Strong-Loc Maintenance & Installation

Strong-Loc Indoor 

Strong-Loc PVC Tile Flooring -  7mm Thick Floor Tiles.

4 tiles per square metre (Tiles Size - 500mm x 500mm)

The 7mm  smooth textured tile is one of our most popular products as it is very practical in areas with high levels of vehicle traffic. As with all Strong-Loc tiles, it is very easy to clean and maintain.

Description

Strong-Loc industrial interlocking floor tiles are a tough, flexible and modern flooring solution. They can usually be installed without the requirement for a damp proof membrane, screed or adhesive, significantly reducing installation time and cost.

Composition & Manufacture

Strong-Loc Tiles are injection moulded using compound that has excellent wear characteristics, chemical resistance, long term stability and stable electrical properties.

Applications

Manufactured in the UK Strong-Loc has been used in factories, schools, garages, workshops and offices across Europe for over 25 years. Designed to cope with heavy vehicle and fork lift truck traffic, Strong-Loc offers good thermal and acoustic insulation and excellent resistance to impact and vibration.

Can be used in:

• Factories
• Passenger Terminals
• Warehouses
• Schools
• Garages
• Retail Outlets
• Sports Facilities
• Exhibitions
• Gyms

Key Benefits

• Attractive & hard wearing
• No damp proof membrane, screed or adhesives needed
• Quick and easy to install over any surface
• Exceptional durability
• Slip resistant
• Fire retardant – Class Bfl S1
• Reduces fatigue
• Easy to clean and maintain
• Smart modern appearance
• Hassle free alternative to traditional commercial flooring
• Larger size for fast coverage. A true 50cm x 50cm tile - exactly 4 tiles per square metre
• Unaffected by automotive fluid spills
• Tight-fitting interlocking joints
• Loose laid - take it with you if you move

Installation Guidelines

Recommended method of installation: These notes have been prepared as guide only, the information is supplied in good faith but without guarantee as site conditions vary and are beyond our control.

• LOOSE LAY OR GLUE?

Strong-Loc can be installed over any hard surface and in most situations will not require gluing. We recommended gluing the tiles in the following situations.

• DIRECT SUNLIGHT

It is advisable to glue the tiles in areas subject to direct sunlight such as glass fronted entrance foyers, shop fronts, south facing loading bay doors etc. It is possible that the tiles in direct sunlight will get very hot and expand at a faster and higher rate than the remainder of the floor.

• HEAVY TRUCKS AND/OR TIGHT TURNING CIRCLES

Certain fork lift and pallet truck designs can cause a problem, heavy trucks with small wheels, especially electric trucks where the battery is located over the main drive wheel. If you use this type of vehicle we strongly advise you to test the tiles with the trucks before making a decision on which thickness to use.

• EXTERNAL HEAT SOURCES /CATALTIC CONVERTERS

Ovens, furnaces and catalytic converters can make the floor extremely hot and may cause the tiles to expand. To avoid this problem, glue the tiles in the area in front of the oven or where the catalytic converter will sit when the car is parked.

• STAINING / DISCOLOURING

• STAINING FROM RUBBER TYRES

It is possible that certain rubber tyres and wheels may stain the tile. This is a result of a chemical reaction that occurs between the anti-oxidant that is used in some rubbers and the plasticizer used in vinyl. The reaction is brown in colour so is less visible in certain colours of the tile (dark grey, terracotta and black). Floor Industries recommends that if your application is susceptible to staining from tyres, hair dyes and other harsh chemicals, to consider the application of our anti- colour/anti-stain two part solvent free waterborne polyurethane sealer. We recommend using Dr Schultz products.

• UV STABILITY

Strong-Loc is not recommended for external use and the colour's are not UV stable.

• BATCH CONTROL

We are unable to guarantee 100% colour consistency between individual production batches. Each individual order will be supplied from a single batch but in the event that you need additional tiles or wish to extend the area we cannot guarantee subsequent orders will be supplied from the same batch.

POINTS TO CONSIDER BEFORE YOU START YOUR INSTALLATION:

1.

• SURFACE FINISH / PATINA / WITNESS MARKS: Strong-Loc is designed to provide exceptional durability + simple installation. This is achieved by the unique interlocking design and method of production. The method of manufacture may result in a witness mark being visible in the tile at the central injection moulding point and along the flow lines from the centre and around the external edge of the tile, the mark cannot be avoided. Please check the tiles, if the marking is unacceptable do not continue with installation as we will not accept responsibility to replace or refund the cost of any goods after 1m² or more have been installed if the markings are subsequently deemed unacceptable

Tools & Equipment

All you need is a non-marking rubber mallet or engineering hammer, chalk line or other method of keeping the tiles square and a way to cut the tiles. Strong-Loc can be cut using several methods, a lot will depend on personal preference, experience and the tools you have on hand but we recommend the following:

• Magnum shear / guillotine
• Stanley / utility knife with a concave blade – Always use a straight edge and wear cut proof gloves.
• Electric jig saw with a medium or rough wood blade
• Table saw or Band saw with a medium or rough wood blade

The Key Factors For A Simple And Successful Installation:

• Let the tiles acclimatise, the minimum recommended installation temperature is 15ºc.
• Split the pallet and spread the tiles across the floor prior to starting installation.
• Start from the centre and create your square using a chalk line or laser line
• Don’t force the tiles, offer up the corner of the tile and gently hammer the joints together.
• Allow the floor to settle before measuring and cutting up against walls and fixed points.
• Leave a minimum of a 5mm gap between the tiles and any fixed point
• Create a template for difficult / complicated cuts

Stage 1 - Temperature - Allow The Tiles To Acclimatise

Installation should not take place at temperatures below 15ºC. Do not try and install the tiles straight after delivery, the tiles must be allowed to acclimatise to the ambient room temperature prior to starting installation, we recommend you allow 24 hours but this will be dependent on temperature, the warmer it is the quicker the tiles will acclimatise, if time is short we recommend you breakdown the pallet of tiles into small packs to help them acclimatise and settle. If installation has to take place at a temperature below 15ºC leave a larger expansion gap between the tiles and any fixed point and / or incorporate an expansion gap in the floor every 8 to 10 metres.

Stage 2 - Preparation:

Sweep or vacuum the floor to remove any loose impediments. Remove any high points in the floor. Fill any holes with a rapid setting floor repair compound such as Ardurapid A46 or similar. For uneven surfaces that require smoothing use a smoothing compound such as Ardex Feather Finish.

STAGE 3 – SETTING OUT:

• Setting out/the starting point is different for the open        join and hidden join tiles.

• Important: It is essential for both that the tiles are kept square to each other at all times. We strongly recommend that you use a chalk line; laser line or carpenters square to set out the site and ensure you keep the tiles right angled to each other.

Stage 4 – Installation Method:

Once you have identified your starting point and created your straight lines it’s time to start fitting the tiles. 

Our first recommendation is to lay the tiles out on the floor; this will allow them to settle. 

Next connect the tiles together by offering up the tile and lining up the corner of the tile and ensure the joint are in line. 

Starting from the corner use your rubber mallet to gently tap the joints together. HINT: Strong-Loc installations are as simple as putting together a jigsaw puzzle, if the joints don’t fit together without you having to force them, chances are you are doing something wrong. The first sign of trouble will always be if the tiles do not connect together with a simple tap of the hammer, this will indicate that the tiles are not lined up correctly.

Installation

HERE TO START: The starting point for the open joint tiles should always be as close to the centre of the room as possible. The hidden joint tile should start from one corner of the room.

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

FOR STRONG-LOC OPEN JOIN TILES:

1. Start from as close to the centre of the room as possible.

2. Use a chalk or laser to create lines A-A and B-B. Make sure these lines are at right angles.

3. Using the rubber mallet, tap the line together, starting at the corner of the tile & working your way outwards towards the edge of the tile.

4. Work out in a circular pattern filling in the corners.

5. Once all full tiles have been installed allow the floor to settle before measuring and fitting finishing cuts.

6. Ensure that you allow at least 5mm expansion gap between the tiles and any fixed point.

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS FOR STRONG-LOC HIDDEN JOINT TILES:

1. Carefully measure 20cms out at each end of wall and use a chalk or laser to create lines A-A & B-B. Make sure the lines are at 90 degrees to each other.

2. Lay the tiles with the hidden join to the walls and the exposed joins on the left. Very important – lay the first few rows perfectly straight, any mistake will impact the entire installation.

3. Lay the tiles from right to left always placing the hidden edge on top of the exposed. Line up the tabs at the corner to help align tiles. Install one row at a time. completing each row before beginning the next.

4. Cut in perimeter tiles allowing at least a 5mm expansion gap between the tile and any fixed point.

Cutting, Finishing & Maintaining Your Strong-loc Floor:

For the perfect finish:

• Leave a minimum of a 5mm gap between the tiles and any fixed point (walls and machinery)
• Cover the 5 mm expansion gap between the tiles and the walls with skirting profiles.
• Undercut wood doorjambs and slip the tiles underneath.
• With metal doorjambs – cut the flooring material to within 5mm & then caulk around the jamb.
• Use Strong-Loc ramp and corner sections.
• The tiles may require gluing if they will be in direct sunlight.
• To keep your floor looking good give it a sweep on a regular basis and use a rotary scrubber dryer for routine maintenance.

Cleaning Guidelines

RECOMMENDED CLEANING FOR SMOOTH TEXTURED SURFACES:

• It is critical that the correct cleaning regime is used to maintain your Strong-Loc floor surface.

  If the appropriate cleaning machine is used with the correct cleaning chemical this will ensure that your floor surface will always have a clean appearance, whilst maintaining a safe level slip resistance.

  We highly recommend that a scrubber dryer with the appropriate scrubber dryer detergent and pad is used for the cleaning of all Strong-Loc floors. We can suggest machines to clean all sizes of floor surfaces. It is important that the machine you use has sufficient pad pressure and has good squeezy blade surface contact to produce an efficient clean.

  It is also important that your floor surface is swept thoroughly before a scrubber dryer is used if you suffer with high volumes of dust, swarf and any other debris. We would suggest the use of a high quality range sweeper, which is ideal for keeping your floors dust free.

  Depending on your requirements, we can also suggest the use of a combination machine, which can both sweep and scrub and dry all in one process.

  If you do not suffer with dust and debris, then a scrubber drier machine will be adequate.

  RECOMMENDED CLEANING FOR SMOOTH TEXTURED SURFACES:

  We highly recommend the use of floor pads for the successful cleaning of smooth style textured floors.

  Floor pads are more effective than using scrubbing brushes as the pad makes better surface contact resulting in a better clean. Please use the below cleaning pads dependent on floor traffic: -

  RED PAD - LIGHT DUTY CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE

  BLUE PAD - MEDIUM CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE

  GREEN PAD - HEAVY CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE

  Please Note: We do not recommend using industrial cleaning pads which include diamond elements as these can damage your Strong-Loc floor.

  CHEMICAL RECOMMENDATION

  ACTIVE Scrubber Dryer Detergents heavy duty formulation removes even the toughest grease and grime. Low foaming, specially designed for machines with suction driers. Ideal for cleaning large warehouses, retail outlets with heavy footfall, manufacturing locations, garages etc. rapid grease cutting ensures only one pass of the machine is required. It is critical that the correct chemical is used, as if an inferior chemical is used this may not remove all dirt and grease required, resulting in a dirty floor, which may also cause slip resistance issues.

  We recommend “Scrubber Dryer Detergent” (or similar) please see details attached.

  Recommended Chemical Dilution:

  For heavy duty scrubbing dilute 1 part to 10 parts hot water.

  For maintenance cleaning dilute 1 part to 80 parts hot or cold water.

  CORRECT SIZE OF MACHINE:

  It is critical to choose the correct size of machine for your environment.

  There are machines to suit all sizes of floor surfaces, from 50m2 to 50,000m2 We can arrange a referral to cleaning and maintenance companies, who can advise regarding the correct size of machine and cleaning schedule for your floor surfaces.

  If the cleaning schedule is followed, your Strong-Loc floor will remain clean and slip free.

Care & Maintenance

• Fit protective feet to table and chair legs and avoid dragging items with sharp or angular corners over the floor to prevent scratching.

Strong-Loc Event Outdoor.

There is no need for either glue or special tools when laying your new Strong-Loc floor. All you need is a rubber mallet and perhaps a yardstick and a saw.

1. Start in a corner: see the picture. Remember always to turn the protruding rings in the same direction (forwards).

2. Fix the tiles with the connection taps over the protruding rings and fit them together with sharp strokes of a rubber mallet.

3. Completed.

A. Remember, before you install the flooring: To make sure it functions well, always install a Strong-Loc floor on a clean, hard and even surface. Allow a certain distance from walls, doorsteps etc. if the flooring is likely to be exposed to varying temperatures.

B. If you need to trim the tiles to size: The tiles can easily be cut with a jigsaw or the like.

C. If you want to conceal cables: Cable strip. A practical accessory for System 2 for hiding your cables (up to 6 mm). Can also be used just for decoration.

D. If you want nice edges in open spaces: Edge strip and Corner Strip. A neat, practical edging for your EcoTile floor System 2. 

Cleaning Strong-Loc Lifestyle Tiles in wet areas and around poolsides

1. Strong-Loc Lifestyle tiles create a safer, hygienic, foot-friendly surface in wet floor areas. However, all floors require cleaning and how often to do this depends on your use or footfall and the hardness of the water in your area.

2. At the end of each day (depending of foot traffic) hose down the Strong-Loc Lifestyle tiles floor with hose supplied cold water, sluicing any debris into gully drains beneath as normal.

3. Depending on debris build-up, the tiles can be lifted in manageable panels a certain times to jet wash underneath. The panels can be floated onto the pool surface and let the chlorinated water system clean off any possible bacteria (allow 15 mins) from the tiles.

Mop the ceramic tiled sub-floor. Return tile panels and re-assemble the flooring surface.

Do not clean all the pool area at once, work a rota to ensure the whole floor is thoroughly cleansed – about once monthly.

4. In hard-water areas a scale build-up may occur (especially on the Light Blue tiles).

This should be regularly removed with a rotary machine (or similar) with a ScotchBrite pad (or similar) and scale remover. Rinse away debris & chemicals thoroughly at the end of any cleaning session with fresh water.

11. We can easily replace any damaged tiles at this time.