Burke Flooring Luxury Vinyl Tile Installation - Manual (Page 2)

2. Installation
Pre Installation Material Storage and Handling:
Burke Flooring LVT should be delivered to the jobsite in the original packaging with labels intact. All flooring
material and adhesive should be allowed to acclimate to room conditions for a minimum of 24 hours prior to
the beginning of installation. Before installing Burke LVT check all material for correct color, design, size,
and that the correct quantity is available to finish the job. Some Burke LVT products may have subtle color
and shading variations that are part of the design. Checking all material before installation can assure that
the job won’t be delayed. For best results remove material from cartons and separate into smaller piles
laying flat. Always check the cartons to assure the pattern and color is correct and all lot numbers and
shade match the product ordered. To minimize possible shade variations, mix and install tiles from several
different cartons. Burke Flooring warrants that Burke LVT products shall be free from visual defects. Do
not install Burke Flooring products with apparent defects. Contact the origin of purchase before installing
Burke products. It is recommended that Burke LVT be dry laid before permanent installation.
Tools and Supplies need for Installation:
1. Chalk Line and Chalk 6. Utility Knife and Blades 11. Low ph Detergent
2. Paper and Pencil 7. Correct Trowel 12. Drop Cloth or Protected Paper
3. Tape Measure 8. Clean Rags 13. Painters Masking Tape
4. Square 9. Clean Water 14. 100 Pound Roller
5. Steel Ruler or Straight Edge 1 0. Denatured Alcohol or Mineral Spirits
Jobsite Conditions:
Areas to receive Burke LVT must be clean, fully enclosed, well lighted, and weather tight. The permanent
HVAC system set at a minimum of 65°F (18°C) and a maximum of 90°F (32°C) for 48 hours prior to, during
and after the installation. A minimum temperature of 55°F (13°C) should be maintained thereafter. A relative
humidity not greater than 75% for at least 48 hours is required. The installation should not begin until the
works of all other trades have been completed, especially overhead trades. Burke LVT can be installed
over properly prepared sub-floors of concrete, wood, metal, and other properly prepared sub-floors. Burke
LVT is not recommended to be installed in unheated or external locations.
Sub-Floors:
No floor covering installation is better than the sub-floor over which it is installed. The finished appearance
and performance of the floor covering will be determined and affected, in part, by the condition of the sub-
floor. If the existing floor must be removed make sure all procedures and precautions are followed. It is
essential that all sub-floors be rigid, finished smooth, flat, level, permanently dry, clean and free of all
foreign materials such as dust, paint, grease, oils, solvents, curing and parting compounds, sealers, and old
adhesives residue. These should be removed by scraping, sanding, grinding, or shot blasting. Do not use
adhesive removers or solvents. Wear proper protection and follow procedure if sanding, grinding, or shot
blasting. Warning!! Some older floors may contain asbestos and Silica. Refer to current Resilient Flooring
Institute guideline for removal instructions of both existing flooring and adhesive. Cutback or Asphalt
Emulsion Adhesives should be removed from concrete sub-floors. This is nearly impossible, so wet scrape
the adhesive from the concrete and cover with a minimum of 1/8 inch of trowel able or self-leveling
cementitious underlayment. All sub-floor/underlayment patching must be done with a good non shrinking
water resistant Portland Cement patching compound or leveler. The sub-floor must be free of movement,
excessive moisture and high alkalinity presence. If the surface of any sub-floor shows any evidence of
contamination, perform a bond test. Select a small section of the sub-floor and adhere a piece of Burke
LVT using the recommended adhesive that will be used for this sub-floor and material. Remove the test
sample after 72 hours. If sufficient force is needed to remove the sample you can consider the sub-floor
and the adhesive is suitable for installation. The responsibility for determining the suitability of the sub-floor
rests solely with the flooring installer.
2.