Also see:
BS 5250
BRE Report ‘Thermal insulation: avoiding risks’
9.3.7 Flexible sheet and flexible tile finishes
Flexible sheet and flexible tile finishes shall provide a suitable wearing surface for the location and intended use.
Flexible sheet and flexible tile finishes should be:
- installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations, and generally be fully bonded
- installed on a backing surface which is even and without high spots or cracks; where necessary, using a fabricated underlay of a type and thickness recommended by the flooring manufacturer or in accordance with Table 5
- reasonably level and smooth, particularly at doorways and junctions
- fitted with skirtings, coves, coverstrips and other preformed components, where required, and in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Table 5: Acceptable types of fabricated underlay for boarded surfaces
| Type of underlay | Minimum thickness (mm) |
|---|---|
| Hardboard | 4.8 |
| Plywood | 5.5 |
Plywood or hardboard fabricated underlays should be fixed:
- with ring shank nails or screws finished flush with surface
- with fixings 2.5x the thickness of the underlay (but no longer than the combined thickness of the underlay and deck)
- with nails/screws at least 10mm from the edge of the panel
- around perimeters, at 100mm centres
- across the sheets, at 150mm centres.
Flexible sheet flooring materials should:
- be stored in a clean and ventilated place
- not be stored in cold conditions, unless permitted by the manufacturer
- not be exposed to temperatures less than 18°C for a period of 24 hours before, or during, laying.
The substrate should be sufficiently dry to prevent adverse effects on the flooring, and where:
- there is a risk of trapping moisture or interstitial condensation, permeable finishes should be used
- flexible sheet or tile flooring is installed on groundbearing concrete floors, a DPM should be incorporated to prevent rising moisture adversely affecting floor finishes.
When installing flexible sheet or tile flooring:
- ensure underfloor services are not damaged
- it should be cut so that it fits neatly around fittings, pipes, etc
- adhesives should be spread evenly and left for the correct period of time to ensure full bonding
- the surface should be pressed down firmly, loaded or rolled as necessary to prevent curling, lifting or bubbling
- surplus adhesive should be removed
- welded joints should be provided in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations
- adjustment after initial contraction or expansion should be made where necessary.
Standards relevant to flexible sheet and tile finishes include:
| BS EN ISO 10581 | ‘Resilient floor coverings. Homogeneous poly(vinyl chloride) floor covering. Specifications’ |
| BS EN ISO 10595 | ‘Resilient floor coverings. Semi-flexible/vinylcomposition (VCT) poly(vinyl chloride) floor tiles. Specification’ |
| BS EN 650 | ‘Resilient floor coverings. Polyvinyl chloride floor coverings on jute backing or on polyester felt backing or on a polyester felt with a polyvinyl chloride backing. Specification’ |
| BS EN 651 | ‘Resilient floor coverings. Polyvinyl chloride floor coverings with foam layer. Specification’ |
| BS EN 12104 | ‘Resilient floor coverings. Cork floor tiles. Specification’ |
| BS 8203 | ‘Installation of resilient floor coverings. Code of practice’ |
Last updated: 2nd January 2024