Altro adhesive-free flooring can be laid over a variety of surfaces without the need to fully adhere the material to the subfloor. This overcomes many of the problems encountered in laying sheet flooring over new or old subfloors.
Typical areas of use for adhesive-free flooring include;
Altro adhesive-free flooring should be laid in accordance with the Code of Practice BS 8203:2017. The material should be stored for approximately 24 hours at a room temperature of not below 18°C. When laying, the area should be at a steady temperature of between 18°C and 27°C for at least 48 hours prior to, during and for at least 24 hours after completion.
The material should be checked for any possible faults prior to laying and should be cut into lengths, reversed rolled and laid loose for conditioning before fitting for a minimum of 2 hours.
Ensure that the material used in any one area is from the same manufacturing batch and that sheets are laid in the same direction (Wood designs only).
Claims against guarantee for colour, batch or obvious material defects will only be considered if the flooring has not yet been installed.
The subfloor must conform to the requirements of BS 8203-2017.
The subfloor should be smooth and flat. Any undulations and indentations should be filled with the appropriate moisture tolerant smoothing compound prior to the laying of the Altro adhesive-free flooring.
Altro adhesive-free flooring is a loose laid floor and is laid with the aid of the Altro double sided adhesive tape. This tape is supplied with each roll of Altro adhesive-free flooring.
Please note that the surface area to receive the tape must be clean and dust free. Absorbent surfaces may need priming using a suitable acrylic primer or diluted acrylic adhesive or pressure sensitive adhesive in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.
In order to provide the optimum installed system and to conform to the conditions of the warranty please ensure that only this tape is used in connection with Altro adhesive-free flooring.
Additional rolls of tape are available from Altro. Please contact the Altro Customer Care Centre for further information.
In areas that are subject to moisture spillage, the complete installation must be sealed i.e.: the use of conventional clamping or welding type drain gulleys and access covers, sealing of pipes, toilet pans, door frames etc. and the use of appropriate sealing methods between the junction of the Altro flooring and the wall covering or other floor surfaces. Refer to the Altro detail diagram sheet of the appropriate finishes.
Once laid out and conditioned, all joints should be overlapped by approximately 20mm and cut in to form a tight joint.
The product must then be adhered to the subfloor at all joints, and the perimeter if straight laid, using Altro double sided tape.
The tape can also be used on the cove section when self coving the flooring – (for self coving, see Altro safety flooring installation guidance). It is also recommended that at any point where the flooring finishes at drain channels, access covers, door entrances etc, the material should be adhered to the subfloor using the Altro double sided tape.
Once fully installed, all joints and mitres within the installation should be hot welded with the matching colour Altro Weldrod™, as detailed in the Altro safety flooring installation guidance sheet.
All flat laid areas of Altro adhesive free floor covering must be sealed around perimeters and exposed edges with AltroMastic 100. This also applies to door frames and around fixtures and fittings.
Altro flooring is not recommended for use in the following areas;
The uses given in this datasheet are examples only. If in doubt, please contact Altro Technical Services for further information.
Altro flooring should be covered and protected from all other trades with a suitable non-staining protective covering.
Please ensure that the wheels of any rolling loads are in good condition and are freewheeling.
The contractor must provide the customer with cleaning and maintenance instructions. You can download these from www.altro.com. Correct cleaning and maintenance have a decisive influence on the service life and preservation of the value of the installed flooring.
Soiling can be greatly reduced by providing suitably dimensioned “walk-off areas” with appropriate doormats at the entrances to buildings. These should have a length of at least 4–6 strides.
Please note: A distinction should always be made between adhesive and non-adhesive dirt. Non-adhesive dirt should be removed using a dry method of cleaning. Loose dust, for example, can be removed simply by brushing or using a vacuum cleaner with a hard floor brush.
1. Final cleaning after installation
The final cleaning after installation is intended to remove all dirt introduced during the construction phase. Red pads and JuliPads can be used with single-disc machines.
Please note: Initial treatment is not necessary.
Altro surface finishes are 100 % systems whose polymers are interlinked with the wear layer below them. This thick layer permanently protects the flooring. Provided proper ongoing maintenance and proper use are ensured, treatment is not necessary.
The exception to this is pretreatment in hairdressing salons, car dealerships, etc., where the flooring must be sealed with a suitable polyurethane sealant or some other coating. In the case of hairdressing salons, this prevents hair from damaging the surface and increases the flooring’s resistance to substances that could stain or bleach the flooring material. The application guidelines of the sealant manufacturer must be complied with.
2. Routine cleaning
Routine cleaning should be conducted with a detergent that contains no care product ingredients and which dries on the surface without leaving any residue. Alternatively, routine cleaning can be carried out using another certified cleaning agent in accordance with the guidelines as given by the cleaning agent’s manufacturer. These products should not contain any substances that form a film. Switching to a different detergent can have negative repercussions for the cleaning effect. We recommend aligning the cleaning cycle to the accumulation of dirt. The standard technique recommended is two-stage wiping, in which dirt and dust are removed without residue or streaks.
The use of a scrubbing / vacuum machine is particularly effective in large buildings. We recommend the use of cleaning machines in combination with micro-brush pads to deal with open spaces and hallways. For smaller areas, please use machines with a high suction capacity; they should also be equipped with constant suction mode when moving orwards or backwards.
Please note: RRoutine cleaning should be carried out using a microfiber mop in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines. As a rule, we recommend using a mop with a working width of 40 cm.
3. Basic cleaning
In the event of basic cleaning becoming necessary due to an excessive introduction of dirt, it can be carried out without further ado in accordance with the instructions of the respective cleaning agent manufacturer.
Stains and smears from the soles and heels of shoes that cannot be removed by routine cleaning can be dealt with using suitable stain removers and cleaning techniques.
4. List of cleaning agents
list of the specific products available from the respective manufacturers for final cleaning, routine cleaning and basic cleaning can be found at www. altro.com. If you have any questions, please contact Altro for technical advice +44 (0) 1462 707600.
We accept no liability for the cleaning and care products recommended by the manufacturers as regards effectiveness and fulfilment of expectations. If you have any questions, including regarding sources of supply, please contact the manufacturers directly.
Under certain circumstances, it is possible to apply coatings to the high quality, UV-bonded surface of Altro floor coverings. However, you should always contact the respective cleaning agent manufacturer prior to applying a coating in order to discuss potential options with regard to the products and technologies. In individual cases, the use of coatings can lead to changes in the factoryguaranteed properties, such as the anti-slip class, cleaning characteristics and degree of reflection. Altro will deem any claims arising from such changes to be invalid.
1. Maintaining value in the event of micro-scratches
If the high-quality surface coating applied at the factory exhibits signs of wear (e.g. micro-scratches), suitable measures can be taken to restore the surface and preserve the value of the flooring. In such cases, the surface can be restored using suitable coatings. You can find the latest issues of these “Installation and cleaning instructions” here.
NOTE: “Altro APAC Pty Ltd” (“Altro”) endeavours to ensure that advice and information given in Product Data Sheets, Method Statements and Material Safety Data Sheets (all known as Product Literature) is accurate and correct. However, where Altro has no control over the selection of its products for particular applications, it is important that any prospective customer, user or specifier, satisfies him / herself that the product is suitable for the intended application. In this process, due regard should be taken of the nature and composition of the background / base and the ambient conditions both at the time of laying / applying / installing / curing of the material and when the completed work is to be brought into use.
However, as site conditions and the execution of the work are beyond our control, we accept no resultant liability.
Altro’s policy is one of continuous research and development and we reserve the right to update our products and information at any time without prior notice.
