Installation Guide

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Installation
Wood Subfloors
Do not install material over wood subfloors that lay directly on concrete or over dimensional lumber or plywood used over
concrete. Refer to ASTM F1482 for panel underlayment recommendations.
Do not apply sheet plastic over wood subfloors.
Basements and crawl spaces must be dry. Use of a 6 mil black polyethylene is required to cover 100% of the crawl space
earth. Crawl space clearance from ground to underside of joist is to be no less than 18” and perimeter 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.
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 unde
rlayment, fasten and secure according to the underlayment manufacturer’s recommendations.
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.
Concrete Subfloors
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.
New concrete slabs must be dry. Maximum moisture level per CaCl test method is 5 lbs. per 1000 in 24 hr. Maximum level for
ASTM 2170 In-situ Relative humidity test method - 85%.
Do notinstall over concrete with a history of high moisture or hydrostatic conditions.
Ph level of concrete should be between 7-10.
The final responsibility for determining if the concrete is dry enough for installation of the flooring lies with the floor covering
installer.
WARNING! DO NOT SAND, DRY SWEEP, DRY SCRAPE, DRILL, SAW, BEADBLAST OR MECHANICALLY CHIP OR
PULVERIZE EXISTING RESILIENT FLOORING, BACKING, LINING FELT, ASPHALTIC “CUTBACK” ADHESIVES OR
OTHER ADHESIVES.
These products may contain either asbestos fibers and/or c
rystalline silica. Avoid creating dust. Inhalation of such dust is a
cancer and respiratory tract hazard. Smoking by individuals exposed to asbestos fibers greatly increases the risk of serious bodily
harm. Unless positively certain that the product is a non-asbestos-containing material, you must presume it contains asbestos.
Regulations may require that the material be tested to determine asbestos c
ontent and may govern the removal and disposal of
material. See current edition of the Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI) publication Recommended Work Practices for
Removal of Resilient Floor Coverings for detailed information and instructions on removing all resilient covering structures. For
current information go to www.rfci.com
Existing Floor Coverings
SMARTCORE® Naturals flooring can be installed over most existing hard–surface floor coverings (including ceramic tile) provided
that the existing floor surface is clean, flat dry and structurally sound.
Existing sheet vinyl floors should not be heavily cushioned and not exceed more than one layer in thickness.
Installation is NOT allowed over any type of carpet.
Do NOT install over wood subfloor or wood floors adhered to concrete.
Ceramic tile.
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.
STARTING YOUR INSTALLATION
Because houses and buildings, as well as adjacent hardwood or laminate floors, expand and contract, USFloors recommends
leaving a ¼” expansion gap between the perimeter walls and any adjacent hardwood floor.
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For reference purposes only if printed or downloaded.