Surface prep is one of—if not the most—important aspects of any flooring project. Substrates serve as the structural and foundational support for a vast array of flooring types and are crucial to the proper wear and stability of the surface. But when construction timelines shrink and installation budgets come under intensifying scrutiny, this crucial step can be a hard sell to building owners and developers. Plus, proper surface prep is often ignored or mishandled by inexperienced, untrained floorcovering installers.
Considering a floor is only as good as the substrate beneath it, these situations can translate into major problems down the road. Complications range from subfloor telegraphing to moisture problems to total flooring failure. The “worst-case scenario,” total flooring failure, can lead to enormous financial and logistical headaches for you and your client. It can also result in a major loss in revenue for commercial building owners while flooring and substrates are removed and re-installed.