Installers, how well do you know basic subfloor preparation
terminology? Take the quiz below and find out.
EFFLORESCENCE
1. Indirect
lighting
2. Strength of
the acids in a substance
3. Residue
deposited on surface by crystallization of soluble salts
4. Liquid
sealer
MORE POROUS SLAB
1. The more
vapor migration occurs and less open time for the adhesive
2. The slower
the water absorbs
3. The easier
the installation becomes
4. The more
open time for adhesive
GYPSUM-BASED PATCHING COMPOUND
1. Brown in
color – higher psi rating – dries quickly
2. White in
color – lower psi rating – susceptible to mold and mildew
3. Gray in
color – higher psi rating – needs second coat
4. Tan in color
– lower psi rating – not susceptible to mold and mildew
PORTLAND-BASED PATCHING COMPOUND
1. Tan in color –
lower psi rating – not susceptible to mold and mildew
2. Brown in color –
higher psi rating – dries quickly – will shrink – no second coat
3. White in color –
lower psi rating – susceptible to mold and mildew
4. Gray in color –
higher psi rating – does not promote mold and mildew
SELF-LEVELING COMPOUNDS
1. Gray in color –
higher psi rating – needs second coat
2. Tan in color –
lower psi rating – not susceptible to mold and mildew
3. White in color –
lower psi rating – susceptible to mold and mildew
4. Used for irregular
substrates
SEALERS
1. Sealers
address moisture, but not pH; can react with certain adhesives, causing failure
2. All sealers
are ready for floor coverings within 3 hours
3. Sealers
address moisture and pH and do not react with adhesives
4. Sealers are
top coatings and increase the amount of vapor emissions
pH TEST OF CONCRETE
1. Strong salt
(alkali) reading is under 3
2. Neutral is 7
3. Determines the
amount of water in the slab
4. 6 tests are taken
for the first 1,000 square feet
ACCLIMATION
1. Not
necessary for the majority of floor coverings
2. Conditioning
or relaxing of the materials in a heated, dry space prior to installation
3. Necessary
for a period of 30-minutes prior to installation
4. Necessary
for the time it takes to carry the flooring inside
AMBIENT AIR
1. Air that is closer to the substrate
2. Air closer to the clouds
3. Air temperature surrounding all sides
4.
Air that has nothing to do with flooring installation
ASTM
1. American
Society for Testing and Materials - World’s largest voluntary standards program
2. Associated
System of Testing and Materials – World’s largest standards program
3. Allied
Standards for Testing and Materials - America’s compulsory standards
program
4. Association
of Standards, Tests and Materials - Manufacturer standards program
CALCIUM CHLORIDE TEST
1. Determines
that slab is safe to install flooring if moisture emission is 12-pounds or
less.
2. Quantitative
test of concrete slab durability using anhydrous calcium chloride that
represents the pounds of oil transmitted from the area
3. Determines
that the slab is safe to install flooring if the oil emission is 15-pounds.
4. Quantitative
measure of concrete slab moisture by a change of weight of moisture-absorbing
anhydrous calcium chloride, representing moisture transmitted from the area.
CONDENSATION
1. The rise of
temperature in the area to a higher level
2. Conversion
of the moisture in the air to water that can create material adhesive problems.
3. Conversion
of slab porosity to dryness level to install flooring
4. Has nothing
to do with the installation of flooring materials
