Virginia Floor and Floor Covering Qualified Individual Examination

Under 18VAC50-22-30, flooring and floor covering contracting (FLR) is the service that provides which of the following?

• AInstallation, repair, improvement, or removal of materials common in the flooring industry
• BInstallation, repair, or removal of floor joists and other structural components of the f…
• COnly new installation of ceramic tile; repair and removal require a TMC specialty
• DOnly wood flooring; resilient and tile work require a separate specialty

Which of the following is expressly excluded from the Virginia FLR specialty in 18VAC50-22-30?

• AReplacement of damaged plywood subflooring under a new hardwood floor
• BInstallation of tack strips used to secure carpet
• CInstallation, repair, or removal of floor joists
• DApplication of a cementitious leveling product before vinyl tile

Besides a firm holding the FLR specialty, which Virginia classifications and specialties also provide the flooring and floor covering function?

• AELE, HVA, PLB, and GFC
• BFRM and STL only
• CTMC only
• DCBC and RBC classifications and HIC and CIC specialties

A Virginia FLR contractor finds a 4-foot by 8-foot area of delaminated plywood underlayment while removing old vinyl. Which action is within FLR scope?

• ASistering the floor joists under the soft area
• BReplacing the damaged plywood underlayment or subflooring so the new vinyl can be install…
• CInstalling a new steel beam to stiffen the floor
• DCutting and replacing a cracked 2x10 joist

Which material is listed in the 18VAC50-22-30 FLR definition as work the specialty may install?

• ATack strips or other products used to secure carpet
• BLoad-bearing floor trusses
• CStructural steel floor deck used as the building diaphragm
• DEngineered I-joists

A client wants ceramic floor tile in a Richmond kitchen. The firm holds only the FLR specialty. What is the correct licensing conclusion?

• AFLR may not install ceramic floor tile; the firm must add the TMC specialty
• BFLR includes ceramic, marble, stone, and all other types of tile used as floor covering
• CCeramic floor tile is allowed only if a RBC classification is also held
• DFLR may set the tile but may not apply thinset or grout

How does Virginia's finish carpentry specialty (FIN) relate to wood flooring work compared with FLR?

• AFIN includes wooden flooring but does not include ceramic tile, marble, and artificial or…
• BFIN is the only specialty that may install hardwood; FLR is limited to carpet and vinyl
• CFIN includes floor joist repair that FLR cannot perform
• DFIN and FLR are identical specialties with different abbreviations

During a hardwood replacement the FLR installer discovers a cracked floor joist that must be replaced before the new floor can be fastened. What is the correct next step for a firm that holds only FLR?

• AReplace the joist under the FLR specialty because the work is necessary to install the fl…
• BStop structural repair and have a properly classified contractor (for example CBC, RBC, H…
• CSister the joist with construction adhesive only, which is considered subflooring
• DReplace the joist if the building official issues a flooring permit

A homeowner hires an FLR contractor to remove glued-down sheet vinyl and install new LVT. Is the removal within the FLR specialty?

• ANo. Removal of existing floor covering requires a demolition or HIC specialty
• BYes. FLR includes removal of materials common in the flooring industry, including vinyl
• COnly if the vinyl contains no asbestos; otherwise the work is always outside every contra…
• DOnly the CBC classification may remove floor covering

A contract lists "install 3/4-inch plywood subfloor, self-leveling underlayment, and nail-down oak, and replace two rotted 2x10 floor joists." The bidder holds only FLR. Which statement is correct?

• AThe entire contract is within FLR because every item supports the hardwood installation
• BPlywood subfloor, leveling, and oak are within FLR; the joist replacements are not
• COnly the oak is within FLR; subfloor and leveling require a concrete or carpentry special…
• DNone of the work is within FLR because hardwood requires the FIN specialty exclusively

For 3/4-inch solid hardwood, NWFA installation guidance generally sizes the perimeter expansion space to which dimension?

• A1/8 inch at walls only, with no gap at pipes or cabinets
• BNo gap if the boards were acclimated for 72 hours
• C1-1/2 inches at every wall regardless of board thickness
• DA space generally equal to the thickness of the flooring, commonly 3/4 inch at vertical o…

According to NWFA practice, when is solid wood flooring considered acclimated and ready to install?

• AAfter any 24-hour period in the garage, regardless of moisture readings
• BWhen flooring and wood-subfloor moisture contents are within the NWFA difference limits f…
• COnly after a mandatory 30-day warehouse storage period
• DAs soon as the boxes are opened on the jobsite

When blind-nailing tongue-and-groove solid hardwood, the fastener should be driven in which manner?

• AStraight down through the face of every board in the field
• BThrough the tongue at about a 45-degree angle so the next board conceals the fastener
• CThrough the groove only, to avoid splitting the tongue
• DHorizontally through the end joints only

Which wood flooring product is generally the appropriate choice for a below-grade concrete slab when moisture tests are within the manufacturer's limits?

• ASolid 3/4-inch strip oak nailed to the slab
• BA manufacturer-approved engineered wood floor designed for below-grade or on-concrete use
• CSolid plank wider than 5 inches, because wide plank moves less
• DAny solid wood if a sheet of felt paper is placed on the concrete

NWFA moisture-content guidance allows what maximum difference between solid strip flooring less than 3 inches (76 mm) wide and a wood subfloor?

• A1 percent
• B2 percent
• C4 percent
• D12 percent

For 3/4-inch solid strip flooring less than 3 inches wide, NWFA-based fastener schedules typically place blind nails or staples at which spacing along the board?

• AEvery 16 to 24 inches, with no fastener near the ends
• BEvery 8 to 10 inches along the length and 1 to 3 inches from each end joint, with at leas…
• COne fastener in the center of each board only
• DEvery 2 inches through the face in the field

Before installing nail-down hardwood, door casings and jambs should be handled how?

• ALeave them full length and scribe the flooring tightly to the casing with no expansion sp…
• BUndercut them so the flooring slides underneath and the expansion space continues behind…
• CRemove every interior door from the house and discard the jambs
• DCaulk the flooring to the face of the casing

After a nail-down hardwood installation, shoe molding or quarter-round that covers the expansion space should be fastened to which surface?

• AThe hardwood flooring, so the molding moves with the floor
• BThe baseboard or wall, not through the hardwood
• CThe subfloor only, skipping the wall entirely
• DBoth the hardwood and the baseboard to lock the joint

On a conventional wood-joist floor, nail-down strip hardwood is usually run in which direction unless the manufacturer or design directs otherwise?

• AParallel to the joists so every board lands on a joist
• BPerpendicular to the joists so fasteners find more subfloor support between joists
• CAt 45 degrees in every room, which eliminates the need for expansion space
• DRandom directions in each room to hide seasonal movement

Compared with solid strip, what is a primary installation advantage of engineered wood flooring?

• AIt never requires moisture testing of a concrete slab
• BThe cross-ply construction is more dimensionally stable, so many products are approved ov…
• CIt can be installed with zero expansion space at walls
• DIt may be nailed directly to floor joists without a subfloor

Over a wood subfloor in a crawl-space house, NWFA nail-down practice commonly requires which underlayment layer before solid hardwood?

• AA 6-mil polyethylene sheet stapled tightly with no overlaps, which also replaces crawl-sp…
• BAn approved asphalt-saturated paper or other specified vapor retarder laid on the subfloo…
• CNo underlayment of any kind if the hardwood was acclimated
• DA full-spread water-based drywall compound to level the plywood

When racking solid strip hardwood, which end-joint pattern should the installer avoid?

• AStaggered end joints with adjacent-row joints separated by several inches
• BAn H-joint, where end joints in adjoining rows line up and create a short center board be…
• CRandom-length boards with joints distributed across the floor
• DA repeating stagger that keeps joints well spaced

A customer wants hardwood over a hydronic radiant slab. Which installation statement is most consistent with industry practice?

• AAny solid 5-inch oak plank may be nailed to the slab after the heat is turned up to maxim…
• BUse a manufacturer-approved product, usually engineered wood, keep the slab within the pu…
• CRadiant heat makes expansion space unnecessary because the floor stays at one temperature
• DCover the tubing with felt paper and nail solid strip through the slab

How should the starter and finish rows of a nail-down hardwood floor be fastened when the pneumatic nailer will not fit against the wall?

• ALeave those rows unfastened so they can float in the expansion space
• BFace-nail or blind-nail by hand as required, keeping the expansion space, then fill or hi…
• CGlue the starter row only to the wall plate
• DScrew the last row through the finish face into the joists on 24-inch centers

When installing tackless strip for a stretch-in carpet, the pins must point in which direction?

• AToward the center of the room
• BAlternating every other piece
• CStraight up, with no angle
• DToward the vertical abutment (the wall)

Under CRI 105, which tool is mandatory for stretching residential stretch-in carpet?

• AA knee kicker used alone for the entire room
• BA rubber mallet and a 2x4
• CA drywall lift
• DA power stretcher

A rectangular room measures 12 feet by 15 feet. Ignoring waste and pattern match, how many square yards of carpet are required?

• A15 square yards
• B20 square yards
• C27 square yards
• D180 square yards

In a CRI 105 stretch-in installation, the knee kicker is used for which purpose?

• AAs the only stretching tool for rooms larger than 30 feet
• BTo position carpet onto tack strip and to work the short runs shown in the stretch diagra…
• CTo set hot-melt seam tape
• DTo cut the gully between the tack strip and the wall

Per CRI 105, the gully between tackless strip and the wall must be which of the following?

• ASlightly less than the carpet thickness and not more than 3/8 inch
• BEqual to twice the carpet thickness, and at least 3/4 inch
• CTight against the baseboard with no gap
• DA uniform 1-inch space in every house

For a stretch-in area longer than 30 feet, CRI 105 requires which tack-strip arrangement?

• AStandard 1-inch strip with a single row of pins is always sufficient
• BArchitectural strip about 1-3/4 inches wide with three rows of pins, or two conventional…
• CNo tack strip; the carpet must be glued for any span over 20 feet
• DTack strip only on two opposite walls

CRI 105 limits separate cushion thickness for residential stretch-in carpet to a maximum of:

• A1/8 inch
• B1 inch
• C3/4 inch
• D7/16 inch

Before making a stretch-in carpet seam, CRI practice requires the installer to:

• ALeave factory edges untrimmed so the selvage reinforces the seam
• BTrim the edges and apply an appropriate seam sealer to encapsulate the backing yarns
• CSoak both edges with water to swell the backing
• DStaple the seam to the cushion every 2 inches

How should separate cushion seams be oriented relative to carpet seams?

• ADirectly under the carpet seam so both joints can be taped together
• BAt a right angle to the carpet seams, or offset at least 6 inches
• CStacked in the same line and stapled through the carpet
• DCushion should never be seamed; use one piece only

When seaming two breadths of cut-pile carpet, pile direction should be:

• AReversed on every other breadth to hide the seam
• BKept the same on both pieces so light reflects uniformly across the seam
• CIgnored; pile direction does not affect appearance
• DRun toward the largest window on one piece and away on the other

CRI 105 requires nailed or stapled tack-strip pieces to have a minimum of how many fasteners?

• AOne fastener in the center of each piece
• BTwo fasteners per piece
• COne fastener for every 4 feet of strip
• DNo mechanical fasteners if construction adhesive is used on a wood subfloor

In the CRI 105 seven-step power-stretch sequence for tufted carpet, the first hook is made at one corner and the first power-stretch run is directed how?

• AStraight across the exact center of the room only, with no corner hook first
• BAfter hooking about 3 feet each way at corner A, power-stretch at about a 15-degree angle…
• CBy kicking the entire perimeter with a knee kicker before any power stretch
• DBy stretching only the seam and leaving the field unstretched

A living room is 13 feet by 18 feet and will receive patterned 12-foot-wide carpet with a 36-inch pattern repeat. Which estimating statement is most accurate?

• AOrder exactly 13 × 18 ÷ 9 = 26 square yards; pattern never adds yardage
• BPlan extra length on each breadth so pattern match can be shifted at the seam, then conve…
• CPatterned goods are always ordered by adding a flat 50 percent to every room
• DUse 15-foot goods only, because 12-foot goods cannot be seamed

On a radiant-heated floor, CRI 105 directs the installer to fasten tackless strip by which method?

• ANails or screws driven to the same schedule used on a wood subfloor
• BThe flooring or heating manufacturer's approved adhesive, without nails or screws that co…
• CConstruction staples only, because staples cannot reach the tubing
• DNo tack strip is permitted over any radiant system

The ASTM practice that covers preparing concrete floors to receive resilient flooring, including vinyl and LVT, is:

• AASTM F710
• BASTM C150
• CASTM D4263 only, used as the sole acceptance test
• DASTM E84

Before installing glue-down or floating LVT, the flooring, adhesive, and occupied space should be:

• ALeft in an unheated truck until the installer arrives, then installed immediately
• BAcclimated to the manufacturer's specified temperature and humidity for the stated period…
• CFrozen overnight to stiffen the planks for easier cutting
• DWetted so the vinyl relaxes

ASTM F710 describes concrete floor flatness for resilient flooring as not exceeding about which variation?

• A1 inch in 10 feet
• B3/16 inch in 10 feet
• C1/2 inch in 2 feet
• DNo measurable variation is ever allowed

Which statement correctly distinguishes common LVT installation systems?

• AFloating click-lock LVT is glued on all four edges to the wall
• BGlue-down LVT is adhered to the substrate; floating LVT interlocks and is not bonded to t…
• CLoose-lay LVT must always be nailed like hardwood
• DAll LVT products are installed with hot-melt seam tape

A floating click-lock LVT floor in a 20-foot by 24-foot living room requires which perimeter detail unless the manufacturer states otherwise?

• AThe planks should be tight to every wall so the deck cannot shift
• BA manufacturer-specified expansion gap at all vertical surfaces, later covered by base or…
• CNo gap at exterior walls and a 1-inch gap only at interior closets
• DConstruction adhesive dots at the walls to keep the first row straight

When spreading adhesive for glue-down sheet vinyl or LVT, open time and working time are determined by:

• AA universal 5-minute rule that applies to every adhesive
• BThe adhesive manufacturer's instructions for that product, trowel, substrate, and site co…
• CThe time it takes the installer to finish the whole house
• DThe color of the adhesive when it is first opened

After placing glue-down resilient tile or sheet goods, the installer should typically:

• AWalk the floor once and leave it, because body weight replaces rolling
• BRoll the floor with the roller weight specified by the manufacturer, commonly a 75- to 10…
• CFlood the surface with water to seat the tile
• DAvoid any rolling so the adhesive can skin

A commercial kitchen will receive sheet vinyl with heat-welded seams. After adhesive installation, the seam is completed by:

• AButting factory edges and covering them with duct tape
• BGrooving the seam and fusing it with a vinyl welding rod and hot-air welder, then trimmin…
• CStapling the overlap every 6 inches
• DUsing carpet hot-melt tape under the sheet vinyl

An 11-foot by 16-foot room will be covered with 12-foot-wide sheet vinyl in one fill, with 5 percent waste for trimming. How many square feet of goods should be ordered?

• A176 square feet
• B185 square feet
• C202 square feet
• D211 square feet