Mannington commercial Amtico, Spacia, amtico 300 Installation Manual

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Installation Guidelines

Amtico, Amtico 30, Spacia & Spacia First Luxury Vinyl Flooring
Installation Guidelines

GENERAL INFORMATION

Contact Mannington Technical Services for guidance about subfloor testing and installation recommendations.
Technical Services can be reached Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST at 800.241.2262 ext 3.

These instructions cover all fully adhered installations of Mannington Commercial Luxury Vinyl Floors (LVF) – this
includes both Tile (LVT) and Plank (LVP). This includes: Amtico, Amtico 30, Spacia and Spacia First. All recommendations
are based on the most recent available information. The information on these sheets provides general guidelines. For
complete details consult Mannington’s General Installation Guide or visit our website at manningtoncommercial.com.
These instructions and recommendations must be followed for a satisfactory installation.

The installation of Mannington LVF is straightforward and similar to the installation procedures that apply to all quality
resilient floors. Good preparation is essential for a trouble-free installation. Do not install Mannington LVF until job-site
testing and subfloor preparations are finished and the work of all other trades is complete. Site conditions must comply
with the relevant building codes and local, state and national regulations.

• Mannington LVF is recommended for use over properly prepared concrete, suspended wood, metal and other suitable
substrates. Never install Mannington LVF over residual asphalt type (Cutback) adhesive as “Bleed Through” may
occur.

• Mannington LVF is not suitable for external installation or unheated locations.

• Mannington flooring, adhesive, job-site and subfloor must be acclimated to a stable condition before installation.
(See Job-site Testing).

• Following installation, Mannington LVF foot traffic should be minimized for 24 hours; point loads and rolling traffic
should be minimized for 48 hours, and utilize minimal wet cleaning for 5 days (except XpressStep).

• Mannington LVF flooring should remain at a temperature between 55°-85°F (13°-29°C) during its service life.

• Adhesive types can have a significantly different moisture tolerance which can influence required subfloor prep as
well as install time.

MATERIAL RECEIVING, HANDLING & STORAGE

1. All floor covering products require care during storage and handling. It is important to store flooring products in a dry,
temperature-controlled interior area.

2. The temperature range should be between 65°-100°F, and the relative humidity should be controlled and maintained
between 30-70%.

3. Material must be conditioned for at least 48 hours before beginning the installation.

4. Flooring materials that are shipped in cartons must also be stored properly. Cartons must be kept squarely
positioned on the pallet to prevent distortion of the contents and to be fully supported. Do not store close to exterior
walls, in direct sunlight or near HVAC vents.

5. Stored cartons are to be protected from forklift and other traffic that can damage carton corners. Never double­stack pallets of flooring products.

6. Immediately remove all shrink wrapping before acclimation and verify materials delivered are correct style, color and
quantity.

11/18page 1 of 7 For more information, contact your local Mannington representative or visit manningtoncommercial.com

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Installation Guidelines

7. Report discrepancies immediately to Mannington at 800.241.2262 ext. 2 (Claims), as installation of products installed
with visual defects, mixed production runs or incorrect style will not be honored.

JOB-SITE TESTING

1. Before job-site testing, the building envelope must be sealed (walls, roofing, windows, doorways etc., installed).

2. The installation area and materials to be installed shall be maintained at a minimum of 65°F (18.3°C) and a maximum
of 85°F (29.4°C) for 48 hours before, during and for 48 hours after completion of the installation. Relative humidity
level extremes should also be avoided. General recommended humidity control level is between 35–55%. If a system
other than the permanent HVAC source is utilized, it must provide proper control of both temperature and humidity to
recommended or specific levels for the appropriate time duration.

3. Test sites must be properly prepared and protected for the duration of testing to achieve valid results.

4. Surface flatness for all subfloors: The surface shall be flat to 3/16” (3.9mm) in 10 ft. (3050 mm) and 1/32” (0.8 mm) in 1 ft.
(305 mm) To check flatness, place a 10-ft. straight edge, string, laser level or use another suitable method on the
surface, and measure the gap.

5. Concrete subfloors:

• Concrete subfloors must be finished, cured, and free of all sealers, coatings, finishes, dirt, film-forming curing

compounds or other substances that may prevent proper bonding of the flooring materials (ACI 302.1 and ASTM
F710).

• Randomly check concrete subfloor for porosity using the drop water test. Place a 1”-diameter drop of water

directly onto the concrete subfloor. If the water droplet does not dissipate within 60 to 90 seconds, the subfloor is
considered non-porous.

• Concrete subfloors must have a minimum compressive strength of 3000 psi. Concrete subfloors shall not consist

of lightweight concrete or gypsum.

• Moisture testing: Perform either the preferred In-situ Relative Humidity (RH) Test (ASTM F2170) or the acceptable

Moisture Vapor Emission Rate (MVER) Test (ASTM F1869). For acceptable moisture limits please refer to the
specifications of the adhesive of choice.

• Alkalinity: You must test surface alkalinity (pH) as per ASTM F710.

6. Wood subfloors and underlayment panels shall have the moisture content tested using a suitable wood pin meter.
Readings between the wood subfloor and underlayment should be within 3% and have a maximum moisture content
of 14% or less.

MOISTURE SUPPRESSANT SYSTEM

Concrete subfloors that exceed adhesive specifications will require a Moisture Suppressant System. Due to complexities
associated with moisture vapor transmission, emissions and movement of soluble salts (alkalinity) in concrete subfloors,
we do not offer, recommend or warranty a specific solution for excess moisture in concrete slabs. However, there are
many companies that offer solutions with warranties for excess moisture in concrete slabs.

Mannington Commercial suggests that you reference the current ASTM F710, “Standard Practice for Preparing Concrete
Floors to Receive Resilient Flooring,” and ASTM F3010, “Standard Practice for Two Component Resin Based Membrane
Forming Moisture Mitigation Systems for Use Under Resilient Flooring Systems.” Contact one or more of the following or
other moisture suppressant system suppliers for assistance:

Ardex: 724.203.5000, www.ardex.com
Koester American Corp.: 757.425.1206, www.koesterusa.com
Mapei: 800.426.2734, www.mapei.com
Schonox: 855.391.2649, www.hpsubfloors.com
Uzin: 800.505.4810, www.ufloorsystems.com

11/18page 2 of 7 For more information, contact your local Mannington representative or visit manningtoncommercial.com

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Installation Guidelines

SUBFLOOR PREPARATION

Concrete

Careful subfloor preparation is vital for an excellent floor appearance and good tile/plank adhesion. The subfloor must
be smooth, firm, flat, clean, dry, free from defects and fit for purpose. A suitable smoothing compound should be used
to ensure that no irregularities show through to the surface of the finished floor. In all cases, the subfloor must meet the
moisture and pH requirements before installation.

Below and on-grade concrete subfloors must have a suitable vapor retarder properly installed directly beneath the
slab. Always follow manufacturer’s written recommendations for the use and installation of their appropriate surface
preparation materials.

1. Record and file site conditions, test results and any corrective action(s) taken. It is important to maintain this
documentation throughout the warranty period.

2. Subfloor must be clean (free of dirt, sealers, curing, hardening or parting compounds or any substance that may
stain or prevent adhesion), smooth, flat, sound, fit for purpose and free of movement, excessive moisture and high
alkalinity.

3. Slick surfaces such as power-troweled concrete shall be abraded or profiled to allow for a mechanical bond between
the adhesive and subfloor.

4. Remove existing resilient floor covering; remove all residual adhesive, paint or other contaminants following RFCI
recommended work practice. The use of adhesive removers or solvents in the abatement or removal of existing or old
adhesives is prohibited and may void any warranty.

WARNING: ASBESTOS & SILICA - Refer to the current Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI) document

“Recommended Work Practices for Removal of Existing Resilient Floor Coverings” for guidance (www.RFCI.com).

5. Perform corrective actions necessary for elevated moisture or high alkalinity conditions.

6. Surface flatness for all subfloors: The surface shall be flat to 3/16” (3.9 mm) in 10 ft. (3050 mm) and 1/32” (0.8 mm)
in 1 ft. (305 mm). Bring high spots level by sanding, grinding etc. and fill low spots. Smooth surface to prevent any
irregularities or roughness from telegraphing through the new flooring.

7. Leveling and patching: For concrete subfloors, use only high quality Portland cement-based materials (minimum
3000 psi compressive strength according to ASTM C109 or ACI). Mix with water only; do not use latex. Caution: Do
not lightly skim coat highly polished or slick power-troweled concrete surfaces. A thin film of floor patch will not bond
to a slick subfloor and may become a bond breaker, causing flooring to release at the interface of the subfloor and
patching material. If in doubt, perform a bond test prior to commencing with the installation.

COMMERCIAL

Wood

1. Wood subfloors require an underlayment (double layer construction) with a minimum total thickness of 1” (25
mm). Use minimum 1⁄4” (6 mm) thick APA rated “underlayment grade” plywood with a fully sanded face, or other
underlayment panel that is appropriate for the intended usage. Install and prepare panels and seams according
to the manufacturer’s instructions. Also refer to ASTM F1482, “Standard Practice for Installation and Preparation of
Panel Underlayments to Receive Resilient Flooring.”

2. Many times, wood panel subfloors are damaged during the construction process or are not underlayment grade.
These panels must be covered with an appropriate underlayment. Underlayment panels are intended to be used to
provide a smooth surface on which to adhere the finished floor covering. It should be understood that underlayment
panels cannot correct structural deficiencies.

11/18page 3 of 7 For more information, contact your local Mannington representative or visit manningtoncommercial.com