FAQS & WARRANTIES
Tenacity Frequently Asked Questions
About Tenacity flooring
TENACITY® is a revolutionary engineered stone floor, that outperforms any other waterproof glue-less flooring solutions available in terms of performance, durability and sustainability:
- 100% FREE of PVC, orthophthalates and any other kind of plasticizer
- 100% waterproof
- Ultra-stable & dent proof
- Install over 10000ft2 / 1000m2 without T-molds in doorways (100ft / 32m in either direction)
- Kitchen islands and other heavy furniture can be installed on top
- Ultra-scratch & stain resistant
- Fire resistant, low smoke production
- Suitable for all rooms, including bathrooms, kitchens, 3-season rooms and sunrooms
- Safe & sustainable
The engineered stone used for TENACITY®’s core is a proprietary formula of PVC free and plasticizer free ceramic composite made to be rigid, strong, unaffected by heat and temperature variations, and sustainable.
Performance
- TENACITY® flooring is built on an engineered stone core. With this superior platform, Tenacity is 100 % waterproof, extremely rigid, tremendously wear resistant, and offers supreme stability. This means Tenacity can be installed over large surfaces with no transitions (10000 ft2 / 1000 m2 or 100 ft / 32 m in either direction) in all spaces, such as 3-season rooms and sunrooms, and is approved for kitchen islands to be placed directly on top of the floor. It also brings better smoke and fire ratings, making it a far better choice for commercial applications.
- TENACITY® Tritec finish adds an extra layer of resistance with up to 40% better scratch and stain resistance than the industry leading rigid coatings.
- TENACITY® also comes in tile looks, and like traditional tiles, TENACITY® is beautiful and durable. Unlike traditional tiles, it comes with an angle-angle click system, making it easy to install leading to big savings on installation
Sustainability
- Along with its performance TENACITY® offers a strong sustainability attribute as well. In fact, along with being 100% PVC & plasticizer free, it comes with a pre-attached backing – Net Plus – made from recycled plastic bottles. For every 500 ft2 / 50 m2 of Tenacity flooring 550 plastic bottles are recycled, all the while being more mold resistant than most common underlays.
TENACITY®’s core is made of an inorganic ceramic composite (engineered stone) and a property of this type of material is that it is virtually unaffected by changes in temperature or humidity.
- Rigid Core or other vinyl floors are traditionally composed of a mixture of limestone and PVC (or sometimes other thermoplastics such as PP). By definition a thermoplastic is “capable of softening or fusing when heated and of hardening again”. It is therefore sensible to heat or cold, with planks growing and shrinking with temperature variations
- Waterproof laminate is typically made from HDF (high density fiberboards) which are wood fibers. Wood by definition is hygroscopic, absorbing moisture in a humid environment, or drying up in dry climates, affecting its size, with planks growing or shrinking with varying humidity levels.
According to the ISO 23999 standard, the planks are heated up to 176°F / 80°C, after which it is cooled down for 24h to the original temperature of 73.5°F / 23°C. The size variation is measured and compared to the original size.
TENACITY® is up to 5X more stable than SPC, 10X more stable than LVT and up to 200X more stable than WPC.
While no floor is impervious to damage, TENACITY® features a durable, highly resistant TriTec finish that is suitable for both heavy residential and commercial applications. This means you don’t have to worry about high foot traffic or kids and pets having fun in the house.
While no similar flooring is guaranteed against scratching or loss of gloss, TENACITY® Tritec finish allows for ultra-durability. We warrant that TENACITY® will not stain from pet (domestic cat or dog) stains, including urine, feces and vomit, providing it is cleaned within 24 hours!
TENACITY® is safe for both you and the environment. All our products are 100% free of PVC or plasticizers and are subjected to rigorous tests by Third Party Laboratories that are designed to ensure all TENACITY® products meet the highest standards and keep the indoor air clean. This means our products do not release harmful amounts of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) such as formaldehyde into living environments. This rigorous control has resulted in the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute to certify all TENACITY® floors worldwide with their highest certification: GREENGUARD Gold.
GREENGUARD Gold Certification offers the strictest certification criteria, considering safety factors to account for sensitive individuals (such as children and the elderly), and ensures that a product is acceptable for use in environments such as schools and healthcare facilities. It is referenced by both The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) and the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Building Rating System.
It also comes with a pre-attached backing – Net Plus – made from recycled plastic bottles. For every 500 ft2 / 50 m2 of TENACITY® flooring 550 plastic bottles are recycled.
TENACITY® core is made from a ceramic composite which is an inorganic compound, naturally resistant to mold. It allows TENACITY® to reach Grade 0, the highest possible mold resistance according to ASTM standard G21-15, showing zero mold growth.
The Net+ backing also has the advantage of reaching the highest grade 0 for the same standard, making it even more mold resistant to other materials traditionally used in underlays such as EVA or cork.
Net Plus backing will provide a natural sound barrier and extra joint support for extra noise resistance attributes versus traditional laminates or click vinyl planks. It also features best in class mold resistance and is made from recycled plastic bottles. For every 500 ft2 / 50 m2 of Tenacity flooring 550 plastic bottles are recycled.
Yes, TENACITY® can be installed over most existing hard surface flooring including wood, concrete and tiles. The exceptions are carpets, floating floors (not glued down) of any type, loose lay, and perimeter fastened sheet vinyl. These types of flooring should be removed prior to installing TENACITY®. The existing floors still must meet the level requirements. For tiles, TENACITY® can be installed over existing tiles as long as the grout is ≤ 5mm in width and ≤4mm in depth. Please refer to TENACITY® installation manual for further details.
TENACITY® can be glued down, we recommend to glue the click together only where a watertight installation is required.
Thanks to the floor’s angle-angle click system, TENACITY® is fast & easy to install directly over most hard surface subfloors, with minimal subfloor preparations, no telegraphing & no acclimation!
TENACITY® is suitable for all rooms the house including bathrooms, laundry rooms, basements, 3 season rooms and even sunrooms.
Very few: only rooms that are exposed to the elements (like outdoors or in saunas). Rooms with a floor drain or sump pump can receive TENACITY® if properly installed. Refer to our installation manual for more information.
TENACITY® can be installed in homes without climate control when proper installation precautions are taken and under the following conditions:
- TENACITY® installation requirements must be met.
- The crawl spaces must be enclosed and vented and meet all requirements and the job site conditions must be correct.
- Insulation of the floor in the crawl space is recommended.
- Temperatures must stay above -40˚F / -40°C and below 150˚F / 65°C.
- Please respect the temperature range in the room before and during the installation as specified in the installation manual.
Yes, TENACITY® is compatible with embedded radiant floor heating systems. You should ensure the radiant heat surface temperature doesn’t exceed 90°F / 32°C. For more details, please refer to the installation manual.
TENACITY® installation allows up to 10000 ft2 / 1000 m2 or 100 ft / 32 m in either direction, with no unsightly transition moldings. Make sure to respect the expansion space around the perimeters of the room.
As long as you are within the limit that does not require transition strips, unsightly door transitions are fortunately not required either! TENACITY® installation allows up 10000 ft2 / 1000 m2 or 100 ft / 32 m in either direction, with no unsightly transition moldings needed. Make sure to respect the expansion space around the perimeters of the house.
Although TENACITY®, thanks to its rigidity hides minor subfloor imperfections, the subfloor must be clean and level to 3/16” / 5mm within a 10 ft / 3m span.
For installation over existing tile, you would need a self-leveling compound to fill in low grouted joint areas. Grout should be ≤ 5mm in width and ≤4mm in depth.
When installing TENACITY® flooring, underlayment is not required. TENACITY® flooring comes with a pre-attached backing – Net Plus performance underlay, this unique backing provides additional sound reduction, stability and comfort. NET Plus is certified and made from recycled plastic bottles.
Important: Adding an underlayment to TENACITY® with pre-attached backing will void your warranty.
It is recommended to use a minimum 6 mil / 0.15 mm poly-film as a moisture barrier between the concrete subfloor and the flooring. In case of installation is done over a wood substrate on or below-grade a minimum 6 mil / 0.15 mm plastic poly sheeting must be used as a moisture barrier.
Although this floor is waterproof, it is not to be used as a moisture barrier, excessive subfloor moisture can be a breeding ground for mold, mildew and fungus. The subfloor must be dry, concrete moisture vapor emissions should not exceed 8 lb / 3.63 kg MVER (moisture vapor emission rate) per 10000 ft2 / 1000 m2 per 24 hours as measured with the calcium chloride test (ASTM F1869) / 75 % RH (ASTM F2170) with a PH limit of 9 / max. 2.5 % moisture content (CM method / ASTM F2659).
TENACITY® floors are waterproof; however, special precautions should be used when installing in bathrooms with showers or mudrooms adding a silicone sealant in the expansion spaces at the perimeter and all vertical interruptions. For installation instructions and tips, please see our detailed TENACITY® Installation Manual.
TENACITY® is extremely stable to temperature variations and requires no acclimation, unlike standard laminate or vinyl which usually requires leaving your flooring in open boxes 24 to 48h in the room you will install before installation.
Thanks to its stone-based core, TENACITY® is 100% waterproof & ultra-stable – virtually unreactive to temperature and humidity variations, which means it can have kitchen islands and other heavy furniture installed directly on top.
Using rubber or latex backing could permanently stain your floor and will void warranty. We recommend using felt-backed rugs.
The planks themselves are waterproof, but once installed they do not provide a fully watertight surface. Water can still sip through the bevels if left over 24 hours. Water spillage as is the case in bathrooms and kitchens won’t damage the floor but standing water must be avoided at all times. We recommend cleaning up water spillage as soon as possible, within 24 hours.
No, TENACITY® resists staining, is easy to clean and requires no waxing. Waxing is not compatible with this product and using wax will void warranty.
We recommend ensuring that your initial flooring purchase includes several extra TENACITY® planks in case you have one that needs replacement. Refer to the plank replacement instructions for a step by step guide of how to replace a damaged panel.
Support furniture with wide-bearing, non-staining floor protectors. Ideally, the protectors should be at least one inch in diameter, made of non-pigmented, hard plastic and rest flat on the floor. Non-staining felt protectors are also acceptable. Casters with a minimum 3/4″ / 20 mm flat surface width or floor protectors are recommended for all moveable furniture. Make sure any metal protectors are rustproof. Replace your narrow-dome furniture rests with wide-bearing ones.
For chocolate, grease, juice and wine stains, use lukewarm water and a non-abrasive cleaner. Nail polish, tar, markers, crayon, lipstick, ink and cigarette burns can be removed using nail polish remover or denatured alcohol. For candle wax and chewing gum, scrape carefully with a blunt plastic scraper.
The use of residential steam mops on this product is allowed. Use at lowest power with a suitable soft pad, and do not hold a steam mop on one spot for an extended period of time (longer than 5 minutes). Refer to the steam mop’s manufacturer instructions for proper usage.
If you feel that you have a warranty related problem, you should take your original purchase receipt, back to the retailer where you purchased the floor and file a warranty claim with that store. The store will then contact us to begin the warranty process. An inspector may come to your home to evaluate the conditions and determine what caused the problem. Once an evaluation is complete you will be contacted with the results. The whole process could take up to 30 business days, depending on the circumstances, although most issues are resolved much faster.