RESILIENT FELT BACK SHEET FLOORING OVER EXISTING FLOORCOVERINGS OR VINYL COMPOSITION TILE
INSTALLATION BULLETIN
If you elect to install a new resilient felt back sheetgoods floor over an existing floorcovering it is important to consider the following:
1. The existing floorcovering must be well bonded to a recommended underlayment.
2. The existing floorcovering must be a single layer only.
3. The embossing or texture of the existing floor may telegraph through the new floor. An embossing leveler compound must be used and when used correctly, will prevent telegraphing.
4. When applying adhesive on an existing floorcovering, use Taylor Envirotec #2087 EVR-White Sheet Goods Adhesive, with a 1/16”x1/32”x1/32” U notch trowel
5. Allow sufficient open time for adhesive applied over an existing floorcovering (approximately 10-20 minutes). This greatly reduces the possibility of gas bubbles.
6. When installing new floors over existing VCT tile, position any seams in the new flooring in the center of a row of tiles.
7. Any poured floors (polyurethane or epoxy based) must be fully cured and securely bonded to a concrete subfloor. Waxes or finishes must be completely removed.
NOTE: It is the floorcovering dealer and/or the installer’s responsibility to determine if the existing resilient flooring is a suitable underlayment for the installation of new resilient sheetgoods. If there is any doubt about the suitability of the existing floorcovering, it should be covered with a recommended underlayment or removed. Refer to Installation Bulletin WFT-1008 (rev.02/02/04) Subfloor Preparation for Resilient Floorcovering Products.
In most cases, a new underlayment can be installed over existing floorcovering on wood subfloors. Nails or staples must be long enough to adequately penetrate firmly into the wood subfloor after passing through the existing floorcovering and any underlayment that is present.
EXCEPTION: New underlayment should not be installed directly over heavily cushioned floorcovering (100 gauge or heavier). Heavily cushioned floorcoverings may allow up-and-down movement at underlayment panel joints. Floorcovering of this type must be removed before installing new underlayment.
If it is determined the existing floorcovering should be removed, follow resilient manufacturer’s specific instruction on removal of existing floorcovering.
