Dec-Tec AM-004 DIY 60mil Ridgeline Gray Installation Guide

DEC-TEC DIY INSTALLATION GUIDE
Module: AM-004
© Skyline Building Systems Inc., 2022

OVERVIEW

Dec-Tec DIY is a highly durable, water-resistant membrane and designed for convenient do-it-yourself, residential installations and is great for use on outdoor decks and high traffic areas. Dec-Tec DIY is simple to install over plywood, concrete, or existing vinyl substrates with no adhesives required. The covered surface is ready for foot traffic immediately after installation.

• Realistic high-end aesthetics
• Easy peel and stick installation
• Easy to clean and maintain
• Pet friendly
• Scratch and scuff resistant
• No adhesives required
• Factory applied adhesive backer for quality assurance
• No thermal or chemical welding required
• No cure time
• High UV resistance
• High traction
• Unprecedented dimensional stability
• Will not delaminate
• Install in temperatures as low as 34° F or 1° C

These installation guidelines should be followed for an ideal installation.
Additionally, please visit the Dec-Tec DIY YouTube channel for installation videos:
Dec-Tec DIY YouTube Channel

STORAGE AND HANDLING

• Protect product edges and corners from damage. Deformed materials or edges can result from improper handling or storage and could prevent proper bonding and fitting.
• Material must be stored laying flat and never on edge.
• Store in a cool, dry location and keep away from excessive heat.
• Tarp and keep elevated and dry if stored outdoors.
• Material must be acclimated to the installation area for a minimum of 24 to 48 hours prior to installation.

TOOLS AND MATERIALS

Basic hand tools and materials:

• Tape measure
• Carpenters pencil
• Chalk line
• 4-inch putty knife
• Broom, shop vacuum
• Utility knife w/blades
• Metal straight edge (preferably 38 -76 inches)
• Claw hammer
• Silicone hand roller (4” / 100mm)
• Extendable floor roller (to apply 100lbs of pressure)
• Cementitious latex-based patching compound
• Pail to mix patching compound
• Primer (if needed)
• Metal Drip Edge (if needed to trim concrete or wood deck edges)
• Seka Pro Construction Adhesive (if needed to attach metal flashing to concrete)

BEFORE YOU BEGIN INSTALLING

• READ AND FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONAL GUIDELINES PRIOR TO INSTALLING.
• Always check local building codes and regulations for acceptable practices.
• Visually inspect all material prior to installation. Installation of defective material will be regarded as acceptance of its condition regardless of the defect and will void the product warranty.
• Do not install over damp or wet surfaces. Dec-Tec DIY will stick to dirt and dust, thus inhibiting it from proper adhesion to a substrate. Additionally, Dec-Tec DIY will not stick to high-moisture content substrates.
• Dec-Tec DIY is water-resistant, however high subfloor moisture or flood mopping can adversely affect the glue bond.
• Do not install on unsuitable or unstable substrates such as OSB, chipboard, Luan plywood, marine board, treated plywood, mahogany-based plywood underlayment, or any other non-underlayment grade panel.
• Do not install over previously coated substrates.
• Do not install Dec-Tec DIY over finished (varnished or polyurethane coated) surfaces.
• Do not install on substrate that has been painted or contains any contaminants, dust, dirt, oil, grease, curing agents, waxes, sealers, loosely bonded toppings, loose particles, old adhesive residues, and any other substance or condition that may prevent or reduce adhesion.
• On or below grade concrete must have polyethylene plastic film moisture barrier installed between the concrete and the ground.
• All concrete slabs should be tested for moisture content before installation.
• Only use recommended primers or fillers that are compatible with vinyl flooring.
• Never add additional adhesive to Dec-Tec DIY regardless of the type of adhesive.
• Acclimate material a minimum of 24 – 48 hours prior to installation in the environment where it will be installed.
• Minimum installation temperatures 34 degrees Fahrenheit (1 degree Celsius). Substrate and surface would be clean, dry, and free of moisture.

SUBSTRATE

• Install only on recommended plywood or concrete substrates. All surfaces must be moisture free structurally sound, solid, and stable. Substrate should be clean and free of dust, dirt, oil, grease, paint, curing agents, waxes, sealers, loosely bonded toppings, loose particles, old adhesive residues, and any other substance or condition that may prevent or reduce adhesion.
• Dec-Tec DIY can be installed over existing sheet vinyl surfaces that are well-bonded to the subfloor. All traces of wax, other surface coatings, or foreign matter must be removed in a way that does not damage the integrity of the existing flooring or hinder a proper bond of the new flooring.
• Note: The responsibility of determining if the existing substrate is suitable to be installed over rests solely with installer or DIYer on site. If there is any doubt as to suitability, the existing substrate should be removed, or an acceptable underlayment substrate installed over it.

INSTALLING OVER CONCRETE

• On or below grade concrete ideally would have a polyethylene plastic film moisture barrier installed between the concrete and the ground.
• Dec-Tec DIY should not be installed on concrete floors where there is danger of hydrostatic pressure or water seepage.
• All cracks in the concrete should be filed with a latex cement-based patching compound. Patched areas need to be primed when dried. Do not use gypsum-based patching compounds.
• For uneven concrete use cement-based leveling compounds.
• It is highly recommended that proper moisture tests be carried out on any concrete slab before installation. Tests can be conducted using the Calcium Chloride Moisture Vapor Emission (MVER) Test with test results not exceeding 5 lb. per 1000 sf. in 24 hrs., or by using the Internal Relative Humidity (RH) test with test results not exceeding 85%.

INSTALLING OVER PLYWOOD

• Minimum 5/8” thick, Tongue and Groove APA, C-D grade, Exposure 1 rated plywood.
• Must be sturdy, flat, and have minimal deflection.
• Wood substrate can be tested for moisture content using a simple pin-type moisture meter. The ideal moisture content (MC) of plywood at the time of installation is 9% – 14% @ 70% relative humidity / 68 deg. F (20 deg. C).
• Wood subfloors over a crawl space should have a minimum of 18″ of cross-ventilated air space between the ground and the floor joists. In an area of high humidity due to ground moisture, a polyethylene plastic film should be laid over the ground in the crawl space with over-lapped widths and lengths, to serve as a moisture barrier in addition to the cross-ventilated air space.

INSTALLING OVER OTHER SUBSTRATES

• Oriented strand board (OSB), particle board, poplar plywood, Luan, panels with medium density overlay (MDO) or high-density overlay (HDO), or any type of treated plywood (i.e. fire treated, pressure treated, or panels with field or edge sealants) either factory or field applied are not recommended. If going over these types of substrates one might expect to experience a lack of adhesion, potential discoloring of the membrane due to pulling through chemicals and oils from the substrate or other.

SURFACE PREPARATION

• Surface preparation is key. The entire surface must be flat, structurally sound, dry, and stable. The surface should be clean and free of dust, dirt, oil grease, paint, curing agents, sealers, loosely bonded toppings, loose particles, old adhesive residues, and any other substance or condition that may prevent or reduce adhesion.
• Acclimate material a minimum of 24 – 48 hours prior to installation in the environment where it will be installed.
• Scrape or remove any contaminants, substance or condition that may prevent or reduce adhesion. Some substances may require mechanical grinding for removal.
• Sand or grind down all areas as needed. All surfaces must be smooth and flat, or imperfections may show-through.
• Install any metal flashing or trim that is required for the installation such as a metal drip edge around the outside perimeter of a deck.
• Fill in all depressions, joints, gaps, or damaged areas as needed with a latex cement-based patching compound and sand smooth once it has “thoroughly” dried.
• Sweep and thoroughly vacuum.
• Seal all patched areas, pitch pockets, pitch streaks, red chalk, wood knots construction adhesive, wood filler, etc. with an appropriate primer. Follow manufacturer’s directions for proper application and mixing.
• Suggestion: Zinsser Bin Shellac Based Primer Sealer
• Do a final inspection to ensure the surface area is suitable and ready for the application of the Dec-Tec DIY
• IMPORTANT: Thoroughly inspect all material for visible blemishes or defects before starting the installation. Installation of defective material will be regarded as acceptance of its condition regardless of the defect and will void the product warranty.

INSTALLATION LAYOUT

• Plan your layout to avoid an unbalanced installation. As a rule of thumb, material should run lengthwise and parallel to the most dominant wall to achieve the best appearance.
• Make sure the surface area is square before laying out the material. Measure the diagonals from all four corners. Take a tape measure and measure the distance from one corner to its diagonal, and then measure the diagonal between the remaining two corners. If the measurements equal one another, your surface area is square. If the measurements are different, you can make adjustments with the first panel during the dry-fit. That’s all there is to it!
• If installing on an exterior deck, it is recommended to start from the outside edge of the deck surface and work towards the building.

**DRY FIT**

• Measure in 73″ from outside edge when using 74” wide product or 36″ from outside edge when using 37” wide product and snap a chalk line. This will provide for a 1″ overhang over the outside perimeter that will be trimmed off once the panel is installed and it will also indicate where a butt seam will be located if multiple panels are required.
• To determine length requirements for each panel, allow for a 1” of overhang over any perimeter edge and mark the material so that it can be cut flush against any wall or vertical obstacle.
• Cut the panel to the desired size using a straights and sharp utility knife and dry-fit it into place. Make sure the utility knife blade is sharp and is in an upright position for a clean 90 degree cut. Cut the material with the bottom side up. Do not remove the release liner film from the back of the panel at this time.

  MULTI-PIECE REQUIREMENTS (if applicable)

• Some projects may require more than one panel of membrane to be installed. It is important to understand how to properly install multiple panels that run in parallel to each other. With the initial panel of membrane dry-fit in place, layout and dry-fit the adjoining panel as follows.
• Align the edge of next panel parallel to the one in place so that it snugs up flush to it creating a butt seam. Butt seams should be tight with no gaps
• IMPORTANT: Material should be installed so that all butt seams are factory edges to factory edges. Any cut edges should only be located along outside perimeters, along walls or along other obstacles.
• Determine the length requirements for the multi-piece panel by allowing for 1” of overhang over any perimeter edge and mark the material so that it can be cut flush against any wall or vertical obstacle.
• Cut the multi-piece panel as desired using a straight edge and sharp utility knife and dry-fit it into place. Make sure the utility knife blade is sharp and in an upright position for a clean 90 degree cut. Cut the material with the bottom side up. Do not remove the release liner film from the back of the panel at this time.
• Repeat above steps if installing multiple panels.

FITTING / CUTTING ALONG WALLS

• Using a sharp utility knife for all cuts, use a suitable straight edge to mark and cut the panel to the desired size.
• Ensure the knife blade is sharp and in an upright position for a clean 90 degree cut.
• Tip: Cut the material with the bottom side up as much as possible and or hold the blade below and cut up through from the bottom of the Dec Tec DIY.
• Concept is a lot like cutting in carpet.

FITTING / CUTTING AROUND OBSTACLES (if applicable)

• To dry-fit the membrane around a fixed post or other obstacle that cannot be removed or detached you will need to provide a relief cut on the panel from an edge inward to the obstacle. This cut is required to allow the membrane to wrap around the obstacle and lay flat.
• Determine the best location for the relief cut and use a straight edge to mark and cut the field panel creating a clean, straight cut edge as close to the base of the obstacle as possible.
• Tip: To obtain a tight fit around irregular objects, create a template out of heavy paper to fit around posts, pipes, or other irregularities. Use the template to trace an outline on the panel and then cut along the trace lines with sharp utility knife. Make sure the knife blade is in an upright position for a clean 90 degree cut.

ADHERING THE MEMBRANE

• Once you have made all of the final cuts and have all of the pieces dry-fitted into place you are ready to remove the release liner and complete the installation.

• Remove the release liner from the backside of the panels in manageable sections without damaging the membrane. The best method for accomplishing this is dependent on the width of material selected and also upon the size of the panel being installed. It is always a good idea to have assistance available to help place the panels into location and or set panels into place.

• Tip: Avoid removing too much release liner at one time, keep it manageable.

• Peel back 3 inches – 5 inches (75mm – 127mm) of the release liner from the back of the panel (along its length) without damaging the membrane and place the panel into its final position being very careful to align the piece properly before allowing the adhesive backing to come into contact with the surface.

• The recommended practice is to roll the panel into place starting at the edge of the panel and rolling it down onto the surface while at the same time working out any air bubbles from being formed and trapped. Caution: Attempting to drop the panel down horizontally directly onto the surface all at once makes it difficult to prevent air bubbles from being formed or released.

• With the first 3 inches – 5 inches (75mm – 127mm) set in place you can continue to remove additional release liner in a smooth wrinkle-free manner and complete the installation of the panel. Continue using the same procedure of only removing manageable sections of release liner and rolling the panel into place preventing air bubbles from being trapped under the surface until installation of the panel is complete.

• If installing multiple panels, continue using the same procedure described above paying special attention to the butt seam edges. Butt seams should be tight with no gaps. Try to avoid “stair stepping” (overlapping) of joints.
  IMPORTANT: Material should be installed so that all butt seams are factory edges to factory edges.

• Complete any unfinished trimming including trimming the membrane at the very edge of the metal drip edge (if installed).

• Roll the complete surface in length and width with an extendible floor roller applying about 100 lb. of pressure. The adhesive on the pieces is a pressure-sensitive adhesive and this step ensures a complete bond to the substrate and removal of any trapped air. Failure to roll the floor may result in loose or curled pieces.

Thank you for choosing Dec-Tec DIY to upgrade your outdoor floor or other application!
We love seeing how Dec-Tec DIY is being applied.
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