CSLB C-15 Flooring and Floor Covering (Trade Exam) — All Questions
100 questions
On stairs, which way do most carpet manufacturers want the pile to run?
- a.Down the stairs✓
- b.Alternating each step
- c.Up the stairs
- d.Across the stairs
CRI notes that most manufacturers recommend carpet pile direction run down the stairs, with the machine direction in the length direction of the stairs. Up and across are not the recommended directions. Alternating each step makes every other tread look different.CRI 105 §15.4
Why does CRI 105 say not to place plastic sheeting over a new carpet installation?
- a.It pulls up the carpet pile
- b.It voids the carpet's fire rating
- c.It leaves the carpet too warm to stretch
- d.It is a slip hazard and traps moisture✓
CRI says plastic over carpet may present a slip hazard, and that plastic coverings trap moisture, retard adhesive curing and may promote mold. Plastic does not change a fire rating. It does not pull pile. Stretching is finished before protection goes down.CRI 105 §12.7.2
After a direct glue-down carpet installation, for how long does CRI 105 recommend restricting traffic to installation personnel?
- a.At least 30 days
- b.No restriction once rolled
- c.At least 4 hours
- d.At least 24 to 48 hours✓
CRI recommends limiting traffic to installers for a minimum of 24 to 48 hours so adhesives can cure. Thirty days is the period for keeping cleaning water off the carpet. Four hours is too short. Rolling does not cure the adhesive.CRI 105 §12.7.1
What is the purpose of the safety cuts Armstrong describes in freehand knifing?
- a.To release trapped adhesive
- b.To mark the seam location
- c.To keep it from tearing✓
- d.To shorten the open time
Armstrong says safety cuts keep the material from tearing at corners and around objects while it is fit. Seams are marked separately. Safety cuts are made before adhesive is spread. Open time is a property of the adhesive.Armstrong F-5061 Ch. 6 §A-1b
How can a sheet installer save one wall's fitting, according to Armstrong?
- a.Align a factory edge with a straight wall✓
- b.Fit the sheet tight to the walls
- c.Overlap the sheet onto the wall base
- d.Cut the sides before entering the room
Armstrong notes you can often align the factory edge of the material with a straight wall, which saves fitting that wall and helps align the pattern. Fitting tight to walls is something Congoleum says not to do. Cutting all sides outside the room is pattern scribing's job, not a shortcut. Lapping onto base is not a fit.Armstrong F-5061 Ch. 6 §A-1a
When does Armstrong say the final fitting cuts are made in a freehand-knifed sheet?
- a.The day after the adhesive sets
- b.Before the adhesive is spread
- c.Before the safety cuts are made
- d.After it is adhered and rolled✓
Armstrong says the adhesive should be under the material and rolled before the final cuts are made. Cutting before adhesive risks short edges when the sheet settles. Waiting a day lets the adhesive set before trimming. Safety cuts come first, before final fitting.Armstrong F-5061 Ch. 6 §A-1d
Patterned sheet pieces have been cut and numbered. In what order does Armstrong say to install them?
- a.In cut order, outside of the roll first✓
- b.In reverse order, inside of the roll first
- c.In the order they fit the room
- d.Largest piece first, then smaller
Armstrong says to install pieces in the order cut from the roll, from the outside of the roll first. Size is not the rule. Reverse order makes a short second piece that cannot be stretched to match. Fitting order is not the rule; cut order controls pattern runoff.Armstrong F-5061 Ch. 7 §A
How does Armstrong say job-length cuts of patterned sheet should be measured?
- a.From the room length alone
- b.From the factory-designated match length
- c.From actual matches in the material✓
- d.From the roll label's total footage
Armstrong says to make job-length cuts on the basis of actual matches in the material rather than factory-designated match lengths, because the pattern stretches. The factory figure can accumulate error over long cuts. Room length alone ignores the match. The roll footage says nothing about match.Armstrong F-5061 Ch. 7 §A
A sheet has embossed grout lines 3/16 inch wide. Where does Congoleum say to cut the seam?
- a.One inch outside the grout line
- b.Centered in the grout line✓
- c.On the shoulder of the grout line
- d.Anywhere in the tile face
For grout lines wider than 5/32 inch, Congoleum cuts the seam in the center of the embossed line; 3/16 inch is wider than 5/32. Cutting on the shoulder is its rule for narrower grout lines. Cutting in the tile face shows the seam. An inch outside breaks the pattern.Congoleum felt-back sheet installation guidelines
Laying resilient tile, why does Armstrong leave a small exposed spot where the chalk lines cross?
- a.To mark where rolling starts
- b.To vent moisture from the slab
- c.To test the adhesive's open time
- d.To re-strike the line over the adhesive✓
Armstrong leaves exposed spots where lines cross and meet the wall so the original line can be re-struck on top of the dried adhesive. It is not a moisture vent. Open time is tested by touch. Rolling is not keyed to the line crossing.Armstrong F-5061 Ch. 6 §B-3
Tile corners stop meeting exactly as an installation moves across a room. What does Armstrong call this, and what causes it?
- a.Bleeding, from too much adhesive
- b.Run-off; subfloor not level✓
- c.Telegraphing, from trowel ridges
- d.Peaking, from power stretching
Armstrong calls it run-off and says it may occur if the subfloor is not completely level. Peaking is a carpet seam term from stretching. Telegraphing is show-through of substrate or trowel marks. Bleeding is adhesive squeezing up at joints.Armstrong F-5061 Ch. 6 §B-4
When may a commercial sheet installed with the dry-to-touch adhesive method be heat welded, under Armstrong's instructions?
- a.After 24 hours
- b.Immediately✓
- c.After 7 days
- d.After 10 hours
Armstrong says flooring installed by the dry-to-touch method may be heat welded immediately, while other installations wait at least 10 hours. Ten hours is the rule for other methods. Twenty-four hours and seven days are not its figures.Armstrong F-5061 Ch. 7 §F
How must a Congoleum self-coved (flash-coved) installation be adhered?
- a.Fully adhered, never perimeter fastened✓
- b.Adhered on the wall only
- c.Perimeter fastened with staples
- d.Loose laid with tape at the seams
Congoleum says self-coved installations must be fully adhered and must not be perimeter fastened. Staples at the perimeter, loose lay and adhering only the wall portion all leave parts of the cove or floor unbonded.Congoleum felt-back sheet installation guidelines
How does the federal resilient flooring specification say rubber flooring products should be stored?
- a.With carpet, to share climate control
- b.Outdoors, out of direct sun
- c.In occupied spaces for warmth
- d.Away from VOC-adsorbing materials✓
The specification says not to store rubber surface products with materials that have a high capacity to adsorb VOC emissions, and not to store exposed rubber in occupied spaces. Storing with carpet puts it next to an adsorbing material. Outdoor storage fails the clean, dry, temperature-controlled requirement. Occupied spaces are excluded.UFGS 09 65 00 §1.4
What VOC limit does SCAQMD Rule 1168 set for VCT and asphalt tile adhesive?
- a.60 g/L
- b.100 g/L
- c.150 g/L
- d.50 g/L✓
Rule 1168 lists VCT and asphalt tile adhesive at 50 g/L. Sixty g/L is the rubber floor adhesive limit. One hundred appears for wood flooring adhesive in the first column. One hundred fifty is not the table's figure for this category.SCAQMD Rule 1168, Table 1
An installer finds a laminate plank with a visible face defect. What do one laminate maker's installation instructions say to do with it?
- a.Set it aside; do not install it✓
- b.Install it under furniture
- c.Fill the defect and install it
- d.Install it, then file a claim
The instructions say planks showing visible defects should never be installed; they are put aside for cuts or a product claim, and claims for installed defective planks will not be honored. Hiding it under furniture or installing first and claiming later both install the defective plank. Filling the defect is not the instructed remedy.Manufacturer laminate installation instructions
How does one water-resistant laminate maker prepare the first row along a straight wall?
- a.Remove the tongue on the wall-side edges✓
- b.Leave the tongue on and push it to the wall
- c.Glue the first row to the subfloor
- d.Nail the first row through the face
This maker removes the tongue on all long-side joints of the first row and on the short side of the first plank. Gluing or nailing would pin a floating floor, which its instructions forbid. Pushing the tongue to the wall leaves no expansion space.Manufacturer laminate installation instructions (RevWood Plus)
What thickness of spacer does one laminate maker's guide list for holding the expansion gap?
- a.1/8 inch
- b.1 inch
- c.3/4 inch
- d.3/8 inch✓
The tool list calls for plastic or wood spacer blocks 3/8 inch thick, matching the 3/8-inch perimeter gap. One-eighth inch is too small. Three-quarters is a solid-wood gap. One inch is not the stated spacer.Manufacturer laminate installation instructions
What maximum subfloor deflection does one laminate maker's installation guide allow?
- a.1/2 inch
- b.3/16 inch
- c.1/4 inch
- d.3/64 inch✓
The instructions say maximum deflection should not exceed 3/64 inch. Three-sixteenths of an inch is a flatness figure over 10 feet, not deflection. A quarter and a half inch would let the locking joints flex and fail.Manufacturer laminate installation instructions
Over which existing floor does one laminate maker say its product cannot be installed?
- a.A floor with an attached cushion✓
- b.A well-adhered vinyl floor
- c.A sound plywood subfloor
- d.A flat concrete slab
The instructions say the laminate cannot be installed over existing flooring that has an attached cushion or is itself a floating floor. Well-adhered existing floors, flat concrete and sound wood subfloors are listed as suitable when prepared.Manufacturer laminate installation instructions
At a door frame, how does one water-resistant laminate maker have the planks fit under the frame?
- a.Glued to the frame with silicone
- b.1/4 in. under; 3/8 in. hidden gap✓
- c.Butted tight against the frame
- d.Stopped 1 inch short and caulked
This maker slides the flooring at least 1/4 inch under the undercut door frame and leaves a concealed expansion space of at least 3/8 inch. Butting tight leaves no expansion room. Gluing pins the floor. Stopping short leaves a visible gap.Manufacturer laminate installation instructions (RevWood Plus)
In which rooms does one water-resistant laminate maker say its product should not be installed?
- a.Rooms with forced-air heat
- b.Rooms on a second floor
- c.Rooms over a plywood subfloor
- d.Rooms with floor drains✓
This maker says the product should not be installed in rooms with floor drains or sump pumps. Plywood subfloors, upper floors and forced-air heat are compatible with its climate-controlled indoor use.Manufacturer laminate installation instructions (RevWood Plus)
What does one laminate maker's warranty ask the homeowner to keep after installation?
- a.The installer's tools
- b.One full carton, unopened
- c.Five planks, for testing✓
- d.The vapor barrier offcuts
The homeowner obligations include keeping five planks of the product after installation for testing purposes, along with proof of purchase. A full carton is not the stated requirement. Tools and offcuts are not part of the warranty obligations.Manufacturer laminate installation instructions
Before testing wood flooring with a meter, what does one solid-wood manufacturer say to do?
- a.Warm the meter for an hour
- b.Wet the boards to activate the pins
- c.Test the top board of each carton
- d.Set the meter for the wood species✓
The instructions say the moisture meter should be adjusted to the species of wood being installed. Wetting boards would falsify the reading. Testing only top boards is not a representative sample. Warming the meter is not a stated step.Manufacturer solid hardwood installation instructions
How many subfloor moisture readings does one engineered-wood manufacturer require?
- a.One per subfloor panel
- b.At least 20 per 1,000 ft², averaged✓
- c.At least 40 per 1,000 ft², minimum value used
- d.At least 5 per room
The engineered-wood manufacturer requires a minimum of 20 readings per 1,000 square feet, averaged. Five per room and one per panel are not its rule. Forty per 1,000 square feet is the solid-wood manufacturer's board sample, and averaging, not the minimum, is used.Manufacturer engineered wood installation instructions
A single-layer subfloor panel is less than 3/4 inch thick. What does one solid-wood manufacturer require?
- a.Glue-down installation in place of nailing
- b.An added cross layer, at least 1/2 inch thick✓
- c.Nothing, if the joists are 16 inches apart
- d.A layer of 15-pound felt
The instructions say to add another single cross layer, at least 1/2 inch thick, when the subfloor is a single layer under 3/4 inch. Joist spacing does not waive it. Solid wood may not be glued down. Felt reduces squeaks but adds no strength.Manufacturer solid hardwood installation instructions
When subfloor panels are installed under solid wood, what spacing does one solid-wood manufacturer require between them?
- a.About 1/2 inch
- b.About 3/4 inch
- c.Tight, with no gap
- d.About 1/8 inch✓
The instructions call for 1/8-inch expansion space between subfloor panels. Butting them tight leaves no room for movement. Half an inch and 3/4 inch are perimeter figures for other materials, far too large between panels.Manufacturer solid hardwood installation instructions
What does one solid-wood manufacturer say 15-pound felt paper under the flooring helps reduce?
- a.Sunlight ambering
- b.Seasonal gapping
- c.Subfloor deflection
- d.Squeaks✓
The instructions say to install 15-pound felt paper to help reduce squeaks. Gapping is controlled by humidity, deflection by the structure, and ambering by light exposure, not by felt.Manufacturer solid hardwood installation instructions
The federal wood flooring specification sets which end-joint rule?
- a.No rule, as long as joints are tight
- b.One board between joints; 2 in. in adjacent rows
- c.End joints aligned every fourth row
- d.Two boards between joints; 6 in. in adjacent rows✓
The specification requires at least two boards between end joints in the same plane and at least 6 inches between end joints in adjacent boards. One board and 2 inches are too close. Aligned joints every fourth row create a ladder pattern. The specification does state a rule.UFGS 09 64 29 §3.2
At what angle does one solid-wood manufacturer blind nail through the tongues?
- a.90 degrees
- b.45 degrees✓
- c.15 degrees
- d.60 degrees
The instructions say to blind nail at a 45-degree angle through the tongues. Ninety degrees is face nailing straight down. Fifteen and sixty degrees are not the stated angle.Manufacturer solid hardwood installation instructions
Under the federal wood flooring specification, how are floor areas the drum sander cannot reach finished?
- a.With the drum sander held at an angle
- b.Left unsanded under the base
- c.With an edger or by hand✓
- d.With a chemical stripper
The specification says to finish edges not reached by the sander with an edger or by hand methods. Tilting the drum gouges the floor. Unsanded edges would not take finish evenly. Chemical strippers are not the specified method.UFGS 09 64 29 §3.3
What coverage per gallon does one waterborne floor-finish data sheet call for?
- a.1,000 to 1,200 square feet
- b.Spread as thin as possible
- c.200 to 250 square feet
- d.500 to 600 square feet✓
The data sheet requires the recommended coverage of 500 to 600 square feet per gallon and says not to spread too thin. Two hundred to 250 square feet is a sheet vinyl adhesive rate. One thousand or more spreads it too thin, which the sheet forbids.Manufacturer finish technical data sheet (waterborne)
A homeowner calls about gaps between boards in winter. How does one solid-wood manufacturer treat seasonal gapping?
- a.Not a defect; humidify the home✓
- b.A sign the floor was not nailed
- c.A defect requiring board replacement
- d.A finish failure requiring a recoat
The manufacturer states seasonal gapping is not considered a manufacturing defect and recommends humidifiers during low-humidity periods. Replacing boards treats a normal movement as a defect. Nailing does not prevent seasonal shrinkage. The finish does not cause gaps between boards.Manufacturer solid hardwood installation instructions
Under Cal/OSHA's construction silica standard, when may compressed air be used to clean concrete dust from surfaces?
- a.At the end of each shift
- b.When the work is outdoors
- c.With dust capture, or if unavoidable✓
- d.When workers wear dust masks
The standard bars compressed air for cleaning clothing or surfaces where it could add to silica exposure, unless used with a ventilation system that captures the dust cloud or no alternative is feasible. Masks do not make it permitted. Outdoor work is not an exception. Timing does not change the rule.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1532.3(f)
Under the silica standard's written exposure control plan, what must the employer designate?
- a.A union steward to sign each day's plan
- b.A competent person to inspect and implement it✓
- c.A Cal/OSHA inspector for each job
- d.A licensed physician to approve every task
The employer must designate a competent person to make frequent and regular inspections of job sites, materials and equipment to implement the plan. A physician's role is medical surveillance, not plan approval. A steward's signature is not required. Cal/OSHA does not assign an inspector to each job.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1532.3(g)
At what material temperature does the federal epoxy topping specification require mixing?
- a.65 to 85°F✓
- b.At least 50°F
- c.40 to 60°F
- d.90 to 110°F
The specification requires materials at mixing to be between 65 and 85°F. Forty to sixty degrees is too cold for proper cure. Ninety to 110 degrees shortens working life. Fifty degrees as a floor allows material below the required range.UFGS 09 67 23.13 §3.1.5
Shot blasting a broom-finished slab can produce what profile, according to the federal resinous flooring specification?
- a.CSP 1
- b.CSP 9
- c.CSP 5✓
- d.CSP 3 at most
The specification notes that shot blasting coarse or broom-finished concrete can produce CSP 5, coarser than its CSP 3 target. CSP 1 is nearly flat. Capping it at CSP 3 ignores the warning. CSP 9 is the roughest end of the scale, not the stated result.UFGS 09 67 23.16 §3.6
An imminent hazard on a site cannot be fixed at once without endangering workers. What does section 3203 require?
- a.Clear everyone but those fixing it✓
- b.Report it to Cal/OSHA within 30 days
- c.Keep working and fix it at the end of the shift
- d.Post a sign and continue the work
Section 3203 requires removing all exposed personnel from the area except those necessary to correct the condition. Working on until shift end leaves workers exposed. A sign alone does not remove anyone. A later report does not address the immediate danger.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §3203(a)(6)
Under section 1510, who may operate equipment and machinery on a construction job?
- a.Employees with a driver's license
- b.Employees over 18 years old
- c.Qualified persons✓
- d.Anyone who has watched it used
Section 1510 says the employer shall permit only qualified persons to operate equipment and machinery. Age, observation and a driver's license do not make someone qualified.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1510(b)
What does section 1514 require of the personal protective equipment an employer selects?
- a.It must properly fit each affected employee✓
- b.It must be replaced every 30 days
- c.It must be one size for the whole crew
- d.It must be bought by each employee
Section 1514 requires PPE to be selected to ensure it properly fits each affected employee. One size for all may not fit anyone. The employer, not the employee, is responsible for required equipment. A fixed 30-day replacement is not in the section.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1514(f)
Which hazard is listed in section 3385 as requiring appropriate foot protection?
- a.Kneeling on hard surfaces
- b.Falling objects or crushing actions✓
- c.Exposure to sunlight outdoors
- d.Loud tools such as floor sanders
Section 3385 requires foot protection for exposure to electrical hazards, hot, corrosive or poisonous substances, falling objects, and crushing or penetrating actions. Kneeling is a knee hazard. Noise is addressed by hearing protection. Sunlight is a heat and skin issue.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §3385(a)
Once an employee is in a hearing conservation program, how often does section 5097 require a new audiogram?
- a.Every five years
- b.When the employee complains of loss
- c.At least annually✓
- d.Once, at hire
Section 5097 requires a new audiogram at least annually after the baseline for each employee exposed at or above the action level. Five years and once at hire are too infrequent. Complaints are not the trigger.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §5097(c)(10)
When respirators are required, what does section 5144 require the employer to have?
- a.Respirators bought by each worker
- b.A verbal briefing at hire
- c.A program for full-face respirators
- d.A written respiratory protection program✓
Section 5144 requires a written respiratory protection program with worksite-specific procedures for required respirator use. A verbal briefing is not a written program. The employer provides required respirators. The program covers required respirator use generally, not only full-face types.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §5144(c)
When must employees receive hazard communication training on chemicals such as flooring adhesives?
- a.When they request it
- b.After an exposure incident
- c.At hire and with each new hazard✓
- d.Once every three years
Section 5194 requires training at the time of initial assignment and whenever a new chemical hazard is introduced into the work area. A three-year cycle, post-incident training and on-request training do not meet those triggers.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §5194(h)
How much drinking water must be available for outdoor workers under section 3395?
- a.Whatever each employee brings
- b.One cup per employee per hour
- c.One gallon per employee per shift
- d.One quart per employee per hour✓
Section 3395 requires enough water at the start of the shift to provide one quart per employee per hour for the entire shift, unless effective replenishment procedures are in place. A gallon per shift and a cup per hour are less. Employees bringing their own water does not meet the employer's duty.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §3395(c)
On a construction site, which receptacles does section 2405.4 require to have GFCI protection?
- a.240-volt receptacles, permanent or not
- b.Only receptacles within 6 feet of water
- c.Receptacles in the permanent wiring
- d.Temporary 120-V, 15- and 20-A outlets in use✓
Section 2405.4 requires GFCI protection on 120-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-ampere receptacles in use on construction sites that are not part of the permanent wiring. It does not single out 240-volt outlets. It is not limited to locations near water. Permanent building wiring is excluded from this rule.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §2405.4(c)
Which type of ladder does section 1675 prohibit on construction sites?
- a.Job-made wood ladders
- b.Single-rail ladders✓
- c.Aluminum stepladders
- d.Fiberglass extension ladders
Section 1675 states that single-rail ladders shall not be used. Fiberglass extension ladders and aluminum stepladders are permitted when they meet section 3276. Job-made ladders are allowed when built to their own section.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1675(d)
A hammer has a mushroomed striking face. What does section 1699 require?
- a.Remove it from service✓
- b.Wrap the head in tape
- c.Use it on soft materials
- d.Grind it while it stays in use
Section 1699 requires tools with mushroomed heads or other defects that impair strength or safety to be removed from service until repaired. Restricting it to soft materials or taping it keeps a defective tool in use. Repair happens out of service, not during use.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1699(a)
An air hose feeds a nailer used on an elevated platform. What does section 1700 require?
- a.Anchor it within 15 ft of the end✓
- b.Let it hang freely to the ground
- c.Tie it to the operator's belt
- d.Hold it in the operator's free hand
Section 1700 requires the hose to be fastened to a substantial anchorage independent of the employee, attached no more than 15 feet from the working end. Holding it or tying it to the worker ties its weight to the employee. Letting it hang freely puts a pull on the tool and worker.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1700
Under SCAQMD Rule 1168, how must rags used to apply or clean up adhesive be kept?
- a.In an open bin until the job ends
- b.In the regular trash with other debris
- c.In closed containers when not in use✓
- d.Spread out to dry in the work area
Rule 1168 requires VOC-laden application tools such as rags to be stored and disposed of in closed containers when not in use. An open bin, spreading them out and mixing them with trash all let the solvents evaporate.SCAQMD Rule 1168(d)(4)