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The following guidance notes should be used along with the individual manufacturers technical datasheets and documents for specific products selected.
Ensure the subfloor is suitably strong and stable enough to receive a tiled flooring system.
Substrate preparation as per manufacturers guidance is always recommended as floor substrates and structures vary in requirements.
This document cannot cover all possible scenarios. The preparation must make the subfloor suitable to receive a flexible cementitious tile adhesive as per TTA guidelines.
This may include over-boarding of timber floors, introduction of extra noggins to support the flooring, assessment of dryness of screeds, suitable priming of, eg, calcium sulphate screeds, removal of adhesive residues, and smoothing of subfloors with appropriate smoothing compounds.
Suitable timber substrates include:
- 18mm exterior grade plywood fixed to solid and sound joists at 400mm centres.
- Overlay of existing timber floors with 15mm exterior plywood, which has been sealed on the edges and back, fully screw down the plywood at 300mm intervals ensuring all junctions are supported by noggins or joists.
Suitable solid substrates include:
- Fully cured concrete that must be at least six weeks old and thoroughly dry.
- Solid screeds that have fully cured in relation to thickness as per manufacturers guidelines.
For any substrates, such as power floated concrete, calcium sulphate screeds, not listed above please seek manufacturers advice as to priming recommendations.
- Remove all contaminants, dirt, grease etc from the substrate and make dust free.
- Loose lay the boards across the floor and number the boards on the upper face to identify position of each board, making sure the pipework runs are calculated correctly to reach manifold position.
- Uplift the numbered boards and prime the underside of the boards with Ultra Floor Prime-IT MSP bonding primer. This should be applied by brush or roller in a thin film. Allow to thoroughly dry to a clear green film ensuring primed face does not come into contact with other boards, walls or subfloor until it is ready to be bedded.
- Drying time will depend upon ambient conditions but is typically between 1 and 4 hours.
- Whilst the primer on the boards is drying commence with priming of the substrate using UltraFloor Prime-IT MSP. The primer should be diluted 3 parts water to 1 part primer and allowed to fully dry.
- Apply UltraTile Proflex SP adhesive to the subfloor using a notched trowel to give a minimum 3mm adhesive bed. Bed the boards, primed side down, into the adhesive and ensure compression of adhesive ridges, ensure full compression of the adhesive to give a void free full adhesive bed. Additional use of Prowarm screws and washers is recommended over timber substrates where needed, fixed at every 300mm. Allow to cure for approximately 4 hours to ensure the adhesive has gone through its initial set before carrying out any further works.
- Pipe work may be fitted into the boards once they are all secure. Where possible this is best left until the following day. It is recommended that the pipe system is checked for leaks and correct water pressures prior to tiling over.
- Prime the upper face of the boards with Ultra Prime-IT MSP bonding primer. This should be applied by brush or roller in a thin film. Allow to thoroughly dry to a clear green film, (approx 1-4 hours).
- Apply Ultra Floor Level-iT 2 two part smoothing compound over entire floor area, making sure all voids and gaps are completely filled, the levelling compound should encapsulate the whole floor and cover the board with a 5mm layer on top.
- Allow to cure for 24 hours prior to carrying out any tiling. Cold and/or humid atmospheres will delay the curing of Level-iT 2 so allowances should be made accordingly.
- Prime the cured Level-iT 2 using Ultra Floor Prime-IT MSP diluted with 3 parts water to 1 part primer. Allow to thoroughly dry.
- Fix the tiles using UltraTile ProFlex SP adhesive. Ensure full compression of the adhesive to give a void free full adhesive bed. Allow the adhesive to cure for a minimum of 4 hours.
- Grout the tiles using UltraTile Flex Joint grout. Allow to fully cure before trafficking.
- The Underfloor heating system should not be brought into service for at least 14 days. After this time the water temperature should be brought up gradually by 5°C per day to the maximum working temperature (normally 45°C, internal pipe temperature).
If you are in any doubt about any part of the installation process then please contact us for advice.