SelecTech FreeStyle Commercial User manual

www.FreeStyleFlooring.com www.StaticStop.com ©2019 SelecTech, Inc. All Right Reserved
SelecTech
by
FREESTYLE ™ INSTALLATION GUIDE
When Receiving and Installing FreeStyle
Please inspect your product carefully. If any of the tiles appear damaged
when you open the box do not attempt to install it.
-
FreeStyle Basics
The interlock systems uses two “Interlock Extensions”
that are visible from the top of the tile, and two (2)
“Hidden Interlocks” under the Finished Edges that are
visible from the bottom of the tile. (See Figure 1) To
install, you will mate the Hidden Interlocks on one tile
with the Interlock Extensions on adjacent tiles.
Tile Flatness
Receiving and Storing FreeStyle
Tools
•Dead-blow hammer (21 to 42 oz) available from SelecTech or
at hardware stores
NOTE: RUBBER MALLETS DO NOT WORK
•Utility knife and straight edge. (Required)
•Carpenter’s square. (Required)
•Chalk line (Required)
•Tape Measure (Required)
•Table saw or circular saw (for making multiple straight cuts).
(Safety devices must be in place and Manufacturer’s instructions and
safety precautions must be observed at all time while using
power equipment)
(Recommended)
•Sharpie or similar marker to mark tile for cutting
•Alternative for straight cuts: A 20” or larger, tile cutter (optional but
highly recommended). These are cost eective on large jobs. Recommended
brand is Bullet Tools, 20” or 26” cutter shear. www.bullettools.com
•1/4” Spacers
•Jig saw, orbital or similar cutting tool for irregular cuts. Use a medium tooth
finishing blade
•
Remove all debris. Sweep and vacuum as necessary.
•
Scrape o old adhesive. The surface does not have to be perfect but do
remove large clumps of adhesive (> 1/16” high) (See WARNING above
concerning asbestos containing products)
•
Remove moldings or cove base. You will reinstall old moldings/cove base or
install new ones over the floor after completion.
•
Repair any major surface imperfections (cracks over 3/8”) sharp height tran-
sitions, or voids in the subfloor.
•
If necessary undercut door frames to allow tiles to fit underneath. (Instruc-
tions below)
Tile Orientation
Preparation
The hidden interlock design of FreeStyle requires that the tiles must always
be installed in the same rotational direction and with edges and corners in line
with each other. Trying to install otherwise will damage the tiles.
Interlocking Tiles
Prior to interlocking a tile, make sure it is properly aligned with the adjoining
tile(s) and that the interlocks and the floor are free of debris. Align the cor-
ners and interlocks of each tile, placing a “Finished Edge” over the “Interlock
Extension”. Push down on the tile with the heel of your hand until you feel and
see the tile has seated on the adjacent tile at the corner. Gradually work along
the edge of the interlock tapping firmly with the dead-blow hammer until
the edge is fully interlocked.
IF TILES ARE NOT INTERLOCKING WITH RELATIVE EASE RECHECK FOR
PROPER ROTATION AND ALIGNMENT BY REMOVING THE TILE AND
STARTING THE INTERLOCK ENGAGEMENT WITH THE HEEL OF YOUR HAND
AGAIN BEFORE TAPPING JOINT TOGETHER.
CONTINUING TO HIT IMPROPERLY ALIGNED TILES WILL DAMAGE THE LIE
Planning Your Tile Layout
WARNING:. Appropriate caution and procedures must be used if
removing a preexisting resilient floor covering. Many older vinyl sheets,
floor tile or asphaltic floor coverings contain asbestos that is not readily
identifiable. Removal of these materials must comply with various
federal, state and local regulations pertaining to the removal of in-place
asbestos. Do not sand, dry sweep, dry scrape, drill, saw, bead blast or
pulverize any such existing product(s) unless you are certain they do not
contain asbestos.
FreeStyle is an 18.5” x 18.5” interlocking floor tile. It is a free-lay tile system and
does not require use of adhesives. FreeStyle’s “built-in” subfloor permits
installation over uneven surfaces with minimal preparation of the floor.
FreeStyle can be installed directly over concrete, wood, tile or other standard
floors as well as access floors. FreeStyle may be installed over some high
density, commercial grade textured loop carpeting and other firm, resilient
surfaces. If you are considering installing over this type of surface call our
customer service desk to discuss whether going over your existing floor is an
option.
This Installation Guide applies to ALL FreeStyle interlocking floor tiles
including FreeStyle Commercial, FreeStyle BioLock, FreeStyle ESD, FreeStyle
ESD Plus and FreeStyle Designer Series. The method for grounding ESD
versions of FreeStyle are at the bottom of this Guideline and apply to the ESD
products only.
FreeStyle utilizes a patented “zipper” interlock system, designed for adhesive
free installation and providing tight seams, with a flexible, moisture proof
base that is manufactured with recycled content. This design results in a
slight dipping at the edges of the tile which is normal. Some amount of
“cupping” may also be present when removed from the box and on initial
installation. This will diminish over time as the floor “settles in” following
installation, however, FreeStyle tile will maintain some characteristic shape
throughout their lifetime.
STORE TILES FLAT AND CONDITION THEM PROPERLY PRIOR TO
INSTALLATION. Never store the tiles upright. Stack the boxes of tiles (or
loose tiles) on a flat surface with the edges of the boxes flush to one
another. Unconditioned tiles, improper storage or overhanging edges
will distort the shape and size of the tiles and cause diculty when
installing. Tiles may vary up to 1/32” when conditioned. These variations
will not negatively aect installation if conditioned tiles are installed in
accordance with these instructions. Size variation can be much greater if
the air temperature and slab temperature are not as specified.
Like all tile products, layout planning begins by finding the center of the room
or area to be covered and establishing lines to guide your layout. Unlike
ceramic or vinyl tile products, for much easier and ecient installation
FreeStyle should be installed starting in a corner of the room with the
Finished Edges (See Figure 1) facing the walls. Use the steps outlined below to
establish Control Lines and the Starting Point for your installation. Using these
methods will provide an installation with balanced cut rows along each wall.
Start the process along your longest straightest wall. Determine which corner
will be your starting point. Do not start in a corner with a doorway.
FAILURE TO CAREFULLY MAINTAIN A STRAIGHT LINE ON THE FIRST ROW
OF THE INSTALLATION WILL CAUSE DIFFICULTY IN THE INSTALLATION,
PARTICULARLY IN LARGE AREAS.
FIGURE 1
IF YOU ENCOUNTER ANY CONDITION OR DEFECTS DURING INSTALLA-
TION WHICH COULD JEOPARDIZE THE INSTALLATION OR AFFECT THE
INSTALLATION PROCEDURE YOU SHOULD STOP IMMEDIATELY AND
CONTACT SELECTECH’S CUSTOMER SERVICE DESK [phone] KEEP TEMPERATURE OF THE ROOM, SUBFLOOR, AND TILE AT A
MINIMUM OF 65 ºF (18ºC) TO A MAXIMUM OF 85ºF (29ºC) FOR AT
LEAST 48 HOURS PRIOR TO INSTALLATION. IF THE TILES HAVE BEEN
SHIPPED IN EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS, UNDER 40ºF (4ºC) OR
OVER 95ºF THE CONDITIONING TIME SHOULD BE A MINIMUM OF 72
HOURS.
FIGURE 2

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SelecTech
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Establish Midlines and Midpoint of Room (FIGURE 3A)
• Measure from point A to B. Record that measurement and divide it by 2
• Starting at Point A, measure to find the
halfway point on wall AB.
• Mark that Midpoint with an arrow, as accu-
rately as possible. (See Point F)
• Repeat Steps 1 & 2 along wall CD.
• Snap a chalk line between these points,
shown as line FH.
• Repeat the process to find the midpoints
on wall AC and wall BD.
• Snap a chalk line between these points,
shown as line EG in Figure 2
Establish Control Lines and Starting Point (FIGURE 3B &3C)
Install The Control Row (FIGURE 3D)
• Starting at Midline EG along Wall AC lay full tiles as shown to the point
where a full tile will not fit.
• Carefully mark a the point at the Finished Edge of the last tile. Note: You
must mark that line at the Finished Edge of the tile, not at the edge of the
Interlock Extensions. (See FIGURE 1)
• You may either repeat the process, laying tiles along the opposite wall or
multiply the number of full tiles by 18.5. Measure that length from the Midline
to the wall and mark that point along the opposite wall.
• Snap a chalk line between these two points. This is the Main Control Line for
your installation.
• Repeat the process along the other walls to determine the number of full
tiles. That chalk line will be your Second Control Line.
• The corner formed where the Main and Second Control Lines meet is the
Start Point for your installation.
Complete Field Tile Installation (FIGURE 3E)
Simpler Installation
Grounding FreeStyle ESD
Care, Maintenance, and Additional Information
It is essential to keep the first row straight on the Control Line. This will keep
the installation square and ensure easy installation. Failure to do so may cause
gapped or excessively tight seams as you add rows.
Create a Template to Cut Edge Tiles
• Create an End Cut Template by cleanly
removing the interlock extension from one tile.
• Beginning in a corner, place a loose tile over
the installed corner tile.
• Line up the edges precisely.
Be sure the interlocks are oriented the
same way as the installed tile.
• Lay the End Cut Template over the loose tile
to be cut. Butt the template against the wall, placing 1/4” spacers
near the corners (you may use a “slice” of a tile to achieve a 5/16” space).
Line up the other edges and mark a line where the template meets the
loose tile.
• Remove the marked tile and cut along the drawn line.
• If required, gently lift the edge of the “field tile” and slide the cut tile Inter
Interlock Extension under the “field tile”. Butt tiles together and align corners.
Seat the tile corner with the heel of your hand. Use a dead blow hammer to
finish seating the edges. Check to ensure minimum expansion space
along the wall.
• Continue using this method around the perimeter of the room until all tiles
are installed.
Settling Seams
Door Jambs
Detail Cuts
Due to the tight seam design, tiles may initially pop up during installation. For
best interlock joint seating, roll over all joints with a roller, applying pressure
to the joints as you roll across them. You may repeat this process after the
floor has had a chance to “settle in” for a few days. You may also go back over
the floor re-tapping any high points with the dead-blow hammer.
Transitions and Relief Joints
To transition to the sub-floor or to adjacent flooring install a transition piece.
SelecTech has a number of transitions and edge piece accessories available
for most situations. See FreeStyle Technical Bulletin 060114-FreeStyle
Standard Reducers and Transitions for recommended options.
Rolling Loads
For unusual conditions or extraordinary installations contact
SelecTech for guidance (877-738-4537)
Install ROW 1 carefully along the Main Control Line. Before starting ROW
2, CLOSELY check ROW 1 and adjust as needed to keep it on the Main
Control line
Install a 2nd row.
Once you have installed 2 or 3 rows assemble a number of tiles along the
Second Control Line, perpendicular to the Main Control Line. Check for
squareness of the assembled tiles. Then complete installation of the field
tiles in a “pyramid” pattern as shown in Figure 3E. This will help maintain
square during the installation. Continue to add tiles along the Second
Control Line and then fill field tiles until field tile installation is complete.
Edge cuts should not be smaller than six inches. Once you have
established your Control Lines, if you find that the distance between either
of the Control Lines to the wall is less than 6” you may want to begin with
a full tile close the wall. In this case, or if you simply prefer the simpler
installation with less cutting, follow all of the steps above.
It is recommended that a copper grounding wire be placed at least every
1,000 square feet,throughout the installation. FreeStyle Grounding kits can
be ordered from SelecTech. For additional information on grounding: visit
www.staticstop.com
For detailed care and maintenance, warranty information, grounding
instructions for ESD tiles, and other technical guidelines,
visit the tech documents page on our websites:
For Freestyle and FreeStyle Biolock visit www.freestyleflooring.com
For FreeStyle ESD, ESD Plus and Designer Series visit
www.staticstop.com
You will still establish two Control Lines but one or both of them will be
close to the wall (leaving at least a 1/8” gap between the tile edge and the
wall for expansion). In this case measure from each of the points marking
the end of the last full tile to the wall. Snap a chalk line along the wall. This
is your starting line.
Measuring, Cutting, and Laying Cut Tiles Around Perimeter
For the best finish you will need to cut the door jamb moldings so the tiles fit
freely under them. This is easily done with a “door jamb” or “undercut” saw
available at most hardware stores. Cut the jamb using a tile to establish the
proper cutting height. Note: In some cases you will also have to cut the door
bottom due to inadequate clearance. Your door should not rub anywhere on
the tile when it is open and shut.
The thickness of FreeStyle makes it dicult to cut by hand. A jigsaw is
recommended for more detailed cuts. Heating the tile with a heat gun also
makes it easier to cut.
Heavy rolling loads in commercial environments can cause the tiles to
compress and creep, and come unsnapped along trac areas and
particularly at turning or pivot points. To prevent this apply a releasable
adhesive (Parabond M5080, or equal) in these areas only. Follow adhesive
manufacturer’s instructions for application. Alternatively, apply a grid of a
2-sided tape such as 1” Ultrastik (available from SelecTech) or equal in the
high trac areas.
FIGURE 3E
Main Control Line
Once Main Control Line and
Second Control line tiles are
in place complete installation
in “pyramid” fashion.