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How to Install over Sub-Floors
Some things you need to consider and do when
installing over sub-floors include the following.
Make sure the sheetrock and tile are completely dry before laying the
flooring. At that point, only the final woodwork and trim will need to
be completed. The inside of the building should be dry and the
temperature should be comfortable enough in which to work before, during
and after the installation process.
Strip the paint, wax oil, plaster, sheetrock mud, and any other
materials and surface flaws. You may need to grind a concrete floor with
heavy grit coat paper in order to loosen any loose concrete, dirt or
other particles or contaminates; then thoroughly vacuum or sweep. Before
installing new hardwood flooring, any glues or adhesives must be
removed.
Subfloors and their accompanying systems should be structurally strong,
and they must be installed using the manufacturer's requirements and
recommendations. Warranties will not cover problems that result from
inadequate or improper substructures or incorrect installation of those
substructures.
It is extremely important that the work areas are thoroughly dry. The
interior walls should have a relative humidity of 35-48% as required by
adhesive manufacturers and also be dry enough for painting prior to
installation and maintained after installation is finished.
With a concrete subfloor, it is important that you first check for
dryness, then use a standard rubber mat or taped plastic test; then
remove after 24 hours and inspect for any sign of moisture. Do not lay
the flooring if there is any moisture. A reputable moisture detection
process can be used on all concrete subfloors. Administer a calcium
chloride test to determine the moisture content of the subfloor. The
moisture content should not be more than 10%, or three pounds per 1,000
square feet of space. Do not install the flooring if it surpasses these
limits.
The surface of the concrete subfloors must not be slick, and it must be
clean, level, durable and have adequate compression strength of at least
3,000 pounds per square inch. Remove sections that are not flat, such as
those that may have waves or trowel marks. Eliminate any marks or debris
by grinding or using a leveling compound composed of latex. The subfloor
flatness must be checked especially along the walls, and improved, if
necessary. The products can be installed over dry, flat wood subfloors,
such as plywood, in addition to the concrete subfloors. The thickness of
the overlay material should have a total of 3/4" of subfloor thickness
if plywood is utilized as an overlay.
The newer wood types of subfloors must also be checked for moisture by
utilizing a moisture meter. Subfloors which are composed of wood or
plywood should not exceed a 12% moisture content or a 4% difference in
moisture content between the flooring and subfloor.
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