Floor Coverings & Moisture Problems

What Causes Moisture Issues for Floor Coverings?

Moisture related failures are most often due to one or all of the following:

• The moisture in the concrete slab has a higher emission rate than the floor covering can tolerate.

• The concrete slab was not allowed to dry sufficiently before installing the floor covering over it.

• No moisture testing was performed or it wasn’t done correctly.

• The conditions in which the moisture test was initially done changed over time.

• The alkalinity level is too high in the concrete slab due to a high moisture emission rate. High alkalinity levels destroy the bond between adhesive and floor covering.

What can happen to your flooring due to moisture issues?

Damage to floor coverings include debonded flooring, bubbling, blisters, discoloration, adhesive degradation or oozing. Cupping, dents, indentation, gaps between tile, the smell of adhesive coming from your floors and even mold are all also signs of a moisture issue. Without moisture correction precautions, the flooring could be destroyed completely.

Examples of flooring susceptible to sub-floor moisture:

• Vinyl Composition Tile (VCT)

• Unbacked Sheet Vinyl

• Rubber Flooring

• Carpet Tile

• Vinyl Tile

• Other non-breathable finished floors

There are many methods of correction depending on test results. Sometimes changing the product is enough, other times changing to high moisture adhesive works, and sometimes you need a full remediation system. What choice you make depends on application, product and levels of moisture.

Brief Guideline to Moisture Issue Remediation:

1) Moisture Testing

Remove current floor covering and perform flooring tests. The results from these tests will point you in the direction to correctly address any issues.

Types of tests include:

• RH (Relative Humidity): Shows the available moisture in the slab in its final state.

• Calcium Chloride: Shows the amount of moisture in the concrete at the surface.

• Alkalinity Test: Measures the pH levels in your flooring.

2) Floor Prep and Moisture Mitigation

If moisture emission is discovered, then proper precautions, such as the use of several topical applications prior to the flooring installation, can be used for moisture mitigation. Some of these topical applications include using reactive penetrants and moisture retarding coatings. Proper preparation of the subfloor is the most labor-intensive aspect of installation project especially with LVT. It is also the most important step that separates the best installation teams from the rest. A high-quality installer will spend close to 70% of their project time on proper floor preparation before even laying their first tile. A few important steps for proper floor preparation include:

• Scraping or grinding old adhesive or foreign substance from the concrete. This is especially important when replacing old flooring. A dust-control system could be helpful in high dust-sensitive areas.

• Patching and repairing any holes, large cracks, or surface defects in the concrete.

• Use concrete patch compound for light repairs.

• Use self-leveling underlayment for larger areas.

• All concrete subfloors should receive a thorough skim coat with a quality self-drying cement-based finishing underlayment.

3) Determine an appropriate floor covering option.

In some cases, selecting a floor covering that has a higher tolerance for flooring moisture and can perform in concrete slabs with elevated relative humidity levels. Some flooring options, such as a textile composite flooring with pre-applied adhesive backing, perform in areas with elevated moisture. The breathable nature of these flooring products allows moisture to pass through the backing rather than trap it underneath. This method of vapor transmission enables the flooring to be installed with no moisture mitigation. Our floor covering experts can help guide you through available choices for your particular requirement. From moisture testing to installing your new floor covering, we can help! We have water resistant, floating and breathable floors – all great options for a facility with a high moisture rating!

Please feel free to contact us for product advice, free samples, assistance in specifications, or to place an order. We welcome contract purchases, formal bids, RFQs or Open Market requirements.

Streamlining the Procurement Process with CMAS

What is CMAS?

California Multiple Award Schedule (CMAS) agreements are established with contractors registered in the State of California to sell information technology and non-information technology products and services to California State and Local government agencies. CMAS operates as a streamlined procurement option, offering competitively assessed and pre-negotiated products and services.

A CMAS agreement is not established through a competitive bid process but rather recognizes all pricing, products and/or services which have been previously bid and awarded on a Federal General Services Administration (GSA) multiple award schedule. This GSA schedule is referred to as the “base” contract.  The State of California then applies their own terms and conditions to the agreement to ensure compliance between the contractor and the ordering agency.

How does it benefit you?

Contractors holding CMAS agreements deliver value-added benefits to their agency customers including:

1. Realize cost savings: Up-to-date, Federal Acquisition Regulation-compliant acquisition vehicle approved by California Public Contract Code (PCC) §10298 and 10299 for State and Local agencies to use without competitive bidding which helps minimize risks. Competitive, market-based pricing that leverages the GSA Schedules program with the ability to negotiate further discounts at the order level

2. Experience flexibility and choice: The ability to tailor orders to get what is needed by customizing terms and conditions at the order level. Set-aside orders for small business in order to help achieve an agency’s annual small-business goals. Decision tools and contracting solutions proven to meet complex requirements. A vast selection of contractors offering expert solutions for services and product.

3. Save time: Pre-competed, on-demand contracts to increase the productivity and capacity of scarce acquisition resources. Quick and easy access to the right industry partners, allowing you to make the most use of your valuable time. State of California has added standard contract terms and conditions and procurement codes, policies and guidelines, resulting in a totally independent California agreement.

4. Realize transparency: A suite of eTools that can be leveraged to identify qualified contractors, maximize competition, and assist you in reaching your socioeconomic goals. Copies of a CMAS agreement for approved contractors can be obtained at https://www.caleprocure.ca.gov

5. Control the procurement: Self-service access that allows agency contracting offices to retain control of their procurements, including requirements development, evaluation, award, and administration. Full-service options when in-house resources are tapped with other pressing projects.

Contact us to learn how you can use CMAS to your advantage!

• Contact: Eric Esparza

• Email: eric@mikescustomflooringinc.com

• Phone: (909) 509-1246

• CMAS#: 4-22-04-1014

• Term Dates: 4/11/2022 - 5/20/2023

  CMAS#:4-23-03-1040

• 03/14/2023 through 10/11/2023

Soft-Surface or hard-Surface? Get the Best of Both Worlds with Kinetex!

What is Kinetex®?

Kinetex® is an advanced textile composite flooring that combines key attributes of soft-surface floor covering with the long-wearing performance characteristics of hard-surface flooring. Created as a unique floor covering alternative to hard-surface products, J+J Flooring’s Kinetex encompasses an unprecedented range of performance attributes for retail, healthcare, education and institutional environments. In addition to its humancentered qualities and highly functional design, Kinetex offers a reduced environmental footprint compared to traditional hard-surface options.

There’s a lot to love.

• The Maintenance of Kinetex is simple and more cost efficient compared to that of hard-surface flooring. Kinetex is cleaned using the same vacuum cleaners and hot water extraction equipment used to clean carpets. The schedules and cleaning supplies for preventative, daily, interim and restorative maintenance are similar to that of carpet, but dries 75% faster than carpet, rendering it suitable for cleaning while occupied.

• Kinetex textile composite flooring is highly moisture tolerant and can perform in elevated RH slabs up to 100%! This is possible due to its highly breathable material design.

• Kinetex offers one of the highest Noise Reduction Coefficients and Impact Insulation Classifications of any commercial flooring product. Historically commercial carpet was the only flooring type that could effectively manage in-room noise as well as impact noise. Kinetex has a higher noise reduction coefficient (NRC) than both commercial carpet and hard surface flooring products.

• Its innovative construction creates one of the most slip-resistant flooring surfaces ever tested— wet or dry—to prevent falls before they happen. Kinetex is the only wall-to-wall textile floor covering certified as High-Traction by the National Floor Safety Institute. Its innovative construction creates one of the most slip-resistant flooring surfaces ever tested – wet or dry – to prevent falls before they happen. It also has very low rolling resistance, reducing the risk of injuries due to pushing or pulling heavy rolling loads.

Where to use Kinetex?

Kinetex is incredibly versatile, thanks to it’s high performance attributes and variety of sizes & styles, which means Kinetex can be installed almost anywhere! Here are just a few ideas:

• Medical office buildings • Chapels • Computer rooms • Corridors • Elevators • Gift shops • Lobbies • Nursing stations • Conference rooms • Pharmacy • Staff lounge • Early childhood development center • Preschool • K-12, • Colleges / Higher Education • Auditoriums • Lecture halls • Libraries • Commercial Offices • Call centers • Waiting areas • Corridors • Copy / mail rooms • Fitness Centers • Dressing rooms • Sales floor • Hospitality / Hotels • Activity rooms • Common areas • Transportation / Public Venues Airports •Bus / Train stations, • Large public spaces • Theaters … The list goes on.

Try it out for yourself! Request Samples or a FREE Mock-up.

Altro Flooring for Commercial Kitchens.

Tried and True

Altro has over 60 years’ experience in delivering floors and walls for commercial kitchens. Typical applications include kitchens, bakeries, bars, commissaries, grocery stores, food and beverage manufacturing, serveries, food courts, service corridors, industrial areas. You also need to make sure that everyone from the Executive Chef to the four-year-old sitting down to lunch is safe and, better yet, that the food is safe to eat. Safety flooring engineered for these demanding environments teamed with durable wall protection will provide long-lasting, safe and cleanable surfaces for wet, dusty and greasy conditions. We have specifically designed our safety flooring and wall protection to address the issues commonly found in kitchens – slips, contamination, cleaning and maintenance.

What makes it so great?

Safe. Durable. Hygienic & Easy to Clean. Altro flooring provides lasting slip resistance, durability and abrasion resistance, making it ideal for use in heavy traffic areas – particularly in commercial kitchens. Altro Classic 25 is easy to clean and maintain and is available in practical, dirt-hiding shades. It achieves an R11 slip resistance rating.

How does it compare to other solutions?

Some other common types of flooring used in commercial areas are Epoxy or Ceramic quarry Tile. Tiles and epoxy can look good, but there is more to hygiene and durability than meets the eye. Grout is porous, making tiles more susceptible to harboring bacteria. In fact, quarry tile bacteria counts were ten times higher than Altro in an independent laboratory Halo test. Epoxy can also chip and crack easily, allowing dirt and bacteria to collect and hide from cleaners.

For more info and inspiration, check out Altro’s Digital Brochure for Commercial Kitchens.

Ready to replace those old floors?