WARNING: EXISTING IN-PLACE RESILIENT FLOOR COVERING AND ASPHALTIC ADHESIVES. DO NOT SAND, DRY SWEEP, DRY SCRAPE, DRILL, SAW, BEADBLAST, OR MECHANICALLY CHIP OR PULVERIZE EXISTING RESILIENT FLOORING, BACKING, LINING FELT,ASPHALTIC “CUTBACK” ADHESIVE, OR OTHER ADHESIVE.
These existing in-placeproducts may contain asbestos fibers and/or crystalline silica.Avoid creating dust. Inhalation of such dust is a cancer and respiratory tract hazard. Smoking by individuals exposed to asbestos fibers greatly increases the risk of serious bodily harm. Unless positively certain that the existing in-place product is a non-asbestos-containing material, you must presume it contains asbestos. Regulations may require that the material be tested to determine asbestos content and may govern removal and disposal of material.
See current edition of the Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI) publication Recommended Work Practices for Removal of Resilient Floor Coverings for instructions on removing all resilient floor covering structures or contact your retailer or Armstrong World Industries, Inc. 1 800 233 3823.
The floor covering or adhesive in this package does NOT contain asbestos.
General Information
The Lynx installation system allows the planks to be bonded together by an overlapped edge method.The planks are not bonded directly to the subfloor and this will help hide some minor substrate irregularities without telegraphing through to the face of the planks.The planks should be installed 1/8˝ away from all vertical surfaces such as walls, cabinets, pipes, etc. (a larger gap could cause excessive floor movement). When installed in bathrooms, the gap should be filled and sealed with a good quality siliconized or acrylic caulk.The gap will then be covered with molding or wall base. Base cabinets should not be installed on top of the planks.
Included in each carton are two Luxe Plank transition strips.These can be used to change direction during the installation process or to make repairs as discussed in the Repair Procedure instructions.
Keys to Successful Luxe Plank Installation
•Most installations will need approximately 10% cutting allowance added to the square footage of the room.
•Proper conditioning of both the jobsite and the flooring is necessary. Luxe Plank should not be exposed to sudden changes in temperature or moisture/humidity.
•Store, transport and handle Luxe Plank so as to prevent any distortions. Store cartons flat, never on edge. Distortions will not disappear over time. Insure that the planks are laying flat at time of installation.
•Do not compress the edges of the floating installation in any way when installing other flooring materials next to Luxe Plank.
Installation of carpet, metal strips and other transition moldings should not push fullness into the flooring and should allow for some slight movement wherever practical.
•Protect the floor from heavy rolling loads, other trades and replacement and/or movement of appliances by using sheets of plywood or similar.
Suitable Substrates
All substrates listed must be properly prepared and meet certain requirements.There may be other exceptions and special conditions for these substrates to be suitable for the Lynx Installation System as noted below. (Refer to the Subfloors and Underlayments section of the Armstrong Guaranteed Installation System manual, F-5061, for more details, or visit www.floorexpert.com.)
•Concrete – dry and smooth on all grade levels
•Suspended wood subfloors with approved wood underlayments – must have minimum of
18˝ well-ventilated crawl space underneath
•Suspended hardwood flooring that is fully adhered, smooth and square edge without texture
•Single-layer, fully adhered, existing resilient floors – must not be foam-backed or cushion- backed
•Ceramic tile,Terrazzo, Marble
•Polymeric Poured (seamless) Floors
Do not install over
•Particleboard or waferboard
•Single-layer wood subfloors*
•Existing resilient tile floors that are below grade
•Existing cushion-backed vinyl flooring
•Carpet
•Hardwood flooring that has been installed directly over concrete
•On stairs, or, in rooms with sloping floors or floor drains
*Installation directly over single-layer wood subfloors
in new construction is not recommended. New construction should have additional underlayment on top of the subflooring and be installed as late in the building schedule as possible; after permanent HVAC is running, the home is properly conditioned, and other trades have completed their work.
If it is unavoidable to install over single-layer wood subfloors, it should only happen in remodel work where the home has been occupied and conditioned for a minimum of 1 year, having gone through the initial winter season and dry-out of the new home.The subflooring must meet all the substrate requirements noted below.
Job Conditions/Preparations
•All substrates must be structurally sound, dry, clean, flat, and smooth with minimal deflection. Substrates must be free from excessive moisture or alkali. Remove dirt, paint, varnish, wax, oils, solvents, other foreign matter and contaminates that could cause staining or interfere with the bond of the adhesive.
•High spots on the substrate should be leveled and low areas filled with appropriate underlayments.
•Do not use products containing petroleum, solvents or citrus oils to prepare substrates as they can cause staining and expansion of the new flooring.
•In renovation or remodel work, remove any existing adhesive residue so that 100% of the overall area of the original substrate is exposed.
•When installing over an existing resilient floor, use S-199 One-Part Embossing Leveler or S-194 Patch, Underlayment & Embossing Leveler/S-195 Underlayment Additive to fill and smooth any embossing in the old floor.
•Embossed ceramic tile floors, ceramic and marble grout joints, and irregularities in concrete should be filled and leveled using S-194 Patch, Underlayment & Embossing Leveler/S-195 Underlayment Additive or other Armstrong cementitious underlayments.
•The area to receive resilient flooring, flooring materials and adhesives should be maintained between 65° F (18° C) and 85° F (29° C) for
48 hours before installation, during installation, and 48 hours after completion. Maintain temperatures between 55° F (13° C) and 85° F (29° C) thereafter.
•Resilient flooring should only be installed in temperature-controlled environments. It is necessary to maintain a constant temperature. Therefore, the permanent HVAC system must be in operation before the installation of resilient flooring. Portable heaters are not recommended as they may not heat the room and subfloor sufficiently. Kerosene heaters should never be used.
•For concrete subfloors, the water vapor emission level should be 5 lbs. /1000 sq.ft./24 hours, or less, as determined by calcium chloride testing.
•Radiant heated substrates must not exceed a maximum surface temperature of 85° F (29° C).
•Luxe Plank should not be exposed to direct sunlight for prolonged periods. It can result
in discoloration and excessive temperatures that may cause expansion.The use of drapes or blinds is recommended during peak sunlight exposure.
Procedure
Remove baseboard, quarter-round moldings, wall base, appliances and furniture from room. For best results, door trim should be under-cut to allow flooring to move freely without being pinched.After preparation work, sweep and vacuum the entire work area to remove all dust and debris.
Note: Planks are easily cut with a tile cutter or by using a straight edge and utility knife. Score the face of the plank several times and snap it. If it doesn’t separate, lightly cut through the back on the fold mark.
