Resilient Floorcovering Installation
Resilient installation covers sheet vinyl, linoleum, rubber, cork, LVT and rigid SPC. The exam tests seam work, adhesive handling, rolling, temperature and expansion allowance.
Sheet goods
- Unroll and relax the material flat for about 24 hours at room temperature before cutting; cold material will not flatten.
- Square the end, rough-cut with 2-3 in. waste at walls, match the pattern at seams, then scribe and trim after fitting.
- Double-cut seams: overlap, cut through both layers against a straightedge, lift, strip the waste, then seal or weld.
- Linoleum seams are heat-welded; vinyl seams are chemically welded or sealed. Cove base is flash-coved or finished with a cove cap.
Tile and plank
- Acclimatize LVT and SPC as directed; lay out at the specified 1/3 or 1/2 offset and avoid stair-step patterns.
- Leave a 1/4 in. expansion gap at perimeter walls and around fixed objects; cover with base or transition.
- Click systems need the same perimeter gap and a flat substrate; glue-down plank needs full adhesive coverage and rolling.
Temperature and curing
- Maintain 18-29°C (65-85°F) before, during and for about 48 hours after installation.
- No foot traffic for about 24 hours; no heavy traffic or washing for about 5 days, per the adhesive data.
Stairs and details
- Tread and riser pieces, nosings, and stair adhesive; measure every tread because they vary.
Worked example
A 12 ft × 14 ft room with 12 ft-wide sheet vinyl. The roll covers 12 ft, so the 14 ft dimension needs a seam. Running it through the middle of the doorway is wrong; the seam goes parallel to the 14 ft direction, offset away from the main walk line, welded and rolled. Adhesive is applied with the specified notch, allowed to flash clear, and the floor is rolled with a 100 lb roller in both directions.
Traps
- Installing before the adhesive flashes, causing bubbles.
- Skipping the roller, leaving ridges that telegraph through the wear layer.
- No expansion gap, so the floor peaks in summer humidity.
- Cold material or a cold room, which ruins seams and bond.