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Should I be concerned about moisture content in a plywood substrate?

Excess moisture in a plywood or wood substrate is a probably just as damaging to a floor installation as high moisture content in a concrete slab. According to industry standards, the moisture content of a plywood substrate should be in the range of 10% to 15%. Dryer than that risks extreme adhesive absorption and subsequently poor adhesive transfer to the flooring. Wetter than that (such as through exposure to rain before installation) and the adhesives will take longer to dry; then when you have installed the flooring and the plywood has dried out, you will see the result of the plywood panel shrinkage through the surface of the flooring. A critical success factor for any floor installation is to make sure that the substrate you are working on is stable and acclimated to the working environment. Anytime you step outside that playing field, you will find yourself in trouble.

What’s the problem with OSB as a substrate?

Traditional OSB is a problem for resilient and wood flooring installations because of the nature of its construction. Traditional OSB is made from large chips of wood that will swell when exposed to humidity and moisture, causing the texture of the chip structure to show through on resilient floors. According to the Engineered Wood Association, OSB is only suitable as a substrate for stretch-in carpet, which isolates the texture of the OSB from the flooring with a layer of carpet pad. The association goes on to recommend applying a 1/4" layer of underlayment over the OSB for installation of resilient and wood flooring. The main thing to remember about traditional OSB is that it is very absorptive and swells when exposed to moisture (such as rain). This swelling is not good for floor installation. Having said that, there are new OSB products out there that are “engineered” materials, making them different from traditional chip/strand OSB. Some of these new engineered OSB boards have much better moisture resistance and can handle water contact without a change in dimensional properties.

Which grout is recommended for exterior installations?

MAPEI's Keracolor S Sanded Grout, Keracolor U Unsanded Grout, MAPEI Flexcolor CQ, Kerapoxy CQ, Ultracolor Plus FA and Ultracolor Plus Max grouts are all recommended for use outside in uncovered, exterior areas.

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What can I use to fill holes in concrete?

MAPEI's Planiprep SC skimcoating compound, Planipatch patching compound, Mapecem Quickpatch concrete patch and Planiprep PSC patch and skimcoating compound can be used to fill holes, voids and minor irregularities in concrete. No additive or primer is required when applying these products directly over clean, porous concrete.

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What is the advantage of using a liquid additive?

Liquid additives, such as MAPEI's Keralastic or Keraply, improve the overall performance of non-modified mortars by increasing flexibility, enhancing bond strength and boosting moisture resistance. For fast-track projects, use the Granirapid rapid-setting, flexible mortar system.

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Are Ultratop System products locally manufactured in the United States? The fact that a product is made in the U.S. is a plus.

All the products for Ultratop Systems are made in the U.S., including Ultratop SP, Primer SN [NA], Primer SN Fast, Mapecrete Protector FF, Mapefloor Finish 58 W [NA] and Mapefloor Finish 630 [NA].

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Can I add color to my repair mortar? Can I apply a stain?

Yes, you can add color or apply a stain to your repair mortar. It is important that you do your own mockups to make sure that you obtain the desired results.

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Can I apply a repair mortar at cold temperatures that are below the requirement for the product?

Yes. You need to follow the American Concrete Institute (ACI) 306R-10 Guide to Cold Weather Concreting. This guide will show you how to comply with the required application temperature. You can also refer to MAPEI’s “Installing repair materials in cold weather” reference guide.

Can I apply a self-leveling product on an exterior concrete slab?

No, self-leveling products are recommended for interior applications only. You can apply a concrete repair mortar instead, such as Topcem Premix or Mapecem 102.

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Can I apply waterproofing over a painted surface?

No. The surface must be thoroughly cleaned of any substance that could interfere with the bond of the installation material, including dirt, paint, tar, asphalt, wax, oil, grease, latex compounds, form-release agents, laitance, loose toppings, foreign substances and any other residues.

Can I install LVP/LVT over Mapeguard 2?

No, but we recommend using Mapesonic RM 2 (2 mm) for sound control under LVT.

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Can I install LVP/LVT over Mapesonic 2?

Yes, with these limitations: Use MAPEI adhesive Ultrabond ECO 350, Ultrabond ECO 360, Ultrabond ECO 373 or Ultrabond ECO 399. Also, follow MAPEI’s Technical Data Sheet instructions and use a 1/32" U-notch trowel. Finally, expect 60 to 90 minutes of flash time before installing the LVP/LVT.

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