Installation & Assembly

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Manufacturer Recommended Installation Guidelines for

SeaTile Specialty Gem Series Large Format tiles

(14-JULY-2013) Page 1 / 4

For the perfect finish working with agglomerate surfaces, follow these guidelines.

Preparation

All substrates must be structurally sound and free from any contaminants that may inhibit bond, including oil,

grease, dust, paint, sealers, floor finishes, curing compounds, etc. Weak or contaminated surfaces must be

mechanically cleaned by a method such as shot blasting. Mechanically prepared surfaces must have a concrete

surface profile of CSP 2-3 similar to a light broom finish (as defined by ICRI International Concrete Repair

Institute, Guideline No. 03732). Concrete must support a minimum adhesion strength of 150 psi (1 MPa) when

tested per ASTM D-4541 (tensile bond test). Substrate temperature shall be a minimum of 50°F (10°C) during

application and air maintained between 50-90°F (10-32°C). Adequate ventilation should be provided.

Mortar Bed

The cement mortar bed has to be completely dry and clean, level, and with no visible signs of shrinking before

you can start an installation. A bonded cement mortar bed must be at least 3/4" thick. An Unbonded mortar

bed requires the use of reinforcing mesh per ANSI A 108.1A, B, or C.

Thinset

For direct installation on a concrete sub-floor without the use of a mortar bed, except for a self-leveling product,

the floor must be level, with maximum allowable variation in the tile substrate 1/8" in 10 Ft from the required

plane when measured from the high points in the surface. If maximum variation in the substrate exceeds 1/8 in

10'0" apply a minimum of 1/8" for correction and compliance per ANSI A 108.5. See "Leveling the sub-floor "

Concrete Substrate Moisture Content

Before installing Moisture Vapor Emission Rate (MVER) in Pounds per 1,000 Sq/Ft in 24 hours should be less

than 4 Pounds. The use of a moisture barrier primer on the sub-floor is necessary if the sub-floor has too much

moisture content.

For concrete with moisture vapor above 4 and below 25 pounds per 1,000 Sq/Ft, it is suggested to apply TEC

LiquiDam Vapor Barrier or equivalent product. Over the cured LiquiDam apply TEC Multipurpose Primer (full

strength), and install tile over cured primer.

Summary of content (4 pages)

PAGE 1
Manufacturer Recommended Installation Guidelines for SeaTile Specialty Gem Series Large Format tiles For the perfect finish working with agglomerate surfaces, follow these guidelines. Preparation All substrates must be structurally sound and free from any contaminants that may inhibit bond, including oil, grease, dust, paint, sealers, floor finishes, curing compounds, etc. Weak or contaminated surfaces must be mechanically cleaned by a method such as shot blasting.
PAGE 2
INSTALLATION GUIDELINES Leveling the sub-floor If the sub-floor is not perfectly level, the use of a self-leveling product is necessary before installation. The work of the installers will be faster and more accurate using an self-leveling products like: Mapei, Ultraplan 1, or Novoplan 2 (for improved adhesion of the underlayment you can use Ultraprime L), or from Laticrete, Laticrete 86 self-leveling, or Laticrete 86 Latilevel, with Laticrete admix and primer, or TEC Specialty Fast Set Deep Patch.
PAGE 3
INSTALLATION GUIDELINES We recommend installing the material in rooms which have been kept at a constant temperature between 50 and 80 degrees F for at least 12 hours. The adhesive must also be kept at the temperature recommended by the manufacturer for at least a few days prior to use. VERY IMPORTANT - Back Butter - Full Bond Mortar Coverage All the tiles have to be back-buttered and the adhesive spread on the sub-floor using two different methods.
PAGE 4
INSTALLATION GUIDELINES Protect New Floors With the setting materials less than 7 days old, protect the new floor from heavy rolling loads by placing plywood on the floor in the path of heavy equipment like: scissors/man lift, pallet jack and similar. Even with plywood, it is recommended that NO extremely heavy loads like forklifts move across the new floor until after 7 days. During the first 7 day period protect the new floor from point loading.