BARRICADE Thermal Shield Subfloor Instruction Manual
- June 13, 2024
- BARRICADE
Table of Contents
Subfloor
Instruction Manual
Thermal Shield Subfloor
BARRICADE Thermal Shield is a durable premium subfloor that can support up to 3,650 pounds per square foot once a hard surface finished floor is installed on top of it. Prior to the installation of a hard surface finished floor, BARRICADE Thermal Shield may be fragile to point loads, such as table legs, pointed shoes or heaving tools. To avoid damaging your BARRICADE Thermal Shield panels during installation, please review Installation Hints #1-2.
TOOLS REQUIRED
| Tape Measure | Tapping Block |
|---|---|
| Knee Pad | Utility Knife |
Self-levelling compound (if required)
Straight Edge for Knife Guide
FOR USE WITH
- All LVT/LVT >5mm, laminate and engineered hardwood floors, both free floating and glue down
- All click lock laminates
- All luxury vinyl tile (LVT) and luxury vinyl planks (LVP) 5mm or thicker
- All stone plastic composites (SVP) 5mm or thicker
- Carpet tiles and wall to wall carpet (See section titled “Carpet Installations”)
INSTALLATION HINTS
-
BARRICADE Thermal Shield is a high density EPS foam substrate. It cuts easily with a utility knife with 2 or 3 scores. Be sure not to cut the panels on a finished surface as the knife blade will go through the foam completely.
-
In the event that damage does happen to the BARRICADE Thermal Shield panels after being installed, simply cut out the damaged area, replace with a fitted piece matching the cutout dimensions, and tape the seams using a vapor barrier rated tape (available at building supply stores in the vapor barrier section).
-
To protect your wall framing from moisture coming through the concrete slap, it is recommended to install BARRICADE Thermal Shield directly beneath your framing. Cut strips of BARRICADE Thermal Shield 3 1/2″ wide, and install these strips beneath your wall framing. Remember to allow an additional 1″ of space for BARRICADE Thermal Shield panels when building walls. BARRICADE Thermal Shield should be installed at the same time as the installation of the finished floor.
-
To minimize potential damage to the foam subfloor panels, it is recommended to install 1 row lengthwise at a time, then install the finished hard surface flooring as you go. There are two reasons for this. First, the weight of the nished floor will help hold the first row of BARRICADE Thermal Shield together when installing the next row. Second, it is easier to reach across 2′ and not have to walk on the unprotected BARRICADE Thermal Shield panels which
will help reduce the risk of damage. This applies for all hard surface finished floors (LVT, LVP, laminate and engineered wood).
-
When using any glue with BARRICADE Thermal Shield always test a small sample first, with a small piece of the finished flooring to ensure compatibility. Water based adhesives should not damage the foam, but it is always worth checking a small piece first. Apply the adhesive following manufacturers directions, apply the flooring piece, and let cure for at least 24 hours.
-
For optimal installation, it is recommended to use a self-levelling compound when installing over uneven floors. The maximum unsupported space beneath a BARRICADE Thermal Shield dimple should not exceed the following based on your finished flooring type:
• Engineered Hardwood & Laminate (> ½”): 1/8″
• Laminate & Luxury Vinyl (< 7/16″) : 1/16″
INSTALLATION PROCESS
While you can lay the BARRICADE Thermal
Shield panels in either direction, it is generally laid with the 4′ length
running the longest dimension of the room.Start with a full panel with the
grooved edges against the finished walls. Leave a 1/4″ of space (for expansion)
on rooms less than 20′ long, and 1/2″ for rooms longer than 20′.
Install the first row of panels until you reach the end of that row,
trimming the last panel to fit. If the resulting cut-off is greater than 18″
long, you can use it to start the next run of panels. Some installers prefer
taping the joints of the angels with a vapor barrier rated tape to help hold
the panels in the first 1-2 rows together during installation.
Once the first row of BARRICADE Thermal Shield is installed, we
recommend laying your choice of hard surface floors immediately on the newly
installed row of BARRICADE Thermal Shield (reference Installation Hint #1 for
details). We will address carpet installations in the carpet section.
NOTE: For carpet installations, skip to the Carpet Installation section 4B, on page 7.
Work your way across the room installing
one row at a time of the BARRICADE Thermal Shield panels, then the finished
floor treatment, until the room is complete. Remember to stagger the joints of
the BARRICADE Thermal Shield panels sufficiently row to row. Also, always
follow the installation instructions of the finished floor as recommended by the
manufacturer. Pay attention to acclimation requirements, and spacing at the
room perimeter for expansion.
Is is recommended that you also try to
stagger the joints of the finished flooring so they do not line up with the
joints of the BARRICADE Thermal Shield if possible. 
Once the finished floor
is completely installed, you are ready to install your baseboard trim and
start enjoying the warmth, quiet and peace of mind that comes with a BARRICADE
Thermal Shield subfloors!
CARPET INSTALLATIONS
BARRICADE Thermal Shield panels are designed for maximum R-value. As such, we
have replaced the traditional thickness of a load spreading substrate, such as
OSB or plywood, with the higher R-Value of high denisty foam material. We do
this because for the application of any hard surfaced finished floors, the floor
itself spreads the point loads of furniture legs, rolling office chairs, tread
mill leveling feet, billiard or game tables, etc. over the surface of the foam
panel, allowing the BARRICADE Thermal Shield subfloor to carry the point loads
sufficiently. However, carpet is not a solid surface flooring, and does not
offer the same load spreading capacity. Therefore carpet installations,
whether wall to wall or carpet tile, will require a load spreading
underlayment installed on top of the BARRICADE Thermal Shield prior to the
installation of the carpet material.
Install one of
the recommended underlayment substrates below directly on top of BARRICADE
Thermal Shield. 
Screw down each panel of OSB, plywood or any
other substrate used. Depending on the thickness of the substrate chosen,
screws must penetrate the concrete a minimum 3/4″. BARRICADE Thermal Shield is
1″ in thickness, therefore, a 3/8″ substrate would require a nail no shorter
than 2 1/4″ in length.
WE RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING UNDERLAYMENT CHOICES:
- A HARD SURFACE NON-ORGANIC PRODUCT
- 3/8″ SPRUCE SHEATHING
- 7/ 1 6″ OSB
© AGT Products (IP) Inc. BARRICADE® is a registered trademark of
AGT Products (IP) Inc. used under license by AGT Products Inc.
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BARRICADE® THERMAL SHIELD INSTALLATION INSTRUCTION MANUAL
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