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The Ultimate Guide to Grounding ESD Floors

For use with ElectraGuard, ElectraSeal, ESD Glue Down Tiles, Interlocking ESD Tiles, ESD Carpet Tiles and ESD Sheet Vinyl

Download these Grounding Instructions as a pdf file

All ESD flooring material must be grounded to allow the electrostatic charges to flow to ground. The following methods provide easy, secure connections for attaching an ESD flooring to electrical ground. Note: Our ESD flooring requires 2 ground connections for small floors (under 3,000 sf) and one additional ground for every 3,000 sf thereafter.

• Note: More grounding attachments will not raise the conductivity of your flooring system or provide increased static control properties.

• Note: Why aluminum instead of copper? Aluminum has about the same conductivity. It's more cost effective, bonds well to walls and concrete and doesn't tarnish overtime.

• We provide FREE aluminum foil ground tape with each order of flooring. For Copper Foil adhesive backed 1/2" and 2" wide tape for ESD Flooring please visit this hyperlink.

A) MOST COMMON METHOD (note this is the safest but it requires replacing the plastic faceplate cover with one made of metal):

1) Locate AC power outlet. Note: De energizing the outlet is highly recommended. Remove the center screw of the AC electrical face plate cover (this cover is typically plastic). Carefully remove the face plate. Starting at the AC drywall cutout (1), run a piece of our 2" wide aluminum foil ground tape (2) down the wall and onto the VERY CLEAN and DUST FREE concrete (or other flooring substrate) for about 4 to 6 inches. Note: Use an L square to insure the strip is straight.

Note: for a great looking attachment cut any wall base, peel back base and run strip behind the re-glued wall-base.

2) Run another aluminum foil strip (approximately 6" to 12” long) over this 2" or 3" piece that you've placed on the floor (3).  Run this strip parallel to the wall and adhere to the flooring substrate (concrete, VCT, etc).

3) Replace the plastic faceplate cover with a METAL face plate cover that comes into contact with the aluminum (or copper) strip. Example

For best results center punch the overlapping strip in a few places (4) to drive the aluminum top surface into the aluminum foil beneath it (the adhesive backing is not conductive).

B) OPTIONAL METHOD USING OUTLET (does NOT require replacing the plastic faceplate cover with one made of metal):

1) Turn off power to outlet! Remove face plate cover and bottom screw holding outlet in place. Wrap aluminum foil over and around the bottom "ear" as shown being sure to not leave loosed ends or foil inside outlet. Replace screw running bolt through the foil and into the bolt hole.

2) Run aluminum strip around bottom of outlet (if applicable), down the wall and onto the floor a few inches.

3) Run another piece of aluminum foil parallel with the wall and over the top of this piece so it looks like a T going up the wall. For best results center punch overlapping strips in a few places to drive the aluminum top surface into the aluminum foil beneath it (the adhesive backing is not conductive). Replace faceplate cover.

Completed

Click for large photo

For Coatings: Lightly sand the foil on the floor with 320 grit emery paper or course scotch bright. Remove abrasive residue with a clean piece of paper towel. Apply the coatings over this strip.

For Glue Down Tiles and Sheet Vinyl: Cover the foil that has been applied to the subfloor with the conductive adhesive, place the tile or sheet vinyl over this adhesive and ground strip and roll with a 100 pound vinyl roller.

For Interlocking Tiles: Place the interlocker over the aluminum foil that has been applied to the subfloor. Note: See instructions for full details.

For ESD Carpet Tile: Cover the foil that has been applied to the subfloor with the conductive adhesive, place the carpet tile over the adhesive and ground strip and roll with a 100 pound vinyl roller.