Installation Guide

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DOC: HWH-V001
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Concrete Subfloor Requirements
• It must have minimum rated strength of 3000 psi.
• It must be flat. It should be flat within 1/8” in a 6-foot span
or 3/16” in a 10 foot span; no bumps or low spots. High
spots can be removed by grinding; depressions can be filled
with patching compound formulated for use in floor
installation.
• It must be clean; no construction debris, soil, mud and any
other objects on/or adhering to the floor; if necessary, scrape
and sweep away before the installation; no protrusions of
nails, debris, metals should remain.
• New concrete slab must cure for at least 60 days.
• It must meet concrete moisture mentioned below.
• It must be free from moisture related conditions which can
damage the installed flooring.
Light Weight Concrete
It is concrete with a rated strength of less than 3000 psi.
Perform a quick check by drawing a nail across the top; if it leaves
indentation, it is light concrete.
For glue-down application, the concrete must possess shear strength
greater than the glue. If concrete rated psi is unknown, contact the
adhesive manufacturer for guidance.
Concrete Moisture
All concrete subfloors should be tested for moisture content and
results should be documented, Visual checks are not reliable.
Perform tests at locations around exterior doorways, near walls
containing plumbing, near foundation walls and in the center of the
room. Perform three tests for the first 1,000 sq. ft. and one test for
every additional 1,000 sq. ft. thereafter. The concrete moisture
content should meet one of the following criteria below:
• 4.5% when tested using Tramex Concrete Moisture
Encounter
• Less than 3 pounds per 1000 square feet per 24 hours when
using Calcium Chloride test (ASTM F 1869)
• 75% when using Relative Humidity Testing (ASTM F-2170).
Please note: Concrete moisture content may be acceptable the time
of the test but these tests do not guarantee a perpetual “dry”
concrete slab. The concrete slab moisture content can vary at other
times of the year. We are not responsible for moisture related
damage to installed flooring.
Wood Subfloor Requirements:
• It must be clean; no presence of construction debris, soil,
mud and any other objects on or adhering to the floor; no
protrusions of nails, debris, metals should remain. If
necessary, scrape and sweep the subfloor before the
installation.
• It must be structurally sound and stable: no movements or
squeaks, no loose panels or loose nails, no signs of ply de-
lamination or other damages. Repair all shortcomings before
installation.
• It must be flat with no bumps or low spots; the subfloor
should be flat within 1/8” in 6 feet span or 3/16” in 10 feet.
• Test for moisture using reliable moisture meter. Perform
tests at locations around exterior doorways, near foundation
walls, near walls containing plumbing lines and in the center
of the room. Measure 20 locations per 1000 square feet.
• Moisture content of subfloor should be less than 12%.
Plywood or Oriented Strand Board (OSB) Specifications
• On truss/joist spacing of 16” (406mm) O/C or less, the
industry standard for single-panel subflooring is minimum
5/8” (19/32”, 15.1 mm) CD Exposure 1 plywood subfloor
panels (CD Exposure 1) or 23/32” OSB Exposure 1 subfloor
panels, 4’ x 8' sheets. Expansion gap between panels should
be 1/8” (3 mm). If panels are not tongued and grooved and
there is not sufficient spacing or is inadequate, cut in the
required spacing with a circular saw. Do not cut in expansion
space on tongue and groove panels.
Existing Floors
Installation over existing floor requires the installer to consider
potential issues related to moisture damage, adhesive failure and
fastener failure. Contact the adhesive and fastener manufacturers
respectively for their specific instructions, recommendations and
requirements.
• Acceptable floor coverings include: solid hardwood,
linoleum, terrazzo, ceramic tile and other “moisture
sealed floors.”
• Unacceptable floor coverings include: floating floors,
carpet, needle punch felt, edge glued linoleum and other
“moisture absorbing flooring.”
Pre-Installation (cont’d)