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TECHNICAL MANUAL
INSTALLATION
1-866-534-6084
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MAINTENANCE
www.regupol.com
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WARRANTY
CORK4006-1205
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INSTALLATION
I. General
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III. Storage and Handling
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II. Job Site Conditions
IV. Subfloors
V. Installation
VI. Adhesives
MAINTENANCE
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2
3
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I. General Guidelines for 200, 700 and 800 Series
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III. Polyurethane Coated 700 and 800 Series
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II. Waxed Cork Tiles 200 Series
WARRANTY
Warranty
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INSTALLATION
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I. GENERAL
Prior to the installation of Dodge Cork flooring the installer should check the suitability of all job site
conditions. This inspection should include:
A. Condition of sub-floor
B. Proper temperature and humidity ranges for storage and installation of materials including adhesive
C. Moisture and pH testing
II. JOB SITE CONDITIONS
Do not begin installation until all other trades are finished. The building must be closed in with all outside
doors and windows in place. All concrete, masonry, drywall, paint and other “wet” work must be
thoroughly dry.
Permanent air-conditioning and heating systems must be in place and operational. To allow for proper
acclimatization, areas to receive flooring should maintain a constant room temperature of 68oF (min.) and
controlled humidity of 65% (max.) for 14 days prior to installation, during installation and until occupied.
III. STORAGE AND HANDLING
A. Material Inspection
1. Cork is a NATURAL product and SHADE
VARIATIONS will occur within each carton
and from carton to carton within the same
production. Although the tiles are sorted
according to shade variations, uniformity of
shading cannot be guaranteed. Make sure
to distribute the various shaded tiles
throughout the entire floor.
6. It lies within the responsibility of the installer
to inspect the material before installation.
CLAIMS FOR INSTALLED MATERIAL
WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
B. Material Storage and Material Handling
3. Material should be stored in its unopened
package and/or carton. Inspect material
for any defects prior to installation.
1. Cork is a natural product derived from the
bark of the cork oak tree. Flooring tiles are
produced from cork granules and
agglutinated with synthetic resins under
heat and pressure. These materials provide
cork with properties which must be taken
into account when installing.
5. Verify the material delivered is the correct
design and color. Check thickness and
quantity before beginning the installation.
3. Cork, just like wood, will fade when
exposed to UV-light/sunlight.
2. Material should be delivered to the job site
in its original unopened cartons.
4. Do not install heavily cupped or curled tiles.
DODGE-REGUPOL, INC. CAN ONLY ACCEPT
RESPONSIBILITY FOR CLAIMS THAT ARE A
RESULT OF MANUFACTURING DEFECTS AFTER
INSTALLATION HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
2. Do NOT expose cork flooring to direct
sunlight.
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INSTALLATION
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IV. SUBFLOORS
A. Concrete
over time the concrete slab will
become saturated. Alkali, which is
present in concrete and some soil,
can be forced in the form of salts to
the surface of a concrete structure
by excessive moisture and/or natural
curing of the concrete slab.
1. Substrates must be dry, clean and
structurally sound. The surface of the
sub-floor must be free of residual adhesives,
curing compounds and sealers, paints,
solvents, oil, grease and all other foreign
substances. The concrete should be flat and
level and manufactured in accordance
with the American Concrete Institute®.
e. The presence of alkali salts will cause
installation and material problems.
pH tests should be conducted in
several locations throughout the
installation area. To test for pH at the
surface of a concrete slab, use a
wide range pH paper, an associated
pH chart, and distilled and/or
de-ionized water. The pH should not
exceed 9 and should not be less
than 7.
2. All surface imperfections, such as cracks
and depressions must be filled and abraded
until they are completely level using
Portland cement-based patching
compounds. Allow patching material to dry
thoroughly.
GYSPUM-BASED PATCHING COMPOUNDS ARE
NOT ACCEPTABLE.
3. Moisture Testing
a. It is the installer’s responsibility to test
the concrete slab for moisture.
Moisture related causes are:
1. Peaking and/or curling of tiles
2. Mold, mildew or bacteria growth
3. Adhesive deterioration
b. Perform anhydrous calcium chloride
tests, according to ASTM F1869. One
test should be conducted for every
1000 sq ft of flooring. The test site
must be HVAC controlled with a
temperature setting of 65–85oF and
relative humidity of 45%-55%. The
actual test area shall be clean and
free of all foreign substances. Testing
must be done on bare concrete.
c. The specification shall be that the
emission of moisture vapor from the
floor shall not exceed 3 lbs per 1000
sq ft per 24 hours. This method can
also be used to determine whether
above grade or suspended
concrete floors are sufficiently dry to
receive cork flooring. Proceed with
installation only after substrates pass
testing.
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d. Concrete slabs, regardless of age or
grade level, shall be tested for pH
prior to the installation of cork
flooring. On grade slabs without an
intact vapor barrier will absorb the
moisture from the ground below and
B. Wood
TESTS FOR MOISTURE AND pH MUST
BE CONDUCTED AS OUTLINED IN
ASTM F710.
1. Wood sub-floor construction should be solid,
free from movement and should be of
double construction with a minimum
thickness of 1”. APA grade plywood
underlayment with a fully sanded face and
a minimum thickness of 1/4” is the preferred
underlayment panel and should be used
and installed according to APA
recommendations. Underlayment panels
are recommended to correct subfloor
surface irregularities.
PARTICLE BOARD, CHIP BOARD, WAFER
BOARD, LAUAN AND FIRE RETARDANT
PLYWOOD ARE NOT RECOMMENDED WOOD
SUBFLOORS.
2. The wood sub-floor must be rigid, free
from movement and have at least 18” of
well-ventilated air space below. Wood
sub-floors with high moisture content may
shrink at a later date causing cracks and/or
shrinkage in the cork flooring. All sub-floors
must be free of dust, wax, grease, paint,
adhesive residue, solvents, curing
compounds, sealers and any foreign
material that may inhibit the bond of the
adhesive. Use only Portland cement-based
patching and leveling compounds.
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INSTALLATION
V. INSTALLATION
A. General
1. Cork, being wood, will expand and contract
depending on temperature and humidity.
Temperature and humidity at the installation
site must be maintained at 68oF and
humidity must be controlled and kept below
65% and above 40% during the following
time periods:
1. 72 hours before installing
2. During installation
3. 72 hours after installation
NOTE: Dodge Cork Tile #6300 is pre-sanded;
install with smooth side up.
B. Tile Installation
1. To compensate for the expansion and
contraction of the floor covering and the
building, which will occur due to seasonal
changes, it is recommended to leave a 1/4”
VI. ADHESIVES
A. General
1. The use of proper adhesives, primers and
leveling compounds for the installation of
cork tile flooring is extremely critical. The
following information is provided for
guidance. Dodge-Regupol, Inc. does not
make any warranties regarding the
recommended adhesives. The
recommendations and instructions from the
adhesive manufacturer, as stated below
must, in all cases be followed.
2. For installation, we recommend DAP®
Weldwood® Nonflammable Contact
Cement (green label) or equal. Follow
instructions provided by the adhesive
manufacturer. For radiant-heated subfloors,
we recommend epoxy or contact cement.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions,
however, turn the heat off and allow the
floor to cool. After installation, gradually
return to desired temperature.
3. Press tile firmly to adhesive while butting to
adjacent tile. Do not force or compress tile.
Roll with 100 lb roller. Remove excess
immediately before adhesive cures. When
floor is completed, roll again. Hand roll
areas not accessible with standard roller.
(6mm) span around the perimeter of the
room. Snap a chalk line from wall A-across
to wall-B. Snap a second chalk line from wall
C-across to wall-D. Start laying the tiles at
the center point along the chalk line.
Center point must be perfectly square to
the room; if tiles are installed off center it will
affect the entire installation. Divide the floor
area into workable sections. Install tiles at
the perimeter of the room after main area
of floor has been installed.
2. After installation, close area to traffic for 72
hours. If traffic cannot be avoided, place
plywood or hardwood over the recently
installed flooring to avoid displacement of
adhesive.
NOTE: If traffic is allowed prior to 72 hours, it
could result in bond failure of the adhesive.
B. Adhesive Limitations
1. When using adhesives, substrate
temperature should not be below 50oF or
above 90oF 72 hours prior to, during and
after installation.
2. Relative humidity on the job site must be no
less than 40% and no more than 65%.
3. Not recommended for below-grade
installations.
4. Do not use adhesives over concrete
subfloors treated with sealers or curing
compounds.
C. Finish
1. We recommend finishing your Dodge Cork
Tile #6300 with Bona X® Pacific Strong™
brand floor finish or equivalent. Follow the
instructions of the manufacturer. For
additional information visit:
www.bonakemi.com/PacStrong.html
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MAINTENANCE
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I. GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR 200, 700 AND 800 SERIES
A. Protect the flooring material between
installation and initial maintenance.
B. Protect your floor by using walk-off mats,
especially at entrance areas. Avoid using
rubber or rubber-backed mats.
C. Water is incompatible with cork floors. Spills
must be wiped up immediately with a
dampened cloth and the floor must be dry
buffed. To remove white spots caused by
water spills, use fine steel wool (#000) and a
small amount of mineral spirits and rub
gently in a circular motion until spot is gone.
Immediately hand buff spot until dry.
D. Do not use “self-polishing” waxes, oil soaps,
dusting sprays, household cleaners, vinyl-orceramic tile floor care products on cork floors.
E. Cork is a wood floor and will fade if exposed to
direct sunlight.
F. Protect the floor from indentations. Any object
that will rest on the finished floor and is less than
1” in diameter may permanently damage the
floor. Use floor protectors whenever possible.
II. WAXED CORK TILES 200 SERIES
A. Initial Maintenance
1. Read general guidelines for 200, 700 and
800 series.
2. Vacuum floor from all surface debris, sand
and grit.
3. Dust mop floor thoroughly.
4. Apply one thin coat of Carnauba wax
emulsion. Buff floor using a rotary buffing
machine (150-300 rpm max) fitted with a
white polishing pad. Or apply one coat of
Millie’s™ All Purpose Penetrating Tung Oil
using a clean piece of cotton cloth. Wipe
off excess oil with a clean cloth. Let the first
coat dry 1-2 hours (drying time may be
affected by high humidity, low temperature
or poor air circulation). Polish floor using a
rotary buffing machine (150-300 rpm max.)
fitted with a felt pad or a terry-cloth pad
(do not use wool or lambs wool pads).
B. Regular Maintenance
1. Vacuum or dust mop daily. Polish floor using
a rotary buffing machine. Spray buff as
necessary (see initial maintenance).
2. As needed repeat step 4 under the 200
series initial maintenance.
III. POLYURETHANE COATED 700 AND 800 SERIES
A. Initial Maintenance
1. Read general guidelines for 200, 700 and
800 series.
2. Dodge Cork Tiles are factory-coated with
a UV-acrylic finish.
3. Dust mop floor thoroughly.
4. Vacuum floor to remove all surface debris,
sand and grit.
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5. It is recommended to prep the floor using
BonaTech® Prep, a specially formulated
recoat adhesion system for factory
pre-finished polyurethane floors. BonaTech
Prep conditions and prepares the existing
finish to optimize adhesion of the new coat
of finish.
NOTE: Before using, read and follow the
directions as stated by the manufacturer.
NOTE: Wait 48 hours after installation before
applying any additional coats of
polyurethane.
MAINTENANCE
6. It is recommended immediately after
BonaTech Prep has dried to apply two coats
of BonaTech Traffic™, a waterborne
polyurethane finish recommended for
heavy-traffic commercial and residential
floors.
NOTE: Before using, read and follow the
directions as stated by the manufacturer.
7. After the first coat has dried completely
apply a second coat (drying time may be
affected by temperature, high humidity or
poor air circulation). Do not sand or abrade
cork tiles before applying finish.
8. After the floor finish has been applied, the
curing process takes approximately seven
days. The floor may be walked on after 24
hours, but the floor is susceptible to scuffing
or marring prior to completion of curing
time. Use care when moving furniture to
prevent permanent damage.
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9. Wipe spills immediately with a lightly
dampened cloth and/or a soft dry cloth. If
necessary, damp mop floor using a damp
cloth and a pH neutral detergent such as
Taski® R-50 (diluted 1oz/gal) or equal. To spot
clean the floor, spray Taski P-44 emulsion
and buff using a rotary buffing machine
(150-300 rpms) fitted with a red or tan
cleaning pad. Polish the floor using a white
polishing pad.
B. Regular Maintenance
1. Vacuum floor from all surface debris, sand
and grit.
2. As needed, repeat steps 6 through 9 under
the 700 and 800 series initial maintenance.
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WARRANTY
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Dodge-Regupol, Inc. (DRI) is a corporation duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. All flooring is guaranteed by DRI to be free from manufacturing defects on
both material and workmanship. If such a defect is discovered, the customer must notify DRI directly through
the contracting installer or distributor. If found to be defective within five years under non-abrasive conditions,
the sole remedy against the seller will be the replacement or repair of the defective goods, or at the seller’s
option, credit may be issued not exceeding the selling price of the defective goods.
For more information on Dodge Cork Tile contact Dodge-Regupol, Inc.
at 1-866-534-6084 or visit www.regupol.com
©2005 All designs and colors are copyrighted by Dodge-Regupol, Inc. Dodge Cork Tile is a registered trademark of Dodge-Regupol, Inc.
BonaTech and Bona X are registered trademarks of Bona. BonaTech Traffic and Pacific Strong are trademarks of Bona.
Millie’s is a trademark of Southerland Welles, Ltd. Taski is a registered trademark of Johnson Diversey, Inc.
DAP and Weldwood are registered trademarks of DAP Inc.
American Concrete Institute is a registered trademark of the American Concrete Institute.
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