EMEA SPC WPC installation 

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 floor covering should be installed in a climate controlled environment with a temperature between 18°C-27°C  as per BS8203.

• Post installation temperature range is between 13°C- 37.7°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 flooring.

  • If cabinets are to be installed on top of the flooring (including islands), that area  of material must  be fully adhered to the subfloor (including an additional 60 cm 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 fit or finish, call Shaw Contract EMEA tel: +44 (0) 20 7961 4120. Claims will not be accepted for flooring that has been cut to size and/or installed.

• Use of cementitious patching and leveling compounds that meet  or exceed maximum moisture level and pH requirements and meet  or exceed the compressive strength of 20 N/mm squared (3,000  psi) are acceptable.

• Installation Methods: Loose laid or fully bonded (on, above  or below grade)

• For installation in areas larger than 16m x 16m (256 sqm) provide a minimum expansion space of 13 mm around  the perimeter.  Smaller areas must have an expansion space of 6mm expansion gap.

• Correctly places seams are deemed to be resistant to moisture ingress from above.

• Should the base be found to be damp or have a moisture vapor content higher than 75% RH an additional layer of suitable Visqueen vapor retarder, 6 mil poly film or equal vapor retarder with a perm rating of 1 or less may be used as an additional layer of protection.

II. SUBFLOOR INFORMATION

All subfloors must  be clean, flat, dry and structurally sound. The correct  preparation of the subfloor is a major part of a successful installation. Subfloor must  be within a surface deviation of no greater than 5 mm under a 2 metre straight edge (Surface Regularity 2 (SR2) – BS 8203/BS 8204).

A. WOOD SUBFLOORS

Do not install material over wood subfloors that lay directly on concrete or over dimensional lumber or plywood used  over concrete. 

• Do not apply visqueen or polyfilm over wood subfloors.

• Basements and crawl spaces must  be permanently dry. Where necessary, local regulations prevail.

• All other subfloors - Plywood, OSB, particleboard, chipboard, wafer board,  etc.  must  be structurally sound  and be installed following their manufacturer’s recommendations. Local building codes, national standards and manufacturer’s recommendations may only establish minimum requirements of the flooring system  and may not provide adequate rigidity and support for proper  installation and performance.  Plywood should be of a suitable flooring grade, be at least 6 mm thick and conform to all relevant country applicable regulations and standards..

• The responsibility of determining if an existing flooring finish is suitable to be installed over rests solely with the installer/flooring contractor on site.  If any doubts exist in relation to the suitability of such a base, serious considerations should be given to it’s full removal and it’s subsequent repair.

B. CONCRETE & sand cement SUBFLOORS

• 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 any substance to impede adhesion.

• Cementitious based substrates should have a country applicable moisture vapor content that is deemed dry enough to lay resilient floor finishes upon.  The ‘British Standard 8203’ requires surface hygrometer readings to have reached equilibrium and be below 75% Relative Humidity (RH).  The ‘ASTM F1869’ states a maximum moisture level per the CaCl test method of 8 lbs. per 1000 in a 24 hour period.

• Do not install over concrete with a history of high moisture or hydrostatic conditions. Excessive moisture in the subfloor could promote mold, mildew, and other moisture related issues like the trapping of moisture emissions under the flooring, which may contribute to an unhealthy indoor environment. Shaw  Industries does  not warrant nor is responsible for damage to floor covering due to moisture related issues.

• 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. 

C. LIGHTWEIGHT CONCRETE & ANHYDRITE (GYPSUM) BASED SCREEDS

D. RADIANT UNDERFLOOR HEATING: WET / HYDRONIC ONLY

In most instance wet or Hydronic underfloor heating systems are installed below sand cement / Anhydrite screeds that have been laid to a depth somewhere between 50 to 75 mm thickness.

It is imperative that the underfloor heating system has been previously commissioned and found to be fully functioning correctly prior to any part of the resilient floor coverings package being installed upon the base's surface. The underfloor  heating system must be switched off for at least 48 hours prior to commencement of works and must remain off for a further 48 hours after the installation has been completed. It is also important to note that whilst the underfloor heating system has been decommissioned, an alternative heating source should be provided to ensure that the area of installation is kept at a constant temperature of between 18 °C and 27 °C.

After this 48-hour period, the underfloor heating system can be gradually recommissioned in accordance within standard industry recognized rules. Once operational, it is important to note that the heating system must not exceed the industry agreed maximum operating temperature of 27 °C at the underside of the floorcovering (the adhesive line). 

In areas where the use of a higher temperature is unavoidable, agreement from your chosen adhesive manufacturer should also be obtained.
 
Failure to follow the aforementioned guidelines can result in floor finishes and their associated systems being irreversibly damaged.

E. EXISTING FLOOR COVERINGS

• Loose lay / interlocking type floor finishes can in most instances be installed over most existing hard-surface type floor coverings, provided that the existing material is fully adhered, is clean, flat, dry, structurally sound and free of deflection or material that could have an adverse effect on the installation. Existing sheet vinyl floors should not be heavily cushioned and not exceed more than one layer in thickness. Soft underlayment and soft substrates will compromise products with an interlocking ability as well as diminish indentation resistance. 

         *NOTE: Resilient floor finishes that require fully bonding in most instances should NOT be installed over existing floor finishes.

• Installation of any floor finish is NOT allowed over any type of carpet.

• Do NOT install over wood floors that are adhered to concrete.

• Solvent residue left in and on the subfloor may have a negative effect upon newly installed floor finishes and their subsidiary underlying systems. Never use solvents or citrus adhesive removers to remove old adhesive residues.

F. RAISED ACCESS PANEL SUBFLOORS 

• 60 cm x 60 cm panels are recommended.

• Raised access panels must be stable, level, flat, free and clean of existing adhesives.

• Where / if necessary, repair or replace any loose or unstable panels.

• Lippage (variation of height) between of panels must not exceed 0.75 mm gaps between panels must not exceed 1 mm.

• There should be no deflection of the individual panels – Concave less than 0.75 mm.

• The surface of the system must be flat and level within a surface deviation of no greater than 5 mm under a 2.0 metre straight edge.

• Should access to the underside of the raised access base be a requirement, allow for framed inspection type hatches. 

• Use the appropriate installation methods for the product. Loose lay / interlocking type floor finishes that are being installed directly upon such panels must have their joint lines staggered so that they do not coincide with those found on the raised access system.

• It is important to note that the joints of raised access bases can sometimes be physically viewed grinning back through the entire thickness of resilient floor finishes.  Such disparity is not considered to be a product defect. 

*NOTE: Should any doubt exist concerning the suitability of the raised access base, such surfaces can be covered with a 6 mm thick flooring grade plywood. Self-tapping screws, ring shank nails or divergent staples can be used to fix the boards. Should there be slight undulations or differences in height observed in the plywood sheets, a thin coat of a suitable flexible flooring / board grade feathering underlayment can be applied to the plywood’s facade prior to installing the floor finishes up on its surface.

III. INSTALLATION 

Tools: Tape Measure, Utility Knife, Jigsaw, Tapping  Block or Rubber Mallet, Pull Bar, 6 mm Spacers, T-Square, Safety Glasses, Broom  or Vacuum and,  if necessary, tools for subfloor repair.

Floating  Installation: Rigid Core plank flooring is designed to be installed utilizing the floating method. A proper  expansion space of 6.0 mm is required. Undercut all doorjambs. Do not fasten wall moldings and or transition strips to the planks.

Glue Down  Installation: Rigid Core products are approved for glue down installation over approved wood and concrete substrates. It is still important to maintain a 6 mm perimeter expansion space. Follow adhesive label application instructions. Install flooring into semi-wet adhesive. Roll the flooring immediately after installation with a heavy duty, 50 kg, flooring grade segmented roller

NOTE: Recommended Adhesives are available from F. Ball and Co, Mapei, Uzin, Thomsit, Tremco, Schonox, Bostik or comparable adhesive.   Always follow adhesive label application instructions.  


Tile patterns must be installed in a staggered (offset) brick pattern. Minimum 1/3 offset 1/2 offset is preferred.

Step 1: Begin installation working from left to right. Insert spacers at ends and edges where planks meet  wall.	Step 2: Lock short end of plank by inserting tongue into groove at an angle and drop in place. Continue to end of first row.
Step 3: Use leftover plank from first row as starter  for second row. There must  be at least 20cm  between plank end joints on adjacent rows. FOR TILE INSTALLATIONS: The distance between end joints should be equal to 30cm  for proper  appearance.	Step 4: Lock long edge  of plank by inserting tongue into groove at an angle and drop in place. Slide plank toward end of previously installed plank until the tongue  just touches the groove.
Step 5: IMPORTANT! Use hammer  and tapping block to tap long edge  of plank to ensure  a tight fit. ANY GAPPING CAN COMPROMISE THE LOCKING SYSTEM!	Step 6: Attach a scrap  piece of floor to bridge the gap between ends  of planks.

Step 7: Tap end of plank with hammer  and tapping block to lock ends  of planks together. Remove  bridge and continue towards wall until installing the final plank in the row. BE SURE TO TAP ON EDGE OF VINYL SO AS NOT TO DAMAGE LOCKING PROFILE.	Step 8: Use hammer  and pull bar to lock final piece in row. Insert spacer at end of row. Continue installation to final row.
Step 9: Use hammer  and pull bar to lock long edges of planks on final row.
Installing underneath door jambs:
Step 1: Undercut  space under door jamb to allow plank to slide freely. Tap long edge  with hammer  and tapping block to lock long edge.	Step 2: Use hammer  and pull bar to lock short end of plank.

Completion

1. Protect all exposed edges of the flooring by installing wall molding and/or transition strips. Make sure that no plank will be secured in any way to the subfloor.
2. For wet areas  such  as bathrooms caulk the perimeter of the floor with a flexible silicone caulk.
3. Protect  the finished flooring from exposure to direct sunlight to reduce fading and thermal expansion.
 
Note:  For installation areas larger than 15 m x 15 m (225 m2), a larger expansion gap of 12 mm should be employed. Best practice also requires unbonded installations to incorporate a suitable expansion gap and cover type (diagram 1) strip every 10 m in their length. Such an expansion joint can be created by leaving a gap between two adjacent panels instead of clicking them together as usual.
Note: Construction type expansion joints should not be overlaid with any part of a Shaw Contract system. The material should be stopped either side of the joint and an expansion type cover strip (diagram 1 below) should be incorporated into the installation.
 
There are three recognized methods of masking perimeter type expansion gaps:

1. Cover with skirting boards (diagram 2). This is the neatest option but will involve removing existing skirting boards and re-fitting or replacing.

2. Leave the existing skirting on and cover the expansion gap with low profile bead (diagram 3). This is an easier option and is still neat as the beading is unobtrusive.

3. Cover the expansion gap with either quadrant or scotia bead (diagrams 4 and 5). This is the cheapest option and is more prominent to the eye.

Note: All quadrant / transition type beading should not be fastened to the floor finish.

*NOTE: Should the aforementioned guidance leave any unanswered questions or if additional information is required, please call Shaw Contract EMEA tel: +44 (0) 20 7961 4120.