You will find the answers to many of your questions regarding our flooring here. If you do not find the answer you need please email your question to contact@xlflooring.ca
You can find a dealer in your area by doing a search on our ‘Find A Dealer’ tab located on the header navigation bar.
When applying our flooring to stair treads we recommend a full-spread glue application using pressure sensitive adhesive. For stair risers a spray contact cement can be used.
We do not sell nosings or moldings. Contact your local flooring dealer for a complete list of available nosings and moldings. If your preference is metal, laminate or wood; most flooring stores can help you find the right product.
Transition and nosing products are manufactured by Versa Trim, Ready Step, Drummond Lock Screen and Benguard.
Our flooring is not affected by moisture and is impenetrable to water spills when properly installed. However, while this is true in most instances, if water is allowed to sit on the flooring for an extended time it will penetrate between the seams. Given time water will find a way through any flooring material.
The advantage of our flooring is most evident when there is a major leak or flood. Simply remove our product, evacuate any water then allow the sub-floor to dry thoroughly before re-applying the flooring.
Our product does not generate heat. However, due to the lamination layers and vinyl composition, it is far less conductive than other flooring materials. So, even when installed directly over concrete our product will be close to the ambient room temperature.
Due to potential vibrations in the laundry area, it is preferable to glue-down our product using a pressure-sensitive adhesive. Should a major leak occur where water penetrates around the perimeter, the flooring should be removed, the sub-floor dried, and the product reinstalled.
Our flooring has been installed in thousands of kitchens with great success. We recommend using two-sided tape or pressure-sensitive adhesive to secure the flooring in the areas where the fridge and stove will rest.
We also recommend the use proper sliders under heavy appliances or commercial equipment regardless of the flooring. It will make moving them easier when cleanup is required and limit damage caused by dragging heavy objects with sharp edges across the floor.
Problem: PEAKING ON THE EDGES
Cause 1: Most often, peeking is caused by excessive moisture under the tiles.
Solution 1: A simple solution is to remove the floor, dry the sub-floor then re-install the flooring.
Cause 2: When moisture is not the contributing issue, look for a sheen difference between the installed flooring and an original sample. Most likely, but not always, you will notice a sheen variation. This indicates that a finish or re-surfacing product such as ‘Pledge for floors’ was used on the flooring. Re-surfacing products are mostly polyurethane-based which, when applied to the surface of our flooring, create a reaction that will cause the flooring to peak.
Solution 2: Product – Heavy-Duty Stripper&Cleaner. Brand – TILELab. This product removes all finishes and the planks go back to being flat in a few minutes. If you have a peaking problem with the flooring please contact the store that sold you the product. they will be able to assist you with the issue.
Our products are designed to be easy to install, and more importantly, easy to maintain.
It is with this in mind that we recommend the following methods to keep your flooring looking like new for years:
We recommend against using vinegar, dishwashing soap, or other soaps that may leave residue on the surface of the product. For quick fixes, you can try a window cleaner; they work great and leave no residue. Steam cleaners can be used with great results, but are generally not necessary.
For more information please consulate our Flooring Maintenance Guide (PDF Download).
Good News! Our hard-wearing surface will not be affected by pet “accidents” and can stand up to the toughest wear.
If your furry friend does have an accident a good scrubbing with an ammonia-based cleaner will take care of the odor and clean the stain. Also, our products have a anti-microbial surface coating to prevent germs from developing, giving you a clean, safe floor.
Since our products are tight-fit, they can be installed over any existing subfloor, so long as it is hard and flat (no carpet!). You can install over existing vinyl so long as it is glued-down properly and any large holes and cracks are filled and levelled; this eliminates additional work.
If you do need to lay a subfloor, Plywood performs better than OSB.
It is important to note that while our products can hide a multitude of sins, the better the subfloor the better the end result. We usually suggest leveling your subfloor so it is even within 1/8” over 6’ to get the best result. This would include sanding down raised areas and patching any major distresses in the concrete. Refer to installation instructions in the package when laying the floor. There is also an installation video that can be found on this website under the ‘How To’ tab.
We make our products in a safe way without the use of toxic materials. All of our products have been tested and FloorScore certified by SCS Global Services, meeting the most stringent guidelines for indoor air quality. Your safety comes first, which is why our products have an anti-microbial coating and have undergone third-party testing through Vertima, meeting their requirements for contributing points to LEED certified projects.
We recommend using a pressure sensitive tackifier or permanent adhesive that is rated for use with Vinyl flooring. It is an easy glue to use and is virtually impossible to make a mistake. We recommend using this over tape, which over time tends to loose its stickiness. If you prefer to go with tape, we have used Rhino or Gorilla tape in the past. Other two-sided carpet tapes should also work fine, but you will need to stay away from those that are padded.
Our products are designed to be easy to install, and more importantly, easy to maintain.
It is with this in mind that we recommend the following methods to keep your flooring looking like new for years:
We recommend against using vinegar, dishwashing soap, or other soaps that may leave residue on the surface of the product. For quick fixes, you can try a window cleaner; they work great and leave no residue.
Steam cleaners do have the potential of damaging vinyl plank floors and thus should not be used on our products. If the flooring is glued down, steam and dripping water can seep between the planks and loosen the glue that holds them in place and also lead to mold buildup. If not glued down the steam can, especially under pressure, cause the wear layer to separate from the PVC below it.
For more information please consulate our Flooring Maintenance Guide (PDF download).
Our products are designed to be installed in an indoor, climate controlled environment.
Although not recommended, installations in cabins, RV’s and boats have been done with success. Extreme temperature variations in unheated cabins may cause structural movement in the sub-floor, which may result in some planks shifting; this may require minor adjustments come spring, however since our products are installed without glue this can be done in a matter of minutes. If there is a chance of freezing, no need to worry, our products will not be damaged.
In most residential and commercial applications our products do not require any underlay for sound transmission. For projects that require an IIC rating above 50, we recommend Ez-Fit, Flexiplank, Drop & Done. With an IIC rating of 52: Ez-Fit, Flexiplank, Drop & Done meet the Canadian Building Code for sound transmission without any underlayment.
If you require a higher sound rating, we recommend using a 2mm cork or a combination of cork and rubber, which will add an additional 9 points to your total sound rating. Cork underlayments can be costly. There are also fibre mats, such as Natural LVT Underlayment (http://naturalunderlayment.com/Natural-LVT-SG.htm) that will increase IIC sound ratings.
Yes. Ensure that the radiant heating system has been set into the floor using a thinset cement product, that it has been turned off three hours prior to the install, during the installation and three hours after completion. Test if moisture could be an issue. In concrete, the maximum acceptable emission level of 3 lbs. per 1000 sq. ft. per 24 hours is not exceeded.
It is not necessary to use a moisture barrier in most installations. When our products are installed tight to the walls, a 6 mil. poly can be used to block moisture. On cement slabs in areas where there is substantial ground water it is recommended that the cement be sealed with a sealant. Should there be occasional water infiltrations, it is healthier to remove the boards in the affected area, dry the subfloor, and re-install.
Although our products are stable in most installations, they are not designed to be installed outside. Installing in situations where there is no system for climate control will void the warranty.
Thanks to our advanced manufacturing process and superior coating, our products are highly resistant to fading caused by exposure to direct sunlight. However, UV light will, over extended exposure, discolor any surface so we highly recommend that proper window and skylight shades be used during peak sun exposure times.
Although our products have one of the strongest wear-layers available, there is no such thing as a scratch-free floor. We always recommend taking precautions, such as protective pads, to ensure that your floors stay beautiful for as long as you own your home.
After putting our products through various tests, we have confirmed there are no visible effects on our products after being in contact with chlorine.
Yes. Our products can go over Dri-Core panels. However, we suggest you save your money as our product is waterproof and thick enough to reflect heat back up to your feet.
If it is the rolled plastic format, you will still need to put plywood over top.
We have tested our products by ASTM E648, ASTM E662, EN 13501-1 and results are as follows;
1) ASTM E648 : Class I
2) ASTM E662 : Less than 450
3) EN 13501-1 : Bfl -S2
4) Bfl-S1 : 798.7
We have tested EN 13501-1 by German Lab.
We are proud to say that our flooring is manufactured using 59%~69% recycled materials and they are recyclable. Upon request from customers we will manufacture product using 100% virgin vinyl.
The aggressive scrubbing action of these commercial cleaners could cause wear to the surface over time.
The intense pressure on the surface may force water between the planks and that trapped water could then become fetid and odorous.
This machinery appears to be suited to a ceramic tile or homogeneous commercial vinyl. We cannot guarantee that there will be no issues with this type of equipment.
We also do not recommend the use of vacuums with rotating brush options. While the brush itself will not damage our flooring often grit stuck within the bristles will. Please turn off the beater brush option on your vacuum before using it to clean our flooring.
It is safe, since it is a water based cleaning product with a diluted PH7.
We normally do not require a subfloor.
Either will work but we prefer plywood G1S.
You can use Ring nails (not spiral) or Crown Staples (not divergent)
Screws can be used to fasten down most sub floors. However, the fastening pattern and approved fasteners are dictated by the manufacturer of the sub floor.
Whether nail or screws please recess the heads below the surface of the subfloor. Nail and screw heads if proud of the surface will over time telegraph through to the surface of our flooring.
Health and Safety regulations stipulate that flooring in medical institutions be seamless to allow for unobstructed movement of medical and patient transport equipment. Rules also stipulate that the flooring be sealed surface to mitigate bacteria migration into the seams of the floor. For these reasons we would only recommend our flooring with the following stipulations; A full glue application to a prepared and smooth sub-floor and a sealant (rated for vinyl flooring) applied to the surface.
Before making the decision to purchase our flooring for this type of application we recommend you check building codes for your region to determine if our flooring is the appropriate product to use.
Please refer to our Guidelines available here and always follow the manufacturers instructions and guidelines for your in-floor radiant heating system installation.