Installation Guide

4 of 6
WOOD SUBSTRATE
Wood subfloors must have a minimum 18″ (47 cm) of cross-ventilated space between the bottom of the joist and ground. Exposed
earth crawl spaces must be sealed with a polyethylene moisture barrier. Subfloors must meet local and national building codes.
Trade associations, such as the APA -The Engineered Wood Association, offer structural guidelines for meeting various code
requirements. Refer to ASTM F 1482 Standard Practice for Installation and Preparation of Panel Type Underlayments to receive
Resilient Flooring, for additional information.
• Wood subfloors require an underlayment (double layer construction) with a minimum total thickness of 1″ (25 mm). Use minimum 1 ⁄4″
(6 mm) thick APA rated “underlayment grade″ plywood with a fully sanded face, or other underlayment panel that is appropriate for
the intended usage. Install and prepare panels and seams according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Also refer to ASTM F1482,
“Standard Practice for Installation and Preparation of Panel Underlayments to Receive Resilient Flooring.″
• Many times, wood panel subfloors are damaged during the construction process or are not underlayment grade. These panels must
be covered with an appropriate underlayment. Underlayment panels are intended to be used to provide a smooth surface on which
to adhere the finished floor covering. Underlayment panels cannot correct structural deficiencies.
• Panels intended to be used as underlayment should be specifically designed for this purpose. These panels should have a minimum
thickness of 1 ⁄4″ (6 mm). Any panels selected as an underlayment must meet the following criteria:
ο Be dimensionally stable.
ο Have a smooth, fully sanded face, so graining or texture will not telegraph through.
ο Be resistant to both static and impact indentation.
ο Be free of any surface components that may cause staining, such as plastic fillers, marking inks sealers, etc.
ο Be of uniform density, porosity and thickness.
ο Have a written warranty for suitability and performance from the panel manufacturer, or have a history of proven performance.
• Any unevenness at the joints between panels must be sanded to a level surface. Gaps between panels, hammer indentations and all
other surface irregularities must be filled and sanded.
• Particleboard, chipboard, construction grade plywood, OSB, flake-board and wafer board are not recommended as underlayments.
All have inadequate uniformity, poor dimensional stability and variable surface porosity. Ivy Hill will not accept responsibility for
adhered installation over these subfloors. In all cases, the underlayment manufacturer or underlayment installer is responsible for all
underlayment warranties.
RESILIENT SUBSTRATE
• Must be single layered, non-cushion backed, fully adhered, and smooth.
• Show no signs of moisture or alkalinity.
• Wax, polish, grease and grime must be removed.
• Cuts, cracks, gouges, dents and other irregularities in the existing floor covering must be repaired or replaced.
NOTE:
The responsibility of determining if the existing flooring is suitable to be installed over rests solely with installer/ flooring
contractor on site. If there is any doubt as to suitability, the existing flooring should be removed, or an acceptable underlayment
installed over it. Installations over existing resilient flooring may be more susceptible to indentation.
POURED FLOOR SUBSTRATE (EPOXY, POLYMERIC, SEAMLESS)
• Must be totally cured and well bonded to the concrete.
• Must be free of any residual solvents and petroleum residue.
• Wax, polish, grease and grime must be removed.
• Cuts, cracks, gouges, dents and other irregularities in the existing floor covering must be repaired or replaced.