DuChâteau Concrete DeLuxe Wide-Plank Flooring Installation Instructions

Transcription

1 DuChâteau Concrete DeLuxe Wide-Plank Flooring Installation Instructions DuChâteau Concrete DeLuxe Installation Guidelines are intended to offer general guidance as it relates to DuChâteau Concrete DeLuxe Wide-Plank Flooring and are NOT a replacement for a professional. A licensed flooring professional is required for installation. General Information Concrete flooring installation should be scheduled after all other trades have completed their work. To ensure the smallest possible range in color variation, it is best to order enough tile to complete your installation and depending on the project, 10-15% extra. Also, to avoid miscalculations it is recommended that you have a professional tile contractor calculate the measurements and quantities for your tile project. Furthermore, products are used in a variety of applications such as kitchens, bathroom, floors, walls, pool decks, fountains, and stairs. Some products may not be suitable for all applications. All products should be inspected for dye lot, style, color, size, quality and shipping damage prior to installation and should not be installed if any irregularities are observed. Any material installed with visual defects will not be considered a legitimate claim as it pertains to labor cost. Inspect all cartons to be sure all colors are the same shade and all materials at the jobsite match the order. DuChâteau Concrete DeLuxe is recommended for use over properly prepared concrete, suspended wood, metal and other suitable substrates. Storage & Handling Flooring adhesive must be acclimated to the installation area for a minimum of 48 hours prior to installation. Store cartons of flooring flat and squarely on top of one another in the most center area of the installation. Product must be protected from moisture (rain/snow and condensation) during storage to prevent uneven hydration that can cause surface discoloration. STOP: Special Handling Required! To maintain product quality, all Concrete DeLuxe planks require special handling due to their weight, length and atypical flexibility unlike typically smaller, more rigid ceramic and/or porcelain tile. Extreme care must be taken to ensure planks are not damaged during installation. Planks should be held on edge hands must be placed 2 feet in from each end; do not grab planks from one end or from the exact center as the plank will break or crack. Carry planks on their edge; do not carry planks flat. Carry planks one at a time; do not carry more than one. Always keep planks face-to-face prior to install; never place the abrasive backing against the plank face. 1

2 Lower planks evenly down to the ground or work area, never on a corner. Use 2 people to properly handle planks during actual installation. Subfloor Conditions Note: All substrates to receive flooring shall be dry, clean, smooth and structurally sound. They shall be free of dust, solvent, paint, wax, oil, grease, residual adhesive, adhesive removers, curing, sealing, hardening/parting compounds, alkaline salts, excessive carbonation/laitance, mold, mildew, and other foreign materials that might prevent the adhesive from bonding (ACI and ASTM F710). Subfloor must be clean and free of dirt, sealers, curing, hardening or parting compounds or any substance that may stain or prevent adhesion, smooth, flat, sound, fit for purpose, free of movement, excessive moisture and high alkalinity. Remove existing floor covering, all residual adhesive, paint or other contaminants, if any. The use of adhesive removers or solvents in the abatement or removal of existing or old adhesives is prohibited and will void any warranty. The surface shall be flat to 3/16 (3.9mm) in 10 ft. (3050 mm) and 1/32 (0.8 mm) in 1 ft. (305 mm). To check flatness, place a 10 ft. straight edge, string, laser level or use another suitable method on the surface to measure any gap. Careful subfloor preparation is vital for an excellent floor appearance and good floor adhesion. The subfloor must be smooth, firm, flat, clean, dry, free from defects, and fit for purpose. A suitable smoothing compound should be used to ensure that no irregularities show through to the surface of the finished floor. Concrete Subfloors Concrete subfloors must have a minimum compressive strength of 3000 psi. Concrete subfloors shall not consist of lightweight concrete or gypsum. Alkalinity: Must test surface alkalinity (ASTM F710). A 7.0 to 9.0 ph is acceptable. Perform corrective actions necessary for elevated high alkalinity conditions. Record and document site conditions, test results and any corrective actions taken. This documentation must be available throughout the warranty period. Slick surfaces such as power troweled concrete shall be abraded or profiled to allow for a mechanical bond between the adhesive and subfloor. For concrete subfloors, use only high quality Portland cement based materials (minimum 3000 psi compressive strength according to ASTM C109). Mix with water only, do not use latex. Caution: Do not lightly skim coat highly polished or slick power troweled concrete surfaces. A thin film of floor patch will not bond to a slick subfloor and may become a bond breaker causing flooring to release at the interface of the subfloor and patching material. If in doubt, perform a bond test prior to commencing with the installation. 2

3 Wood Subfloors/Underlayment Wood subfloors and underlayment panels shall have the moisture content tested using a suitable wood pin meter. Readings between the wood subfloor and underlayment should be within 3% and have a maximum moisture content of 14% or less. Wood subfloors require an underlayment (double layer construction) with a minimum total thickness of 1 (25 mm). Use minimum 1 4 (6 mm) thick APA rated underlayment grade plywood with a fully sanded face or other underlayment panel that is appropriate for the intended usage. Install and prepare panels and seams according to the manufacturers instructions. Also refer to ASTM F 1482 Standard Practice for Installation and Preparation of Panel Underlayments to receive Resilient Flooring. Many times wood panel subfloors are damaged during the construction process or are not underlayment grade. These panels must be covered with an appropriate underlayment. Underlayment panels are intended to be used to provide a smooth surface on which to adhere the finished floor covering. It should be understood that underlayment panels cannot correct structural deficiencies. Panels intended to be used as underlayment should be specifically designed for this purpose. These panels should have a minimum thickness of 1 4 (6mm) any panels selected as an underlayment must meet the following criteria: o Be dimensionally stable o Have a smooth, fully sanded face so graining or texture will not telegraph through o Be resistant to both static and impact indentation o Be free of any surface components that may cause staining such as plastic fillers, marking inks sealers, etc. o Be of uniform density, porosity and thickness o Have a written warranty for suitability and performance from the panel manufacturer or have a history of proven performance Any unevenness at the joints between panels must be sanded to a level surface. Gaps between panels, hammer indentations, and all other surface irregularities must be filled and sanded. Wood panel subfloors may be damaged during the construction process or may not be underlayment grade. These panels must be covered with an approved underlayment. Underlayment panels are intended to be used to provide a smooth surface to adhere the finished floor covering. It must be understood that underlayment panels cannot correct structural deficiencies. Particleboard, chipboard, construction grade plywood, OSB, flake-board and wafer board are not recommended as underlayments. These have inadequate uniformity and poor dimensional stability. In every case, the underlayment manufacturer or underlayment installer is responsible for all underlayment warranties. Tools & Materials Required: Wet saw with 12 masonry blade extra smooth finish (NEW only): requires sliding action to accommodate width Sand paper- 36 grit 1 brush Clean rag 1/4 inch square-notch trowel Polymer-modified thin-set mortar 3

4 DO NOT USE ADESIVE TAPE OF ANY KIND! Use of tape will damage finish and void warranty. Installation Installing Concrete DeLuxe products require 2 people to prevent product damage during installation. Floor Prep Check that the bed (concrete slab) is completely level, dry and smooth Use a cleaning device, such as a vacuum, to carefully remove dust and residue. Plank Prep Using 36-grit sand paper, hand-sand any irregularities down on the back of each plank that may cause the plank to sit improperly on the thin-set. Thin-set DuChâteau strongly recommends the use of polymer-modified thin-set mortar, which will increase the lifetime of your installation. After having chosen a suitable thin-set and having prepared it following the manufacturer s instructions, spread the glue with a 1/4 inch square-notch trowel and then comb it with the tooth part in the same direction for the length of the floor. Make sure thin-set is somewhat viscous to ensure proper leveling during installation. Lay each plank gently in place over the thin-set. Use a rubber mallet and softly tap the plank down at an angle into the preceding plank. Be sure to use a rag underneath the mallet to further soften the tapping. Do so every 6 inches along all edges for each plank laid. Use a water-wet rag to immediately remove any excess thin-set that may have crept onto the plank. To further clean any material out of the simulated grain of the flooring, use a 1-inch soft bristle brush. Do Not use any abrasive scrub pads. Repeat for each plank. Cut board face down to prevent chipping. Cutting To properly stagger the joints, planks will need to be cut. It is necessary to use suitable, professional tools, always checking their cutting capacity and replacing worn parts when necessary. For accurate cutting, use a traditional cutter, checking the state of the cutting wheel before starting. For circular cutting, after having made a template (that is to say a pattern of the part to be cut), lay it on the part in question and transfer the shape with a pencil. Using a diamond-cutting disk, cut without exerting excessive pressure. 4

5 Cutting Concrete DeLuxe products requires: Cut board face down to prevent chipping. DO NOT SLIDE THE PLANK ON ITS FACE to prevent damage to the finish. Cut from the outside edge to the inside. To recreate beveled edges, Gently hand-sand cut edge with 36-grit sand paper, rounding down the edge Reapply approved sealant along edge to properly seal exposed edge. How to make holes It is necessary to use a water-milling cutter or a continuous crown diamond-cutting disk for planks. After having penciled on the back of the product the perimeter of a square within which the hole must be made, use the cutting tool to cut perpendicular and diagonal lines and then concentric circles towards the outside. When the central thickness of the hole has become very thin, turn the piece over and open up the hole by tapping lightly. For making smaller holes, a diamond point drill for granite must be used. It is important to remember to cool the points often while working. Once the entire floor is laid, please allow 24 hours for the thin-set to cure, and 72 hours for heavy foot traffic and any exposure to water. Grouting DuChâteau does not require grouting for its Concrete DeLuxe products. Resealing To increase the lifelong performance of your new Concrete DeLuxe Floor, DuChâteau Concrete DeLuxe planks come pre-sealed from the factory to protect against staining. However, these floors do require resealing during installation process and over time as well. Wherever there is a break in the surface of a plank(s), as in the case of a cut planks or a hole, it is imperative to reseal the exposed concrete to prevent any staining or discoloration. DuChâteau recommends QUIKRETE waterproofing sealer, which maintains the floor s natural look and surface appearance, but protects the floor, sealing it against grease, food stains, oils, salt and more. Available at most large home improvement stores, its application does not require professional labor and is meant for interior or exterior use. Be sure to fully read and follow Quikrete s instructions on the container explicitly before applying. NOTE: DuChâteau does not warrant installers workmanship. Workmanship errors should be addressed to the contractor who installed the floor. Your DuChâteau floor should be professionally installed by contractors who have demonstrated expertise in installing commercial floors. Questions regarding the installation of your DuChâteau floor, please contact DuChâteau at DUCHATEAU. 5