Installation Guide
excessive moisture conditions. Grout joints and heavy embossing in tile or vinyl should be leveled so they are flush
with the flooring surface. Additionally, the tile may require several skim coats to achieve that flat surface. Carpet,
heavily cushioned vinyl floors or vinyl floors consisting of multiple layers are NOT a suitable subfloor for installation.
Radiant Heat Subfloors:
Wellmade HDPC® Planks can be installed over in-floor radiant heating systems provided the subfloor surface does
not exceed 85°F (29.44°C) at any point. The initial floor temperature should not exceed 70°F (21.11°C) for 24 hours
prior, during, and 48 hours after installation. Thereafter the temperature should be gradually increased to the
desired setting up to 85°F (29.44°C). Because heat does affect both plastic and wood, you may need additional
room for expansion (larger expansion gap) and contraction (wider base to allow for contraction) Electrical heating
systems that are installed on top of the subfloor surface and not encased with self-leveling underlayment are not
recommended.
Important Notes:
Before removing any existing resilient flooring or tiles, please consult with a flooring professional to
determine if asbestos abatement is necessary to avoid exposure. 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 covered structures.
Moisture Barrier and Underlayment Padding:
While it is not necessarily difficult to install a floating floor, you may want to consider having it done
by a professional installer. Since there is an attached padding, no additional padding should be used, never install
this product over a secondary pad. Over a concrete slab a moisture barrier is recommended. Moisture barrier
should consist of at least a 6 mil polyethylene film with the sheets overlapping 6” and taped to prevent moisture
migrating to the flooring.
Pre-installation inspection:
It is the duty of the person installing the floor to inspect all flooring before installation. If during inspection the
installer or buyer feels the floors is the wrong color, improperly manufactured, is off-grade or is the wrong gloss
level, he/she should NOT install the flooring. Please immediately contact the retailer from which the flooring was
purchased. No claims will the accepted for flooring which is visibly wrong if such flooring is installed. Installed
flooring is deemed to be visibly acceptable.
General Tips
Make sure the HVAC is operational and running.
Remove wall base and undercut door jambs.
Do not secure individual planks to the subfloor as it is designed to be a floating floor.
Do not install cabinets on top of your floating floor.
It is recommended to separate all rooms using T molding, for separations in rooms larger than 40’ x 40’
call for recommendations.
Installation
1. First, determine how you want the flooring to run. Typically for plank products the flooring runs the
length of the room. There may be exceptions since it is all a matter of preference.
2. To avoid narrow plank widths or short plank lengths near the walls/doors, it is important to do some pre-
planning. Using the width of the room, calculate how many full boards will fit into the area and how
much space remains that will need to be covered by partial planks.