ASTM_F_1516_-_13.pdf

Designation:F151613Standard Practice forSealing Seams of Resilient Flooring Products by the HeatWeld Method(when Recommended)1This standard is issued under the fixed designation F1516;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This practice covers the instructions and precautions tobe observed to ensure satisfactory performance of seams inresilient flooring sealed by the heat weld method.1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.See precautioninformation in 6.1.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2F141 Terminology Relating to Resilient Floor Coverings3.Terminology3.1 For definitions of terms used in this practice refer toTerminology F141.4.Significance and Use4.1 Seams in some resilient flooring are heat sealed toprevent openings from forming between cut edges and toprevent penetrations of dirt,liquids,etc.,into the seams.Decorative appearances may also be achieved using contrast-ing heat weld thread(rod).5.Instructions5.1 Flooring shall be installed in accordance with themanufacturers instructions.5.2 Particular attention shall be paid to proper cutting ofseams and tightness of cut seams.Specified tightness of seamsto be heat sealed(welded)will vary depending on the flooringproduct and type of tools used to perform the heat weld.5.3 Prior to heat welding,seams shall be routed to a depthspecified by the manufacturer.Routing can be accomplishedwith electric or hand routing tools as specified by the manu-facturer.Follow flooring manufacturers instructions for spe-cific details.5.4 Unless specified otherwise by the resilient manufacturer,wait 24 h before routing and heat welding the seams.Thisallows time for the adhesive to set.Heat welding must becompleted before beginning initial flooring maintenance.Sometile products are routed at the factory,and on site routing is notrequired.Heat welding involves the melting of thread(rod)into the gap of a routed seam.Special electric hot air tools withvariable temperature settings are required.Because tempera-ture settings will vary,depending on the length and wire gaugeof extension cord,room and under floor temperature,floorcovering material,welding rod composition,etc,test weldingis recommended.Verify the correct thread color,then usingexcess or scrap material,make test welds as needed to establishheat welding conditions.Next,do a trial length seam andevaluate after cooling to determine if the bond strength andappearance of the weld thread to the seam edges are satisfac-tory.Weld threads are available in a variety of plain,solidcolors and patterned versions.The color or pattern of the threadcan be selected to either match with the flooring color to hideor disguise the seam or contrast with the flooring color toaccent the seam.5.5 Approximately one-half of the weld thread thicknesswill adhere to the seam.The excess will be trimmed off flushwith the surface of the flooring when cooled.Trimming ofexcess weld thread is accomplished using a one-or two-stepprocess depending upon product type;one for most rubberproducts and in two steps for vinyl and linoleum products.Welded seams shall be allowed to cool before trimming.Follow manufacturers specific recommendations.Trim knives1This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F06 on ResilientFloor Coverings and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F06.40 onPractices.Current edition approved May 1,2013.Published May 2013.Originallyapproved in 1994.Last previous edition approved in 2008 as F1516-08.DOI:10.1520/F1516-13.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 and attachments are available from the flooring manufactureror various flooring installation tool suppliers.5.6 Heating the trimmed seam or use of a topical sealer issometimes utilized to help blend the welded seam gloss andcolor with the flooring material.Refer to manufacturersliterature for applicability and specifics.5.7 RepairsFollow steps 5.3 to 5.5.After repairing,spotmaintain the seamed area so its appearance compares favorablywith the surrounding flooring as it relates to color,gloss andoverall appearance.6.Precautions6.1 Use caution when handling and using tools required forheat welding seams.Hot air guns can cause severe burns.Routing tools and trim kni