Installation Guide

DESCRIPTION
STAINMASTER
™
resilient flooring SoftStep Plus Collection is a
fiberglass reinforced, vinyl back twelve feet wide resilient sheet
flooring product. STAINMASTER
™
resilient flooring SoftStep Plus
Collection can be installed using one of these installation methods:
a traditional fully adhered technique, a pressure sensitive “releasable
bond” technique or a loose laid technique depending on the size,
complexity and intended use of the area.
GETTING STARTED
The first step is to determine the amount of flooring product you
will require for the job. Draw a simple sketch of the area you wish
to cover, including all offsets or alcoves and measure the width and
length of the area. Keep in mind that the SoftStep Plus is available
only in 12’ wide widths. If the area is less than 12’ wide in one direction
just determine the actual length of the area in the other direction.
Typically you will want to add at least 3” to this length measurement.
Multiply the required length by 12’ to determine the required square
feet of product for the project. It is helpful to know that 3” = .25 feet,
6” = .5 feet and 9” = .75 feet. Example: Your room is 11’ wide by 14’6”
long. Multiply 14.75 (the actual length + 3”) by 12’ to determine that
you will require 177 square feet of flooring product.
If the area is wider than 12’ in both directions, the flooring product
will need to be joined, use your sketch to determine the best
placement of the seam. Ideally the seam should be positioned away
from the main traffic path and be as short as possible. In addition to
determining the length you will also need to determine the “fill” using
the correct pattern match. The pattern repeat is typically available on
the sample or at the point of sale. Your Lowe's flooring professional
will assist in determining the required square feet for your project.
Once the product requirements have been determined it will be
necessary to prepare the area to receive the flooring product. The
conditions and size of the area will determine the exact type of
subfloor preparation that will be required, but in all cases the subfloor
must be clean, smooth, flat and dry.
JOB SITE CONDITIONS
Environmental Requirements
SoftStep Plus is designed to be installed in climate controlled, interior
locations only. The temperature should be maintained between 65ºF
and 90ºF for at least 48 hours before, during and after the installation
is completed.
Structural Requirements
The type and method of construction, the grade level, and the
flooring system components all impact the installation of the
SoftStep Plus. The structural flooring systems are either constructed
of concrete (or cement like materials) or wood.
Wood Subfloors
Wood subfloors are constructed of stripwood planks or wood
composite or plywood panels. Typically, these subfloors will require
the use of a ¼” underlayment to provide a smooth, clean surface on
which to apply adhesives. In the case where the loose lay flooring
installation (see Installation Section) is used these subfloors may
be appropriately prepared to provide a solid base for the flooring
product. Prepare these subfloors by sanding smooth all panel/ board
joints, removing any surface contaminant or stains that have the
potential to discolor SoftStep Plus.
When underlayment is being used it should have a minimum
thickness of ¼” and meet the following criteria:
• Bespecicallydesignedandwarrantedforuseasaooring
underlayment
• Bedimensionallystable
• Haveasmooth,fullysandedtopsurfacesograiningortexturing
that will not telegraph
• Offerresistancetobothstaticandimpactindentation
• Offeruniformdensity,porosityandthickness
Concrete Subfloors
Regardless of age, time in place or grade level, concrete subfloors
must be tested for moisture to insure that the concrete subfloor is
indeed sufficiently dry. Concrete subfloors must have a minimum
compressive strength of 3000PSI and a dry density of at least
100 pounds per cubic foot. The concrete surface must be free of
surface defects or surface contaminants. Surface defects include
cracks, holes, flaking, or dusting of the concrete surface. Surface
contaminates should be considered as any substance that may
interfere with the adhesive bond or that may cause bottom up
staining of the resilient flooring. Surface defects must be repaired
using a Portland cement floor patching compound designed for this
purpose. Surface contaminates must be sanded or ground off, do not
use any chemicals or solvents to remove these surface contaminants.
Surface contaminates are paints, sealing or curing compounds, oils,
solvents or existing adhesives.
Warning: Certain paints may contain lead. Exposure to excessive
amounts of lead dust presents a health hazard. Refer to applicable
federal,state,provincialandlocallawsandLead-BasedPaintInterim
GuidelinesforHazardIdenticationandAbatementinPublicand
IndianHousing(September1990)orsubsequenteditionspublished
bytheU.S.DepartmentofHousingandUrbanDevelopment
regarding (1) appropriate methods for identifying lead-based paint
and removing such paint; and (2) any licensing, certification and
training requirements for persons performing lead abatement work.
Existing Floor Coverings
It is always prudent to remove existing floor coverings in order to
inspect the soundness of the original subfloor.
Recommended Work Practices for Removal of
Resilient Floor Coverings
Do not sand, dry sweep, dry scrape, drill, saw, bead blast, or
mechanically chip or pulverize existing resilient flooring, backing,
lining felt, asphaltic “cutback” adhesive, or other adhesive. These
products may contain 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. RFCI’s
Recommended Work Practices for Removal of Resilient Floor
Coverings are a defined set of instructions addressed to the task of
removing all resilient floor covering structures.
SoftStep Plus may be installed over a single layer of existing resilient
floor covering if:
• Theexistingooringisrmlyandfullyadheredtoasolidsuboor
• Theexistingooringisnotafoam-backedorcushionedresilient
product
• Theexistingooringisnotperimeterfastened
• Theexistingooringisnotasphaltictile,self-sticktileorrubbertile
In many cases it is practical to use an embossing leveling compound
to smooth the texture of the existing flooring.
Existing ceramic tile flooring may be leveled using a cementious
patching compound designed for this purpose.
Follow all directions provided by the embossing leveler or patching
compound manufacturer.
1-877-762-4911, option 5 (sheet vinyl) • STAINMASTER.com
STAINMASTER and the STAINMASTER family of marks are registered trademarks of INVISTA used under license.
STAINMASTER
™
resilient flooring
SoftStep Plus Collection
Installation Instructions