Installing a vida cork tile floor

• Plywood: Must be sound, level and smooth with a maximum moisture level of 13%. Plywood must be underlayment grade ply, installed "A" side up. All seams and voids must be filled and leveled with a Portland cement based filler.
• Concrete: Must be sound, level and smooth with a maximum moisture level of 3lbs/1000 SF/24 hours using Calcium Chloride test kits. All new concrete subfloors must cure a minimum of 60 days, with a maximum pH of 10.
• Existing carpet, vinyl, linoleum, laminate, floating or hard tile floors must be removed to expose subfloor.
• Do not install directly over solid wood flooring. Proper plywood subfloor must be installed.
• Only plywood or concrete as described above are acceptable subfloors.

• Allowable Maximum Level Variation: 1/8 inch in 10 feet.
• Allowable leveling compound: Portland cement based materials only. DO NOT USE GYPSUM BASE COMPOUNDS. Use of Gypsum base voids the warranty.
• All cork tile 'telegraphs' subfloor imperfections. Achieve the smoothest surface possible for the best finished result and long term durability.
• Subfloor must be dry and free of wax, grease, dust and other loose material.

• Only hydronic type systems are allowable.
• Gypcrete type systems must have a minimum PSI rating of 2500PSI. Do not install over lower density materials.
• Normal moisture level requirements must be observed.
• Radiant system should be activated and a temperature of 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit maintained for 4 days prior to and after the installation of tile.
• The warmer the subfloor, the shorter the adhesive working time. If adhesive skins over prior to laying tile, scrape off and reapply. Do not lay tile into skinned over adhesive!

• Ensure all subfloor requirements are met.
• Tile and adhesive must be acclimated for a minimum of 72 hours ON THE JOBSITE. Temperature must be in the range anticipated during occupied use; minimum temperature 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Relative humidity must be between 45% and 65%. Conditions outside this range are not recommended for acclimation or installation. Failure to meet acclimation requirements may cause failure and will void any warranty claim.
• Tiles must be acclimated IN THE FACTORY PACKAGING. DO NOT SPREAD tiles during acclimation. Removing tile from packaging prior to installation may allow the tiles to curl, causing installation failure.
• Maintain site temperature and humidity as recommended above before, during and after the installation.

• Vida CorkTM Tile installation should be laid out using conventional tile installation planning. Typically, one lays tile starting from the center of the room, working towards the walls. Prior to starting installation, adjust the layout to ensure that no cut tile is smaller than 1/3rd of a tile. Smaller pieces may fail to properly adhere.
• Plan installation so that all joints are factory edge to factory edge. Cut tiles should be laid so that all cuts are placed towards walls or covered by trim pieces.
• Tile must be kept in factory package until ready to install. Removing tile from packaging prior to installation may allow the tiles to curl, causing installation failure.
• Make sure to draw guide lines on the floor prior to installation. Minor errors on one side of the floor can become major errors on the other.
• It is helpful to lay out the tiles prior to installation to ensure a successful layout (only do this immediately before installation).

1. Use a low to medium nap roller and a paint tray to apply a THIN coat of adhesive to both the back of the tiles and the floor. Apply adhesive to the back of the tiles first so they can dry while adhesive is applied to the floor. Apply the adhesive evenly; making sure the entire surface is covered. Coverage rate: 180 sq ft per gallon when covering both the tile and the floor.
2. Allow adhesive to dry until clear and dry to the touch. Dry time is about 1-2 hours.
3. If unsure about coverage, a second coat may be applied once the first coat is dry.
4. Tiles must be laid within 24 hours of application to the tiles. INSTALL COATED FLOOR TILES WITHIN THREE HOURS AFTER THE FLOOR IS COATED.
5. Set tile carefully in place. Once a tile is placed, it cannot easily be adjusted.
6. Once the tile is placed correctly, use a rubber mallet to secure the tile into the adhesive
7. After all tile is placed, roll the entire floor with a 100 lb roller.
8. After installation, allow a MINIMUM of 48 hours for the floor to set. Light foot traffic can be allowed on the floor immediately but do not clean the floor, place furniture or allow rolling traffic for at least 48 hours

• Vacuum or dust mop as required.
• Damp mop using OSMO Wash and Care as required, dry floor after cleaning. NEVER flood the floor with water; damp mop only.
• If ground in dirt, grease, heel marks, tar and similar stains are not removed after damp mopping, use OSMO Liquid Wax Cleaner on these areas. Rub in a liberal amount with a soft cloth or a white Scotchbrite pad to remove stain. Rub clean with a clean dry cloth. Allow to dry and buff using clean soft cloth or white pad. Do not use Liquid Wax Cleaner with water or soap; it should be applied to a dry floor.
• Renew any areas of dullness with the Liquid Wax Cleaner.

• Apply adhesive in very thin coats.
• Remove excess adhesive from your paint roller before applying adhesive to the backs of tiles. Otherwise, excess adhesive can get on the edges and fronts of the tiles and causes problems.
• If there is adhesive on the front of the tile, it can be rubbed off by hand once dry.
• Remove excess adhesive from the edges of the tiles after it has dried. Otherwise, this adhesive can interfere with a tight, nice looking installation.

• Residual adhesive on the front of the tiles can be rubbed off once dry by hand or with a well-moistened, non-abrasive pad. Do not clean with any type of solvent-based cleaner
• If construction will continue after installation, wait for 72 hours and then sweep the floor and cover with brown Kraft paper and protective boards if needed. If the floor is to be covered, be sure to cover the entire floor and do not leave any sections exposed to light.
• Clean floor with mild soap and damp mop (OSMO Wash and Care recommended).
• Dry floor after cleaning prior to covering with paper or other protective materials.