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Engineered and laminate flooring will need an underlay. Because these flooring types are “floating,” there will always be a slight space between the flooring and the subfloor. Underlay minimizes these gaps, as well as helps with subfloor imperfections, prevents uneven or unstable flooring, and minimizes hollow sounds when walking on the floor. Some laminate flooring comes with pre-attached foam – these do not require underlay. Hardwood flooring, vinyl flooring and carpet tiles that are bonded directly to the subfloor do not require an underlay.

For glue down vinyl flooring, use a high tack universal flooring adhesive. For premium glue down/looselay vinyl flooring, use an acrylic based adhesive or double-sided tape. For tongue and groove engineered flooring, you may use a flooring adhesive that is not latex or water-based. For carpet tile, use carpet tape, dry tack or pressure-sensitive adhesive recommended for the type of backing on your carpet tile. Never glue down laminate and hardwood flooring, or other types of vinyl or engineered flooring.

Multiply the length of the room by its width to get its area. Add 10% for waste during installation and for replacement repairs in the future. Divide the total area by the area in each carton to get the number of cartons that you need to purchase.

If you cannot get more cartons from your original retailer, contact our customer service department at 1-800-459-4409. We can look for other retailers in your area that carry the same product. There are no guarantees, however, and Quality Craft does not usually keep products in stock.

Click here to download our guide Which Flooring Type is Right for Me?Please fill out the form and email it to our customer service department at service@qualitycraft.com. Also include your proof of purchase and the photos requested on the form.

Vinyl flooring consists of PVC – a type of plastic – topped with a decorative paper layer and a wear layer. Some vinyl has a felt backing or is reinforced with fiberglass for greater stability. The wear layer may also be treated with aluminum oxide, ceramic bead or nano silver. A variety of finishes are available that are applied to the top of the vinyl, which makes it look more like real wood or tile.

Because vinyl is made from PVC, it is completely waterproof by itself. However, glue used during installation may decrease the overall imperviousness of the final floor. Also, a large amount of standing water can seep through the seams between the planks or tiles, and damage your subfloor, just like with other types of flooring. For this reason, you should clean up spills as quickly as possible.

When creating recycled vinyl flooring, chemicals that contain phthalates and heavy metals are required to keep the vinyl flexible enough to be useable. If this is a concern for you, look for virgin vinyl that contains no recycled materials – these are always ortho-phthalate free.

Formaldehyde is a harmful chemical usually associated with laminate and engineered flooring products. It is not a concern with today’s vinyl flooring. All our vinyl products are verified as formaldehyde free.

Vinyl flooring packaging will show two thicknesses, one for the total product and one for the wear layer. Total thickness will determine how well the vinyl hides subfloor imperfections and is measured in millimeters (or sometimes inches). The wear layer thickness will determine your floor’s durability and is measured in millimeters or in mil. A 0.5 mm (20 mil) wear layer is usually the minimum required for commercial uses.

Vinyl flooring can be installed in almost any room, over a lightly textured or porous surface, or over a well-bonded, solid floor. We do not recommend that you install vinyl in areas where it will be exposed to long-term direct sunlight, such as in sunrooms or solariums.

No, all carpet and padding should be removed completely prior to installation. Rough, heavily textured and/or uneven surfaces may telegraph through the vinyl and distort the finished surface.

You can install vinyl over wood floors if you put a plywood subfloor on top of it. Do not install glue down or peel and stick products over particleboard, chipboard or any form of embossed floor. Do not install peel and stick products over Lauan (Luan) decorative plywood.

You can install vinyl flooring over concrete that has cured for at least 60 days prior to installation. Glue down and peel and stick products should not be installed on below-grade concrete surfaces where moisture may be a problem.

Yes, but you will need to fill grout lines with a leveling compound. Subfloors must be even within 3 mm over 1.82 m (1/8" over 6')

Most vinyl flooring can be installed over electric or hydronic radiant heated floors, with the exception of peel and stick or self-locking (Vinloc) products. Loose lay vinyl flooring will need to be glued down if you have a radiant heated floor. Do not turn heat above 29ºC (84ºF).

Vinyl flooring is the most DIY friendly flooring product. We sell many different types of vinyl flooring, ensuring that you can find the installation method that suits your needs and skills. Click products, including click engineered products, are installed by lowering and locking the grooves of each piece into the tongue of the one next to it, similar to laminate flooring. Self-locking installation is similar, but uses the Vinloc self-locking system. Glue down planks and tiles, also known as dry back, are glued to the floor using flooring adhesive. Peel and stick vinyl comes with a self-adhesive backing – simply peel off the paper and stick the piece to the floor. Loose lay vinyl, also known as premium glue down, can be installed without any clicking and minimal gluing. Loose lay vinyl can also be installed using the glue down method.

For glue down vinyl flooring, use a high tack universal flooring adhesive. For premium glue down/looselay vinyl flooring, use an acrylic based adhesive or double-sided tape.

Vinyl flooring that is bonded directly to the subfloor and does not require underlay.

If you exceed the maximum run length for your click or self-locking vinyl, you will need to use transition moulding. For click vinyl only, you also have the option of adhering the vinyl to you subfloor using the “dri-tac” (full spread method). For the “dri-tac” method, apply a high-tack universal flooring adhesive specifically designed for vinyl plank flooring on the subfloor prior to installation.

First consider which way the light enters your room, as it is best to install vinyl with the planks running parallel to the light coming in windows or doors. The starter wall should also be as long and straight as possible.

Yes, always stagger vinyl when installing the floor. Start the first row with a full plank, the second row with 2/3 of a plank and the third row with 1/3 of a plank. The distance between joints from one row to the next must be 20 cm (8”) or greater for the remainder of the installation.

It is very important that your first row be absolutely straight as it is the foundation of your installation. If your first row is not properly aligned or joints are not sealed tightly, there may be gaps between the planks. This will allow residue or unwanted particles to get caught in the grooves and result in poor alignment. Do not continue to install your second row of planks if your first row is installed incorrectly.

Planks can be replaced or repaired by a flooring professional.

Laminate flooring is made of wood fibers, wood chips and pulp bonded together under high pressure to create a high-density fiberboard (HDF) core. The top surface of the laminate is printed with a high-resolution photographic image paper, which is then treated with a clear coating or wear layer. A variety of finishes are available.

This rating indicates the amount of formaldehyde released by the laminate floor. E1 is the lowest amount of emission, compared to E2 and E3. All Quality Craft products come with an E1 rating.

The AC rating is a standardized measure adopted by The Association of European Producers of Laminate Flooring (ELPF) to measure the hardness of laminate flooring. It is measured by tests of durability such as abrasion resistance, impact resistance, resistance to staining, and resistance to cigarette burns. See the chart below for more information about which AC rating to choose: 

AC1: For areas that receive very light traffic, such as bedrooms or closets 

AC2: For typical residential use, such as dining rooms, hallways, foyers and living rooms 

AC3: For high traffic use, such as small offices and other light commercial locations 

AC4: For higher traffic commercial use, such as lobbies, boutiques, busy offices and restaurants 

AC5: For heavy traffic commercial use, such as department stores and public buildings

Laminate with foam comes already attached to the foam underlay that you need to install it. This speeds up the insta­llation process, as you don’t have to first buy and install a separate foam underlay.

Laminate with waxed edges are coated on all four sides with a substance that repels moisture and can reduce water damage. Please note that waxed edges do not make laminate waterproof – you should still avoid contact with moisture as much as possible and clean up spills immediately.

The formaldehyde emissions from laminate flooring are extremely low. Laminate is virtually emission free, registering levels between 0.005 ppm and 0.03 ppm. The maximum emission level for laminate flooring to receive E1 status is 0.1 ppm.

You can install laminate flooring in almost any room or over any subfloor in your home. It is, however, not recommended that you install laminate in damp locations such as bathrooms, saunas, rooms with damp concrete, rooms with floor drains, rooms that could potentially flood or anywhere that may require wet mopping.

You can install laminate flooring over concrete that has cured for at least 60 days prior to installation. It is crucial to avoid all direct contact between the concrete and the laminate floor because the soil beneath the concrete can transmit humidity into the floor. You must install a 4 mil (or thicker) polyethylene vapor barrier under your foam underlay or use a convenient 2 in 1 foam underlay that has a vapor barrier built-in.

No, all carpet and padding should be removed completely prior to installation.

Yes, you can install laminate flooring on steps but, for safety, the planks should be glued down with wood glue and the moulding should be nailed down.

Our laminate flooring is suitable for radiant heated floors, but not for electric heated floors. We recommend that an outside thermostat be installed to minimize the effect that rapid changes in temperature will have on the flooring product.

Laminate flooring floats and, therefore, there will always be a slight space between it and the subfloor, so you will need to use foam underlay to minimize these gaps. Underlay also helps with subfloor imperfections, prevents uneven or unstable flooring, minimizes hollow sounds when walking on the floor, and mutes sound transmission.

Yes, use transition moulding where two floors meet, such as in doorways and archways. They protect the edges of flooring, make walking from one floor to another smoother and safer, and give your floor a more finished look.

First consider which way the light enters your room, as it is best to install laminate with the planks running parallel to the light coming in windows or doors. The starter wall should also be as long and straight as possible.

It is very important that your first row be absolutely straight as it is the foundation of your installation. If your first row is not properly aligned or joints are not sealed tightly, there may be gaps between the planks. This will allow residue or unwanted particles to get caught in the grooves and result in poor alignment. Do not continue to install your second row of planks if your first row is installed incorrectly.

Yes, always stagger the laminate planks when installing the floor. Start the first row with a full plank, the second row with 2/3 of a plank and the third row with 1/3 of a plank. The distance between joints from one row to the next must be 20 cm (8”) or greater for the remainder of the installation.

Use any sealant that is specifically recommended for laminate flooring.

Preferable temperature should be approximately 17–23 ˚C (62–73 ˚F) with a relative humidity of 45–60 percent. Humidity should never be able to drop below 30%, as this may cause gapping.

You can use color fill or laminate floor repair paste to repair minor scratches or nicks.

Unlike hardwood flooring, laminate cannot be refinished or recoated. If the laminate is too old or worn, or you want to update the look of your home, you will need to replace the floor.

If the damaged plank is near the edge of the room, simply take apart the flooring from the edge until you reach the plank. Then install the new plank and the original flooring. If the damaged plank is located in a hard-to-get area, contact a professional installer.

Engineered flooring is made up of layers of hardwood, plywood or HDF core that are stacked and glued together under high temperature and pressure. It is then coated with several layers of aluminum oxide to maximize the life of the finish.

The formaldehyde emissions from engineered flooring are extremely low. Engineered flooring is virtually emission free, registering levels less than 0.02 ppm.

Engineered flooring can be installed in almost any room at any grade level and over most subfloors. Engineered flooring is not suitable for damp rooms such as bathrooms, saunas, rooms with damp concrete, rooms with floor drains or rooms that could potentially flood.

Particle board is not an acceptable subfloor for staple or nail down installation, but can be used as a subfloor in glue-down or floating installations. Install your new engineered floor at right angles to the existing floor.

You can install engineered flooring over concrete that has cured for at least 60 days prior to installation. It is crucial to avoid all direct contact between concrete and the engineered floor because the soil beneath the concrete can transmit humidity into the floor. You must therefore install a 4 mil (or thicker) polyethylene vapour barrier. Run poly 5 cm (2”) up the wall and overlap seams 45 cm (18”). Tape seams.

Our engineered flooring is suitable for radiant heated floors. Before installing, turn off heat and wait at least 2–3 days so that the floor has reached room temperature. Once the floor has been installed, turn the heating system on gradually. In the first week, set the temperature to low or medium heat output for 12 hours per day. In the second week, set the temperature to medium heat for 24 hours per day. For the third week, you can regulate the heat as you would normally. The maximum output from the heating cables must not exceed 60 W/m2. The floor’s surface temperature must not exceed 28˚C (82˚F). When using area rugs or runners, the normal surface temperature of the wood may rise higher then recommended.

With floating installations, there will always be a slight space between the engineered flooring and the subfloor, so you will need to use foam to minimize these gaps. Underlay also helps with subfloor imperfections, prevents uneven or unstable flooring, minimizes hollow sounds when walking on the floor, and mutes sound transmission. Foam underlay, however, is not needed for engineered floors installed glue down, or with tongue and groove engineered flooring installed with staples or nails.

For tongue and groove engineered flooring, you may use a flooring adhesive that is not latex or water-based.

First consider which way the light enters your room, as it is best to install engineered flooring with the planks running parallel to the light coming in windows or doors. The starter wall should also be as long and straight as possible.

It is very important that your first row be absolutely straight as it is the foundation of your installation. If your first row is not properly aligned or joints are not sealed tightly, there may be gaps between the planks. This will allow residue or unwanted particles to get caught in the grooves and result in poor alignment. Do not continue to install your second row of planks if your first row is installed incorrectly.

Use any sealant that is specifically recommended for wood flooring.

The colour of your floor will change over time with exposure to sunlight.

Preferable temperature should be approximately 17–23 ˚C (62–73 ˚F) with a relative humidity of 45–60 percent. Humidity should never be able to drop below 30%, as this may cause gapping.

You can use colour fill or floor repair paste to repair minor scratches or nicks.

Most engineered surfaces do not need to be refinished. If refinishing or sanding is desired, it should only be done by a professional installer. How many times you can refinish depends on the thickness of the veneer. For example, if your floor has a 2 mm layer of veneer, you can typically sand it 1–2 times.

Any damaged planks should be repaired by a professional installer.

Hardwood flooring is made of a wood backing with a wood wear surface, or solid wood, coated with several layers of aluminum oxide.

Hardwood flooring is tested on the Janka hardness rating scale. The procedure measures the force needed to lodge a 0.444-inch steel ball into the wood species to a depth of half the ball’s diameter. The harder the species of wood is, the higher the rating will be.

You can install hardwood flooring in almost any room that is above grade, with some exceptions, as long as it is installed over a 12.7 mm (½”) or thicker plywood subfloor. It is not recommended that you install hardwood in damp locations such as bathrooms, saunas, rooms with damp concrete, rooms with floor drains, rooms that could potentially flood or anywhere that may require wet mopping. Hardwood flooring is not suitable for below grade installations, such as in basements.

You can install hardwood flooring over concrete that has cured for at least 60 days prior to installation. It is crucial to avoid all direct contact between the concrete and the hardwood floor because the soil beneath the concrete can transmit humidity into the floor. You must install a moisture barrier. We also recommend installing a moisture-resistant wood subfloor over the moisture barrier, then installing the hardwood flooring.

No, hardwood flooring is not suitable for installation over radiant heating.

Hardwood flooring is not designed for the abuse a pet can cause and long claws can leave scratches in the finish. If you have pets, wee recommend keeping their nails well-trimmed.

Yes, but certain precautions should be taken. Make sure all rugs are non-staining. Some dyes used in rugs may bleed through onto your floor and discolour the surface of the hardwood floor. Also, be sure the rug does not have a rough backing material that may scratch the surface of the floor. Clean dirt and debris from under the rug regularly and move the rug to different locations occasionally.

Hardwood flooring requires a moisture barrier be laid down first to prevent any moisture from getting to the floor.

The preferred choice is to run hardwood planks from the main entrance of a home or room toward the opposite wall, or along the longest dimension of the room. You also need to install the planks perpendicular to the floor joists in a house with a plywood subfloor. Installing them parallel creates the possibility that the floor will sag between the joists and open gaps between the boards. If you prefer a layout that requires the boards to run parallel to the joists, you need to shore up the subfloor by adding a layer of 9.5 mm (3/8”) plywood.

It is very important that your first row be absolutely straight as it is the foundation of your installation. If your first row is not properly aligned or joints are not sealed tightly, there may be gaps between the planks. This will allow residue or unwanted particles to get caught in the grooves and result in poor alignment. Do not continue to install your second row of planks if your first row is installed incorrectly.

Use any sealant that is specifically recommended for wood flooring.

Yes, hardwood flooring is made of natural wood, so it is a good idea to use planks from several different cartons when installing your floor.

Most floors will change in colour over a period of time, but to what extent depends largely on the species of wood and where it is situated. If your floor is in a room where there is a lot of sunlight, then the colour change may be more noticeable.

Gapping, cracking and cupping are usually caused by improper humidity levels. Be sure to maintain the recommended humidity levels. Squeaking and loose planks are often signs of inadequate nailing, installation over improper sub-floors or problems with the adhesive.

Preferable temperature should be approximately 17–23 ˚C (62–73 ˚F) with a relative humidity of 35–55 percent. Humidity should never be able to drop below 30%, as this may cause gapping. We recommend using a humidifier during the winter, as wood and electrical heating tends to dry the air.

For scratches, nicks and small chips, use color fill or flooring repair paste. Rub with steel wool or light sandpaper, rub in mineral spirits and let dry, fill, sand and apply varnish or polyurethane. For larger chips, you may consider replacing the entire plank.


Any damaged planks should be repaired by a professional installer.

Carpet tiles are made by adding a bitumen, PVC or cushion backing to nylon or polypropylene carpet fibers.

We offer carpet tiles with PVC, bitumen, or cushion backings. PVC is the most cost effective choice. Bitumen is the most popular type, as it provides greater dimensional stability, is more recyclable and is more flame resistant compared to PVC. Cushion backings are more comfortable, absorb impact better and last longer.

Pile height is a measure of the length of the carpet fiber. Carpet tiles with multi-level construction have a range of pile heights from the shortest fiber to the longest fiber. Unlike other flooring types, shorter is better in terms of durability, so use carpets with shorter pile heights in commercial, heavy traffic areas such as offices. Carpets with higher pile heights, however, are more plush and are more suitable for residential uses.

You can install carpet tiles in almost in any room and over most common subfloors. We do not recommend installing carpet tile in areas that could become damp or where moisture could accumulate. Moisture could result in mold and mildew growth, or installation failure.

Carpet tiles can be installed over wood or plywood. We do not recommend that you install carpet tiles over unfinished, waxed or varnished wood floors, as the backing of the carpet tiles may cause discoloration or staining. Test any wood finishes for compatibility with the type of adhesive chosen, and remove the finish and seal the wood, if necessary.

Do not install carpet tiles over sheet vinyl.

No, do not install over carpet or carpet padding.

Yes, you can install carpet tiles over terrazzo or marble.

You can install carpet tiles over concrete that has cured for at least 90 days prior to installation and that has been sealed with a water-based concrete sealer. The backing of the carpet tile can react with unsealed concrete, causing adherence problems or poor indoor air quality.

Our carpet tiles are suitable for radiant heated floors. Turn the radiant heating system off at least 24 hours before installation. It can then be gradually brought back up to temperature starting 48 hours after installation. Make sure that the heating circuit is completely waterproof.

No, the backing of the carpet tiles supply enough cushion and structural integrity, so it not recommended that you use any padding or underlay.

Use carpet tape, dry tack or pressure-sensitive adhesive recommended for the type of backing on your carpet tile.

The advantage of carpet tile flooring is that you get to decide on your own pattern and design. You can even mix different colours together. A draughtboard layout where each tile is rotated 90 degrees from the ones next to it works well with almost any décor, if you need help deciding. Arrows on the back of the tiles help you make sure that the tiles are facing in the direction you want.

A damaged carpet tile can easily be removed and replaced with a new carpet tile.

Underlay is a layer of material directly beneath your flooring, to separate it from the subfloor. We offer many different types of underlay, including foam, felt, rubber, cork and acoustic underlay, as well as floor protection pads.

For laminate flooring without attached foam, we recommend foam or acoustic underlay. For engineered flooring, we recommend foam, felt, rubber or cork underlay.

Underlay also provides protection from moisture, increases comfort under foot, mutes sound transmission and provides thermal insulation.

Overlap edges and tape seams.

In most cases, it is best to run the underlay in the same direction as the flooring planks.

We do not recommend using old underlay, as it will have the same wear patterns as your old floor. Buy new underlay with each new installation.

No, do not use nails or other fasteners that drill through the underlay. This will allow moisture to pass through the underlay layer and reduce its use as a moisture barrier.