Burke Flooring Luxury Vinyl Tile Installation - Manual (Page 3)

Wood Sub-Floors:
Wood floors should be double construction with a minimum thickness of 1”. The floor must be rigid, free
from movement and have a least 18” of well-ventilated air space below on suspended floors. If a new wood
sub-floor is to be installed the panels to be used should be specifically designed for this purpose and should
be no less than ¼ inch thick.
Particle board, tempered hardboard, and gypsum-based are not suitable to be
installed over. Always install underlayment panels following manufacturer’s recommendations. The
underlayment must be smooth, and free from any substance that could cause staining. Patch and level any
nail, screw holes, and joints using either a gypsum or cementitious patching coumpond. Roughness or
unevenness of the sub-floor may telegraph through the new LVT which could result in an unsightly looking
surface and could cause excessive wear in the higher spots
Concrete Floors:
Concrete shall have a minimum compressive strength of 3000psi. Imperfections such as chips, spalls and
cracks should be repaired using only Portland base patching and leveling compound. Do not use gypsum
based products. Concrete should be free of all paint, old adhesives, curing, hardening and parting
compounds. Use a mechanical method, such as shot blasting or scarifying, to remove surface
contaminates.
Expansion joints in the concrete are designed to allow for the expansion and contraction of the concrete.
They should not be filled with patching compound and the LVT should not be laid completely over them.
Burke Flooring recommends the use of joint covers designed for use with resilient flooring. The concrete
must be cured, dry and maintained at a constant temperature prior to the installation of Burke LVT.
Compounds that have been added to the concrete mix or applied to the surface of a new concrete slab may
interfere with a complete bond to the Burke LVT. If any of these compounds remain on the surface they
must be removed by mechanical methods. To determine if a concrete floor is porous or non-porous place a
small puddle of water directly on the sub-floor about 1 inch in diameter. If the water is not absorbed into the
concrete within 60 to 90 seconds, then the sub-floor
Radiant Heating Systems:
Burke LVT may be installed over Radiant Heating Systems. These systems should be shut off for a
minimum of 48 hours before during and after installation. Use alternative heating if necessary to maintain a
stable room temperature. When starting the heating system after 48 hours, raise the temperature no more
than 5° per day until you reach the desired temperature. The flooring surface should not go above 80°F
(27°C) or below 55°F (13°C). Make sure the correct adhesive is used for this type of installation.
Moisture Test:
It is essential that moisture tests be conducted on all floors regardless of the age or grade level. On
concrete use the Calcium Chloride Moisture Emission Test. Test must be conducted in accordance with
ASTM-F1869. The moisture emission results must not exceed 5.0 pounds per 1,000 square feet per 24
hours. If the moisture emissions exceed 5.0 pounds, the installation should not proceed until the problem
has been corrected. Relative humidity should not exceed 75%.
When testing floor for alkalinity ASTM F710 it must be 7.0 to 10.0 PH to be acceptable. By mopping on a
vinegar/water solution of 1 pint of vinegar to 2 gallons of water can sometimes reduce a higher PH.
Wood subfloors and underlayment should be tested for moisture using an acceptable Pin Meter. Between
wood sub-floor and underlayment panels readings should be within 3% and have a maximum moisture
content of 14% or less. In basements or crawlspaces, moisture control is required to maintain successful
installation.
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