Underlayment and subfloors are, arguably, the most important aspect of any flooring project. Residential or commercial, big or small, these 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.

In response to the significant need in the floorcovering industry to raise awareness and aptitude of proper substrate preparation and installation, INSTALL announces its first ever Surface Prep Certification.

INSTALL, an alliance of major flooring manufacturers, contractors and professional installers across the U.S. and Canada, will hold the new, prototype program at the Southeast Wisconsin Carpentry Training Center on June 21, 2016.

The certification process is a collaborative effort between INSTALL educators, contractors and industry manufacturers. It combines a revised substrate training curriculum with written and hands-on evaluation. The progression of demonstrations includes an orientation PowerPoint followed by a 100 question written exam. The last portion of the certification evaluation is the hands-on application and installation of underlayments. Ingrained within the program are the assessments on the following preparation and installation skill sets:

• Profiling
• Moisture and alkalinity measuring and mitigation
• Ramping, self-leveling, skim coating, mixing and cleaning
• Successful participants will receive an INSTALL Certification Credential that has recommendations, specifications and extended warranties from industry manufacturers.