Installation Guide

4 | Product Information
additional guidance.
• Failure to strictly follow adhesive
manufacturer’s guidelines may result in
failure and void the warranty.
ELECTRIC HEATING MATS NOTICE
Electric heating mats that are not embedded
into the suboor are not recommended for use
below the oors.
• Using electric heating mats that are
not embedded and applied directly
underneath the oors could void the
warranty for your oor in case of failure.
• It is best to install the ooring
over embedded radiant oor
heating systems and adhere to
the guidelines listed above.
WOOD SUBFLOORS
• If this flooring is intended to be installed over
an existing wooden floor, it is recommended
to repair any loose boards or squeaks before
you begin the installation. Nail or screw every
6” (15 cm) along joists to avoid squeaking.
• Basements and crawl spaces must be dry.
Use of a 6-mil black polyethylene is required
to cover 100% of the crawl space earth.
• We recommend laying the product on
wooden floors perpendicular to the existing
floorboards.
• All other subfloors - Plywood, OSB,
particleboard, chipboard, wafer board,
etc. must be structurally sound and must
be installed following their manufacturer’s
recommendations.
CONCRETE SUBFLOORS
• Floors must be fully cured, at least 60 days
old, smooth, permanently dry, clean, and
free of all foreign material such as dust, wax,
solvents, paint, grease, oils, and old adhesive
residue. Curing agents and hardeners could
cause bonding failure and should not be
used.
• Depressions, deep grooves, expansion joints
and other subfloor imperfections must be
filled with patching & leveling compound.
• Concrete substrates must be flat within 1/8
of an inch (3mm) within a 6-foot (2 meters)
radius, or 3/16 of an inch (5mm) within a 10-
foot radius (3 meters). The substrate should
not slope more than 1 inch (2.5cm) per 6 feet
(2 meters) in any direction.
• Moisture and alkalinity tests should be
performed on all concrete substrates
regardless of grade level or age of slab.
Perform either ASTM F2170 In-Situ Relative
Humidity (RH) test or ASTM F1869 Calcium
Chloride Moisture Test (MVER: Moisture
Vapor Emission Rating). Perform pH test per
ASTM F710 to determine alkalinity of the slab.
• Moisture emission from subfloor cannot
exceed 3 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. per 24 hours
as measured with the calcium chloride test
in accordance with ASTM F1869-04 or ASTM
F2170 In-Situ Relative Humidity not to exceed
75%. If results are higher than referenced,
then a minimum 6mil polyethylene plastic
moisture barrier must be applied.
• Please refer to the Limited Warranty section
regarding water damage coverage.
EXISTING FLOORS
• The flooring can be installed over most
existing hard surface floor coverings,
provided that the existing floor surface
is clean, flat, dry, securely fastened, and
structurally sound.
• Existing sheet vinyl floors should not be
heavily cushioned and not exceed more than
one layer in thickness. Soft underlayment and
soft substrates will diminish the products’
inherent strength in resisting indentations.
• Never use solvents or citrus adhesive
removers to remove old adhesive residue.
Solvent residue left in and on the subfloor
may affect the new floor covering.
DO NOT INSTALL OVER
• Hardwood flooring / wood subfloors that
lay directly on concrete or over dimensional
lumber or plywood used over concrete.
• Any type of carpet.
• Existing cushion-backed vinyl flooring.
• Floating floor of any type, loose lay, and
perimeter-fastened sheet vinyl.