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GENERAL INFORMATION:
These basic installation instructions are intended to familiarize the
reader with the major concepts to consider when installing Fritztile.
Fritztile is laid in the same manner as most vinyl tiles. When laying
Fritztile, follow conventional procedures for installing other resilient tile.Remember that substrate surfaces must be properly assessed andprepared prior to applying underlayments, adhesives and the tile. Always lay Fritztile in accordance with adhesive directions. Follow all recommendations for notch sizes, cure times and rolling as outlined onproduct package instructions.
PROJECT CONDITIONS:
Fritztile can be successfully installed indoors ONLY on top of
substrates and subflooring that are sound. Do not install Fritztile overunstable substrates such as particleboard, mahogany or gypsum underlayments. If the subfloor is in need of repair, use panels warranted for use as underlayment by the manufacturer, fastened, as manufacturer requires, or Fritz pozzolanic underlayments. The Installation environment and the tile must be allowed to condition at 70°F ambient or higher, for at least 48 hours prior to installation. Maintain this temperature during and after installing the tiles.
ACCLIMATING FRITZTILE:
Fritztile must be acclimated to a minimum of 70°F prior to installing.
Fritztile is packaged in the carton face-to-face and back-to-back. As a result of packaging and/or colder temperatures, the tiles may not be flat when removed from the carton. Do not attempt to work with tile that is not reasonably flat. It is highly recommended that prior to the installation the tiles be delivered and removed from the cartons and squarely stacked upside down for a minimu m of 24 hours or until they are 70°F and flat.
SUBSTRATE PREPARATION:
Substrates must be free of all curing compounds, dust and dirt, waxes, sealers, adhesives and any other leftover residues that will prevent the underlayments or adhesives from properly bonding. OLD ADHESIVES AND SEALERS MUST BE COMPLETELY REMOVED. All surfaces must be continuous in appearance color; failure to achieve this condition may result in substrate color irregularities unacceptably being visible in the tiles laid. Substrates must be flat within 1/8 of an inch in 10 feet in all directions. With substrates that have been chemically prepared, pH levels must be neutralized, and the substrate must be washed clean and allowed to dry.
For information on applying cementitious underlayments, reference thefollowing Fritz product bulletins:
· P-100 Acrylic Primer
· F-10 Fast Trac Self -Leveling Underlayment
· Poz-Patch I Fast Setting Underlayment
· Poz-Patch II Rapid Setting Underlayment
· Poz-Patch III Skim-Coating Underlayment
CONCRETE SUBSTRATES AT ALL GRADE LEVELS:
MOISTURE TESTING:
ALWAYS test concrete substrates for moisture. Proper moisture
testing is the most important step for successfully installing Fritztile
over a concrete surface. All readings must indicate a dry subfloor if
Fritztile is to be installed. It is required to use an Anhydrous Calcium Chloride 60-72 hour test kit for our warranty to be effective. Complete instructions are available in ASTM F-1869 or inside the concrete moisture emission test kit. The calcium chloride test kit is the single acceptable method for verifying the rate of moisture vapor emissions of concrete substrates.
Note: Power troweled concrete surfaces reduce vapor transmission
and water absorption, which may affect test results and alter adhesive and underlayment curing times and rates of coverage. Conversely, extremely porous and/or dry substrates may need damp-mopping to retard the absorption of adhesives and/or underlayment wetting agents. Coarse substrates will reduce coverage rates of adhesives.
Remove projection irregularities by chipping or grinding smooth. Fill depressions and level uneven surfaces with Fritz underlayments – refer to specific underlayment bulletins for proper selection, purpose and method. Do not bridge concrete cold joints with Fritztile or Fritz underlayments as movement of these joints will telepath visibly and destructively through the tile and/or displace underlayments. Structural concrete joints must come completely up though the installation so that the purpose of these joints is not defeated. Apply Fritz underlayments to all surface cracks and concrete control saw cuts and feather smoothly. Use only Fritz Brand Poz-Patch l, ll or lll underlayments for smoothing, use Fritz F-10 for self leveling. Do not spread the adhesive until underlayments are completely dry.
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WOOD FLOORS:
Double construction floors with underlayment quality panels must be sanded with joints filled smoothly. Single construction or warped floors must be stabilized with underlayment grade plywood and finished as described previously. Use Fritz Poz-Patch ll or Poz-Patch lll underlayments for smoothing, leveling or feather edging.
CUTTING FRITZTILE:
Fritztile can be cut to a raw edge with a guillotine cam/lever tile cutter, tungsten/carbide, grit edge saber saw blade, a diamond edged wet saw or a hand held 2"- 4" power grinder tool. When cutting tiles to be laid within the field of the installation, the use of a wet saw for straight cuts is recommended. Fritztile is a product that is shaped at the factory by grinding processes that with some tiles leaves a slightly thinner tile edge than the body of the tile. Determine if it would be better to lay wet saw cuts against wet saw cuts as opposed to wet saw cuts against factory edges.
ADHESIVE APPLICATION:
Apply adhesives in accordance with directions as stated on the product package labels. Follow all recommendations on notch sizes and cure times as printed on the labels. Failing to do so will inhibit the tile from bonding properly and performing as specified. All installations require the use of Fritz FA -88 or PREMIUM #1 adhesive. For residential applications and over steel, Fritz PREMIUM #1 adhesive may be used.
Fritz PREMIUM #1 adhesive is limited to concrete moisture emission levels of 7-pounds or less while Fritz FA -88 is limited to 10-pounds or less. Once the installation is laid, the adhesive must dry for at least 12 hours before the floor can be exposed to water or cleaning products. For information on applying Fritz adhesives, refer to bulletins on PREMIUM #1 and FA-88. Do not use these adhesives for wall applications of Fritztile. Use a white acrylic-based ceramic tile multi/purpose or acrylic cove base adhesive for wall applications.
LAYING FRITZTILE:
Fritztile is laid in a butt joint, tile-to-tile method. It is important to be
aware that Fritztile is 11.92 inches square while marking layout lines. As an example, 25 tiles laid in one row equal a covered distance of 24 feet and 10 inches – it does not cover 25 lineal feet. Determine the starting point of the installation and mark layout lines so that greater than one half (1/2) of a full tile meets the walls, and design elements or patterns are on their marks. To lay Fritztile, place each tile firmly into position. Butt each tile cleanly, evenly and snugly against adjacent tile. Remove adhesive smears as they occur. Once the tiles are set into the adhesive, roll the floor with a 150-pound roller, as per manufacturer's requirements. The tile must be rolled in a direction diagonal to the run of the tiles. Continue rolling the floor until the adhesive has set and complete bonding of the tile and adhesive has occurred. This bonding is necessary for proper adherence. Failure to roll the floor properly could result in adhesive bond failure or high tile edges or high corners in the finished installation. Always lift the roller onto the new installation - do not roll the roller onto it. Restrict foot traffic for 24 hours.
PERIMETER PROTECTION:
Seal all exposed perimeters and areas where tile edges terminate at upright structures with silicone to avoid the chance of maintenance solutions from staining the natural Marble or Granite chips .
PRECAUTIONS AND CARE AFTER INSTALLATION:
Adhesives must cure at least 12 hours before a new floor is exposed to water or cleaning materials. After the adhesive has cured Fritztile MUST be top-coated with sealers and polishes. For commercial installations, Fritztile must receive two (2) coats of FCP-102 Floor Sealer and two (2) coats of FCP- 300 Duro-Gloss. DO NOT USE FCP-102 FOR RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATIONS. Using a non-linting rayon string mop, apply two (2) coats of each product with the first coat in an east/west direction, followed by the second coat in a north/south direction, allowing sufficient drying times between coatings. Additional sacrificial coatings of FCP- 300 should be applied within 30 days or as the gloss level or traffic pattern requires.
Note: Installations restricted to residential areas require three (3) coats of FCP-300 at the time of installation. For further information on maintaining Fritztile, reference product bulletins for FCP-300 Duro-Gloss, FCP-102 Floor Sealer, FCP-400 Stripper and FCP-500 Neutral Cleaner. |
Procedures for Sealing and Maintaining Fritztile |
NEW INSTALLATIONS:
Fritztile is factory sealed and should NEVER be stripped or flooded
immediately after installation. Never apply strong acids, alkaline
cleansers or wax to a Fritztile installation. These materials cause
yellowing of the tile and will result in the tile requiring additional
maintenance. Hard plastic casters and seating furniture designed for carpets will-also cause damage to Fritztile's surface. Use rubber casters with steel bearings or plastic floor mats around desk areas.
Fritztile contains real marble or granite chips set in a flexible thermoset resin matrix. Each Fritztile is coated with a factory sealed finish that should never be removed. This finish protects the tile surface during installation and allows the rock colors to be best appreciated. Once the installation is laid, the adhesive must be allowed to dry for a minimum time of 12 hours before the floor can be exposed to water or cleaning products. After the adhesive has had time to properly cure, Fritztile MUST be top-coated to help protect the new installation from other construction trades. Failure to perform this procedure immediately will result in an incomplete and unprotected installation that will allow tile joints to become irreparably soiled. Follow these procedures for preparing the floor and applying Fritztile cleaners, sealers and finishes:
1. Vacuum and/or dust mop with an untreated non-linting mop to
remove all loose dust and dirt.
2. Damp mop using a mixture of two (2) ounces of FCP-500 All-
Purpose Cleaner to one (1) gallon of clean water. Follow all
precautions on the product container. Rinse the floor with clear water. Be careful to avoid flooding the new installation. Do not scrub the floor, and do not allow water or dirt to penetrate the tile junctures. Let the floor dry completely. Note: In areas with water containing a high mineral content, using a new non-linting, soft polishing pad on a slow speed buffer may be necessary to remove dried mineral deposits. If this technique must be applied, dust mop afterwards with a non-linting, untreated mop.
3. Once the floor is completely dry, seal exposed perimeters with
silicone. The silicone should be applied to create a water barrier
protecting the tile edges at the installation perimeters.
4. For commercial (non-residential) installations apply two (2) very thin coats of FCP-102 Floor Sealer with a clean, non-linting rayon string mop. During application the mop should be full, but not dripping with solution. Apply both coats all the way to the edges of the floor. Do not allow the coating to pool or puddle. Allow the floor to dry completely (at least 45 minutes) between coats. The second coat of FCP-102 must be applied in a direction perpendicular to the first coat.
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5. Apply two (2) very thin coats of FCP-300 Duro-Gloss Floor Finish
with a clean non-linting rayon string mop for commercial installations and (3) very thin coats for residential installations. Residentially, FCP-300 can be applied with edged cheesecloth. Allow each coat to dry before applying the next coat. FCP-300 can be high speed burnished after 48 hours for a "snap-gloss" or can be left as applied for a more subtle gloss.
DAILY MAINTENANCE:
Dust mop the floor daily to remove all loose dirt. Damp mop as
needed. When the floor becomes soiled, clean the surface with FCP-500 All-Purpose Cleaner. Dilute eight (8) ounces of FCP-500 to one (1) gallon of clean potable water. Do not allow any cleaning solutions to dry on the floor. Pick up the solution with a wet vac. Rinse the floor and allow it to dry. To maintain gloss, reapply FCP-300 Duro-Gloss as needed.
RESTORATION OF EXISTING FLOORS:
Stripping, resealing and refinishing a Fritztile floor will occasionally be necessary to maintain the gloss and appearance of the floor.
STRIPPING & REFINISHING:
1. Remove all old finishes from the floor surface using a mixture of
eight (8) ounces of FCP-400 Floor Finish Stripper to one (1) gallon of warm water. Avoid high alkali strippers. Scrub the floor using a
suitable stripping pad under a single disc floor machine. Pick up the stripping solution with a wet vac. It is advised that pads and
techniques be practiced first in inconspicuous areas to ensure that the procedure does not remove the factory-applied coating. Do not allow solutions to dry on the floor or be left on the floor for more than 15 minutes
2. Rinse the floor three (3) times with clean neutral pH water. This
ensures that all of the detergent film has been removed from the tile
surface.
3. Follow procedures for sealing and refinishing as explained in
PRECAUTIONS AND CARE AFTER INSTALLATION instructions in
this document, skipping step 4.
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LIMITED WARRANTY:
Fritztile is backed by a 20 year limited warranty against wear-through. The limited warranty applies to Fritztile that has been installed using Fritztile manufacturer's approved support products, in strict conformity with Fritz installation and maintenance instructions. In the event of any such failure of wear-through within the warranty period, Fritz Industries sole obligation is, at its expense, to furnish like or similar Fritztile for the replacement of the individual tiles. The user, at his expense, will perform the replacement. Fritz Industries, Inc. shall not be liable under any circumstances for incidental or consequential damages of any kind whatsoever such as labor, inconvenience or injury. FRITZTILE Provides No Warranty of Merchantability or Fitness for a Particular Purpose; user shall determine suitability of this product for its intended use and assumes all risks of its use and handIing.
This warranty does not cover:
1. Dissatisfaction due to improper installation, maintenance or misapplication of maintenance materials.
2. Damage from stains, scratches, and scuffs, discoloration caus ed by tracking residue from other surfaces or any intentional misuse of the product.
3. Problems due to moisture, alkali or hydrostatic pressure in underfloor.
4. Materials installed with obvious visible defects, color variation or shading.
5. Dissatisfaction due to subfloor failure or staining and shading originating from the subfloor or improper maintenance.
6. Premature wear caused by furniture or other mechanical misapplications or heavy rolling loads.
7. Catastrophic occurrences due to weather or fire or flood or geological or terrorist or wartime events.
8. Improper selection or use of adhesives.
For further information, please contact: Fritz Industries, Technical Services Department at 1-800-633-6451.
May 13st 2003 Fritz Industries, Inc. This document supersedes all previous installation documents. |
