How to Lay Amtico Flooring

how to lay amtico flooring

Amtico, luxury vinyl floor tiles are suitable for hospitality and leisure environments, health facilities, retail outlets, offices, education institutions, and domestic homes. When an excellent appearance combined with durability is desired, they are ideal.

Before the installation of Amtico, decent grounding is crucial for a trouble-free installation. The surface must be clean of any foreign material, which will interfere with the flooring’s adhesion. For optimal performance, the floor must be free of debris and dust particles too. A cementitious patch must be used if levelling is required.

Suitability of Amtico Flooring

Job site testing is highly recommended before installation. Ensure all other traders have completed their works and are off-site. Here are some of the site conditions to be complied with:

  • During its service life, Amtico flooring should be maintained at a temperature between 18°C to 27°C. The temperature needs to be at these levels in the preceding 24 hours and remain constant before, during, and after installation.
  • A stable condition is required of the adhesive, flooring, and subfloor before installation.
  • Amtico flooring is suitable for metal, over suspended wood, well-prepared concrete, and other appropriate substrates.
  • It is not suitable for unheated settings or exterior fittings.
  • Moisture tolerance differs on the adhesive types, which may alter the required subfloor preparations and installation time.

 

Installation of Amtico Flooring

Once you have ensured that all surfaces to be covered with the tiles are completely dry, clean, and smooth, and the subfloor preparations have adhered to internationally recommended standards, fitting can now begin. The installation of Amtico is similar to the procedures used in all quality robust tile floors. There are several types of adhesives, and only the endorsed ones should be used for satisfactory performance.

The recommended bonds are:

  • Amtico International Universal 2-Part Adhesive

This adhesive is ideal for use in high-temperature areas and wet areas like bathrooms. Universal 2-part adhesive is completely solvent-free.

 

  • Amtico International PS Adhesive

With a working time of three hours, PS adhesive is ideal for all areas. However, areas that are subject to moisture and heat should be avoided with this adhesive.

 

  • Amtico International SF Adhesive

With a working time of one hour, SF adhesive is used in similar areas to those of the PS adhesive. It is a water-based acrylic adhesive.

 

  • Amtico International HT Adhesive

HT adhesive is ideal for areas that experience heat variations, such as spaces that are adjacent to sunny windows. It can also be used in areas where underfloor heating exists. This is a single-part, water-based acrylic adhesive.

 

Adhesive Application

It is critical to read and follow the adhesive labels’ instructions to ensure the product’s correct application. Use a good quality appropriately sized trowel to spread the adhesive at a 60° angle. Avoid cavities and extreme adhesive applications. Using worn-out trowels will not give you the desired results. Tiles must then be placed into the adhesive as per label specifications.

Install rows while ensuring they are precisely aligned with adjacent tiles. To guarantee adequate bonding, keep checking the back of the tiles to ensure sufficient adhesive application. If there is a minimal adhesive transfer, scrape off the flashed off adhesive and apply anew.

As soon as conditions can accommodate, roll the floor in both directions ensuring there are no trowel ridges. The tile’s back should have an unvarying adhesive transference and not cause any spillovers between tiles. During application, ensure not to exceed the applicable working time for the specific adhesive type you are using.

With a soft cloth and soapy water, clean up as you go ensuring not to let any excess adhesive dry up. Avoid the accumulation of debris pile up as you work.

 

Distinct Contemplation’s

There are certain circumstances when distinct contemplation’s need to be factored, such as:

  • Direct Sunlight: Areas with long periods of direct sunlight exposure will require the use of window treatments.
  • Radiant Heat: If installing Amtico over newly constructed radiant-heating systems, any lingering moisture must be forced out from the cement topping. After that, the thermostat needs to be set to achieve the correct temperature throughout the process.
  • Shielding New Installations: To avoid interfering with the bond between the adhesive and the tile, installations must be protected until the adhesive dries.

 

Post-Installation Care

After installation, Amtico must not be washed for at least 48 hours with minimal wet cleaning in the subsequent five days. Avoid working on freshly installed flooring. Foot traffic should be at the minimum for the first 24 hours post-installation and rolling traffic for the first 48 hours to allow the adhesive to set fully. For maintenance, Amtico products are carefully factory-made to yield the uppermost performance when used following the manufacturer’s instructions.