Acclimation

Acclimation is not required. COREtec Pro can be installed and walked on the same day in a climate-controlled space — no waiting period.

Pro tip: SPC doesn’t need acclimation the way hardwood does, but the install room should be at its normal operating temperature during install — not 60°F in winter or 90°F in summer. Install at the temperature the room will typically be. This minimizes edge-gap changes after the floor settles.

Subfloor flatness

Subfloor must be clean, structurally sound, flat to within 3/16 inch over 10 feet, and free of debris, paint, oil, wax, and old adhesive residue.

Pro tip: If the subfloor has small unevenness that can’t be fully leveled, thicker SPC provides more physical forgiveness — 8mm and 10mm planks bridge minor dips and bumps better than 6.5mm. Rule of thumb: under 1/8-inch variance over 10 feet, any SPC thickness works. 1/8 to 3/16-inch — go 8mm minimum. Over 3/16-inch, the subfloor needs leveling compound before install regardless of plank thickness. Important caveat: even if thicker SPC masks the problem physically, manufacturer flatness specs are flatness specs. If a warranty claim gets filed later and the inspector measures out-of-spec subfloor, that goes in the report as installation-related — regardless of whether thicker plank was used to “compensate.” Thicker SPC is forgiveness for minor borderline cases, not license to skip subfloor prep.

Moisture testing (concrete)

On concrete subfloors, perform a calcium chloride or in-situ relative humidity test per ASTM F1869 / ASTM F2170. The result must fall within Shaw’s published moisture limits in the COREtec Pro install guide.

Pro tip: One moisture test is a snapshot, not a seasonal profile. Slab moisture in the Bay Area can swing 10-15 percentage points between wet and dry seasons. If your test passes in summer, retest in winter before committing, or just install the 6-mil vapor barrier as standard practice.

Moisture barrier (concrete subfloors)

A 6-mil polyethylene moisture barrier is recommended over below-grade or concrete subfloors per ASTM F710.

Pro tip: We’ve replaced too many vinyl floors that failed from slab moisture in Bay Area homes — many built on fill or near old creek beds. Even when the slab tests dry today, seasonal water table shifts can push moisture up through the concrete years later. 6-mil polyethylene sheeting is $30-50 per room and takes 20 minutes to install. Always install it over concrete, regardless of what the manufacturer spec says is “required.”

Underlayment (do not replace the attached pad)

No additional underlayment is needed — COREtec Pro Classics ships with attached cork pad.

Pro tip: The attached cork pad is part of the warranty contract, not an accessory. Adding foam, cork, or rubber underneath voids the structural integrity coverage. If the subfloor is irregular, fix that with leveling compound first — don’t stack pads to mask a subfloor problem.

Installation method

Floating angle-tap click installation is the standard method. Direct glue-down is also approved per the Shaw COREtec Pro install guide.

Pro tip: Check the manufacturer spec for T-mold requirements between rooms — some brands require a T-mold at every doorway, others allow continuous install up to a certain run length. Don’t skip the check. If you run one continuous floor through a kitchen into a hallway and into two bedrooms without T-molds, each room’s subfloor shifts slightly differently with seasonal humidity and thermal changes. That differential movement concentrates at the narrow door transitions, and within 1-2 years you’ll see click-lock seams crack right at the doorways — not mid-room, always at the pinch points. T-mold at each doorway absorbs the differential movement and isolates each room’s expansion from the next.

Radiant heat compatibility

Compatible with radiant heat systems. Maximum surface temperature must not exceed 85°F.

Pro tip: The surface temperature cap is the critical number. Hydronic systems typically run below spec naturally; electric mats can exceed it if the thermostat is mis-positioned. Position the sensor in the finished floor, not in the slab, and verify with an infrared thermometer before tiling furniture or rugs on top.

Daily maintenance

Use a pH-neutral hard-surface cleaner — Shaw recommends their Encore floor cleaner. Sweep or dry-mop regularly to remove grit; damp-mop with approved cleaner as needed. Do not use treated dust mops; they can leave residue that dulls the finish over time.

Pro tip: The fastest way to wear out the wear layer is tracked-in grit. Walk-off mats at every entrance plus twice-weekly vacuuming (hard-floor setting, no beater bar) in high-traffic areas buys years of finish life. The wear layer takes daily traffic; abrasive grit grinds it down prematurely.

What to avoid

Avoid wax, polish, vinegar, citrus solvents, oil soap, and abrasive scrubbing pads. Do not use rotating-beater-bar vacuums, and skip steam mops unless explicitly approved for the specific COREtec product.

Pro tip: Rubber- and latex-backed walk-off mats cause permanent yellow discoloration under SPC warranties. The rubber chemistry reacts with the wear layer over months. Use felt-backed or woven natural-fiber mats instead — and never leave any mat in place over a seam line.

Furniture and pet protection

Use felt protectors on furniture legs and non-staining floor protectors under heavy furniture, chairs, and tables. Use walk-off mats at exterior entries to capture grit.

Pro tip: If you have pets, avoid heavy wire-brushed or deeply-rustic surface textures. The deep grain grooves that make wire-brushed look authentic also trap pet hair, dirt, and grit. Vacuum can’t reach the deepest channels; over months, the floor looks permanently soiled even after cleaning. For pet homes, choose subtle-to-medium surface texture instead — still gets the wood-grain realism, skips the cleaning liability. Heavy wire-brushed SPC photographs beautifully in the showroom but doesn’t live well with dogs and cats.