Installation Guide

INSTALLATION
RESILIENT INSTALLATION GUIDELINES FOR SPC PRODUCTS
I. GENERAL INFORMATION
All instructions and recommendations should be followed for a satisfactory installation.
Acclimation of material prior to installation is not required however the oor covering should be installed in a climate controlled environment with a
temperature between 55° - 85°F (13°-29°C) or average temp. of 70 degrees (21.1°).
Post installation temperature range is between -25 and 155degrees F (-31.6°- 68.3°C).
Avoid exposure to direct sunlight for prolonged periods, doing so may result in discoloration. During peak sunlight hours, the use of the drapes or blinds
is recommended. Excess temperature due to direct sunlight can result in thermal expansion and UV fading.
Install product after all other trades have completed work that could damage the ooring.
If cabinets are to be installed on top of the ooring (including islands), that area of material must be fully adhered to the suboor (including an
additional 2’ft beyond the cabinets and islands).
To minimize shade variation, mix and install planks from several cartons.
Inspect all planks for damage before installing. If you have any concerns about the product t or nish, call Shaw Information Services at 1-800-441-7429.
Claims will not be accepted for ooring that has been cut to size and/or installed.
Use cementitious patching and leveling compounds that meet or exceed maximum moisture level and pH requirements. Use of gypsum-based
patching and/or leveling compounds which contain Portland or high alumina cement and meet or exceed the compressive strength of 3,000 psi are
acceptable.
Installation Methods: Floating (on, above or below grade) / Glue Down (on,above or below grade)
For installation in areas larger than 50’x 50’, 2500 sq. ft. provide a minimum expansion space of 1/2” (12.7 mm) around the perimeter.
This ooring is waterproofand reliably secures the ooring panels on all four sides. However, excessive moisture in the suboor could promote mold,
mildew, and other moisture related issues like the trapping of moisture emissions under the ooring, which may contribute to an unhealthy indoor
environment.
Additional layer of 6 mil poly lm or equal vapor retarder with a perm rating of 1 or less may be used as an additional layer of protection.
A second underlayment is allowed under any currently sold WPC/SPC Product with attached underlayment in a residential application. If installed over
a second underlayment, this underlayment cannot be greater than 3 mm thick. IIC (ASTM E492-09) and STC (ASTM E90-09) lab testing on certain
WPC/SPC products tested with and without a second layer of underlayment, to date, does not indicate that a second underlayment will provide
additional acoustic benet.
II. SUBFLOOR INFORMATION
All suboors must be clean, at, dry and structurally sound. The correct preparation of the suboor is a major part of a
successful installation. Suboor must be at – 3/16" in 10' or 1/8" in 6'.
A. WOOD SUBFLOORS
Do not install material over wood suboors that lay directly on concrete or over dimensional lumber or plywood used over
concrete. Refer to ASTM F1482 for panel underlayment recommendations.
1. Do not apply sheet plastic over wood suboors.
2. Basements and crawl spaces must be dry. Use of a 6 mil black polyethylene is required to cover 100% of the crawl space earth. Crawl space clearance
from ground to underside of joist is to be no less than 18” and perimeter vent spacing should be equal to 1.5% of the total square footage of the crawl
space area to provide cross ventilation. Where necessary, local regulations prevail.
3. All other suboors - Plywood, OSB, particleboard, chipboard, wafer board, etc. must be structurally sound and must be installed following their
manufacturer’s recommendations. Local building codes may only establish minimum requirements of the ooring system and may not provide
adequate rigidity and support for proper installation and performance. If needed add an additional layer of APA rated underlayment, fasten and secure
according to the underlayment manufacturer’s recommendations.
4. Resilient ooring is not recommended directly over re-retardant treated plywood or preservative treated plywood. An additional layer of APA rated
1/4" thick underlayment should be installed.
B. CONCRETE SUBFLOORS
NEW AND EXISTING CONCRETE SUBFLOORS SHOULD MEET THE GUIDELINES OF THE LATEST EDITION OF ACI 302 AND
ASTM F 710, “STANDARD PRACTICE FOR PREPARING CONCRETE FLOORS TO RECEIVE RESILIENT FLOORING” AVAILABLE
FROM THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND MATERIALS, 100 BARR HARBOR DRIVE, WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, PA
19428; 610-832-9585; HTTP://WWW.ASTM.ORG.
1. Floors shall be smooth, permanently dry, clean, and free all foreign material such as dust, wax, solvents, paint, grease, oils, and old adhesive residue. The
surface must be hard and dense, and free from powder or aking.
2. New concrete slabs must be dry. Maximum moisture level per CaCl test method is 8 lbs. per 1000 in 24 hr. Maximum level for ASTM 2170 In-situ Relative
humidity test method - 90%.
3. Do not install over concrete with a history of high moisture or hydrostatic conditions. Excessive moisture in the suboor could promote mold, mildew,
and other moisture related issues like the trapping of moisture emissions under the ooring, which may contribute to an unhealthy indoor
environment. Shaw Industries does not warrant nor is responsible for damage to oor covering due to moisture related issues.
4. pH level of concrete should be between 7-10.
5. The nal responsibility for determining if the concrete is dry enough for installation of the ooring lies with the oor covering installer.
NOTE: IT MAY NOT BE THE FLOOR COVERING INSTALLER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO CONDUCT THESE TESTS. IT IS, HOWEVER,
THE FLOOR COVERING INSTALLER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THESE TESTS HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED, AND THAT
THE RESULTS ARE ACCEPTABLE PRIOR TO INSTALLING THE FLOOR COVERING. WHEN MOISTURE TESTS ARE
CONDUCTED, IT INDICATES THE CONDITIONS ONLY AT THE TIME OF THE TEST.
1For reference purposes only if printed or downloaded.