Armstrong commercial flooring on Advantech

[bluedog225]

i’ve got Armstrong commercial tile to finish out my living area above my workshop. It’s the solid composition tile, non-pvc. I think it’s something like 70% limestone. Very heavy At 60 lbs a carton. Color all the way through.

I plan to install 2/3 of it on an Advantech floor (1.125” thick). Well supported on 12” centers. Glued and nailed. The other 1/3 on 3/4 ply.

The Advantech is pretty robust, but it’s been through a lot. More specifically, five years or so of construction activities, ground in dirt, and sawdust, spills, etc. And it has a pattern to it even when new. Something like OSB.

I will follow the armstrong install instructions and use their adhesive. But all they say is “dry, clean, and smooth.”

A couple of questions.

What do you think the right prep is for this floor? I can vacuum and even wet mop it. Do I need to get a floor sander and freshen it up?

And what do you think the chances are the floor pattern will imprint on the tile. My guess is it’s not likely.

I plan to start with a storage closet and see how that goes. Before I commit to the bigger rooms.

Thanks

 

[PCustoms]

Floor Sander is the way to go.

 

[Old tool guy]

Or a thin layer of underlayment rated ply.

 

[ducatithunder]

I would staple down some rated underlayment, ie the 1/4" or 5mm sanded plywood. Then glue the tile to that. Advantech is great stuff and expensive. I wouldn't want to remodel this later down the road and have to pull glued tile off it and risk damaging the subfloor.

 

[The Cobbler]

chances are the floor pattern will imprint on the tile.

no doubt it will over time, as mentioned staple 5ml luan over it all

 

[bluedog225]

I’d be surprised if it imprinted. This is institutional stuff. I’m not familiar with laying a quarter inch subfloor under a glue down floor. Doesn’t that just turn the whole deal into a floating floor? Although that might be easier than sanding.

I’m not sure it’s allowed to the installation instructions. I’ll have to do some research. Thanks.

 

[The Cobbler]

it seems that you have conventional VCT floor tile. and it even shows glue ridges through after time. a small spec on the underlay will telegraph through VCT in a year or less ( depending on traffic)
one approved method for installing VCT on wood is to apply a 1/4" underlay with seams patched . I would not put VCT directly on wafer board sub floor . if you ever want to remove it you will be thankful for a sacrificial layer between the sub & finished floor.
will it work directly on OSB? probably just fine. for a quick cover up I might do it.
When we were laying VCT in Housing complexes we put underlay on solid oak stair treads when they were considered beyond refinishing and we laid VCT on them .

 

[bluedog225]

it seems that you have conventional VCT floor tile. and it even shows glue ridges through after time. a small spec on the underlay will telegraph through VCT in a year or less ( depending on traffic)
one approved method for installing VCT on wood is to apply a 1/4" underlay with seams patched . I would not put VCT directly on wafer board sub floor . if you ever want to remove it you will be thankful for a sacrificial layer between the sub & finished floor.
will it work directly on OSB? probably just fine. for a quick cover up I might do it.
When we were laying VCT in Housing complexes we put underlay on solid oak stair treads when they were considered beyond refinishing and we laid VCT on them .

What exactly did you use to attach the subfloor? You mentioned staples. I'm guessing every 6 inches on the perimeter and something similar in the field? This is gonna be quite a project

 

[The Cobbler]

we used 1/4" 18gauge crown staples every 2" , 1/2" in from the edge) and every 4" in the field . you should also try to pre layout where the seams of the tile will be and offset the underlay seams at least 3 or 4" from that . sometimes that can be difficult but if you can manage it it's better . we would shift the plywood off the wall 4" or whatever and had a strip of plywood to fill that so our tile seams would be offset from the plywood seams . it sounds harder than it really is , but it takes a while to get the hang of it all too. Your room won't see a lot of traffic, so a lot of that won't matter as much.
hope it makes sense .

 

[Old tool guy]

I’d be surprised if it imprinted. This is institutional stuff.

Cobbler nailed it perfectly in 7 & 9.

 

[bluedog225]

Cobbler nailed it perfectly in 7 & 9.

Yes, I believe him. I was hoping it wasn’t true. That’s going to be a pretty significant pain in the ***. When I started this place in 2019, I was paying 22 bucks for three-quarter exterior ply. Now I’m paying 25 bucks for quarter inch underlayment.

Snap lock, something like life proof, would be a lot easier. But I really like the look of old-fashioned institutional type tile polished up.