Urban Colours – Tulip

The advice provided with the floor is always to shade from strong sunlight and to maintain the ambient temperature at all times between 16 and 28 degrees. The surface temperature of the floor should not exceed

As with all LVT flooring, prolonged contact with rubber products can permanently stain the floor e.g. rubber backed entrance mats. We advise using only non-staining rubber products. This advice is explained on our website, also in the cleaning & care advice for the floor and in the welcome pack. Staining of this type is frustrating but unfortunately this type of staining is permanent.

Staining can occur when contaminants come into contact with the floor and not cleaned away in a timely manner. The source of the contamination may not be immediately obvious, but can usually be traced with a bit of detective work. The area of the staining will usually be a good guide to the possible source. Ask the customer to consider all possible causes e.g. foot creams, pet secretions, inappropriate cleaning methods, transfer of garden fertiliser by pets etc. Staining is always caused by environmental factors so it's important that customers consider all possible causes. Caring for the floor through its lifetime in accordance with recommended advice will help reduce the risk of staining.

Sadly, scratching can occur at any time and can be particularly frustrating if it occurs soon after fitting. Check that the customer has read and understood the care advice for the floor e.g. - regular sweeping - good quality entrance mats - felt pads on the base of chairs, tables etc Environmental factors will cause scratching and it may take some detective work to fully understand the cause.The area of the scratching will usually be a good guide to possible sources. Grit and unprotected furniture legs are the most common causes, but consider other possibilities. For instance, if the marking follows a similar pattern then check if a vacuum cleaner has been used. A faulty or damaged vacuum cleaner may have sharp edges or a foreign object trapped in the head of the vacuum. Pet claws can also cause damage to the surface. Remedies: Consider using a scratch repair kit e.g. from DrSchutz or replacing the tiles in the affected area. Provide advice to the customer to avoid similar future problems. Cover newly laid floors to protect the surface if other trades are still working

- If the floor is proving particularly hard to clean then this can be linked to adhesive residue being present on the surface of the floor. This can happen if adhesive is only partially wiped away after fitting and in the cleaning process actually becomes smeared over the surface of the tiles. Dirt will then stick to the adhesive and be particularly hard to shift, and will keep on sticking until the residue is permanently removed. This can usually be done by using the HM 'Scrub' solution. - Soiling will always be noticeable on lighter colour floors - Excess soiling will often be linked to grit/dirt being brought onto the floor from outside - be sure to use good quality entrance mats at all doorways with access to the outside The cleaning advice for all floors is available on our website and in the welcome pack provided with the floor. Remedies: 1. Use the 'Scrub' solution in the pack to remove heavy soiling and any dried on adhesive 2. Provide the recommended cleaning and care advice to the customer and recommend the correct cleaning products 3. Ensure that the floor is regularly swept with a soft brush and mopped in line with the guidance

There are a number of possible causes of tiles lifting: Moisture - The importance of moisture levels when fitting LVT cannot be overestimated. The most common cause of lifting tiles is moisture/ damp in the subfloor. The moisture levels should always be checked prior to fitting as excess subfloor moisture will undermine the adhesive bond and cause the tile to lift. This may not always be immediate, as a subfloor can take many days/ months to dry out properly. In some instances a levelling or smoothing compound may have been applied to a damp subfloor which may mask the damp temporarily, but the trapped moisture will still penetrate through to the surface over time, causing the tiles to lift at a later date. Moisture can build up beneath a plywood subfloor, check for sufficient airflow beneath the plywood e.g. check for insufficient and/or blocked air bricks Temperature & Acclimatisation It is important that the room temperature is maintained between 16-22ºC before, during and after fitting. If the tiles haven't been acclimatised to room conditions properly for at least 24 hours in the room prior to fitting, there is a risk that they will quickly expand or contract before the adhesive has had time to set which will undermine the adhesive bond and cause the tiles to lift. These factors are particularly relevant in mid summer and colder winter months. Adhesive failure If an inappropriate adhesive has been used, or has been used outside of the manufacturer's recommended guidelines, then it may fail to secure the tiles and will cause them to lift. Most LVT has a 'working time' and if the tile is laid into the adhesive outside of the stated 'working time' then it is likely to fail - most commonly, the tile is laid into the adhesive too late, after the adhesive has begun to set, and so will not have sufficient bond strength to secure the tile to the floor. Tiles will also lift if insufficient adhesive has been applied (LVT adhesive should be applied to 100% of the surface area of the floor, and not applied in a 'dot and dab' fashion) or when the tile has not been sufficiently rolled so that the adhesive successfully transfers onto the back of the tile. Contamination in the subfloor can also cause the adhesive to fail. Remedies Diagnose & resolve the underlying problem and re-fit the floor carefully following all the fitting instructions for the floor. Use the recommended adhesive and follow the instructions carefully