S I T E - R E L AT E D S O L U T I O N S
RENOVATION
Q:
A:
How do I choose the right installation solution
for my next modular carpet renovation project?
A wide range of factors will determine the installation solution best
suited to a particular site. On grade or above? What kind of adhesive
is on the floor? What about moisture concerns? Milliken has the
answers. To find the right solution for your situation, just turn the page.
SITE-RELATED SOLUTIONS
FOR RENOVATION
IN MOST RENOVATION PROJECTS, HERE’S THE FIRST QUESTION:
What’s under the old carpet?
Floor prep can quickly become a major undertaking. Grinding or mechanically
removing existing adhesive can adversely affect indoor air quality — not to mention the
time it takes to do the work. Getting the floor ready may turn out to be more expensive
and complicated than you think.
Newly Exposed Concrete
When using hardback carpet tile,
manufacturers often require that
all existing adhesives be completely
removed or encapsulated before
installation
With Milliken, just remove the old carpet. That’s it.
We try to make it very simple. Simply remove the existing carpet, knock down the high
ridges of the existing adhesive, and you can start installing your new carpet right away.
Hardback Carpet Tile
In some cases, rough surface textures
from existing adhesives will actually
be visible on the surface of hardback
carpet after installation
Chemical reactions between
PVC- backed carpet tiles and existing
adhesive can occur, sometimes with
very unpleasant results
PVC-backed products mixed with old adhesive can cause a
nasty chemical reaction.
Many manufacturers require the removal of old adhesives because there’s the possibility
of plasticizer migration. What does that mean? In simple terms, it means your new
carpet tile could start to slide around as the adhesives dissolve into an oozing mess and
stop holding them in place.
It’s also possible that imperfections on the floor turn out to be visible. Some newer
hardback carpet tiles, with thermoplastic backings, can be quite thin. In some cases, they’re
so thin, that surface imperfections from adhesives left on the subfloor will actually show
through the carpet tile. This is sometimes known as “telegraphing.” Not the best look.
Milliken cushion-backed carpet easily installs
over existing adhesives and completely obscures
any surface irregularities below
Milliken cushion-backing is chemically inert —
there is no risk of reactions between the carpet and any
adhesive still on the floor from previous installs
Milliken cushion-backed modular carpet is chemically inert.
Plasticizer migration is a non-issue because our backing won’t react with anything
already on the floor, dramatically reducing floor prep. This is particularly important for
renovation projects where timing is an essential consideration, and isn’t it always?
You won’t see anything through the carpet. Milliken’s cushion backing provides enough
give and take to keep surface irregularities from old adhesives right where they belong:
Under the carpet. Nothing will show through.
Tufted Face Fiber
Primary Backing
SITE-RELATED SOLUTIONS
Moisture Barrier
Moisture on top stays on top,
vapor stays below
FOR RENOVATION
Open-Cell Cushion
Chemically non-reactive, vapor moves
easily through to vent at seams
Nonwoven Felt
Milliken Modular Carpet
For on-grade renovation projects,
moisture is the X-factor.
For the last decade or so, building codes have specified the use of a vapor barrier —
a plastic membrane placed under new pours to prevent outside moisture from
entering an on-grade slab.
It’s virtually impossible to verify if your existing slab’s vapor barrier is completely intact.
And the fact you don’t currently have a moisture problem doesn’t ensure you won’t
have one in the future.
Hardback carpet tile can trap moisture vapor —
which can lead to condensation, formation of liquid
water, and some potentially serious consequences
Rising moisture vapor is trying to escape.
The worst thing to do is try and stop it.
All Milliken modular carpet products have been
designed to manage moisture simply and effectively:
We let natural processes happen naturally.
Unlike with hardback products, water vapor has a way to escape
from beneath Milliken’s cushion backing. It travels freely through our open-cell cushion,
until evaporating naturally through seams at the edges of each carpet tile.
Vapor penetrates into Milliken open-cell cushion,
is wicked to seams and vents naturally
Our unique cushion backing and its moisture-vapor-wicking properties
allow Milliken modular carpet to handle concrete with higher relative humidities
than other products. Provided our installation guidelines are followed, our products
have no pH or RH limits.
Moisture problems in renovation projects can usually be attributed
to a missing or compromised vapor barrier. Water vapor naturally rises
until it reaches an impenetrable barrier — and that’s precisely what hardback
carpet is. Escaping vapor is blocked, causing condensation. Water droplets
begin to form, eventually creating liquid water between the concrete and
the floor covering. That isn’t good when it happens under your carpet.
Reactions between water and concrete can cause adhesives to re-emulsify
and become viscous — your glue basically turns to jelly. Worst of all,
dark, wet spaces lead to mold and mildew. In some cases this can create
health concerns, migrate to other building systems like HVAC, and affect
indoor air quality.
Allows vapor from the subfloor
to pass into open-cell cushion
In addition, no moisture testing is required on any slab when using Moisture
Extreme, and there is no testing required with Non-Reactive Standard on above-grade
slabs. You can even install Milliken modular carpet on moisture-stained concrete.
A compromised vapor barriers allows
moisture to permeate the existing slab
How can we offer this? The answer is simple: When moisture vapor becomes water,
that’s where the problems start. With Milliken cushion-backed carpet, moisture
vapor simply evaporates..
SITE-RELATED SOLUTIONS
FOR RENOVATION
Is your installation above grade?
Milliken modular carpet virtually
eliminates floor prep.
The benefits of standard Milliken cushion-backed modular
carpet, together with our Non-Reactive Standard adhesive:
No need to remove old adhesives.
No moisture testing. Fully warrantied.
For any above-grade installation, standard Milliken cushion-backed
modular carpet, in combination with our Non-Reactive Standard
adhesive, can be installed without the need to remove old adhesives
and with no moisture testing. There are no RH or pH limits. Both carpet
and adhesive are fully warrantied under virtually every circumstance.
Backing is chemically inert — Milliken modular carpet can
be installed without removing old adhesives with no risk
of plasticizer migration.
Flaws and irregularities on the subfloor surface are sometimes
visible right through hardback products — with Milliken,
they won’t be.
No vapor barrier, no problem.
Are you installing on-grade?
Milliken modular carpet is a moisture
mitigation solution all by itself.
Moisture mitigation is an inherent property of Milliken’s
cushion backing, virtually eliminating moisture concerns —
even for most on-grade slabs.
Milliken Moisture Extreme adhesive makes it possible to install
on-grade, with no vapor barrier — and no need for moisture testing.
Carpet and adhesive are fully warrantied, with no RH or pH limits.
Use Non-Reactive Standard adhesive on-grade, too.
With a vapor barrier in place, there’s no need for moisture testing.
If there’s no vapor barrier or you aren’t sure, testing is required, but
Non-Reactive Standard adhesive is fully warrantied at up to
95% RH, with no pH limit.
FAQs
1
SITE-RELATED SOLUTIONS / RENOVATION
Isn’t floor prep standard practice
when installing carpet tile?
You might say, “I’m doing this already.” The time and
resources required for floor prep has been status quo,
“we’ve done it for years.” Well, you could be spending
$3-$6 per square yard — and that’s a conservative
estimate. Add that to any timing issues and you could
be wasting time and money. At Milliken we’re asking,
what if you could save the money and time you’ve
been allocating for prep? What if floor prep could
be taken out of the equation entirely? Our standard
cushion-backed products make this possible.
2
I thought products with a thermoplastic backing were non-reactive.
That’s true, but thermoplastic-backed products are
relatively thin. This means two things: 1: An aggressive
adhesive is generally required to keep them down and
flat over the life of the product. 2: “Telegraphing” can
be a serious problem. Because of the relative thinness
of thermoplastic-backed carpet tiles, any undulations
or residue left on the floor could show through. Costly
and time-consuming floor prep may be necessary to
achieve a clean and smooth surface. Milliken cushionbacked products mitigate the issue of telegraphing.
Our standard cushion backing accommodates any
residue left on the floor during renovation projects,
meaning little or no floor prep.
3
What’s the big deal about
moisture testing, anyway?
It can be expensive, and there are limits to its
accuracy. As to the expense issue, your final bill
will depend on how many tests are required over how
large an area. More importantly, a moisture test is
only a snapshot in time. Moisture levels rise and fall
naturally, in some cases wildly so. Though declared
safe at installation, levels may no longer be safe after
an issue occurs — which is exactly when crucial
warranty-related testing will be required. Put simply,
your warranty may be in jeopardy.
4
Why is moisture a concern with
renovation projects?
When installing new carpet, specifically on grade,
there are several moisture-related issues to look out
for. For example, is there an existing vapor barrier?
If you’re not sure, if you’re not prepared, moisture issues
can ultimately creep in. Also, you never know what
you’re going to get when lifting up the old carpet.
Is there liquid water? The old carpet might have been
excellent at handling moisture, but what about the
new carpet? Does the new product and adhesive
combination have built-in moisture mitigation
technology? And speaking of adhesive, moving from a
solvent-based adhesive to a water-based one can cause
big problems. Once you lift up the old carpet, there is
typically a list of concerns around moisture — not
addressing them could spell big trouble down the road.
THERE ARE VERY FEW CONDITIONS — For Milliken installation solutions, we ask that a few conditions be met:
a) There is no visible water.
b) For on-grade renovation installations with RH above 95, Milliken Non-Reactive Standard Adhesive requires the use of
an ASTM E-1745 vapor retarder (Class B minimum) placed in accordance with ACI 302–2001 and directly in contact
with the concrete placement.
c) Floor prep must be performed in accordance with ASTM F 710-11, except where explicitly allowed by this document
and/or installation instructions.
d) All topical curing compounds must be removed prior to application of adhesive.
e) Existing adhesive must be removed when using Moisture Extreme Spray Adhesive on or below grade.
f) Bond test required.
HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE (on-grade only) — We should note that Milliken does not warrant against hydrostatic pressure,
instances where water is forcibly pushed into the slab and/or moisture events caused by broken pipes. In such cases the
warranty will be voided. If you’d call that fine print, we won’t argue — but we think you’ll agree that’s a pretty fair stipulation.
Customer Concierge 800.824.2246 | millikenfloors.com
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