Installation Guide

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PRE-INSTALLATION SUBFLOOR REQUIREMENTS
Note: All subfloors must be flat to within 3/16” in 10’ or 1/8” in 6’
Wood Subfloors
 Do not install material over wood subfloors that lay directly on concrete or over dimensional lumber or plywood used over
concrete. Refer to ASTM F1482 for panel underlayment recommendations.
 Do not apply sheet plastic over wood subfloors.
 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.
 All other subfloors - 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 flooring
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.
 Resilient flooring is not recommended directly over fire-retardant treated plywood or preservative treated plywood. An additional
layer of APA rated 1/4" thick underlayment should be installed.
Concrete Subfloors
 Floors shall be smooth, permanently dry, clean, and free all foreign material such as dust, wax, solvents, paint, grease, oil s, and old
adhesive residue. The surface must be hard and dense, and free from powder or flaking.
 New concrete slabs must be dry. Maximum moisture level per CaCl test method is 5 lbs. per 1000 in 24 hr. Maximum level for
ASTM 2170 In-situ Relative humidity test method - 85%.
 Do no install over concrete with a history of high moisture or hydrostatic conditions.
 Ph level of concrete should be between 7-10
 The final responsibility for determining if the concrete is dry enough for installation of the flooring lies with the floor covering
installer.
WARNING! DO NOT SAND, DRY SWEEP, DRY SCRAPE, DRILL, SAW, BEADBLAST OR MECHANICALLY CHIP OR PULVERIZE EXISTING
RESILIENT FLOORING, BACKING, LINING FELT, ASPHALTIC “CUTBACK” ADHESIVES OR OTHER ADHESIVES.
These products may contain either asbestos fibers and/or crystalline silica. Avoid creating dust. Inhalation of such dust is a cancer and respiratory
tract hazard. Smoking by individuals exposed to asbestos fibers 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
Existing Floor Coverings
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SMARTCORE® Naturals flooring can be installed over most existing hard–surface floor coverings (including ceramic tile) provided that the
existing floor surface is clean, flat dry and structurally sound.
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Existing sheet vinyl floors should not be heavily cushioned and not exceed more than one layer in thickness.
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Installation is NOT allowed over any type of carpet.
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Do NOT install over wood subfloor or wood floors adhered to concrete.
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Ceramic tile.
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Never use solvents or citrus adhesive removers to remove old adhesive residue. Solvent residue left in and on the subfloor may affect the new
floor covering.
STARTING YOUR INST ALLA TION
 Because houses and buildings, as well as adjacent hardwood or laminate floors, expand and contract, USFloors recommends
leaving a ¼” expansion gap between the perimeter walls and any adjacent hardwood floor .
 For floating installations an underlayment is generally not required. However, if you prefer an even quieter installation you can
include an underlayment approved for resilient products.
 Note: Larger rooms require additional expansion space. Add 1/16” to the width of the expansion space for every 3’ the room
extends beyond 25’. Dimensions exceeding 40’in length or width – it is recommended to use a T-Molding for proper expansion.
Work from several open boxes of flooring and “dry lay” the floor before permanently laying the floor. This will allow you to select
varying textures, colors, and sheens, and to arrange them in a harmonious pattern. Remember, it is the inst aller ’ s responsibility
to determine the expectations of what the finished floor will look like with the end user first and then to cull out pieces that do
not meet those expectations.