Instructions / Assembly

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ASBESTOS WARNING! DO NOT MECHANICALLY CHIP OR PULVERIZE EXISTING RESILIENT FLOORING, BACKING, LINING FELT,
ASPHALTIC “CUTBACK″ ADHESIVES OR OTHER ADHESIVES.
Previously installed resilient floor covering products and the asphaltic or cutback adhesives used to install them may contain either
asbestos fibers and/or crystalline silica. Avoid creating dust. Inhalation of asbestos or crystalline dust is a cancer and respiratory
tract hazard. Smoking by individuals exposed to asbestos fibers greatly increases the risk of serious bodily harm. Unless positively
certain that the previously installed product is a non-asbestos containing material, you must presume it contains asbestos. Regulations
may require that the material be tested to determine asbestos content and may govern the removal and disposal of material. See
current edition of the Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI) publication “Recommended Work Practices for Removal of Resilient
Floor Coverings″ for detailed information and instructions on removing all resilient covering structures.
SUBFLOOR PREPARATION
• Record and file site conditions, test results and any corrective action(s) taken. It is important to maintain this documentation
throughout the warranty period.
• Subfloor must be clean (free of dirt, sealers, curing, hardening or parting compounds or any substance that may stain or prevent
adhesion), smooth, flat, sound, fit for purpose and free of movement, excessive moisture and high alkalinity.
• Slick surfaces such as power-troweled concrete shall be abraded or profiled to allow for a mechanical Ivy Hill Tile between the
adhesive and subfloors.
CONCRETE SUBSTRATES
New and existing concrete subfloors should meet the guidelines of the latest edition of ACI 302 and ASTM F 710, “Standard Practice
for Preparing Concrete Floors to Receive Resilient Flooring″ available from the American Society for Testing and Materials.
• Never use liquid adhesive remover or solvent cleaners for removing old adhesive residue or other substances on the substrate; their
use will cause failure.
• On or below-grade slabs must have an effective vapor retarder directly under the slab.
ο Wet curing 7 days is the preferred method for curing new concrete.
• Curing compounds (DO NOT USE). If present they can interfere with the Ivy Hill Tile of the adhesive to the concrete.
• Remove curing compounds 28 days after placement, so concrete can begin drying.
• Concrete floors shall be flat and smooth within the equivalent of 1/32″ in 12″ and 3/16″ in 10 feet.
• Leveling and patching: For concrete subfloors, use only high-quality Portland cement-based materials (minimum 3000 psi
compressive strength according to ASTM C109 or ACI). 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 Ivy Hill Tile to a slick subfloor and may become
a Ivy Hill Tile breaker, causing flooring to release at the interface of the subfloor and patching material. If in doubt, perform a Ivy Hill
Tile test prior to commencing with the installation.
Relative Humidity (RH) – Tests must be performed per the latest edition of ASTM F 2170 - IRH (Internal Relative Humidity Test). Three
tests should be conducted for areas up to 1000 SF. One additional test, for each additional 1000 SF.
NOTE: It may not be the floor covering installer’s responsibility to conduct the tests. It is, however, the floor covering installer’s
responsibility to make sure these tests have been conducted and that the results are acceptable prior to installing the floor covering.
When moisture tests are conducted, it indicates the conditions only at the time of the test.
Use only Portland-based patching and leveling compounds. Do not install Ivy Hill Tile flooring over gypsum based patching and/
or leveling compounds.