Installation Guide

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10
TROUBLE SHOOTING TIPS
Occasionally, problems can arise during installation or during the life of the floor.
The following information has been compiled as a way to prevent failures from occurring. More than seventy-five
(75) % of installation related failures are due to improper use of adhesives.
Problem:
1. Tiles not adhering to subfloor with little to no adhesive transfer.
2. Tiles curling up or releasing at the edges.
3. Product is well bonded in some areas but not in others.
4. Trowel marks telegraphing through the tile.
5. Gapping between the tiles after installation.
6. Adhesives not drying or curing properly.
7. Adhesive becoming “wet” or “gummy” some time after installation.
8. Gaps between tiles which are corresponding with underlayment joints.
9. Tiles coming loose with adhesive dry and powdering.
10. Bumpy, dimpled or wavy surface of product.
11. Self-leveling underlayment.
Problem:
Tiles not adhering to subfloor with little to no adhesive transfer:
Causes:
• Most of the time this problem will occur with wet-set adhesives.
• Allowing adhesive to set or skin over prior to laying tiles.
• Improper rolling or not rolling at all.
• Not monitoring the amount of open time allowed over very porous subfloors (some underlayments and
levelers can cause this).
• Spreading more glue than can be covered with product in the allowed amount of time.
• Moisture content in subfloors.
Problem:
Tiles curling up or releasing at the edges of the product:
Causes:
• Wrong trowel size used (too little adhesive) causing tile movement.
• Allowing a wet-set adhesive to over dry.
• Tiles not acclimated to job site causing expansion or contraction.
• Improper rolling or not rolled at all.