Laminate Flooring can be installed
over most subfloors and existing floors on all
grade levels.
All substrates must:
- meet applicable building codes
- be structurally sound
- show minimal deflection
- be dry, clean and flat
Precautions:
- Laminate Flooring may be installed in bathrooms following the
guidelines outlined in the Bathroom Installation section.
- Laminate Flooring is not recommended over most carpets or in
high-humidity areas where the floor is normally wet – e.g., steam rooms, or
saunas.
- The slope should not exceed 1" in 6' (2.54 cm in 1.83 m).
- Variations in subfloor flatness should not exceed 1/4" in 10' (6.35 mm in
3.05 m). Level floors with a suitable cement-based self-leveling underlayment
following the manufacturer’s recommended guidelines.
- Radiant heated subfloors should not exceed 85°F (29°C).
Concrete Subfloors
- Concrete floors must be cured properly and allowed to dry for at least 60
days after the curing process.
- Concrete floors must not show any signs of moisture or alkali.
- Use Two-in-One™ Underlayment (or moisture barrier sheeting for laminate
with attached underlayment), butt the edges together and tape the seams
with polyethylene tape that is a minimum of 1-3/4" wide.
Test for moisture in concrete prior to installation. Too much moisture can cause
significant damage to laminate flooring.
- Tape 3' x 3' (91 cm x 91 cm) pieces of polyethylene film to the subfloor.
- After 24 hours, if moisture condensation appears on the film or the concrete
appears dark-colored, it is likely excessive moisture is present and a
Calcium Chloride test must be run.
- The maximum acceptable moisture emission level for Armstrong Laminate
Flooring installations is 5.0 lb./1000 sq. ft./24 hours (2.26 kg/101.6 m2/24 hours).
Wood Subfloors
- Wood subfloors must be suspended and have a minimum of 18" (45.7 cm)
of well-ventilated crawl space.
- Regardless of grade level, do not install over wood subfloors applied
directly to concrete or on sleepers over concrete.
- Installation of a polyethylene film vapor barrier over the ground in the
crawl space is recommended.
- The seams of Two-in-One Underlayment do not need to be taped.
Underlayment Boards
- Armstrong Laminate Flooring can be installed over any wood, cement, or
gypsum-based underlayment boards that are installed according to the
manufacturer’s recommended guidelines.
- The seams of Two-in-One Underlayment do not need to be taped.
Wood Flooring
- All wood flooring must be dry, level, flat and installed over suspended subfloors.
- Sand any ridges or uneven portions and repair squeaks.
- The seams of Two-in-One Underlayment do not need to be taped.
- Install Armstrong Laminate Flooring at a 90° angle to existing wood plank
flooring.
- Wood flooring over concrete must be removed.
Ceramic and Resilient Tile
- Tile installed over concrete:
Use Two-in-One Underlayment (or moisture barrier sheeting for laminate
with attached underlayment), butt the edges together and tape the
seams with polyethylene tape that is a minimum of 1-3/4" wide.
- Tile installed over wood:
The seams of Two-in-One Underlayment do not need to be taped.
Vinyl Sheet
- Vinyl sheet installed over concrete:
Use Two-in-One Underlayment (or moisture barrier sheeting for laminate
with attached underlayment), butt the edges together and tape the
seams with polyethylene tape that is a minimum of 1-3/4" wide.
- Vinyl sheet installed over wood:
The seams of Two-in-One Underlayment do not need to be taped.
Carpet
- Fully adhered, 1/4" (6.35 mm) carpet over a suspended wood subfloor is
a suitable substrate.
- All other carpet and any carpet pad must be removed. If the carpet was
glued in place, remove all remaining debris and excessive adhesive residue.
Do not install laminate over carpet adhered to concrete.
- Two-in-One Underlayment is not recommended.
- Use clear polyethylene plastic over the carpet. The seams do not need to
be taped.
|
