Commercial Bio Based Plank Tile Installation Guidelines

GENERAL INFORMATION

Site Conditions

• It is recommended that floor covering installation shall not begin until all other trades are completed.

• Material should always be visually inspected prior to installations. Any material installed with visual defects will not be considered a legitimate claim as it pertains to labor cost.

• HVAC System:  Must be operational, maintaining the following conditions 7 days prior to, during and after installation.

• Temperature:  The installation site must be between 65 ^o F and 80 ^o F.  

• Humidity:  The installation site’s ambient relative humidity must be no greater than 65%.

• Acclimation:  72 hour acclimation required for both flooring and adhesive.   

Substrate Testing

• All substrates to receive moisture sensitive floor covering require proper moisture testing.

• ​Moisture Testing per ASTM 1869 CaCl: Results must not exceed 8 lbs. 

• Moisture Testing per ASTM F-2170:  Results must not exceed 85%.

• pH / Alkalinity per ASTM F-710:  Results must be between 5-9.

• If subfloor exceeds these values, moisture mitigation should be performed.

• Perform Bond testing to determine compatibility of adhesive to the substrate.

Gapping ​

The leading causes of objectionable gaps in LVT are improper adhesive selection, poor acclimation, and lack of a stable temperature before, during, and 72 hours after installation. 

A stable temperature means keeping the product, subfloor, and ambient temperatures as close to each other as possible.  Deviation between these temperatures can cause product growth or shrinkage. 

Shaw recommended adhesives have been developed and tested to provide exceptional shear strength.  After the adhesive cures, this high shear strength will minimize product gapping caused by temperature changes.

Shaw does not cover damage or gapping resulting from the use of pressure sensitive adhesives due to their typically low shear strength.

Storage and Handling

• Store cartons of tile or plank products flat and squarely on top of one another. Preferably, locate material in the “center” of the installation area (i.e. away from vents, direct sunlight, etc.)

• Do not stack more than 5 cartons high.

APPROVED SUBSTRATES

Concrete

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.

• Concrete floors shall be flat and smooth within 1/8” in 6 feet or 3/16” in 10 feet.

• F‐Number System: Overall values of FF 36/FL 20 may be appropriate for  Bio-based  floor coverings. 

WARNING:  DO NOT SAND, DRY SWEEP, DRY SCRAPE, DRILL, SAW, BEAD BLAST OR MECHANICALLY CHIP OR PULVERISE 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.

Lightweight Concrete

• Lightweight aggregate concrete having dry densities greater than 90 lbs. per cubic foot may be acceptable under Bio-Based  flooring.

• Concrete slabs with heavy static and/or dynamic loads should be designed with higher strengths and densities to support such loads.

• Perform Bond testing to determine compatibility of adhesive to the substrate. Shaw 9050 primer can be utilized to promote adhesion. 

Wood SubFloors

Wood subfloors must be structurally sound and conform to guidelines of ASTM F 1482 and in compliance with local building codes

• Double‐Layered APA rated plywood subfloors should be a minimum 1" total thickness, with at least 18" well ventilated air space beneath.

• Insulate and protect crawl spaces with a vapor retarder covering the ground.It is recommended that your chosen APA underlayment grade panels be designed for  installation under Bio-based  flooring, and carry a written warranty covering replacement of the entire  flooring system.

• Always follow the underlayment manufacturer’s installation instructions.

• Particleboard, chipboard,  flakeboard, OSB, hardboard or similar are not recommended sub floor materials and require the additional layer of an APA 1/4" underlayment grade panel.

• DO NOT install over sleeper construction sub floors or wood sub floors applied directly over concrete.

• Bio-based flooring is not recommended directly over fire‐retardant treated plywood or preservative treated plywood. 

Radiant Heated Floors

The heating systems components must have a minimum of 1/2" separation from the   flooring product.  The system must be on and operational for at least 2 weeks prior to installation to reduce residual moisture. Three days prior to installation lower the temperature to 65 degrees, after installation gradually increase the temperature in increments of 5° F to avoid overheating.  Maximum operating temperature should never exceed 85°F. Use of an in-floor temperature sensor is recommended to avoid overheating. Contact the manufacturer of your radiant heating system for  further recommendations.

Electric Radiant Floors: consist of electric cables (or) mats of electrically conductive materials mounted on  the subfloor  below the floor covering.  Mesh systems are typically embedded in thin-set.  When embedding the system components, use cementitious patching and leveling compounds that meet or exceed Shaw’s 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.

Hydronic Radiant Floors: pump heated water from a boiler through tubing laid in a pattern under the flooring. Typically installed in channels under a wooden subfloor  (or)  imbedded in concrete slabs.  Requires the installer follow a specific nailing pattern to avoid penetration of the heat system. 

SUBSTRATE PREPARATION

Porous substrate Installation only. 

• Substrates must be structurally sound, clean, level and dry.

• Substrates must be free of dust, dirt, oil, grease, paint, curing agents, concrete sealers, adhesives, loosely bonded toppings, loose particles and any other substance or condition that may prevent or reduce adhesion.

• Substrates must be flat  and smooth within ⅛” in 6 feet or 3/16” in 10 feet.

• Fill depressions or cracks with a cementitious patching / leveling compound that meet or exceed Shaw Industries 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.

• For cracks or saw cuts deeper than 1", follow the preparation and application instructions for Shaw QuikFill.  QuikFill is a 2-part urethane treatment that prevents future damage from moisture penetrating to the surface of the slab that may damage or break down adhesives or unapproved patching compounds.

• For areas where new trenches for plumbing have been poured, in order to protect the floor covering to be installed, Shaw Technical Support recommends applying a 2-part epoxy such as MoistureTEK. Ensure that the concrete has been properly prepared per the installation guidelines, before applying MoistureTEK.  This will protect the floor covering from moisture related issues that could arise from the new concrete trench. Utilize QuickFil where the new concrete meets the old concrete.  Apply MoistureTEK over the entire trench and up to 8 inches over the old concrete. 

• For chemically abated substrates, ensure the proper cleaning methods have been taken to remove any residual abatement chemicals.

• 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.

• Curing compounds (DO NOT USE). If present they can interfere with the bond of the adhesive to the concrete. Seek assistance from a substrate manufacturer if curing agents are detected.

• Green sweeping compounds can be used but must be swept and removed immediately. 

• For dusting / powdering / porous concrete / lightweight concrete prime with a latex primer such as Shaw 9050.

• For patches / levelers prime with a latex primer such as Shaw 9050. 

Adhesive and Application

NOTE: DO NOT use adhesive as a pressure sensitive adhesive. Installation of plank and tiles requires a semi-wet to wet installation. This will require determining the amount of adhesive spread and product installed to achieve adequate transfer and bond of adhesive to product and substrate. Refer to adhesive guidelines for additional information.

• The required adhesives:  4200

• The required trowel size:  1/16” x 1/16” x 1/16” flat v-notched.

• Spread rate:  130 - 155 sq ft per gallon.

• Allow the adhesive an open time of 10 - 15 minutes (taking into account room climate conditions) prior to installing flooring into the adhesive. 

Adhesives	CaCl Limit	RH Limits	pH Limits
*4200	12 lbs.	99%	5-12

* Underbed Bond Warranty when installed in accordance with installation guidelines.

INSTALLATION

Directional designs are optional, however, once the installation is started, you have accepted those conditions.
 
Layout

• Install using conventional tile and plank installation techniques. 

• Carefully determine where to begin tile or plank installation.

• It is customary to center rooms and hallways so borders are not less than half a tile or plank.

Installing Plank/Tiles

• Installing out of  multiple boxes is recommended.

• Plank or tiles must be installed joint-tight and tension-free.

• Flooring should have a minimum of 6 – 8" seam stagger.

• Make sure cut edges are always against the wall.

• To properly cut the flooring, score the top side of the material with a utility knife. Bend the product and finish the cut through the backside. This will ensure the cleanest cut.

• Roll each plank or tile at the time of placement into the adhesive with a hand roller.

• Roll the plank or tile with a 3 section 100 lb. roller. Re‐roll the entire glued flooring area with the 100 lb. roller within the working time of the adhesive. Continue to roll  the floor throughout the working day to ensure a proper bond.

• Traffic: Wait 24 hours before allowing heavy traffic or rolling loads.

NOTE:  Adhering tape to the surface of the flooring could damage the surface.  DO NOT use tape to secure floor protection directly to the flooring surface during construction or renovation.  Adhere tape to the protection material, such as Ramboard, and adhere the tape to base molding along the wall.

NOTE:  Recommended to use floor protection after installation. DO NOT use a plastic adhesive based protection system.