Full Product Manual

July 2018 Floorworks® Page 5 of 10
The subfloor must be tested for porosity according to ASTM F3191 - Standard Practice for Field Determination of Substrate
Water Absorption (Porosity) for Substrates to Receive Resilient Flooring.
Note: The water droplet must be absorbed within 5 minutes to be considered porous. Diamond grinding (or similar) the
concrete surface open to make it porous is acceptable.
Concrete Subfloors
Unless stated otherwise, all concrete subfloors must be prepared in accordance with ASTM F710 Standard Practice for
Preparing Concrete Floors to Receive Resilient Flooring. The substrate must be clean (without contaminates), structurally
sound and smooth enough for the flooring and end user. When required, use only commercial grade leveling or patching
compounds with ≥ 3000 psi that also meet the moisture requirements of the subfloor. If the subfloor has standing water,
hydrostatic pressure, ASR, or if chemical adhesive removers have been used, do not install; contact the Mats Inc. Technical
Department.
Underfloor Heating:
This is suitable providing the adhesive line does not exceed 85°F, and the system is not used for 72 hours after the
installation. When it is used, the temperature must not be increased more than 5°F per day, or thermal shock may cause
bond failure.
Joints & Cracks:
No expansion joint or moving joint should be covered over or filled as subfloor movement may cause installation failure.
Use a suitable industry standard expansion joint assembly system as required.
Leveling & Patching Compounds:
If required, meet the “Smooth & Flat” requirements (below), using a commercial grade (≥ 3000 psi) suitable leveling
underlayment or suitable patching compound, following the manufacturers written instructions and limitations. These must
also meet the given moisture level and allow it to cure/dry before proceeding.
Other Subfloors
Do not install over any rubber floor; for all other subfloor/substrates contact Mats Inc. Technical Department. Mats Inc.
accepts no liability for any failure due to other manufacturers flooring products or the possible breakdown of that flooring
bond from the subfloor for any reason.
Smooth & Flat
All substrates must be both smooth (ridge-free) and with a minimum flatness and gradient tolerance of ≤ 3/16-inch over 10-
ft.
Installation Instructions
Tools
Personal protective equipment (PPE) – 3M™ Easy Trap Duster – tape measure – straight edge – pencil – string line – utility
knife with blades – scribing tool – thermo-hygrometer – 100-lb. three section roller – Infrared thermometer – adhesive
trowel handle with FCA blades – camera phone.
Layout
Follow the detailed layout drawings provided, or agreed upon by the designer, architect or end user. Calculate and mark
out your start lines using a string line, straight edge, and pencil.
The material layout should be decided by the architect, designer or end user, however, for planks, Mats Inc. recommends
the head or cross seams are at least 12 inches apart and random (without any pattern repeating). In general, the length of
plank should be installed in the same direction as the length of the room, but other options are acceptable.