Installation Guide

Floor Covering Institute (WWW.RFCI.com) publication “Recommended Work Practices for Removal of Resilient Floor
Coverings” for detailed information and instructions on removing all resilient covering structures.
Subfloor Preparation
All subfloor surfaces must be flat, clean, dry, smooth, and free of movement. All surface imperfections should be filled
and sanded with a Portland cement‐based latex patching compound.
Flat within 3/16” in a 10’ radius and or 1/8” in a 6’ radius. Sand high areas or joints. Fill low areas with a high
compressive strength Portland base compound.
Completely remove all residual adhesive with an approved method on previously covered concrete floors or cover
them with an Adhesive Encapsulator or cementitious underlayment intended for this purpose. Never use solvent‐
based adhesive removers.
Dry – Select the appropriate moisture indicator test specifically designed for use with wood or concrete subfloors. Test
and record moisture content results. DO NOT INSTALL FLOORING IF MOISTURE TEST RESULTS EXCEED RECOMMENDED
LIMITS. (WWW.RFCI.com)
Concrete Subfloors
1. Concrete subfloors must be dry, smooth, and free from dust, solvent, paint, wax, grease, asphalt sealing
compounds, and oil or other materials. The surface must be hard and dense, and free from powder or flaking. If
surface is dusty but meets all other requirements, use a Floor Primer to prepare the surface for adhesive application.
2. New concrete slabs must be thoroughly dry (at least six weeks) and completely cured. Curing agents, surface
hardeners and other additives may cause adhesive bonding failure. These should be removed by sanding or grinding. 3.
Moisture arising from new or old concrete can create high levels of moisture vapor emissions, hydrostatic
pressure, and high levels of alkalinity. This combination is highly corrosive and will damage the floor over time. To avoid
this problem, ensure that concrete subfloors are constructed according to the American Concrete Institution’s
guidelines (ACI’s 302.2 Guide). To check current conditions, a calcium chloride test (ASTM F1869) and a RH test using in
situ Probes (ASTM F2170) is necessary. If the level of vapor emissions / hydrostatic pressure exceeds 6lbs and /or 90%
RH, you must use a Multi-use LVT adhesive for the install. Responsibility for determining if the concrete is dry enough
for installation of the flooring lies with the owner and installer.
4. If there is old adhesive present from a previous install, you must remove all surface residue. Once you remove
all surface residue, use an Adhesive Encapsulator to prepare the subfloor for the adhesive and a proper bond.
Wood Subfloors
NOTE: As with many other interior finish products, modification of existing structural components may be required for
a successful installation.
1. Nail or screw any areas that are loose or squeak. Wood panels should exhibit an adequate fastening pattern.
They should be glued, screwed, or nailed as that system requires, using an acceptable pattern, typically, 6” along bearing
edges and 12” along intermediate supports. Flatten edge swell as necessary and replace any water‐damaged, swollen, or
delaminated subflooring or underlayment.