Raised Access Flooring Maintenance

1.General

Protection of finished floor installations Once an area of installation is complete the correct protection will ensure its quality and the durability. Having completed an individual area, it must be allowed to set for a minimum of 24 hours before it is used. In particularly cold conditions adhesive-curing times may become extended. The adhesive conditions should be checked after 24 hours before traffic is permitted. lf an installation is trafficked before adhesive has fully cured, rocking or lipping panels and changes in level will occur. Care must be taken to ensure that floors are not overloaded or abused when moving other materials or equipment on site especially when using moving equipment with wheels or castors as these magnify the load transmitted to the floor. The access floor (specially decorative/functional finishes) is part of the building finish and should be treated accordingly. Damage, abuse and overloading must be prevented to ensure that the floor system performs to its design specification. Floor systems subject to damage can not be guaranteed in terms of performance and should be removed and replaced.

2. Maintenanceand Use

Basic access floor systems require little if any maintenance once the inspection is completed. Installations should be inspected during normal use for any signs of damage or deterioration. Other than vacuum cleaning of the void when required and ensuring that pedestal heads are clean when replacing panels, cleaning of the system is not normally necessary. Panels should be removed vertically using the appropriate lifting device. Never remove panels with screwdrivers, etc. They should be replaced in the same rotation, never drop or kick panels into position. When access to the void is necessary, the minimum number of panels should be removed at any one time. A minimum of two rows of panels should remain intact between rows of uplifted panels and the creation of 'ISLANDS" of panels within the installation should be avoided at all times.