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Virginia Flooring and Floor Covering Contracting
Exam QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH
RATIONALES
Virginia Flooring and Floor Covering Contracting Exam
10 MOST-TESTED EXAM COVERAGE AREAS
1. Floor Preparation and Subfloors — subfloor inspection, moisture, flatness, cleaning, patching,
leveling, underlayment, damaged areas, and preparation before installation.
2. Wood and Wood-Composite Flooring — solid wood, engineered wood, laminate, acclimation,
expansion gaps, fastening, floating floors, adhesives, transitions, and installation problems.
3. Carpet and Carpet Tile — carpet layout, seams, tack strips, padding, stretching, adhesives,
carpet tiles, pattern matching, edges, and seam placement.
4. Resilient Flooring — vinyl, sheet vinyl, luxury vinyl tile/plank, linoleum, adhesives, seams,
substrate preparation, rolling, expansion, and installation requirements.
5. Tile, Ceramic, Stone, Marble, and Related Flooring — layout, setting materials, grout,
movement joints, cutting, substrate preparation, waterproofing, spacing, and finished surfaces.
6. Adhesives and Installation Materials — adhesive selection, open time, working time, coverage,
bonding, storage, manufacturer instructions, and compatibility.
7. Moisture and Environmental Conditions — concrete moisture, humidity, temperature,
moisture testing, vapor control, acclimation, and conditions that can cause flooring failure.
8. Tools, Equipment, Safety, and Work Practices — knives, saws, cutters, rollers, floor scrapers,
PPE, ventilation, dust control, lifting, electrical safety, and job-site hazards.
9. Estimating, Layout, Measurements, and Quality Control — area calculations, waste allowance,
material quantities, seams, patterns, transitions, inspection, defects, and correcting installation
problems.
10. Virginia Contractor Rules and FLR Scope — permitted FLR work, exclusions, qualified
individuals, contractor responsibilities, licensing concepts, and the difference between flooring
work and structural work. Virginia states that contractor licenses have a class and a
classification/specialty that determine the type and scope of work allowed. (dpor.virginia.gov)
1.
Before installing new flooring over a concrete slab, what should the installer check first to reduce the
risk of installation failure?
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A. Wall color
B. Substrate condition
C. Light fixture size
D. Door lock type
Answer: B
Rationale: The substrate must be clean, sound, dry, and suitable before flooring is installed.
2.
A flooring installer finds a large low area in the concrete before installing vinyl plank flooring. What is
the best action?
A. Ignore the low area
B. Add more finish coating
C. Correct the low area
D. Install carpet over it
Answer: C
Rationale: Uneven areas can telegraph through resilient flooring and cause an uneven finished surface.
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3.
When measuring a rectangular room for flooring, which two measurements are normally needed to
calculate the floor area?
A. Height and width
B. Length and width
C. Height and length
D. Door width and height
Answer: B
Rationale: Floor area for a rectangle is calculated by multiplying length by width.
4.
Why is an extra amount of flooring usually included when estimating material for an installation?
A. To increase the room size
B. To allow for waste and cuts
C. To reduce labor
D. To change the subfloor
Answer: B
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Rationale: Additional material is needed for cuts, fitting, defects, and installation waste.
5.
A concrete subfloor has visible cracks and loose material before flooring installation. What should the
installer do?
A. Install flooring immediately
B. Repair unsuitable areas first
C. Paint the concrete
D. Add carpet padding only
Answer: B
Rationale: Damaged or loose substrate areas should be corrected before the floor covering is installed.
6.
Why should flooring materials be stored according to the manufacturer's instructions before
installation?
A. To change their color
B. To prevent improper material conditions
Virginia Flooring and Floor Covering Contracting
Exam QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH
RATIONALES
Virginia Flooring and Floor Covering Contracting Exam
10 MOST-TESTED EXAM COVERAGE AREAS
1. Floor Preparation and Subfloors — subfloor inspection, moisture, flatness, cleaning, patching,
leveling, underlayment, damaged areas, and preparation before installation.
2. Wood and Wood-Composite Flooring — solid wood, engineered wood, laminate, acclimation,
expansion gaps, fastening, floating floors, adhesives, transitions, and installation problems.
3. Carpet and Carpet Tile — carpet layout, seams, tack strips, padding, stretching, adhesives,
carpet tiles, pattern matching, edges, and seam placement.
4. Resilient Flooring — vinyl, sheet vinyl, luxury vinyl tile/plank, linoleum, adhesives, seams,
substrate preparation, rolling, expansion, and installation requirements.
5. Tile, Ceramic, Stone, Marble, and Related Flooring — layout, setting materials, grout,
movement joints, cutting, substrate preparation, waterproofing, spacing, and finished surfaces.
6. Adhesives and Installation Materials — adhesive selection, open time, working time, coverage,
bonding, storage, manufacturer instructions, and compatibility.
7. Moisture and Environmental Conditions — concrete moisture, humidity, temperature,
moisture testing, vapor control, acclimation, and conditions that can cause flooring failure.
8. Tools, Equipment, Safety, and Work Practices — knives, saws, cutters, rollers, floor scrapers,
PPE, ventilation, dust control, lifting, electrical safety, and job-site hazards.
9. Estimating, Layout, Measurements, and Quality Control — area calculations, waste allowance,
material quantities, seams, patterns, transitions, inspection, defects, and correcting installation
problems.
10. Virginia Contractor Rules and FLR Scope — permitted FLR work, exclusions, qualified
individuals, contractor responsibilities, licensing concepts, and the difference between flooring
work and structural work. Virginia states that contractor licenses have a class and a
classification/specialty that determine the type and scope of work allowed. (dpor.virginia.gov)
1.
Before installing new flooring over a concrete slab, what should the installer check first to reduce the
risk of installation failure?
, Page 2 of 139
A. Wall color
B. Substrate condition
C. Light fixture size
D. Door lock type
Answer: B
Rationale: The substrate must be clean, sound, dry, and suitable before flooring is installed.
2.
A flooring installer finds a large low area in the concrete before installing vinyl plank flooring. What is
the best action?
A. Ignore the low area
B. Add more finish coating
C. Correct the low area
D. Install carpet over it
Answer: C
Rationale: Uneven areas can telegraph through resilient flooring and cause an uneven finished surface.
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3.
When measuring a rectangular room for flooring, which two measurements are normally needed to
calculate the floor area?
A. Height and width
B. Length and width
C. Height and length
D. Door width and height
Answer: B
Rationale: Floor area for a rectangle is calculated by multiplying length by width.
4.
Why is an extra amount of flooring usually included when estimating material for an installation?
A. To increase the room size
B. To allow for waste and cuts
C. To reduce labor
D. To change the subfloor
Answer: B
, Page 4 of 139
Rationale: Additional material is needed for cuts, fitting, defects, and installation waste.
5.
A concrete subfloor has visible cracks and loose material before flooring installation. What should the
installer do?
A. Install flooring immediately
B. Repair unsuitable areas first
C. Paint the concrete
D. Add carpet padding only
Answer: B
Rationale: Damaged or loose substrate areas should be corrected before the floor covering is installed.
6.
Why should flooring materials be stored according to the manufacturer's instructions before
installation?
A. To change their color
B. To prevent improper material conditions
