Flooring Products

Application Guidelines

Subfloor Preparation:

All substrates must be clean, dry, structurally sound, properly cured and free of dirt, oil, paint, old adhesive, wax, sealers and curing agents. General scouring with 20 grit or #3 1/2 open coat sandpaper will remove most compounds. All loose materials must be vacuumed from the surface after scouring. The subfloor must be flat to a tolerance of 3/16” in a 10’ radius. Hollow spots, popping spots and squeaks are related to unevenness in the subfloor. Grinding concrete floors is preferred over the use of filling compounds. If filling/flattening compounds are used, they must be Portland-based cementitious material and have a compressive strength equal to or greater than 3000 psi when cured. When using cementitious materials, they must be rated for the moisture content in the concrete slab. Always use the highest rated materials for moisture because the moisture levels will change. Consult the cementitious manufacturer’s application directions. Use of adhesive over light weight concrete and all gypsum-based materials requires the use of an approved concrete primer prior to application of adhesive. Remove all existing base, shoe molding and door thresholds prior to continuing the installation. All door casings must be undercut with either a jamb saw or a hand saw. Use a piece of the flooring as a guide to determine the thickness needed.

Installation of Wood Flooring :

USE THIS PRODUCT ONLY IF ADEQUATE VENTILATION CAN BE PROVIDED. Use a properly fitted, air-purifying respirator with organic vapor cartridge that complies with all applicable standards while troweling this product. If proper ventilation cannot be provided, a different Titebond adhesive should be used. Open doors and windows for cross ventilation and use fans to accelerate ventilation. Temporarily block vents and air returns during the installation to prevent the drifting of solvent vapors. All pilot lights and flame sources must be extinguished prior to installation and until solvent has evaporated. Titebond 991 PROvantage should be installed using the “wet lay” installation method and installer should not work on top of the wood. Titebond 991 PROvantage SHOULD NOT BE FLASHED. Begin laying the wood flooring immediately after troweling the adhesive with the correct trowel. To reduce slippage, secure the first starter row. Work in small sections to ensure proper transfer of the adhesive to the wood flooring, placing remaining planks firmly into adhesive. Proceed in this manner until the field is complete, making sure to allow for proper expansion space around the room. Refer to flooring manufacturer for expansion spaces. After completion, wedge the flooring so that it remains tight during the drying process. Planks which are not flat should be weighted for several hours. Before leaving for the day, walk the floor and look for any defects or other cosmetic blemishes. This will also ensure the wood flooring is properly seated into the adhesive. After the adhesive has dried, remove and discard the wedges. Maintain ventilation for 24 hours after installation to remove any solvent vapors.

Cleanup:

Wet and dried adhesive can be easily removed from surface with mineral spirits. Follow solvent vendor’s precautions. NOTE: Test solvent in an out-of-the-way area to make sure it will not mar or attack the surface. For specific cleaning instructions, call Franklin Technical Service at 1.800.347.4583.

Gluing Plywood Over Concrete:

1. Use 5/8" CD Exposure 1 Plywood subfloor panels, 4' x 8' sheets; cut sheets into 2' x 8' or 4' x 4' sections
2. Score the back of the panels half the thickness of the panel on a 12" x 12" grid in order to relieve tension in plywood
3. Use a 1/4" x 1/4" square-notched trowel to apply adhesive to concrete
4. Lay sections in a staggered joint pattern in the adhesive, with 1/8" spacing between sheets, and 3/4" minimum expansion space at walls and all vertical obstructions
5. Add weight as necessary to ensure adhesive remains in contact with plywood as it cures
6. Allow adhesive to dry overnight before proceeding with flooring installation

Re-sealing Partial Pail:

Scrape sides of pail (this will aid in removal of adhesive later). Replace lid on pail and tightly seal

Limitations:

MOISTURE CONTENT LIMITATIONS: Titebond 991 PROvantage may be used for above-, on- and below-grade applications and on all substrates listed in this specification guide. All applications are susceptible to moisture and should be tested for moisture prior to installation in several locations within the installation area.

Acceptable conditions of concrete for above-, on- and below-grade applications are:

• Less than 3 lbs. /1000 sq.ft./24 hours on a Calcium Chloride Test (ASTM F1869)
• Less than a reading of 4.5 on a Tramex Concrete Moisture Encounter
• Relative humidity (RH) of 75% or less when tested with an in situ probe(ASTM F2170)

Acceptable conditions of wood substrates are a moisture reading of less than 12% or be no more than 4% different from the flooring being installed when using a Tramex, Delmhorst or equivalent wood moisture meter. If subfloor moisture conditions do not meet above guidelines at the time of flooring installation or they could exceed them at any time after installation then a Titebond moisture control system should be used.

• Do not use Titebond 531 Plus for moisture control with this adhesive, use Titebond 531
• Do not install solid wood below-grade
• Do not use on concrete with curing agents or sealers (except for recommended Titebond or Franklin products)
• Do not allow foot traffic for 4 hours after installation
• Do not use as a subfloor leveler
• Installations in dry or cool climates or over dry subfloors will take longer to cure
• Temperature and humidity will affect the open time and the cure time of the adhesive
• Open time is 30-45 minutes depending on temperature and humidity

CAUTION: Do not sand, scour or abrade any material that is suspected of containing asbestos fibers. Asbestos is known to cause cancer. Federal law requires that asbestos be handled by a licensed and certified hazardous materials contractor.