Installation Guide

Installation Instructions
Home Decorators Collection
Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring
For Assistance, Call: 1-866-843-8453
Homedepot.com/homedecorators
Product Description
4.0 mm (0.16 in.) x 7.5 in. x 47.6 in.
Vinyl Plank with DropLock 100
TM
joints
Grade Levels
Above Grade / On Grade
Below Grade
Installation Method
Floating - Drop and Lock
1 HOMEDEPOT.COM/HOMEDECORATORS
Revised 1/5/2017 Please contact 1-866-843-8453 for further assistance.
CAUTION: ASBESTOS IN EXISTING FLOOR: Home Decorators Collections product does not contain asbestos. Existing installed resilient flooring
and asphaltic adhesive may contain asbestos fillers or crystalline silica. Do not sand, dry sweep, dry scrape, drill, saw, bead-blast, or mechanically chip or
pulverize existing resilient flooring, backing, lining felt, asphaltic “cutback” adhesive or other adhesive. See “Recommended Work Practices for Removal of
Resilient Floor Coverings” (rfci.com) for detailed information and instructions on removing all resilient covering structures.
CAUTION: DO NOT INSTALL IN all exterior installations, seasonal porches, boats, campers, RV's, sunrooms, solariums, non-temperature controlled rooms or
homes.
Safety and Health Precautions
Power tools can be dangerous. Operate in strict accordance to manufacturer’s operating instructions and safety precautions. Unsafe and improper use can cause
serious injuries. Avoid inhalation and exposures to airborne particles by mechanical means and by wearing personal protective equipment. Wear appropriate
personal protective equipment (PPE) which includes NIOSH or OSHA approve dust masks, safety goggles and work gloves.
Warranty
This flooring product comes with a manufacturer Limited Wear Warranty. The warranty applies to the original purchaser of the flooring. It warrants the original
purchaser that the finish surface will not wear through for the duration of the stated warranty from the date of purchase. Contact our Customer Service Team at
866-843-8453 to request a written copy which provides detailed terms of coverage and limitations.
Pre-Installation
OWNER/INSTALLER RESPONSIBILITY
The owner is advised to be at home during the installation for consultation/
direction. The owner and installer should discuss installation and layout to
maximize satisfaction. If this is not possible, consultation should be done
prior to installation. The owner/installer assumes all responsibility for product
quality of completed installation.
PERFORM PRE-INSTALL INSPECTION. FOR CLAIMS PURPOSES, YOU ARE
ALLOWED TO OPEN UP TO 4 BOXES FOR PRODUCT INSPECTION. DO NOT OPEN
ALL THE BOXES. OPENING ALL THE BOXES CONSTITUTES YOUR ACCEPTANCE
OF THE PRODUCT. INSPECT ALL THE PLANKS IN THESE 4 BOXES CAREFULLY.
EXAMINE FLOORING FOR COLOR, FINISH AND QUALITY. IF YOU DISCOVER THAT
PRODUCTS ARE DEFECTIVE, OR IF MATERIAL IS QUESTIONABLE, YOU SHOULD
CONTACT THE RETAILER. IF YOU ARE SATISFIED, PROCEED WITH INSTALLATION.
Prior to installation, rack up planks from several boxes to ensure uniform
distribution of colors, shades and characters in the installed flooring. Planks
having similar widths should be placed together in the same row to minimize
gaps between boards.
Allow the vinyl flooring to acclimate to the installation area for a minimum of
48 hours before installing.
Purchase flooring to be installed in one large area at the same time. Product
purchased at a later time than the first purchase may vary beyond your
expectations.
Accessories, trims and moldings are manufactured to coordinate with the
varied appearances of the floor planks. Any exact matches are coincidental.
Non-matching accessories are not defective products.
This product is manufactured according to strict quality standards. In the event
that defects are discovered in the field, the industry standards permit a defect
tolerance not to exceed 5%. Order an additional 10% extra for cutting wastage
and grading allowances (more for diagonal installations).
During installation, inspect the planks continuously. Defects that can be seen
from a standing position should be cut off or held out. Installing defective
planks implies acceptance.
Clicking noises are the result of interactions among flooring, joists and
subfloors when they move. Sometimes, it is impossible to eliminate them
completely and minor clicking noises are to be accepted as normal flooring
phenomenon.
To assure the warranty is not inadvertently voided, before proceeding with
any activity that is not covered in this manual, please contact our Customer
Support Team at 866-843-8453.
CONCRETE SUBFLOOR REQUIREMENTS
Concrete subfloors must:
□ Have minimum rated strength of 3000 psi.
□ Be level to within 1/4 in. in a 10 ft. 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. Subfloors should not
slope more than 1 in. per 6 ft.
□ 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 90 days. It must have a minimum
10 mil polyethylene sheet between the ground and the concrete.
□ Be free from moisture related conditions which can damage the installed
flooring.
CONCRETE MOISTURE
Test all concrete subfloors for moisture content and document the results.
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. Minimum
sample size is 3 samples per 1000 sq. ft. of area and one test for every
additional 1000 sq. ft. thereafter.
Moisture content should meet one of the following criteria:
□ 4% max. when tested using Tramex Concrete Moisture Encounter.
□ Less than 8 pounds per 1000 sq. ft. per 24 hours when using Calcium
Chloride test (ASTM F1869).
□ 85% max. when using Relative Humidity Testing (ASTM F2170).
NOTE: Concrete moisture content may be acceptable the time of the test.
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
The subfloor 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, or
metals should remain. If necessary, scrape and sweep the subfloor before the
installation.
The subfloor 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.
The subfloor must be flat; no visible bumps or low spots; the subfloor should
be flat to within 1/4 in. in 10 ft. span. Test for moisture using a 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 sq. ft.. Moisture content of the subfloor
should be less than 13%. Moisture content difference between the subfloor
and flooring should be 2% or less.