Installation Guide
I. GENERAL INFORMATION
These installation guidelines apply to the VersaLock
®
product only.
All instructions and recommendations should be followed for a
satisfactory installation.
• The oor covering should be stored and installed in a climate controlled
location with an average temperature between 65° - 85°F - 18°-29°C.
• Acclimate material a minimum of 24 to 48 hours prior to installation in
the room/ location where the installation will take place.
• Do not store directly on concrete, allow for air circulation. Do not open
the cartons but spread them out and protect corners from damage.
• Failure to follow these guidelines may result in an installation failure
(i.e. ooring may expand or contract, resulting in gapping). VersaLock
®
Plank is an interior product and must be installed in a temperature-
controlled environment, maintained between 65 and 85 degrees F -
18°-29°C. Please keep in mind a concrete oor can be up to ten degrees
colder than the actual room temperature.
• Avoid exposure to direct sunlight for prolonged periods; such exposure
may result in discoloration, and excessive temperatures can cause the
ooring to expand and lift off of the suboor.During peak sunlight hours,
the use of the drapes or blinds is recommended.
• Regardless of new construction or remodelling projects, keep ooring
stored in rooms that are not being worked in and only install product after
all other trades have completed work that could damage the ooring.
• To minimize shade variation, mix and install planks from several cartons.
• Inspect all planks for damage before installing. If you have any concerns
about the product t or nish, call Shaw Information Services at 1-800-
441-7429. Claims will not be accepted for ooring that has been cut to
size and/or installed.
• All suboor patching must be done with a Portland based compound
and allowed to dry completely prior to installing ooring.
• Installation – This product can be installed on, above, or below grade.
• VersaLock, Shaw’s patented locking technology, is water/moisture
resistant and reliably secures the ooring panels on all four sides.
However, excessive moisture in the suboor could promote mold,
mildew, and other moisture related issues like the trapping of moisture
emissions under the ooring, which may contribute to an unhealthy
indoor environment.
• Shaw Industries does not warrant nor is responsible for damage to oor
covering due to moisture related issues.
Tools: Tape Measure, Utility Knife, Tapping Block, Pull Bar, ¼" Spacers,
T-Square, Safety Glasses, Broom or Vacuum and, if necessary, tools for
suboor repair.
II. SUBFLOOR INFORMATION
All suboors must be clean, at, dry and structurally sound. The correct
preparation of the suboor is a major part of a successful installation.
Roughness or unevenness of the suboor may telegraph through the new
oor covering, resulting in an unsightly surface and may cause excessive
wear on high spots. Suboor must be at – 3/16" in 10' or 1/8" in 6'.
CAUTION: Some types of nails, such as common steel nails, may cause
discoloration of the vinyl oor covering. Recommendations for attaching
underlayment panels are not included. Solvent based construction adhesives are
known to stain vinyl oor coverings. All responsibility for discoloration problems
caused by the use of the above mentioned products is not the responsibility of
Shaw, but rests with the installer and the underlayment panel manufacture.
A. Wood Suboors
1. Do not install material over wood suboors that lay directly on concrete or
over dimensional lumber or plywood used over concrete.
2. Do not apply sheet plastic over wood suboors.
3. Basements and crawl spaces must be dry. Use of a 6 mil black polyethylene
is required to cover 100% of the crawl space earth. Crawl space clearance
from ground to underside of joist is to be no less than 18” and perimeter
vent spacing should be equal to 1.5% of the total square footage of the
crawl space area to provide cross ventilation. Where necessary, local
regulations prevail.
4. All other suboors - Plywood, OSB, particleboard, chipboard, wafer board,
etc. must be structurally sound and must be installed following their
manufacturer’s recommendations. Local building codes may only establish
minimum requirements of the ooring system and may not provide
adequate rigidity and support for proper installation and performance.
5. If the surface of the wood suboor is not smooth, a 1/4" underlayment
panel must be installed over the suboor, per the underlayment
manufacturer’s written instructions.
6. Versalock resilient ooring is not recommended directly over re-retardant
treated plywood or preservative treated plywood. An additional layer of
APA rated 1/4" thick underlayment should be installed.
B. Concrete Suboors
1. New and existing concrete suboors should meet the guidelines of
the latest edition of ASTM F 710, “Standard Practice for Preparing
Concrete Floors to Receive Resilient Flooring” available from the
American Society for Testing and Materials, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West
Conshohocken, PA 19428; 610-832-9585; http://www.astm.org
2. Floors shall be smooth, permanently dry, clean, and free all foreign material
such as dust, wax, solvents, paint, grease, oils, and old adhesive residue. The
surface must be hard and dense, and free from powder or aking.
3. New concrete slabs must be dry. Maximum moisture level per CaCl test
method is 8 lbs. per 1000 in 24 hr. Maximum level for ASTM 2170 In-situ
Relative humidity test method - 85%.
4. Do no install over concrete with a history of high moisture or
hydrostatic conditions.
5. Maximum acceptable ph level of 9 or less
6. The nal responsibility for determining if the concrete is dry enough for
installation of the ooring lies with the oor covering installer.
7. Holes, grooves, expansion joints and other depressions must be lled
with a Portland based patching and levelling product, and troweled
smooth and feathered even with the surrounding surface.
Radiant Heat: Radiant heat components must have a minimum of 1/2"
separation from the product. This is the only type of radiant heat system that
is approved. Radiant heat system must be on and operational for at least 2
weeks prior to installation to reduce residual moisture within the concrete.
Three days prior to installation lower the temperature to 65 degrees, after
installation gradually increase the temperature in increments of 5° F to avoid
overheating. Maximum operating temperature should never exceed 85°F. Use
of an in-oor temperature sensor is recommended to avoid overheating.
! WARNING! DO NOT SAND, DRY SWEEP, DRY SCRAPE, DRILL,
SAW, BEADBLAST OR MECHANICALLY CHIP OR PULVERIZE EXISTING
RESILIENT FLOORING, BACKING, LINING FELT, ASPHALTIC “CUTBACK”
ADHESIVES OR OTHER ADHESIVES.
These products may contain either asbestos bers and/or crystalline silica.
Avoid creating dust. Inhalation of such dust is a cancer and respiratory
tract hazard. Smoking by individuals exposed to asbestos bers greatly
INSTALLATION GUIDELINES
FOR VERSALOCK
®
VINYL PLANK