This guide covers how Ambiance luxury vinyl flooring should be prepared for, installed, and looked after. Please read it in full before starting, and share it with your fitter. Following it protects both the finished result and your warranty.
1Prior to installation
Product inspection
Before any installation work begins, carefully inspect all materials in suitable lighting conditions. Check the product for surface damage, manufacturing imperfections, colour consistency, correct design, correct quantity supplied, and any damage to packaging or cartons. Examine planks or tiles before and during installation. Any product showing a visible fault or defect should be set aside and not installed.
Installation of the floor is deemed acceptance of the material condition. Liability will not be accepted where a fault or defect was evident prior to installation.
Batch control
For best appearance, use material from the same production run within each room or continuous area. Slight shade variation can occur between different manufacturing batches.
To achieve a balanced and natural finish, mix planks or tiles from several boxes during laying. Some designs intentionally include tonal variation and pattern diversity to reflect natural timber or stone effects.
2Suitability of use
Ambiance Luxury Vinyl Floors gluedown products are suitable for internal residential and commercial environments when correctly installed. They are not suitable for external installation.
They may be fitted over properly prepared concrete subfloors, sand and cement screeds, calcium sulphate or anhydrite screeds, existing timber floors, flooring-grade plywood, particleboard where suitable, existing ceramic or porcelain tiles, and raised access floors that have been adequately prepared, in accordance with this guidance and BS 8203.
They are suitable for use over water-based underfloor heating systems and certain cooling systems, subject to the conditions set out below. For underfloor heating, the maximum subfloor surface (bond-line) temperature must not exceed 27°C.
3Storage and handling
Materials should be transported and stored flat on an even surface. Keep cartons stacked neatly, store boxes flat rather than upright, protect from moisture, and avoid temperatures below 2°C or above 27°C. Do not store in direct sunlight or near any heat source.
4Site conditions
The building must be weather-tight, dry, and suitably conditioned before installation begins. Wet trades such as plastering, screeding, decorating, and tiling should be complete.
Room temperature should be maintained between 15°C and 24°C, and should be stable before, during, and after fitting.
5Subfloor preparation
General requirement
The finished appearance of luxury vinyl tile is directly influenced by the quality of the base beneath it. The subfloor must be sound and solid, dry, clean, smooth, flat, free from cracks and movement, and free from grease, paint, dust, curing compounds, and contamination. Remove old adhesive residues where necessary.
Surface regularity
For best results there should be no more than 3mm deviation under a 2 metre straightedge, with no abrupt ridges, hollows, trowel marks, tile grout lines, or surface texture. Any imperfections may mirror through the finished floor.
Levelling compounds
Use a suitable smoothing compound recommended for resilient flooring applications. Product selection depends on subfloor type, moisture conditions, intended use of the area, thickness, and loading requirements. Always follow the compound manufacturer's instructions.
6Moisture testing
No floor should be installed until the moisture condition of the subfloor has been properly assessed.
For concrete and cementitious bases, moisture levels should comply with national standards and adhesive manufacturer limits. In the UK this generally means 75% RH or below when tested using an in-situ hygrometer.
Concrete laid directly onto the ground must incorporate an effective damp proof membrane. Where moisture readings are excessive, an approved surface moisture suppressant or epoxy DPM may be required.
The installer must ensure compatibility between the damp proof system, primer, smoothing compound, adhesive, and floorcovering.
7Existing subfloors
Timber floors
Timber bases must be securely fixed, ventilated where applicable, free from excessive deflection, and covered with flooring-grade plywood or an approved overlay board where necessary.
Ceramic tiles
Tiles must be firmly bonded. Joints and embossing should be smoothed over using an appropriate preparation system.
8Acclimatisation
Ambiance Luxury Vinyl Floors must be conditioned within the room of installation for at least 24 hours, or until the product temperature matches site conditions.
Store boxes flat and away from direct sunlight, radiators, hot pipes, and cold external walls. Product temperature during installation should be between 15°C and 24°C.
9Temperature conditions during installation
Maintain stable site conditions for 24 hours before installation, during installation, and for a minimum of 72 hours after completion. Cover windows in hot conditions.
Avoid sudden changes exceeding 5°C in a 12 hour period. Low temperatures may make tiles or planks stiff and harder to cut. High temperatures may increase the risk of shrinkage after fitting.
10Underfloor heating
Ambiance Luxury Vinyl Floors may be installed over warm water underfloor heating systems that are correctly commissioned and operating to recognised standards.
The heating should be switched off, or turned down to a maximum floor surface (bond-line) temperature of 15°C, at least 24 hours before installation. Room temperature should remain stable during fitting; use secondary heating if necessary.
After installation, wait at least 72 hours before recommissioning the system. Increase the temperature gradually in 5°C stages per day until the normal operating level is reached, to a maximum of 27°C at the floor or bond-line.
Electric systems may only be used where they are fully embedded within a suitable smoothing compound and evenly distributed. Surface-mounted wire systems are not suitable.
11Underfloor cooling
These floors may also be used with underfloor cooling systems provided condensation is prevented.
The subfloor temperature must remain at least 3°C above dew point at all times. Failure to control condensation may lead to adhesive failure, moisture damage, or undue dimensional movement.
12Movement joints
Structural movement joints in the building must be mirrored through the finished floor using a suitable transition or movement profile. Active joints must not be bridged with adhered LVT.
13Adhesive installation
Ambiance flooring should be fully bonded using a high-quality adhesive suitable for luxury vinyl tile. Use a high temperature (HT) adhesive in areas of direct sunlight or near a direct heat source.
Use only adhesives approved by their manufacturer for adhered LVT, the site temperature conditions, underfloor heating where relevant, and the expected traffic levels.
Always follow adhesive open time, tack time, and rolling requirements. An incorrect adhesive choice may result in slippage, tenting, gapping, or debonding.
Browse our recommended UZIN adhesives, including a high temperature option.
14Installation good practice
Establish a central datum line before laying. Dry-lay where necessary to avoid narrow perimeter cuts. Stagger end joints attractively. Roll the installed flooring using a suitable flooring roller. Clean adhesive residues immediately and protect the newly laid floor from traffic for the recommended cure period.
15Expansion considerations
When fully adhered using a permanent adhesive, perimeter expansion gaps are generally not required.
Leave appropriate clearances at concealed perimeters, pipe penetrations, threshold interfaces, and fixed frames where movement may occur. Silicone sealant around the perimeter is not a technical requirement, although sealing bathrooms and WCs to avoid water ingress is accepted.
Large glazed areas, high solar gain zones, and conservatories may require special consideration and enhanced adhesive systems.
16Post-installation protection
After fitting, avoid heavy traffic until the adhesive has cured. Protect from wheeled loads initially. Use felt pads under furniture, use entrance matting at external doors, and avoid dragging heavy items across the surface.
17Installer responsibility
Installation should not commence until the installer is satisfied that the subfloor is suitable, that surface flatness and regularity are acceptable, that moisture levels are acceptable, that site conditions are correct, and that all materials are fit for purpose.
Proceeding with installation confirms acceptance of those conditions.
18Technical assistance
Where unusual conditions exist, such as high solar gain areas, conservatories, mixed heating zones, industrial traffic, moisture concerns, or uncertain subfloors, professional technical guidance should be obtained before fitting begins.
Call us on 024 7530 1916 or email hello@lvtflooringdirect.uk and we will help.
This guidance is provided by Ambiance and is intended for competent installers. It does not replace the adhesive or preparation manufacturer's own instructions, or the requirements of BS 8203.