Installation Guide

INSTALLATION
4. 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 fre-retardant treated plywood or preservative treated plywood. An additional layer of APA rated 1/4"
thick underlayment should be installed.
B. Concrete Suboors
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.
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.
If the adhesive residue is asphalt‐based (cut‐back), or any othertypeof adhesive is present, it must beremoved by industry accepted methods such as
mechanical removal or wet scraping.
If a chemical abatement has been performed, use Shaw Surface Prep EXT to remove any residual chemicals present. Once Shaw Surface Prep EXT has
been properly cleaned and removed, apply one coat of Shaw MRP for additional protection.
Adhesive removal through the use ofsolvents or citrus adhesive removersis not recommended.Solvent residue left in or on the suboor may affectthe
new adhesive and oor covering.
WARNING! DO NOT SAND, DRY SWEEP, DRY SCRAPE, DRILL, SAW, BEAD BLAST ORMECHANICALLY CHIP OR PULVERISE
EXISTING RESILIENT FLOORING, BACKING,LINING FELT , ASPHALTIC “ CUT BACK” ADHESIVES OR OTHER ADHESIVES.

Theseproducts may contain either asbestos bers and/or crystalline silica.Avoid creating dust. Inhalation of such dust is a
cancer andrespiratory tract hazard. Smoking by individuals exposed to asbestos bers greatly increases the risk of serious
bodily harm. Unlesspositively certain that the product is a non‐asbestos‐containingmaterial, you must presume it contains
asbestos. Regulations may require that the material be tested to determine asbestos content andmay govern the removal
and disposal of material. 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covering
structures. For current information go towww.rfci.com.
Concrete slabs must be dry with no visible moisture.
Required Moisture Testing - maximum moisture level per ASTM 1869 CaCl is 8 lbs. and ASTM 2170 In-situ Relative Humidity 90% per 1000 sq.ft. in 24
hours.
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.
pH level of concrete should be between 7-10.
The inal 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.
Lightweight Concrete
All recommendations and guarantees as to the suitability and performance of lightweight concrete under resilient ooring
are the responsibility of the lightweight concrete manufacturer. The installer of the lightweight product may be required to be
authorized or certiied by the manufacturer. Correct on-site mixing ratios and properly functioning pumping equipment are
critical. To ensure proper mixture, slump testing is recommended.
Lightweight aggregate concretes having dry densities greater than 90 lbs. per cubic foot may be acceptable under resilient ooring.
Concrete slabs with heavy static and/or dynamic loads should be designed with higher strengths and densities to support such loads.
Surface must be permanently dry, clean, smooth, free of all dust, and structurally sound.
Perform Bond testing to determine compatibility of adhesive to the substrate. Shaw 9050 primer can be utilized to promote adhesion.
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shawoors.com
For reference purposes only if printed or downloaded.