Moisture Barrier Information  |
Staticworx® is not responsible for any floor installation failures associated with unaddressed pre-existing site conditions like vapor transmission, moisture permeation, contaminated concrete and damaged subfloors. Always determine if there is a vapor barrier below concrete subfloors before beginning any flooring installation. All subfloors should be tested for moisture using ASTM test methods. For information about moisture and a complete list of ASTM test methods for determining potential moisture problems visit http://Staticworx®.com/articles/articles-moisture-barrier.htm. |
PREPARING THE SURFACE
1. Clean Floor — The floor must be clean and free of all foreign matter: grease, oil, paint, wax, dirt, dust, old adhesives or any material that might interfere with the overall bond strength of the adhesive. The floor should be sound and level. All holes, cracks, depressions or protrusions must be filled with a compatible latex patching compound, and then sealed with a latex liquid and allowed to dry.
2. Caution: Cutback asphaltic adhesive must be completely and thoroughly removed. No traces can come in contact with the newly applied adhesive. Failure to do so will result in an installation failure.
OTHER TYPES OF FLOORING/PREPARATION
Ceramic Tile and Terrazzo Floors: Ceramic tile floors can not be loose. Any loose tiles must be removed. Grout lines must be filled and leveled. Strict attention must be paid to the open time for adhesive to become permanently tacky.
VCT, Vinyl Tile and VAT: Damaged tiles should be filled or replaced, and loose tiles re-glued. Patching compounds should be used to level any floor irregularities and waxes should be fully eliminated to ensure a proper bond. VAT should never be sanded or scraped without proper safety and handling precautions. Special care and precautions in accordance with state and local codes must be taken for asbestos tile abatement.
Other Resilient Flooring: Homogeneous sheet vinyl and solid vinyl tile should be removed before installation.
Old Carpet: Remove old carpet and adhesive.
Steel Flooring: Steel trenches must be clean, level, dry and free from dust, paint or other extraneous materials.
Site Conditions - Environment
Radiant heat: Heat must be lowered before the installation to prevent floor adhesive from “setting” too fast.
Sealers: The use of sealers on floor surfaces is generally not necessary except for sanded, dusty, porous, and acoustical surfaces. Sealing cannot overcome moisture conditions and must not be used for that purpose. When used, sealers must be thin and fast drying. They should be compatible with adhesives, which should be applied only after sealer is dry.
Apply Adhesive: Use only Staticworx® Quality Adhesives. Specifically designed for ESD flooring applications.
IMPORTANT — ALWAYS USE SUFFICIENT VENTILATION WHEN USING ADHESIVE.
1. READ ADHESIVE LABEL FOR SPACIFIC INSTALLATION PROCEDURES BEFORE BEGINING ACTUAL INSTALLATION.
Apply flooring adhesive according to the instructions on the adhesive label. Different adhesives call for different application tools, open time, etc. Floor should have full coverage of adhesive for proper bonding of tiles. It may be necessary to spread small sections and install tiles at a time rather than applying adhesive to entire flooring area.
2. Install Grounding Strips: To properly ground the flooring, place a 2” x 24” copper grounding strip on top of the adhesive (to be eventually under the rubber flooring) and extend the strip up the wall at least 6” to 8”. Be sure there is an accessible ground at the wall to tie into after the flooring is installed. If there is no accessible ground, prior to installation a certified electrician can tap into the electrical circuitry and drop a wire (no smaller than #10 stranded copper wire) inside a wall and cut a small hole in the baseboard so the wire can emerge. Staticworx® recommends installing one copper grounding strip per 1,000 square feet throughout the installation. If possible, a thin coating of selected adhesive should be applied on top of grounding strip to ensure good contact with rubber tile.
Architectural ESD Tile Installation // Page 2 // Page 3 // Page 4