Resilient floor coverings come in sheet or tile form. The most popular are made of vinyl, linoleum, rubber, and PVC. The selection, functionally, must be based on the area where the flooring is to be used. Kitchens, bathrooms, and laundries call for sheets
rather than tiles to avoid water seeping through the joints and eventually rotting away the underlayment.

Refer to RFCI (Resilient Floor Covering Institute) general guidelines for material storage and handling, subfloor preparation, approved underlayments, floor covering layout and fitting, adhesive application, seamings, etc. Also, follow ASTM (American Society for
Testing and Materials) specifications. All resilient floor covering manufacturers make available a manual for installation recommendations and instructions.

If it becomes necessary to remove any resilient floor covering, which may contain asbestos, refer to the government regulation that may apply. Do not sand, dry scrape, beadblast or mechanically pulverize existing asbestos-containing materials.

The finished appearance of any resilient flooring installation will be determined, largely, by the subfloor over which it is installed. Wood subfloors / underlayments must be smooth, dry, solid, free of movement, and properly fastened. The surface should have no moisture, alkali, dirt, oil, wax, plasticizer, or any substance that will inhibit the adhesive from bonding to the subfloor and support or grow bacteria, mold, or fungus. Moisture testing and bond test should be conducted on all concrete subfloors before proceeding with the installation. Moisture vapor emission from the floor shall not be more than 3 pounds per 1,000 square feet per 24 hours.

The resilient flooring should not be laid on wood subfloors that are directly in contact with concrete slab, on- or below-grade, even if build on sleepers. If the wood floor is constructed over a crawl space, a polyethylene film or equivalent should be used to reduce moisture vapor emissions. Underlayment panels should be designed for resilient flooring purposes. Refer to proper selection and installation of APA Plywood Underlayment or equivalent. Overall concrete underlayments should be heavy weight, conventional aggregate concrete, or a manufacturer's guaranteed cement mix, installed according to manufacturer's specifications. Patching materials preferred are Portland
cement compound mixed with latex liquid binder that is moisture, mildew and alkali resistant.

On the job site, all flooring material and adhesive should be conditioned at a minimum temperature of 68oF (20oC) for 48 hours prior to, during, and 48 hours after installation. Thereafter, maintain room temperature at a minimum of 55oF (13oC). The maximum temperature recommended on resilient goods is 85oF (29oC). STEP Warmfloor™, being a low temperature, self-regulating heating element, can be installed under most resilient floor coverings.

It is recommended that all furniture be equipped with the proper load bearing devices (casters, glides, furniture cups).

STEP Warmfloor™

INSTALLATION GUIDELINES

Secure the elements onto a prepared, stable, even and clean subfloor. The elements
must not be in direct contact with adhesives. Cover the elements with underlayment
panels or floor leveler. Surface must be completely dry before laying the floor covering.
Spread flooring adhesive thinly and evenly over the subfloor; wait time will depend on
the temperature and humidity. The most popular method is full spread. Only approved
adhesives must be used. Some plasticizers will migrate out of the vinyl and can destroy
adhesion. Lay flooring material into wet adhesive and roll in both directions with a
floorcovering roller. Follow manufacturer's recommendations for installation and
maintenance of the resilient floor covering.
Application of STEP WARMFLOOR under plywood underlayment
Application of STEP WARMFLOOR under proper floor leveler
Application of STEP WARMFLOOR over a concrete substrate
STEP Warmfloor™
Resilient Flooring
Plywood Underlayment
STEP Element
Wood Subfloor
Insulation Board
Joist
Resilient Flooring
Portland Cement Floor Leveler
STEP Element
Wood Subfloor
Insulation
Crawl Space
Polyethylene Film
Resilient Flooring
Self Leveling Compound
STEP Element
Insulation
Concrete Slab

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