Floorcovering Installer (Red Seal) flashcards

34 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Hearing conservation threshold

An 8-hour exposure at or above 85 dBA requires a hearing conservation program; each 3 dB increase halves the permitted exposure time.

Respirable crystalline silica

Dust from cutting concrete or tile; wet cutting or dust extraction plus an N95 respirator is required, and the OSHA PEL is 50 µg/m³ as an 8-hour TWA.

Asbestos in flooring

Pre-1990 vinyl sheet, vinyl asbestos tile, and mastic may contain asbestos; test before sanding or demolition and stop work if suspect material is disturbed.

Ladder angle rule

Set ladders at a 4:1 angle, maintain three-point contact, and never stand on the top two rungs; fall protection is required at 3 m in construction.

Calcium chloride test

Measures moisture vapor emission rate in lb/1000 ft²/24 h from a concrete slab; it is not the same as an in-situ relative humidity probe.

Trowel notch and coverage

A 1/16 in square notch spreads about 30-35 ft²/gal, while a 1/4 in × 3/8 in notch spreads about 60-70 ft²/gal for large-format tile.

Power stretcher

Reaches the 1-2 % stretch required for most carpet; a knee kicker is for positioning and stairs only and cannot achieve the required tension.

Adhesive open time

The window after spreading before the adhesive skins over; adhesive that has skinned must be removed and re-spread, not wetted.

Subfloor flatness tolerance

The standard is 3 mm in 3 m (1/8 in in 10 ft) for most resilient and tile products, checked with a 3 m straightedge.

Concrete cure period

Standard concrete needs 28 days before moisture testing; lightweight or fast-track concrete needs manufacturer-specific testing before covering.

3-4-5 squaring method

A triangle with sides in a 3:4:5 ratio establishes a right angle; use it to set centerlines and verify border widths at opposite walls.

Tile deflection requirement

Ceramic tile requires L/360 or stiffer and stone requires L/720; check joist span tables before installing stone.

Perimeter expansion gap

Leave 6-10 mm (1/4-3/8 in) at walls and at every 6-9 m in large fields for tile and laminate; cover with baseboard or shoe molding.

In-situ RH probe

Measures relative humidity inside a concrete slab; typical limits are 75-80 % for resilient and 65 % for wood products.

Uncoupling membrane

Isolates tile from slab movement; a crack-isolation membrane bridges existing cracks up to about 3 mm (1/8 in) wide.

Thin-set selection

Modified thin-set for plywood and most tile, unmodified for some large-format porcelain over membranes, and epoxy for food service and chemical exposure.

Primer purpose

Applied to porous or dusty slabs before patching or adhesive; without it the adhesive may fail or flash off too fast.

Heat-welded vinyl seam

Standard for commercial sheet vinyl; residential and some vinyl composition tile use a chemical weld or seam sealer instead.

VCT quarter-turn pattern

A basket-weave layout for vinyl composition tile; the pattern must be established before spreading adhesive so the field stays aligned.

LVP floating installation

Click-system luxury vinyl plank is not glued down; it needs a 6-10 mm expansion gap at walls and a level subfloor.

Roller weight for sheet goods

A 100 lb roller passes over the field and seams after sheet vinyl installation to remove trapped air and set the adhesive.

Tackless strip placement

Pins angle toward the wall, with a gap equal to the carpet thickness plus about 6 mm (1/4 in) from the wall.

Carpet seam placement

Cut seams along the carpet grain and place them away from high-traffic areas and out of direct light to reduce visible wear.

Carpet tile pattern

Installed in a quarter-turn or monolithic pattern with consistent direction, then rolled with a 75-100 lb roller.

Carpet pad selection

Use a pad rated for the carpet and traffic; a pad that is too thick or too soft shortens carpet life and voids some warranties.

Hardwood acclimation

Solid hardwood typically needs 3-7 days in the room at 18-24 °C and 35-55 % RH; engineered and laminate may need 24-48 hours.

Blind nailing hardwood

Fasteners go through the tongue at a 45° angle, spaced about 200-300 mm (8-12 in) and closer at board ends.

Wood moisture content match

Wood subfloor moisture content should be within 2-4 % of the flooring; concrete slabs need a vapor barrier and a moisture test.

Laminate end-joint stagger

Floating laminate planks are clicked together and staggered at least 200 mm (8 in) at end joints to distribute load.

Thin-set slake time

Mix to the manufacturer's water ratio, let it slake for 10 minutes, then remix; pot life is typically 2-4 hours.

Mortar coverage minimum

Achieve at least 80 % mortar coverage in dry areas and 95 % in wet areas; back-butter large-format tile.

Tile lippage limits

Allowable lippage is typically 1 mm (1/32 in) for stone and 1.5 mm (1/16 in) for ceramic, measured with a straightedge.

Grout curing and sealing

Do not grout until thin-set has cured, typically 24 hours; seal grout after it cures, typically 72 hours, with a penetrating sealer.

Transition molding fastening

Reducers, T-moldings, and thresholds must be fastened to the subfloor, not through the floating floor, at floor height changes.