Installation Preparation
The following preparations should be made before your flooring product is installed. Some of these preparations may be unrealistic given your circumstances and may not have an affect on the success of the installation. However, we've included these manufacturer and regulatory agency recommendations in hope of the optimal installation. Manufacturers may vary slightly. The manufacturer of the product you select is the final authority for their product. 1. A layout should be agreed on. Tiles may have accent pieces you want positioned in a certain spot in the room, or you may want the tiles angled to a particular degree. The FloorMAN will give you a detailed “map” of these details with your bid. 2. Doors may have to be adjusted or cut at the bottom (i.e., planed) after our flooring isinstalled. Determinations as to whether such alterations are needed may not be possible prior to the installation. Door adjustments are priced separately. 3. Moldings are located at thresholds and around the room's perimeter. The molding may have to be removed, replaced, or added. A broad variety of moldings are available for all flooring products. Moldings are made of wood, vinyl, rubber, metal, carpet, stone, and ceramic. Some moldings are designed to draw attention; while, others are designed to blend in with the primary flooring products. 4. If you have a concrete subfloor and it is new construction, the concrete needs to cure for 45-120 days before installing the flooring (90 day average). 5. The porosity of the subfloor (wood, concrete, etc.) should be tested. This indicates how well the adhesive will bond with the subfloor. Testing of the subfloor should be done early in order to deal with any problem that you may possibly detect. This test is usually just a matter of formality. The FloorMAN can perform this test when he inspects your area during the bid process. 6. Customers will need to verify that the relative humidity of the building is between 30% to 70%. High humidity may hinder the mortar's curing time which will delay the grouting. Low humidity may accelerate the mortar's curing time which could lead to cracking. Most customers have the proper relative humidity. The FloorMAN can perform this test. 7. Please condition the room to between 60° and 90° F (suggested 75°) for 48 hours before the installation. Temperatures below 50° will slow the drying time which will delay the grouting for 2 to 4 days and could lead to cracked tiles a few months later. 8. After the temperature has been properly set, acclimatize the new tile or stone to the room 24 hours prior to the installation. Never stack tile or stone more than 5 boxes high. Alternatively, we can acclimatize the product in our warehouse. 9. Please, pick up all personal items from the floor, and secure all delicate breakables (e.g., dining pieces and figurines in a China cabinet) prior to our arrival. 10. Please, disassemble complicated electrical equipment like computers prior to our arrival. 11. If the building is new construction, the building should be presented broom swept and free of all equipment, etc.. 12. The furniture must be carefully removed and put back in place. About half of our customers choose to handle their own furniture; therefore, furniture handling is priced separately. If you elect to handle the furniture, please remove the furniture prior to our arrival. Some manufactures recommend that furniture not be returned onto the new flooring for a full day or two depending on the mousiture in the room. "Follow-up Activities and Initial Maintenance." 13. Fixtures (e.g., toilets), doors, appliances, and other items may have to be removed and reattached. This service is priced separately. 14. The old flooring must be removed and disposed of in accordance with local ordinances. We provide this service for most of our customers, but occasionally customers elect to do this themselves. Therefore, take up and disposal are priced separately. (Sometimes, new tile or stone can be installed over existing products like vinyl, V.C.T., etc.) | 
