Installation Guide

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FlexLok Adhesive Tabs for Carpet Tile | INSTALLATION

Floor Preparation and Existing Adhesives

• Pre-existing adhesive ridges should be mechanically or hand scraped to a residue to create a smooth at surface before

installing our carpet products. Mohawk cannot be held liable for issues arising from excess adhesive left on the substrate.

This includes, but is not limited to, bond failures between encapsulated/skim coated old adhesive and patching compounds

used in place of removing adhesive (mechanically or hand scraped) to a smooth surface. OptiSeal must be applied to the

substrate after proper removal of adhesive when EcoFlex ICT carpet tiles are being used. Any cut back adhesive should be

scraped smooth with only residual adhesive remaining in the pores of the substrate and sealed with OptiSeal as well.

• Mechanically remove all wax, dirt, grease and paint. DO NOT use solvents to clean the oor. DO NOT use oil based sweeping

compounds. Fill cracks larger than 1/16” wide with a cement-based patching compound. The oor must be at to within 1/8”

in 10 feet. Use leveling compound when required. Patched areas may need to be primed with an approved primer such as

PrimeCoat. (Consult patch manufacturer for requirements.) DO NOT install over resin or silicate based curing compounds.

• Floor tiles containing asbestos, any adhesive possibly containing asbestos, or other oor coverings containing asbestos

require special preparation, handling and removal procedures. Consult the appropriate local or state authorities or the

Resilient Floor Covering Institute before disturbing any suspected asbestos-containing material.

• Installation of Mohawk Group’s carpet tiles on a oor outside the scope of the guidelines in this document will void all

applicable warranties.

• Mohawk Group is not responsible for any product failure due to improper oor preparation and/or installation procedures.

The required adhesives are Mohawk Group’s family of adhesives.

• When installing carpet tiles over raised access oor panels, start installation by overlapping the access panel joints to prevent

the seams of the tiles from lining up with the access panel joints. Additionally, all access panels should be sound, level and

edges rmly secured to the raised ooring pedestals.

Floor Priming

• Concrete: Prime if oor is extremely porous or has excessive dust. Terrazzo, Marble, Vinyl Tile (VAT or VCT), Linoleum and

other smooth nonporous surfaces do not require priming. Damp mop only. If patching is required on these surfaces, prime

the patched areas if required by patch manufacturer.

NOTE: When non-asbestos containing cut-back or any incompatible adhesive is present, existing adhesive

has evidence of plasticizer migration, or EcoFlex ICT (PVC) products are being installed, the existing adhesive

must be properly removed and Mohawk Group’s OptiSeal must be applied over the adhesive residue. Chemical

adhesive removers cannot be used to remove old existing adhesives.

• Wood substrates are required to be structurally sound, at, dry and securely anchored with ¾” minimum thickness.

Substrates, such as plywood, OSB or other materials must be ooring grade (APA approved) and installed according to

manufacturer specications. Irregularities, imperfections and joints must be properly patched and prepared.