Platon Subfloor

Platon can transform a cold, damp room into a dry, warm and comfortable living space. It’s a unique underlay solution that protects laminates, carpets and other finishes from moisture and adds comfort underfoot.

Advantages at a Glance

Dampness protection – lifelong protection against dampness rising from concrete floor
Healthy, dry air – prevents musty odours, mold and mildew from entering living spaces
Comfortable – provides a thermal break so the flooring warms to room temperature
Fast and easy installation – no special training or equipment needed
Versatile – Platon works with just about any floor covering – carpet, laminate, engineered hardwood or vinyl - you can even use it with low-voltage floor heating systems

Why Use Platon for Your Floor?

Virtually all basements have moisture problems. That’s because the concrete beneath the floor covering continually releases moisture. Platon creates a waterproof barrier and air gap between the floor and concrete so the moisture evaporates instead of being sealed and trapped like conventional polyethylene sheets. As a result, the finished floor stays dry and warm, and there’s no buildup of mold, mildew or odours to affect indoor air quality.

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Specifications
Installation
Resources

Platon Flooring Specification

	Metric	Imperial
Raw material:	High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
Production construction:	One layer sheet
Construction height (product):	6mm	1/4"
Sheet thickness:	0.6mm	24mil
Compressive Strength:	38,000kgf/m²	7,800lbs/ft²

Installation
Floating floors – Laminate flooring in homes can by placed directly over Platon as a floating floor. For commercial use and heavy point loads such as slate billiard tables, install laminate over a secured subfloor.

Secured subfloors – For other floor finishes, plywood or OSB sheets (11mm or 7/16" minimum thickness) are laid as a subfloor over the Platon and fastened to the concrete floor. Hint: Fasten with concrete screws or drill a hole the same depth and diameter as a fluted masonry nail, insert wire plumber’s solder, and drive a masonry nail beside the solder at least 2.5cm (1") into the concrete.
Install Platon Flooring and Subfloor (if needed)
1. Remove existing floor covering. Ensure the concrete is clear of debris. Level low areas with floor leveling compound if required. Cover the concrete with landscape fabric only for floating floors.
2. Roll out the first strip of Platon, dimples facing down, flat tab away from the wall, and cut to length. Cut off the flat tab. Reverse-roll the Platon if it curls excessively.
3. Unroll the next section with the flat tab overlapping the first section and cut to length. Apply butyl rubber caulk or foam panel adhesive between the flat tab and adjacent section or use “house-wrap” tape to seal the overlap. At the end of roll joints, mesh 4 rows of dimples, caulk and tape.
4. Cover the Platon with either butt-edge or tongue-and-groove plywood or OSB sheets. Fasten through the subfloor and Platon 25mm (1") into the concrete in a 61cm (24") grid and/or where there is vertical movement. The 122cm (4') joints between adjacent 122cm x 244cm (4' x 8') sheets should be staggered. Leave 6mm (1/4") clearance around the perimeter of the subfloor to allow for expansion. Non-load-bearing walls may now be framed on the subfloor.
Install Floor Covering
Follow the floor manufacturer’s installation recommendations. Additional instructions specific to Platon are as follows:

Laminate flooring: Laminate flooring and its underpad may be installed directly over Platon. The concrete must be level. Optional landscape fabric may be placed on the concrete to improve sound characteristics. For commercial use and high point loads, the laminate should be installed over a secured subfloor (see above).

Vinyl flooring: Glue and staple 6 mm (1/4") underlay (as recommended by the flooring manufacturer) over the secured subfloor. Stagger the joints between the underlay and the subfloor.

Hardwood: If the flooring is to be nailed down, use 19mm (3/4") OSB and short nails or 2 layers of subflooring (totaling 25mm [1"] or more) so as not to puncture the Platon.

Carpet: Install over a minimum 11mm (7/16") subfloor in a 61cm (24") grid.

Note: Installation instructions are to be used as a guide only. No recommendations are to be interpreted as superseding or replacing any installation recommendations of the flooring manufacturer. No warranty on the performance of the floor covering is given or implied.