Specifications

August 2018 xcore connect™ Page 5 of 10
Unless stated otherwise, follow ASTM F710 Standard Practice for Preparing Concrete Floors to Receive Resilient
Flooring. If the concrete subfloor has hydrostatic pressure, ASR, or if chemical adhesive removers have been used, do
not install; contact the Mats Inc. Technical Department.
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:
Meet the “Flatness Requirements” (below), if required, smooth using a commercial grade (≥ 3000 psi.) moisture resistant
leveling or patching underlayment, following the manufacturer's written instructions and allow it to cure fully/dry before
proceeding.
Concrete Moisture & Porosity
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. The water droplet must be absorbed
within 5 minutes to be considered porous and only then is no moisture testing or vapor retarder required.
Non-porous concrete, must either be made porous (see preparation section) or be ≤75%RH when tested in accordance
with the current ASTM F2170 Standard Test Method for Determining Relative Humidity in Concrete Floor Slabs Using in
situ Probes.
Note: Do not install xcore connect™ if the concrete subfloor has hydrostatic pressure, ASR, or if chemical adhesive
removers have been used; contact the Mats Inc. Technical Department. Mats Inc. cannot accept any liability for any
effects on the building or occupants caused by excessive moisture in the building or on the subfloor.
If the concrete surface does not meet the above requirement, then it must be made to do so. This can be achieved by
either dustless bead-blasting / diamond grinding (or similar) or acid etching, following the manufacturer's written
instructions and Safety Data Sheet (SDS). When etching, the concrete surface must be thoroughly washed (scrubber-
dryer is suggested) with clean potable water and wet-vacuumed twice, then allowed to surface-dry.
Other Subfloors
For all other subfloor/substrates contact Mats Inc. Technical Department
Flatness Requirements
All substrates must be both smooth (ridge-free) and with a minimum flatness and gradient tolerance of ≤ 3/16-inch over
10-ft. as shown.
Layout
The material layout, including the direction of the flooring, should be decided by the architect, designer or end user. The
planks are recommended to be installed with the end joints kept random but at least 8-inches apart between rows. It is
recommended to install all tiles in the brick bond pattern. Measure the width of the area and calculate the required width