Schluter®-REFLEECE

Function

Schluter®-REFLEECE is a fleece made of recycled PET with an adhesive coating on the back. It is suitable for the application of temporary, removable tile and natural stone coverings in the floor area. REFLECE features a self-adhesive backside that can be easily removed from the subfloor during deconstruction and does not cause any damage to the existing subfloor.

REFLEECE is a 1/32″ (0.85 mm) thick non-woven fabric made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate), with a special solvent-free and plasticizer-free adhesive coating on the back. Note: There is no release film on the back of the product.

The adhesive is not UV-stable in the long term, therefore permanent and intensive sunlight should be avoided during storage. REFLEECE can be stored for at least 18 months if kept dry and frost-free 41-86 °F (5-30°C).

Impact Sound Insulation

Schluter®-REFLEECE overlaid with 5/16″-thick porcelain tile received a rating of ΔIIC 17 when tested according to test method ASTM E2179.  The actual degree of improvement of the respective assembly depends on the local conditions (structural design) and can deviate from this value. Therefore, the determined test values cannot be transferred to every construction site situation.

Suitable Substrates

Substrates on which REFLEECE is to be installed must always be checked for their suitability to make sure they are level, load bearing, clean and compatible with the materials to be used. Remove all surface components that may weaken the bond. Any unevenness or height and slope differences in the substrate must be leveled prior to the application of REFLEECE.

The surfaces of the floor covering or subfloor to which REFLEECE is to be applied must always be load bearing and such that the back coating of the fleece will adhere to the surface. REFLEECE may only be installed to fully bonded systems; floating floors are not a suitable application for using the REFLEECE product. The compatibility of the adhesive coating and its desired substrate must be checked prior to installation. REFLEECE may only be used on solvent-free or plasticizer-free substrates.

Suitable substrates include but are not limited to concrete, gypsum screeds, self-levelers, existing tile floors, and well-bonded resilient floor coverings.

If adhesive residue remains on the substrate after removing REFLEECE, remove the residue by means of lukewarm, clean water.

Movement Joints

Movement joints must be incorporated within the tile field, at doorsills, and at transitions to walls and other restraining structures to allow movement of the assembly and prevent stresses that can damage the system. REFLEECE shall be sectioned with pieces abutted along the length of existing movement joints. Schluter®-Systems’ prefabricated movement joint profiles protect tile edges and prevent sound bridges and surface water penetration, resulting in a permanent, maintenance-free installation. The family of Schluter®-DILEX prefabricated movement profiles include a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials to suit different applications.

Maintenance

Schluter®-REFLEECE requires no maintenance.

Installation

1. Substrates must be checked for suitability prior to installation such as flatness, load-bearing capacity, cleanliness, and compatibility. Any inconsistencies in the subfloor must be compensated for before installation. Examples include unevenness, height inconsistencies, or varying degrees of slope.

2. The substrate shall be vacuumed and cleaned to remove as much as dust as possible before embedding fleece.

3. REFLEECE is rolled out, cut to size, and embedded fully into subfloor surface with the use of a float or weighted roller. Note: There is no release film on the back of the product.

4. To prevent damage or detachment of installed REFLEECE, it is recommended to protect the material by laying out running boards in areas where fleece may be exposed to additional traffic prior to tile installation.

5. Immediately following the installation of REFLEECE, tiles can be embedded using traditional thin-set methods. Apply a uniform layer of Schluter SET®, Schluter ALL-SET®, Schluter FAST-SET® or unmodified thin-set and comb using a trowel that is appropriate trowel for the tile size and format. Be sure to observe open time of thin-set adhesive during installation.

6. According to applicable recommendations, movements joints in the substrate must be considered in the layout of the finished tile covering. Large-area tile floorings over REFLEECE shall be divided into smaller areas by means of movement joints in accordance with the applicable recommendations. We recommend the use of Schluter®-DILEX movement joint profiles for these applications.