Glue Down Tile Installation Instructions

INSTALLING ON CONCRETE SUB-FLOOR

Cork Tiles can be installed over concrete on or above grade.
Concrete floors must be free of dirt and grease; and need to be smooth, dry, level (1/8” over 10’) and flat.
All cracks, holes must be patched with Portland cement based compound. Follow compound manufacturer's instructions.
DO NOT use gypsum base compounds.
Check concrete slab for moisture with Calcium Chloride moisture test. Moisture content cannot be more than 3 pounds per 1,000 sq. ft. per 24 hours.

Plywood must be inspected as sub-floor plywood. Install smooth ¼” underlayment plywood, fill cracks and sand uneven areas.
Sub floor must not exceed 14% moisture content. Check basements and under floor crawl spaces to be sure they are dry and well ventilated. For buildings with crawl spaces, install ground cover of 6 mil polyethylene sheets, overlap seams 8", and tape the sheets together.
Cork tiles cannot be installed over any other surfaces than the ones above mentioned.

Store cork tiles in the box in unopened packages in the center of the job site for a minimum of 48 hours.
During storage and installation, maintain temperature and relative humidity to level consistent with conditions that will prevail when building is occupied.
Heating or air conditioning should be used for an appropriate length of time prior to and during installation. With improper acclimation, the floor could noticeably expand or contract after installation.

With radiant heat, heat source is directly beneath the floor covering unlike a home with standard heating system. Floating floors move as a unit as they respond to changes in heat and humidity. Therefore, Nova highly recommends the use of Nova Cork Floating Floors to ensure a successful installation in conjunction with radiant heating.
However, cork tiles can be installed as long as customer understands that joints between tiles could become more visible during heating season.
For this installation, once slab has cured, turn heat on, regardless of season, and leave it on for at least 5-6 days before installation.
Maximum surface temperature should never be more than 85 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius).
Gluing directly on low-density concrete slab (less than 3,000 psi) is not recommended.

Begin by spreading DriTac 6200 adhesive on the sub floor using the appropriate trowel (3/32"x3/32"x3/32" v notch.) and allow the adhesive to completely dry. It will change from white to translucent when dry.
Stay off adhesive while it is drying. Once adhesive is dry, that section of installation must be completed within one hour by applying a thin coat of adhesive to the back of the cork with a paint brush or paint roller.
Allow adhesive on the back of the cork to flash for approximately 15 minutes before installing the tiles.
Never lay tiles into wet adhesive. Always test for proper adhesion prior to proceeding with the installation. If the tiles do not seem to adhere properly over a very porous substrate, it will be necessary to apply a second coat of adhesive.

Shuffle cork tiles for best visual mix and identify possible manufacturing defects. Shade variations are inherent in cork and installer must accept liability for installing defective material and blending the shades.
Mix cork tiles from various cartons to maintain natural color and pattern variation.
Allow ¼" expansion space between finished floor and all walls, thresholds, water pipes and other vertical surfaces. Failure to provide adequate expansion space will result in installation failure.
When moisture level in the environment is low, tiles should not be positioned too tightly against one another.
When moisture level is high, tiles should be installed tightly. When cork tile is properly in place, apply pressure on entire tile surface, using 100-pound floor roller during and immediately after installation.