Installation Guide

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SUBFLOOR PREPARATION
In general, all substrates must be free of contaminants such as dirt, weak concrete, grease, wax, oil,
sealers, paints, curing compounds, and old adhesives. The surface should be leveled to within 1/8 inch in
ten feet; and all constructions seams, expansion joints, and holes should be filled level with the
surrounding surface to eliminate telegraphing of such irregularities.
Removing Old Adhesives:
Old asphaltic “cut-back” adhesives can destroy new adhesive and stain Shaw vinyl. These must be
completely removed, encapsulated or covered with plywood underlayment. Be sure to remove adhesive
in dips, joints, etc. Some previously manufactured cut-back adhesives contained asbestos fibers, which
are not readily identifiable. Do not use power removal devices, which can create dust. The use of
solvent-based adhesive removers is not recommended. NOTE: If d-limonene (citrus-based)
cleaners/removers are used (Orange All), subfloor must be thoroughly rinsed. If complete removal of old
adhesives or covering them with plywood is not possible, the use of a Portland Based Leveling or
Patching Compound is acceptable. Please follow manufacturer’s instructions carefully. For
“Recommended Work Practices for the Removal of Resilient Floor Coverings” write to the Resilient Floor
Covering Institute, 966 Hungerford Dr., Suite 12-B, Rockville, MD 20850.
Patching & Leveling:
Use only Portland-cement based patching and leveling compounds. Self-leveling underlayments can
have very high moisture content and require longer curing time: up to 10 days. Check with a moisture
meter before starting installation.
Note: Adding latex to levelers will normally make the floors NON-POROUS. Test for porosity and use the
non-porous adhesive instructions if necessary.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Do not over-water underlayments! Sand underlayment smooth
after it is cured. The installer is responsible for cure times, moisture content, adhesive bonding and the
structural integrity of any leveling or patch compound used.
Embossing Levelers:
Embossing levelers are for sheet goods with textures that could telegraph through Shaw products and be
visible on the surface.
Note: The use of levelers on sheet goods will not create a porous subfloor.
Concrete Slabs:
NOTE: All concrete (new and old) must be tested
• The installer is responsible for moisture testing. See adhesive buckets for details.
• New concrete should cure with good ventilation at room temperatures for no less than 90 days and
must be tested for moisture and pH prior to installation.
• Do not install where moisture, hydrostatic pressure, or alkaline conditions are evident. (See below)
• Concrete must be clean, dry, smooth, and structurally sound and free of paint varnish, adhesive, oil,
grease, solvents and other extraneous material including curing and parting compounds, sealers and
surface hardeners that will inhibit bonding.
• Lightweight concrete should be avoided because of its inherent weakness
• Whenever possible grind a concrete subfloor to tolerance rather than fill.
Installation failures due to the above issues are not the responsibility of Shaw and warranties will not
apply. Whenever questionable surfaces are involved, Shaw recommends a bond test as described later
in this section.
Properly prepare substrate by grinding or sanding. All dust must be COMPLETELY removed to ensure a
strong adhesive bond. Surface irregularities will telegraph through the tile.
Allow at least 24 hours for underlayment drying before installing Shaw flooring. If self-leveling
underlayments are used they must fully cure before installing Shaw floor tiles. Test self-leveling
compound for moisture before installing. The installer is fully responsible for moisture and leveler related
problems.