Installation Guide

05152020
LEARN MORE AT LOWES.COM
vent spacing should be equal to 1.5% of the total
square footage of the crawl space area to provide cross
ventilation. Where necessary, local regulations prevail.
3. All other subfloors - Plywood, OSB, particleboard,
chipboard, wafer board, etc. must be structurally sound
and must be installed following their manufacturer’s
recommendations. Local building codes may only
establish minimum requirements of the flooring system
and may not provide adequate rigidity and support for
proper installation and performance. If needed add an
additional layer of APA rated underlayment, fasten and
secure according to the underlayment manufacturer’s
recommendations.
4. Resilient flooring is not recommended directly over fire-
retardant treated plywood or preservative treated plywood.
An additional layer of APA rated 1/4" thick underlayment
should be installed.
B. Concrete Subfloors
NEW AND EXISTING CONCRETE SUBFLOORS SHOULD
MEET THE GUIDELINES OF THE LATEST EDITION OF
ACI 302 AND ASTM F 710, “STANDARD PRACTICE FOR
PREPARING CONCRETE FLOORS TO RECEIVE RESILIENT
FLOORING” AVAILABLE FROM THE AMERICAN SOCIETY
FOR TESTING AND MATERIALS, 100 BARR HARBOR
DRIVE, WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, PA 19428; 610-832-
9585; HTTP://WWW.ASTM.ORG.
1. Floors shall be smooth, permanently dry, clean, and free
all foreign material such as dust, wax, solvents, paint,
grease, oils, and old adhesive residue. The surface must
be hard and dense, and free from powder or flaking.
2. Concrete slabs must be dry with no visible moisture.
3. Required Moisture Testing - maximum moisture level
per ASTM 1869 CaCl is 8 lbs. and ASTM 2170 In-situ
Relative Humidity 90% per 1000 sq.ft. in 24 hours.
4. Do not install over concrete with a history of high moisture
or hydrostatic conditions. Excessive moisture in the
subfloor could promote mold, mildew, and other moisture
related issues like the trapping of moisture emissions
under the flooring, which may contribute to an unhealthy
indoor environment. Shaw Industries does not warrant
nor is responsible for damage to floor covering due to
moisture related issues.
5. pH level of concrete should be between 7-10.
6. The final responsibility for determining if the concrete is
dry enough for installation of the flooring lies with the
floor covering installer.
NOTE: IT MAY NOT BE THE FLOOR COVERING
INSTALLER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO CONDUCT THESE
TESTS. IT IS, HOWEVER, THE FLOOR COVERING
INSTALLER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THESE
TESTS HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED, AND THAT THE
RESULTS ARE ACCEPTABLE PRIOR TO INSTALLING
THE FLOOR COVERING. WHEN MOISTURE TESTS ARE
CONDUCTED, IT INDICATES THE CONDITIONS ONLY AT
THE TIME OF THE TEST.
Lightweight Concrete
All recommendations and guarantees as to the suitability
and performance of lightweight concrete under resilient
flooring are the responsibility of the lightweight concrete
manufacturer. The installer of the lightweight product may be
required to be authorized or certified by the manufacturer.
Correct on-site mixing ratios and properly functioning
pumping equipment are critical. To ensure proper mixture,
slump testing is recommended.
• Lightweight aggregate concretes having dry densities
greater than 90 lbs. per cubic foot may be acceptable
under resilient flooring.
• Concrete slabs with heavy static and/or dynamic loads
should be designed with higher strengths and densities to
support such loads.
• Surface must be permanently dry, clean, smooth, free of
all dust, and structurally sound.
• Perform Bond testing to determine compatibility of
adhesive to the substrate. Shaw 9050 primer can be
utilized to promote adhesion.
• Three internal relative humidity tests should be conducted
for areas up to 1000 SF. One additional test, for each
additional 1000 SF.
Radiant Heat: Radiant-heated subfloor systems can be
concrete, wood or a combination of both. The heating systems
components must have a minimum of 1/2" separation
from the flooring product. The system must be on and
operational for at least 2 weeks prior to installation to reduce
residual moisture. Three days prior to installation lower the
temperature to 65°F, after installation gradually increase
the temperature in increments of 5° F to avoid overheating.
Maximum operating temperature should never exceed 85°F.
Use of an in-floor temperature sensor is recommended to
avoid overheating. Contact the manufacturer of your radiant
heating system for further recommendations.
• Electric Radiant Floors: consist of electric cables
(or) mats of electrically conductive materials mounted
on the subfloor below the floor covering. Mesh systems
are typically embedded in thin-set. When embedding
the system components, use cementitious patching and
leveling compounds that meet or exceed Shaw’s maximum
COVER