FAQs

As with any new and innovative flooring solution, the Versaflex™ System has generated a number of questions, some of which we have answered here.

General

Q: What is the Versaflex™ system?

Answer: The Versaflex™ System by InterfaceFLOR is a flooring system which enables hard and soft flooring to be laid together quickly and easily to create a flexible beautiful space. It is suitable for all types of interiors but is particularly suited to retail and office spaces.

Q: What is unique about the Versaflex™ System above traditional ceramic flooring?

Answer: The Versaflex™ System is unique because it’s fully flexible, enabling all the surface tiles, including ceramic, to be removed and replaced quickly and easily. This means that with the Versaflex™ system, the flooring style and layout can be changed whenever required and with minimal fuss.

Watch our installation video to see how easy the Versaflex™ System is to install and replace.

Q: What are the components of the Versaflex™ System?

Answer: The Versaflex™ System comprises of a support grid, a flexible grout and a variety of surface materials. It allows different surface materials to be mixed in one seamless installation. Hard surfaces such as ceramic are supplied bonded directly to the polymer grid with a detachable polymer grout, while soft surfaces such as carpet tiles have an alternative grid type with a solid surface area and a recessed connector.

Visit the What is the Versaflex™ System? page for more details.

Q: What surfaces are available?

Answer: The Versaflex™ System is initially available in a choice of ceramic or carpet tile surfaces, or any creative combination of the two. The Versaflex™ System is compatible with any of the InterfaceFLOR carpet tiles within our portfolio.

Other types of surfaces are being considered and may be available at a later date.

Q: Do InterfaceFLOR offer technical support?

Answer: Yes, as part of the team we have a dedicated Versaflex™ System Resource Manager who can provide support when required.

Q: How is the Versaflex™ System transported?

Answer: It is shipped on pallets (no boxes) and is securely banded and wrapped to reduce packaging waste. It is despatched using InterfaceFLOR’s standard transport.

Q: How does it compare to other ceramic flooring?

Answer: The Versaflex™ System is comparable to wet installed ceramic products, although it is a dry lay system. However, it offers greater flexibility and is easier to replace so the long-term installation cost is lower.

It also enables greater creativity due to the increased choice of surfaces and the mix of finishes.

Q: How much does it cost?

Answer: The price of the Versaflex™ System is comparable to the cost of a conventionally installed ceramic floor. It is a competitively priced high quality product range with the related benefits of being a dry lay system, which is also completely flexible.

Q: How thick is the Versaflex™ System?

Answer: The total thickness of the preassembled modules is 20mm, including both backing grid and top surface finish.

Q: Is the system watertight?

Answer: The Versaflex™ System provides a basic water resistant finish under normal daily use as it is designed to create a seal, but it is not waterproof.

Conventional grouting and adhesives often fracture, crack or crumble over time, reducing the integrity of the system. In swimming pools, showers, and other permanently wet installations a water resistant grout tends to be used for conventional hard floor installations. The Versaflex™ System is not suitable for this type of application.

Installation & maintenance

Q: Where can the Versaflex™ System be installed?

Answer: It can be installed into any environment that is capable of having carpet tiles installed.

It should be installed only under the following conditions:

  • The site is covered and enclosed
  • The temperature is no less than 16°C
  • The site is not subject to any wet or humid conditions

Q: Can the system be installed outside?

Answer: The Versaflex™ System is not designed for external installation.

Q: How is the Versaflex™ System installed?

Answer: It is installed from the corner of the working area. Each hard surface tile is supplied pre-mounted on the support grid and a flexible L-shaped grout is attached to each grid. Tiles are then joined together to build up the installation.

Watch our installation video to see the Versaflex™ System being installed.

Q: Is the Versaflex™ System quick to install?

Answer: Yes, it is up to six times quicker to install than conventional wet lay hard flooring systems, thanks in part to the fact that there is no adhesive or grout curing time required.

The floor can be used immediately after installation, further reducing "down-time" when other trades must wait for the grout to cure.

Q: Does the sub floor need to be prepared before installation?

Answer: Ceramics are brittle and rely on all over support from beneath to reduce the incidence of cracking. With the Versaflex ™ system, the floor itself must be level enough to provide uniform support to the entire back of the grid without exception.

Therefore the floor should be clean, smooth and sound, correctly levelled, suitably dry and prepared generally in accordance with the industry norms. One of the many advantages of the Versaflex™ System is that it can be laid over raised access floors retaining sub floor access at all times.

Q: Can it go wall-to-wall?

Answer: Yes, the Versaflex™ System can be cut with conventional hard floor cutting tools to fit any room.

Q: How often can the system be changed or moved around?

Answer: The installation can be moved as many times as necessary giving huge flexibility in aesthetics and surface finishes. It can be used with ceramic or carpet tiles and allows for any mix and matched combination of the two within the same installation.

Q: Do InterfaceFLOR have approved installers?

Answer: No. A wide range of companies could install the Versaflex™ System but we can provide installation training and support if required.

Q: How should the Versaflex™ System be maintained?

Answer: Just like with any other flooring, loose dust should be removed by vacuuming or with a brush. As required, the ceramics may be cleaned with water or a mild detergent solution using a damp mop only. Do not allow standing water onto this product.

Q: What happens if a tile gets damaged?

Answer: Damaged tiles can be replaced by removing the complete individual module, including the grid, and installing a new one. All this can be done without disrupting the adjacent modules and can be carried out by using a normal raised access flooring suction device.

Q: How do modules get lifted?

Answer: Each module, plus the grid, can be lifted using a suitable rubber suction device. Application of a lifting force to each corner of the module in turn is recommended with the grid pegs being gradually eased from the holes in the grout.

Once the module has been released from its neighbours, it should be removed carefully and the weight supported from underneath. It is not recommended that you rely solely on the suction lifter.

Q: How do modules get replaced?

Answer: To refit a new module, first wipe the grout and the grout holes with either water or a mild detergent solution to ease any friction. Then align the grid pegs with the grout holes and gently lower the grid into place.

Take care to ensure the new module fits within the grout lines without causing any damage. Once the tile pegs are aligned to the corresponding holes within the grout, press down on the module gradually and uniformly to ensure an even fit.

Q: How long does the Versaflex™ System last for?

Answer: The top surface materials used on the system are standard products commercially available within the flooring industry. The life expectance is therefore comparable with conventional installations.

Sustainability & materials

Q: What is the flexible grout made of?

Answer: The grout is currently made from a recyclable thermoplastic elastomer; a material that has the advantages typical of both rubber and plastic. We are currently investigating the use of a recycled or bio-polymer for this part of the system.

Q: What is the support grid made of?

Answer: The support grid for hard surfaces is currently made from recyclable Polypropylene (PP) with mineral filler. The carpet supporting grid is made from recyclable Polycarbonate.

Q: What will happen to the product at end of life?

Answer: The product is designed for disassembly at end of life. The support grid and flexible grout can then be recycled into new components.

We are investigating options for take-back (ReEntry) and recycling schemes for the top surface material.

Q: I know it’s recyclable, but how do I recycle the grid and grout?

Answer: Both the grid and grout will be marked with their respective SPI resin identification code. These codes allow recyclers to easily identify the material and to sort accordingly.

Q: How does the carbon footprint (GHG) of the Versaflex™ System compare to that of a wet ceramic installation?

Answer: The environmental impact of the materials, together with the actual installation for 1m² of the Versaflex™ System, is 27kg CO² ( Carbon Dioxide) compared with 32kg CO² for a typical wet lay ceramic installation. This is mainly because the Versaflex™ System does not use water, grout or mortar within the installation.

These figures relate to the first installation only. When the system or components are used for a second time they have zero impact.

Source: Versaflex LCA study for InterfaceFLOR, Societat Organica, 2009. Study excludes transport and maintenance.

For more information on this issue you can contact versaflex@interfaceflor.eu.

Q: How does the flexibility of being able to re-use tiles and change designs impact on the environment?

Answer: The flexibility of being able to re-use the Versaflex™ System without touching the levelling compound (sub floor) has an enormous potential environmental saving when considering the second and subsequent refurbishment and replacement cycles.

This is because the subfloor remains intact. The Versaflex™ System can be simply repaired where needed, re-used in a second installation or reinstalled in a new design with only a minimal change in surface finishes.

We have developed some example scenarios to compare the Versaflex™ System versus a wet ceramic installation over a period ranging up to 24 years.

Example scenario One

A standard installation (wet ceramic) where there is a layout change every 6 years because some products have been damaged due to the updating of utilities and cable feeds; this has resulted in a poor looking installation which now needs to be replaced completely.

Example scenario Two

The same installation but using the Versaflex™ System; in this example, the flexible properties of the Versaflex™ System can be utilised to the maximum advantage and allow for an estimated 2% of the surface tiles, which are damaged through use or layout changes, to be replaced each year if required.

The impact is calculated over a 24 year period which would be four refurbishment cycles.

For more examples please contact versaflex@interfaceflor.eu.

Q: How will the product be reused at end of life?

Answer: The main advantage of the system is that the tiles can be re-used, either in the same installation (by swapping the tiles around) or in another building.

The product itself is designed for disassembly at end of life with the support grid and flexible grout able to be recycled into new components.

We are currently investigating options for take-back (ReEntry) and recycling schemes for the top surface material.

Q: Is using a ceramic a sustainable option?

Answer: Ceramic surfaces have higher carbon footprints than other types of flooring; however the environmental impact across their entire life cycle depends on the actual time they last.

Unfortunately, ceramic floors are usually broken and replaced faster than originally intended. The Versaflex™ System reduces the overall impact of the ceramic surface through its life cycle by enabling ceramic tiles to be replaced easily and quickly and at the same time reducing the amount of water mortar, grout and levelling compound used.

Our innovations team is researching new surfaces that will eventually be used in the Versaflex™ System.

Q: How does the Versaflex™ System fit in with InterfaceFLOR’s Mission Zero?

Answer: The Versaflex™ System is an example of our efforts towards our ‘front 7’ - Redesigning Commerce - which relates to the delivery of the value of the material to the customer rather than the material itself.

InterfaceFLOR pioneered the concept of modular flooring, which brings many sustainability-related benefits including;

  • It can be installed and similarly uninstalled quickly and easily reducing both waste and installation time
  • Modular flooring enables creative design, and makes it easy to create fresh new designs without expensive and wasteful installation
  • It is easily maintained by replacing individual worn tiles, not the whole floor
  • Modular flooring can easily be recycled and reused elsewhere

The Versaflex™ System is an example of expanding the modular concept and all its benefits into hard floor surfaces.