Installation Guide

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.
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.
Wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) which includes NIOSH or OSHA approve dust masks, safety goggles and work gloves.
PRE-INSTALLATION
OWNER/INSTALLER RESPONSIBILITY
It is the Installer/Owner responsibility to ensure that the conditions are acceptable prior to the installation of the
ooring. The manufacturer declines any and all problems associated with the ooring that are related to or
attributed to improper jobsite conditions. Any splits, cracks, grain raising, checking, edge fracturing, splintering,
cupping, crowning/peaking, warping, twisting, expansion/contraction, telegraphing, buckling or chipping that
occurs during or after the oor has been installed and as a result of abuse, misuse, improper maintenance or
care, improper installation technique and improper environmental conditions are not covered under the
manufacturer’s warranty.
Prior to installation of any ooring, the installer must ensure that the jobsite and suboor meet the requirements
of these installation instructions. All necessary accessories, including trim, must be present at the jobsite prior
to beginning installation. The manufacturer is not responsible for ooring failure resulting from unsatisfactory
jobsite and/or suboor conditions.
When purchasing ooring, we recommend adding 5%-15% to actual square footage needed for cutting
allowance and to compensate for culled material. It is acceptable that up to 5% of material be outside the range
of acceptance and not be considered defective.
It shall be the responsibility of the Installer to document installation date, product SKU and Lot information,
suboor moisture content, site relative humidity and site temperature. This information must be documented by
the installer and a copy provided to the property owner to ensure product warranty coverage.
Failure to follow any and all of Home Decorators Collection recommended installation guidelines will void
warranty coverage.
CONCRETE SUBFLOOR REQUIREMENTS
Concrete subfloors must:
□ Have minimum rated strength of 3000 psi.
□ Be level to within 1/8 in. in a 6 ft. span or 3/16 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.
□ 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 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:
□ 4.5% when tested using Tramex Concrete Moisture Encounter.
□ Less than 3 pounds per 1000 sq. ft. per 24 hours when using Calcium Chloride test (ASTM F 1869).
□ 75% when using Relative Humidity Testing (ASTM F-2170).
INSPECT THE FLOORING
Inspect material for color, nish, milling, texture and grade. Set aside pieces that may not be acceptable once
installed. A maximum of four boxes may be opened for inspection prior to installation. The oors have been
thoroughly inspected during the manufacturing process, but it is the responsibility of the installer/homeowner to
do nal inspection and cull-out boards that are not acceptable before installation.
BLENDING OF CARTONS
To achieve a uniform appearance across the entire oor, we require that you open and work from a minimum of
four cartons at a time and lay out the ooring ahead of time. Be sure to mix the planks for the best aesthetic
appearance. Make certain the room is well lit to ensure color is consistent and that any visual defects can be seen
and removed prior to installation. “Racking the Floor” is essential to achieve a random appearance. Start by
cutting several boards in random lengths, differing the lengths by at least six inches. As you continue working
across the oor remember to maintain a six-inch minimum space between the end joints. Randomly install
different lengths to avoid a patterned appearance. Never waste materials; the end cuts from starter rows should
be used at the opposite side of the room to complete rows or may be used to start the next row.
UNDERCUT DOOR CASINGS
Undercut all door casings 1/16” higher than the thickness of the ooring being installed. To do this, use a scrap
piece of ooring as a guide. Lay it on the substrate and cut the casing with a handsaw or use a power jamb saw
set at the correct height. Failure to undercut casings will result in automatic void in warranty coverage.
COORDINATING TRANSITION MOLDINGS
Always have all necessary transition moldings on site prior to beginning installation. Make sure all transitions
and moldings have been coordinated with planks that have similar color and graining. Set them aside for use
when a transitioning is necessary. The Vendor cannot be held liable for color variations that may exist between
ooring and coordinating trim accessories under any circumstances.
UNDERLAYMENT
This ooring includes a pre-attached sound-mitigating pad. Do not use any additional sound suppression
underlayment or padding, as doing so will void the HDC Solid Core Limited Warranty.
We require any installation of this oor that is installed in the oating method to use a T-Molding once the
installation has gone more than 35 feet in any single direction. Installations of the ooring beyond this distance
must use a T-Molding to release stress from the oor and allow the oating installation to properly expand and
contract. T-moldings are also required in narrow ooring areas 36” or less in width; oor areas interrupted by
wall sections extending out of the wall, including cabinets; oor areas which are not rectangular; wall
openings-with or without a door; L shaped rooms or otherwise not rectangular rooms will require T-moldings to
split into rectangular sections. Failure to use appropriate T-moldings will void warranty coverage.
FLOOR PROTECTION DURING CONSTRUCTION
Always protect the surface of the installed ooring during construction. Cover the oor with quality rosin paper or
other paper that will allow the oor to breathe and secure it to the baseboards; never tape directly to ooring. Do
not use plastic or polyethylene sheeting to cover the oor. The ooring must be cleaned and completely free of
any and all debris to minimize damage.
If you have any questions regarding installation of ooring not addressed in our guidelines, please contact our
technical department.
STORAGE AND CONDITIONS
Do not store flooring in uncontrolled environmental conditions. For example, garages and exterior patios are not
acceptable areas to store flooring. Handle and unload flooring with care and store within the environmentally
controlled site in which it is expected to perform. Flooring stored on a concrete slab should be elevated at least
four in. to allow air circulation under cartons.
EXISTING HOME
An existing home should have a consistent room temperature of 60°F-80°F and relative humidity (RH) of
35%-55%. Continual deviation from these conditions will affect the dimensions of flooring. When using a heater
during winter months, humidity may be much lower than the acceptable range. A humidifier is recommended to
prevent excess shrinkage in flooring due to low humidity levels. During the warmer months, maintain humidity
levels using an air conditioner, dehumidifier, or by turning on your heating system periodically.
NEW CONSTRUCTION OR REMODEL
All work involving water, such as pouring basement concrete floors, drywall and plasterwork, plumbing, etc. must
be completed well in advance of the floor delivery. Ensure that the building is enclosed. Where building codes
allow, permanent heating and/or air conditioning systems should be operating at least five days preceding
installation and should be maintained during and after installation. If it is not possible for the permanent heating
and/or air conditioning system to be operating before, during and after installation, a temporary heating and/or
dehumidification system that simulates normal living (occupied) conditions can enable the installation to proceed
until the permanent heating and/or air conditioning system is fully operational. Your job site should have a
consistent temperature of 60°F-80°F and relative humidity (RH) of 35%-55% which should be maintained
continuously thereafter.
BASEMENTS AND CRAWL SPACES
Concrete slab or ground must be dry. The ground in the crawl spaces must be completely covered using 6 mil
black polyethylene. Crawl space clearance between the earth and underside of joists should be no less than 18 in.
and the perimeter vent area should be equal to 1.5% of the total square footage of the crawl space or as
mandated by code.
MOISTURE BARRIER AND MOISTURE RETARDER
CONCRETE SUBFLOOR
For floating installation, use 6 mil polyethylene film or other means with equivalent permeability. Overlap the edge
seams and tape it together. Extend moisture barrier up to the wall about 1 in. high.
WOOD SUBFLOOR
Use asphalt-saturated kraft paper or #15 or #30 felt that meets ASTM Standard D4869 or UU-B-790, Grade D.
Overlap along the edge seams 2 in.- 4 in. wide. This retards moisture movement from below. Extend the moisture
retarder to about 1 in. from the walls. Secure to the subfloor as necessary.
SOUND CONTROL UNDERLAYMENT
Check with the sound control manufacturer for application guidelines. Generally, the less compressive
underlayment is preferred.
EXPANSION GAP
An expansion space of 1/4 in. must be left around the perimeter of the room and at all vertical obstructions.
More or less spacing may be needed depending on the geographical region, interior climate, and or time of the
year. Your SPC ooring WILL move/shrink/expand. This is a normal occurrence of ooring products.
TRANSITION MOLDING
Floating installation, transition T-molding is required in the following cases: floor spanning greater than 35 ft. in
length or width; floor areas interrupted by wall sections extending out of the wall; floor areas which are not
rectangular; wall openings-with or without doors; L shaped rooms or otherwise not rectangular rooms requires
T-molding to split it into rectangular sections.
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.
LIGHT WEIGHT CONCRETE
Light weight concrete is concrete with a rated strength that is less than 3000 psi. Perform a quick check by
drawing a nail across the top; if it leaves an indentation, it is probably light concrete.For glue-down applications,
the concrete must possess shear strength greater than the glue. If concrete rated psi is unknown, contact the
adhesive manufacturer for guidance.
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 1/8 in.
in 6 ft. span or 3/16 in. in 10 ft.. 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 12%. Moisture
content difference between the subfloor and flooring should be 2% or less.
PLYWOOD OR ORIENTED STRAND BOARD (OSB) SPECIFICATIONS
On truss/joist spacing of 16 in. (406 mm) O/C or less, the industry standard for single-panel subflooring is a
minimum 5/8 in. (19/32 in., 15.1 mm) CD Exposure 1 plywood subfloor panels (CD Exposure 1) or 23/32 in. OSB
Exposure 1 subfloor panels, 4 ft. x 8 ft. sheets. Expansion gap between panels should be 1/8 in. (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.
PARTICLE BOARD OR FIBER BOARD
Only for floating installation.
EXISTING FLOORS
Installation over existing oor 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
specic instructions, recommendations and requirements.
Acceptable oor coverings include: Solid wood, linoleum (1 layer only), terrazzo, ceramic, and stone tile. Tiled
oors with grout lines will require a cementitious leveling compound to ll any grout lines, voids, or cracks.
Unacceptable oor coverings include: Carpet (any type), cushioned-back vinyl, laminates, and free-oating
oors.
JOB SITE CONDITION
Prior to installation, the installer must ensure that at the time of installation, the job site conditions including
subfloor/substrate, ambient temperature and relative humidity, and all impacting variables will not negatively
affect the floor. The manufacturer will decline responsibility for damages associated with improper installation or
poor site conditions.
RECOMMENDED INSTALLATION AREA
This product is not suitable for any outside use, sunrooms/solariums, showers, saunas, seasonal porches,
camping trailers, boats, RV’s or rooms that have a potential of ooding. Do not install in rooms or homes that
are not temperature controlled.
Exposure to long term direct sunlight can cause damage to your oor. Failure to properly shade or UV tint
windows can discolor, fade, or buckle vinyl planks. Use window treatments or UV tinting on windows. Vinyl
planks are not intended for use on stairs or vertical surfaces. Do not glue, nail, screw or fasten to substrate.
Install cabinetry, island and peninsula counters, vanities, tubs, and showers rst. Then install vinyl planks
around them.
HOMEDEPOT.COM
Please contact 1-800-956-8538 for further assistance.
Installation Instructions
Vinyl SPC Flooring
For Assistance, Call: 1-800-956-8538
www.HomeDepot.com
Product Description
I4F Click 7.20 in. W x 42 in. L x 5mm T
SPC Flooring
Grade Levels
Above Grade / On Grade
Below Grade
Installation Method
Drop and Lock