Cellular Concrete Substrates shall be per ASTM F2419 or F2471 respectively.
Contact EarthWerks Technical Services at 800-275-7943 Option 2 or [e-mail] for
instructions over gypsum and lightweight concrete substrates.
4. Existing resilient flooring must be single layer only, thoroughly stripped of all wax, floor finish, dirt and other
contaminants. Be firmly bonded to the substrate, flat and smooth with no curling edges or loose seams.
Must not be of a cushion back, loose-lay, or perimeter bonded floor.
5. Adhesive residue shall be properly prepared by hand scraping, mechanical scraping or grinding be used as a
primary means of removing old adhesive residue. Adhesive residues shall only be scraped by hand to
remove any loose patches, trowel ridges and puddles so that only a thin residue layer remains. Residues
shall be properly covered using a Portland based patching compound properly mixed with the
manufacturer’s recommended latex/acrylic additive. Do not use chemical adhesive removers.
6. Ceramic, porcelain, marble and granite tiles are suitable and must be properly bonded with intact grout
joints and free of cracks or loose tiles. Surface of tile and grout joints should be free from sealers, coatings,
dirt and contaminants. Properly prepare the surface of tiles by grinding any high areas and using a suitable
Portland-based leveling compound and primer to fill in all low areas.