Acclimation:

Acclimate sealed cartons 48+ hours at normal room conditions before install.

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 dry, sound, flat to 3/16-inch over 10-foot radius. Concrete fully cured.

Pro tip: If the subfloor has small unevenness that can’t be fully leveled, thicker rigid-core planks provide more physical forgiveness. Rule of thumb: under 1/8-inch variance over 10 feet, any SPC or WPC thickness works. 1/8 to 3/16-inch — choose the thicker option in your collection. Over 3/16-inch, the subfloor needs leveling compound before install regardless of plank thickness. Important caveat: even if thicker plank 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 rigid-core is forgiveness for minor borderline cases, not license to skip subfloor prep.

Moisture testing (concrete):

Test concrete subfloors per ASTM F2170 (RH) or ASTM F1869 (calcium chloride) before install.

Pro tip: Run the moisture test at least 48 hours after any wet trade (painting, drywall mud, tile grout) finishes in the room. Fresh wet trades release vapor that artificially inflates RH readings. And test in the season closest to year-round average humidity — a winter-wet Bay Area test may read 8-12 points higher than the summer baseline the slab actually lives at.

Moisture barrier (concrete subfloors):

Below/on-grade concrete: install 6-mil polyethylene moisture barrier with 6-8″ sealed-tape lap joints.

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)

IXPE/EVA acoustic pad pre-attached — do not add underlayment beneath floor.

Pro tip: The attached 1.5mm IXPE acoustic 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 click-lock per Unilin Angle-Angle method. Maintain 3/8″ expansion gap at all walls and transitions.

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:

Hydronic radiant systems compatible up to 85°F (29°C) surface. Increase temperature gradually after install.

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:

Sweep or vacuum daily. Damp-mop with vinyl cleaner. Steam mops allowed at lowest power, 5-min max per spot.

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 abrasive cleaners, bleach, ammonia, wax, oil-soaps. Do not drag furniture. Avoid latex/rubber-backed mats.

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 under furniture legs. Wide non-marking casters for rolling chairs. Walk-off mats at exterior doors.

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.