TECHNICAL MANUAL INSTALLATION - MAINTENANCE - WARRANTY CORK

Transcription

1 TECHNICAL MANUAL INSTALLATION - MAINTENANCE - WARRANTY CORK

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS INSTALLATION I. General II. Job Site Conditions III. Storage and Handling IV. Subfloors V. Installation VI. Adhesives MAINTENANCE I. General Guidelines for 200, 700 and 800 Series II. Waxed Cork Tiles 200 Series III. Polyurethane Coated 700 and 800 Series WARRANTY Warranty

3 I. GENERAL INSTALLATION Prior to the installation of Dodge Cork flooring the installer should check the suitability of all job site conditions. This inspection should include: A. Condition of sub-floor B. Proper temperature and humidity ranges for storage and installation of materials including adhesive C. Moisture and ph testing II. JOB SITE CONDITIONS Do not begin installation until all other trades are finished. The building must be closed in with all outside doors and windows in place. All concrete, masonry, drywall, paint and other wet work must be thoroughly dry. Permanent air-conditioning and heating systems must be in place and operational. To allow for proper acclimatization, areas to receive flooring should maintain a constant room temperature of 68 o F (min.) and controlled humidity of 65% (max.) for 14 days prior to installation, during installation and until occupied. III. STORAGE AND HANDLING A. Material Inspection 1. Cork is a NATURAL product and SHADE VARIATIONS will occur within each carton and from carton to carton within the same production. Although the tiles are sorted according to shade variations, uniformity of shading cannot be guaranteed. Make sure to distribute the various shaded tiles throughout the entire floor. 2. Material should be delivered to the job site in its original unopened cartons. 3. Material should be stored in its unopened package and/or carton. Inspect material for any defects prior to installation. 4. Do not install heavily cupped or curled tiles. 5. Verify the material delivered is the correct design and color. Check thickness and quantity before beginning the installation. 6. It lies within the responsibility of the installer to inspect the material before installation. CLAIMS FOR INSTALLED MATERIAL WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. B. Material Storage and Material Handling 1. Cork is a natural product derived from the bark of the cork oak tree. Flooring tiles are produced from cork granules and agglutinated with synthetic resins under heat and pressure. These materials provide cork with properties which must be taken into account when installing. 2. Do NOT expose cork flooring to direct sunlight. 3. Cork, just like wood, will fade when exposed to UV-light/sunlight. DODGE-REGUPOL, INC. CAN ONLY ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR CLAIMS THAT ARE A RESULT OF MANUFACTURING DEFECTS AFTER INSTALLATION HAS BEEN COMPLETED. 1

4 INSTALLATION IV. SUBFLOORS A. Concrete 2 1. Substrates must be dry, clean and structurally sound. The surface of the sub-floor must be free of residual adhesives, curing compounds and sealers, paints, solvents, oil, grease and all other foreign substances. The concrete should be flat and level and manufactured in accordance with the American Concrete Institute. 2. All surface imperfections, such as cracks and depressions must be filled and abraded until they are completely level using Portland cement-based patching compounds. Allow patching material to dry thoroughly. GYSPUM-BASED PATCHING COMPOUNDS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE. 3. Moisture Testing a. It is the installer s responsibility to test the concrete slab for moisture. Moisture related causes are: 1. Peaking and/or curling of tiles 2. Mold, mildew or bacteria growth 3. Adhesive deterioration b. Perform anhydrous calcium chloride tests, according to ASTM F1869. One test should be conducted for every 1000 sq ft of flooring. The test site must be HVAC controlled with a temperature setting of o F and relative humidity of 45%-55%. The actual test area shall be clean and free of all foreign substances. Testing must be done on bare concrete. c. The specification shall be that the emission of moisture vapor from the floor shall not exceed 3 lbs per 1000 sq ft per 24 hours. This method can also be used to determine whether above grade or suspended concrete floors are sufficiently dry to receive cork flooring. Proceed with installation only after substrates pass testing. d. Concrete slabs, regardless of age or grade level, shall be tested for ph prior to the installation of cork flooring. On grade slabs without an intact vapor barrier will absorb the moisture from the ground below and B. Wood over time the concrete slab will become saturated. Alkali, which is present in concrete and some soil, can be forced in the form of salts to the surface of a concrete structure by excessive moisture and/or natural curing of the concrete slab. e. The presence of alkali salts will cause installation and material problems. ph tests should be conducted in several locations throughout the installation area. To test for ph at the surface of a concrete slab, use a wide range ph paper, an associated ph chart, and distilled and/or de-ionized water. The ph should not exceed 9 and should not be less than 7. TESTS FOR MOISTURE AND ph MUST BE CONDUCTED AS OUTLINED IN ASTM F Wood sub-floor construction should be solid, free from movement and should be of double construction with a minimum thickness of 1. APA grade plywood underlayment with a fully sanded face and a minimum thickness of 1/4 is the preferred underlayment panel and should be used and installed according to APA recommendations. Underlayment panels are recommended to correct subfloor surface irregularities. PARTICLE BOARD, CHIP BOARD, WAFER BOARD, LAUAN AND FIRE RETARDANT PLYWOOD ARE NOT RECOMMENDED WOOD SUBFLOORS. 2. The wood sub-floor must be rigid, free from movement and have at least 18 of well-ventilated air space below. Wood sub-floors with high moisture content may shrink at a later date causing cracks and/or shrinkage in the cork flooring. All sub-floors must be free of dust, wax, grease, paint, adhesive residue, solvents, curing compounds, sealers and any foreign material that may inhibit the bond of the adhesive. Use only Portland cement-based patching and leveling compounds.

5 INSTALLATION V. INSTALLATION A. General 1. Cork, being wood, will expand and contract depending on temperature and humidity. Temperature and humidity at the installation site must be maintained at 68 o F and humidity must be controlled and kept below 65% and above 40% during the following time periods: hours before installing 2. During installation hours after installation NOTE: Dodge Cork Tile #6300 is pre-sanded; install with smooth side up. B. Tile Installation 1. To compensate for the expansion and contraction of the floor covering and the building, which will occur due to seasonal changes, it is recommended to leave a 1/4 (6mm) span around the perimeter of the room. Snap a chalk line from wall A-across to wall-b. Snap a second chalk line from wall C-across to wall-d. Start laying the tiles at the center point along the chalk line. Center point must be perfectly square to the room; if tiles are installed off center it will affect the entire installation. Divide the floor area into workable sections. Install tiles at the perimeter of the room after main area of floor has been installed. 2. After installation, close area to traffic for 72 hours. If traffic cannot be avoided, place plywood or hardwood over the recently installed flooring to avoid displacement of adhesive. NOTE: If traffic is allowed prior to 72 hours, it could result in bond failure of the adhesive. VI. ADHESIVES A. General 1. The use of proper adhesives, primers and leveling compounds for the installation of cork tile flooring is extremely critical. The following information is provided for guidance. Dodge-Regupol, Inc. does not make any warranties regarding the recommended adhesives. The recommendations and instructions from the adhesive manufacturer, as stated below must, in all cases be followed. 2. For installation, we recommend DAP Weldwood Nonflammable Contact Cement (green label) or equal. Follow instructions provided by the adhesive manufacturer. For radiant-heated subfloors, we recommend epoxy or contact cement. Follow the manufacturer s instructions, however, turn the heat off and allow the floor to cool. After installation, gradually return to desired temperature. 3. Press tile firmly to adhesive while butting to adjacent tile. Do not force or compress tile. Roll with 100 lb roller. Remove excess immediately before adhesive cures. When floor is completed, roll again. Hand roll areas not accessible with standard roller. B. Adhesive Limitations C. Finish 1. When using adhesives, substrate temperature should not be below 50 o F or above 90 o F 72 hours prior to, during and after installation. 2. Relative humidity on the job site must be no less than 40% and no more than 65%. 3. Not recommended for below-grade installations. 4. Do not use adhesives over concrete subfloors treated with sealers or curing compounds. 1. We recommend finishing your Dodge Cork Tile #6300 with Bona X Pacific Strong brand floor finish or equivalent. Follow the instructions of the manufacturer. For additional information visit: 3

6 MAINTENANCE I. GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR 200, 700 AND 800 SERIES A. Protect the flooring material between installation and initial maintenance. B. Protect your floor by using walk-off mats, especially at entrance areas. Avoid using rubber or rubber-backed mats. C. Water is incompatible with cork floors. Spills must be wiped up immediately with a dampened cloth and the floor must be dry buffed. To remove white spots caused by water spills, use fine steel wool (#000) and a small amount of mineral spirits and rub gently in a circular motion until spot is gone. Immediately hand buff spot until dry. D. Do not use self-polishing waxes, oil soaps, dusting sprays, household cleaners, vinyl-orceramic tile floor care products on cork floors. E. Cork is a wood floor and will fade if exposed to direct sunlight. F. Protect the floor from indentations. Any object that will rest on the finished floor and is less than 1 in diameter may permanently damage the floor. Use floor protectors whenever possible. II. WAXED CORK TILES 200 SERIES A. Initial Maintenance 1. Read general guidelines for 200, 700 and 800 series. 2. Vacuum floor from all surface debris, sand and grit. 3. Dust mop floor thoroughly. 4. Apply one thin coat of Carnauba wax emulsion. Buff floor using a rotary buffing machine ( rpm max) fitted with a white polishing pad. Or apply one coat of Millie s All Purpose Penetrating Tung Oil using a clean piece of cotton cloth. Wipe off excess oil with a clean cloth. Let the first coat dry 1-2 hours (drying time may be affected by high humidity, low temperature or poor air circulation). Polish floor using a rotary buffing machine ( rpm max.) fitted with a felt pad or a terry-cloth pad (do not use wool or lambs wool pads). B. Regular Maintenance 1. Vacuum or dust mop daily. Polish floor using a rotary buffing machine. Spray buff as necessary (see initial maintenance). 2. As needed repeat step 4 under the 200 series initial maintenance. III. POLYURETHANE COATED 700 AND 800 SERIES A. Initial Maintenance 1. Read general guidelines for 200, 700 and 800 series. 2. Dodge Cork Tiles are factory-coated with a UV-acrylic finish. 3. Dust mop floor thoroughly. 4. Vacuum floor to remove all surface debris, sand and grit. 5. It is recommended to prep the floor using BonaTech Prep, a specially formulated recoat adhesion system for factory pre-finished polyurethane floors. BonaTech Prep conditions and prepares the existing finish to optimize adhesion of the new coat of finish. NOTE: Before using, read and follow the directions as stated by the manufacturer. NOTE: Wait 48 hours after installation before applying any additional coats of polyurethane. 4

7 5 MAINTENANCE 6. It is recommended immediately after BonaTech Prep has dried to apply two coats of BonaTech Traffic, a waterborne polyurethane finish recommended for heavy-traffic commercial and residential floors. NOTE: Before using, read and follow the directions as stated by the manufacturer. 7. After the first coat has dried completely apply a second coat (drying time may be affected by temperature, high humidity or poor air circulation). Do not sand or abrade cork tiles before applying finish. 8. After the floor finish has been applied, the curing process takes approximately seven days. The floor may be walked on after 24 hours, but the floor is susceptible to scuffing or marring prior to completion of curing time. Use care when moving furniture to prevent permanent damage. 9. Wipe spills immediately with a lightly dampened cloth and/or a soft dry cloth. If necessary, damp mop floor using a damp cloth and a ph neutral detergent such as Taski R-50 (diluted 1oz/gal) or equal. To spot clean the floor, spray Taski P-44 emulsion and buff using a rotary buffing machine ( rpms) fitted with a red or tan cleaning pad. Polish the floor using a white polishing pad. B. Regular Maintenance 1. Vacuum floor from all surface debris, sand and grit. 2. As needed, repeat steps 6 through 9 under the 700 and 800 series initial maintenance.

8 6 WARRANTY Dodge-Regupol, Inc. (DRI) is a corporation duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. All flooring is guaranteed by DRI to be free from manufacturing defects on both material and workmanship. If such a defect is discovered, the customer must notify DRI directly through the contracting installer or distributor. If found to be defective within five years under non-abrasive conditions, the sole remedy against the seller will be the replacement or repair of the defective goods, or at the seller s option, credit may be issued not exceeding the selling price of the defective goods. For more information on Dodge Cork Tile contact Dodge-Regupol, Inc. at or visit All designs and colors are copyrighted by Dodge-Regupol, Inc. Dodge Cork Tile is a registered trademark of Dodge-Regupol, Inc. BonaTech and Bona X are registered trademarks of Bona. BonaTech Traffic and Pacific Strong are trademarks of Bona. Millie s is a trademark of Southerland Welles, Ltd. Taski is a registered trademark of Johnson Diversey, Inc. DAP and Weldwood are registered trademarks of DAP Inc. American Concrete Institute is a registered trademark of the American Concrete Institute.