Shortcuts: Tips on floor covering installation for renovations

There has never been a better time, to be in many professions.  Doctors have the latest and greatest in medicine, taxi drivers with GPS, garbage trucks that self-load, and even our grocers have us doing the self-checkout!  Thankfully for us in the flooring industry, advances in products used for installation are making our lives easier too.

Even though improvements in product technology have made things easier for the installer, quality results still require the professional’s skills.  An installer still must be proficient in his/her execution and knowledge of surface preparation standards.  Determining the suitability of a substrate, its flatness, and its integrity will always require the expertise of a qualified professional.  After all, the act of installation indicates the installer’s acceptance of his/her materials and environment.



What we can—and what we couldn’t do before

Cutback adhesive is a common occurrence on substrates about to receive new flooring.  In the past it was recommended (and sometimes still is) to remove this bond limiting material completely.  As time went on and better products were developed, it was made possible to remove all perceivable thickness of the adhesive down to a film or residue, followed by a two-component patching system.  Granted, cutback adhesive must still be removed down to a film/residue, and MAPEI is happy to say we now recommend Planiprep SC mixed with just water.  Planiprep SC is a high-performance, polymer-modified, fiber-reinforced cement-based skim-coating and patching compound designed with performance and ease of use in mind.



Additional common challenges for an installer that occur in residential and commercial projects are mixed existing floor coverings.  If a job has been properly evaluated and existing flooring is well bonded, must we always remove everything?  Well—not always.  The temptation has long been on the mind of the installer to adhere to what’s in place, rather than remove material.  The intent is good, and I am in agreement.  The expense of removing materials and the fact that they are destined for a landfill isn’t ideal.  

The good news is, there is a MAPEI product for that.  Eco Prim Grip is a ready-to-use, synthetic resin-based primer with silica aggregates, and has low VOCs.  This paint roller or brush applied primer is capable of bonding to a large number of well-bonded existing coverings such as: properly prepared ceramic/porcelain tile, vinyl composition tile (VCT), natural stone, cutback adhesive, floor-covering adhesive, terrazzo, and more (see product data sheet for details).  The benefit of its versatility is self-explanatory considering the likelihood that an installer can encounter more than one Eco Prim Grip compatible substrate at one job site.  For example, consider renovating an aging light-commercial office building.  Depending on the type of the floor covering to follow, it is possible to use Eco Prim Grip on a project where: VCT, cutback adhesive residue, and floor-covering adhesive residue exist together.  Eco Prim Grip is compatible with many MAPEI products that are used afterward. These are (but not limited to) self-leveling underlayment products, patching compounds, and adhesives that can be used to complete surface preparation/flooring installation (see product data sheet for details).

These advanced products not only make life easier

Planiprep SC and Eco Prim Grip don’t only make life easier for the installer. Successful installations can be done with less consumption, less rubbish, and lower expense using these products.  MAPEI continues to be a leader in developing products that are greener, more sustainable, low odor, and less disruptive.  This is important and beneficial to all stakeholders, from owners and contractors, all the way down to the occupants and the community at large.  Providing installation service is very competitive, and using products that help with ease of use and profit are something everyone can agree on.