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INSTRUCTION FOR GLUE-DOWN CORK TILES:

Cork tile flooring is a natural product that can last for years. A glue-down cork floor may be more work, but it pays off in the end. A well laid cork tile floor can last for decades. In Portugal and Spain, they have been using cork as a flooring option for more than 100 years.

PREPARATION

The tiles need to acclimatize to the installation space for at least 12 hours before. The tiles should be taken out of their cartons and staged around the room. You may wish to take the time to shuffle the tiles to get an even distribution of colours. Always pull tiles from at least 3 different packages or cartons.

Make sure the subfloor material is level. Any subsurface that you install a glue-down tile floor on must be above grade. The cork adhesive, Wakol D3540 Cork Adhesive, is sensitive to ground or alkali salts that can be present in the cement pad. Any salts surfacing through the pad will deposit themselves onto the underside of the cork and cause the cork to lift. Surfaces to be tiled must be sound, clean and dry.

Concrete floorings must incorporate damp-proof membranes. New floors must be allowed to dry out fully before the tiles can be laid. The recommended time is 1 day per mm (1 inch per month), with adequate ventilation, up to 50mm pad thickness. The rule of thumb is 60 days for the cement pad to dry. Cement pads that are thicker then 50mm take much longer to dry. Cold or wet weather slows the drying process.

Existing floor coverings must be removed. Should you choose to glue down tiles over an old subfloor you will have to ensure that there is no left over residues on the subfloor. You may have to sand down the subfloor to remove all the old adhesive or paint.

Porous surfaces such as sand and cement screed and chipboard should be overlaid with hardboard rough side up. Do not attempt to glue directly to chip board or OSB board. The adhesives in the board will not bond to the cork adhesive and you will not be able to achieve a satisfactory bond (your floor will lift). Do not fix directly on to asphalt.

If you are going to install the cork tile flooring over a floor with radiant heat, turn on the heat regardless of the season. Wakol D3540 is designed to adhere well to radiant heating.

Once the floor is installed you must finish the floor with 2-3 coats of water based polyurethane. The Loba Supra Satin K2 WS is the polyurethane that is used to achieve the factory finish. The factory finish can not be refinished with solvent based varnishes as this will cause delamination of your floor (the polyurethane will bubble and peal; the veneer will delaminate from the cork pad).

Installation

 

Step 1

Lay out the cork tile as it will be installed on the floors. Adjust the tiles until you are pleased with the layout. Draw lines on the floors with chalk to indicate where the tiles will be placed. Draw a line to mark every third row of tiles. The chalk lines will guide you during installation.

Step 2:

Apply adhesive with shorthair velour or medium napped roller on cork backing

Step 3:

Apply adhesive around the perimeter and in the corners of the room with a paintbrush. Pour the adhesive into a paint pan. Saturate a medium-nap roller with adhesive, and roll the glue onto the floors. Allow the glue to become tacky. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for specific times. If you using Wakol D 3540, Wait until both adhesive films are dried and completely transparent.

Step 4:

Set the tiles into place on the floor using your chalk lines as a guide. Press the tiles tightly together. Hit the tiles firmly with a rubber mallet to set into place. Continue setting rows of tiles until you have installed all of the uncut tiles.

Step 5:

Mark along the back of the tiles where they need to be cut. Slice the tile with a sharp utility knife. Press the tile in place on the floor. Allow the glue to set. Light use of the floor is possible immediately after installation.

Step 6:

Vacuum the floors to remove all small particles. Clean and remove all traces of excess adhesive and other marks. Clean the floor with a hardwood floor cleaner, but do not allow the cork to get too wet. Allow the floor to dry.

Step 7:

Pour water-based urethane into a paint pan. Roll the water-based urethane onto the tiles with a smooth foam or fine napped roller. Roll in one direction. Wait for the first coat to dry (4-6 hours) before applying the next coat. Apply 2-4 coats (2-3 coats for regular wear areas and 3-4 coats for heavy traffic areas). This process seals the tile joints against possible water and dirt penetration. It also allows the floor to react as a single sheet of cork rather than individual tiles. Once the polyurethane has dried (after 6 hours) the floor is available for light use – stocking feet only.

At this point, your floors may be dry but they are not cured (hardened). The curing process takes up to 4-5 days. During this time it is advisable not to wear any footwear when standing on the floor. You should refrain from placing matting or area rugs down during the curing process. The floor is still vulnerable to indentations that could become permanently imbedded into the polyurethane.

MAINTENANCE

You need only to sweep or vacuum your floors to remove surface grit and dust. A polyurethane sealed floor only needs to be wiped with a damp cloth or mop. Occasionally a mild detergent can be added to the water. Do NOT use abrasive cleaners or wax polish to clean the floor. Use protective pads under furniture legs. Be aware that some footwear, such as stiletto heels, can cause indentations in the cork.