Section 03.54.16 covers hydraulic-cement-based underlayments used to level, patch, or resurface floors prior to flooring installation. Because these products rely on tight control of substrate preparation, moisture conditions, mix water, and placement continuity, even small deviations can lead to debonding, cracking, curling, or surface irregularities.The three-phase QAQC flow, Preparatory, Initial, and Follow-Up, ensures that substrate and environmental conditions are confirmed before mixing begins, validates the first placement, and maintains consistent application across all zones.
FTQ360 captures substrate photos, moisture readings, flow-ring results, mix-water logs, thickness checks, and curing data for each area, creating a defensible installation record.
This checklist supports every step of hydraulic cement underlayment installation, from early substrate evaluation through placement and final acceptance. Preparatory steps confirm substrate soundness, cleaning, CSP profile, crack repairs, moisture testing, primer compatibility, and required environmental controls, directly tied to root causes of debonding and cracking.
During the Initial phase, inspectors verify mix proportions, flow requirements, placement sequencing, thickness, substrate temperature, and curing initiation.
The Follow-Up phase tracks uniformity of placement, temperature trends, working time, moisture behavior, and surface condition.
At completion, inspectors document hardness, bond condition, curing completion, and any repairs, producing a complete QAQC trail tied to each placement area.
Hydraulic cement underlayment exhibits recurring field issues because moisture conditions, mix water, substrate preparation, and curing environment all influence early-age performance.
Most failures start in the Preparatory and Initial phases, where substrate moisture and mix-water verification determine bond quality and surface integrity. The failure modes below connect directly to checkpoints across all FTQ360 phases.
Root cause: Excess substrate moisture, missing primers, or incompatibility between substrate conditions and manufacturer requirements.
Field indicators: Hollow-sounding areas, localized delamination, bond shear failures, or moisture-driven blistering.
FTQ360 Inspection: Preparatory-phase moisture testing logs confirm substrate readiness; Initial-phase primer and substrate-temperature photos provide evidence of proper bond setup; Follow-Up bond checks reveal recurring moisture issues by zone.
Root cause: Temperature swings, rapid moisture loss, cold substrates, incorrect joint honoring, or insufficient curing.
Field indicators: Fine cracking, transverse cracking at high-stress points, edge separation, or curl at terminations.
FTQ360 Inspection: Preparatory environmental controls are documented; Initial-phase curing-start timestamps and water-addition logs verify proper mix and timing; Follow-Up temperature and humidity logs track conditions that lead to cracking patterns.
Root cause: Inconsistent flow, improper mixing sequence, rapid set, varying substrate temperatures, or inadequate spreading.
Field indicators: Ridges, depressions, surface rippling, roller marks, or visually uneven coverage.
FTQ360 Inspection: Preparatory-phase substrate-temperature and environmental checks; Initial-phase flow-ring measurements and placement photos verify uniformity; Follow-Up logs track placement continuity across zones.
Root cause: Delays between placement areas, poor pacing, or workability loss from fast-setting mixes.
Field indicators: Visible seams, discoloration, inconsistent finish texture, or cracking at transitions.
FTQ360 Inspection: Initial-phase placement-timing logs establish working-window limits; Follow-Up records track zone-by-zone application pace so early drift is corrected.
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Prepare for success by verifying that personnel, materials, equipment, and documentation are ready for work to begin. Inspectors confirm substrate cleaning, crack repairs, CSP profile, moisture testing, primer compatibility, substrate temperature, and environmental conditions.
These steps directly address failure modes such as debonding, cracking, and uneven curing. FTQ360 captures substrate and environmental photos, moisture readings, and primer requirements so the Initial phase starts with verified baseline conditions.
This phase confirms that work starts correctly. Inspectors verify mix proportions, water addition, flow characteristics, placement sequence, substrate temperature, and curing initiation, controls tied directly to early-age cracking, leveling issues, and cold joints.
Photos show primer coverage, mix consistency, and the first installed area. Thickness checks and flow-ring results provide measurable evidence that the installation complies with manufacturer requirements. Any deviations are corrected immediately before continued production.
This phase aims to keep work proceeding correctly. Inspectors track zone-by-zone consistency, surface condition, temperature, moisture patterns, placement continuity, and working time. These checks connect directly to the failure-mode indicators, cracking, uneven leveling, cold joints, and recurring debonding.
FTQ360’s location-linked logs reveal emerging trends (such as moisture hotspots or repeated texture inconsistencies), enabling proactive correction.
All of the work culminates with a final result; this phase ensures the completed installation meets project requirements. Inspectors verify hardness, bond, curing completion, finish uniformity, and final repairs. Any surface defects are documented by location.
FTQ360 compiles substrate-prep photos, primer documentation, moisture logs, thickness checks, mix-water logs, flow tests, and curing records into a complete closeout package ready for handoff to flooring trades or the design team.
ASTM C109 – Standard Test Method for Compressive Strength of Hydraulic Cement Mortars.
UFGS 03 54 16 Hydraulic Cement Underlayment
VA, NMS, or SpecLink equivalents where applicable
FTQ360 runs on tablets and phones (online or offline), allowing inspectors to capture photos and measurements at the point of work.
Required fields and conditional logic prevent skips and enforce holds. Time and user stamps maintain traceability, and lot/location tracking ties each reinforcement inspection to the pour or structural element.
Dashboards reveal patterns, such as recurring low cover or splice drift, so teams can correct issues before they propagate across floors or shear walls.
Prefer the FTQ360 in-app setup?
Open Checklist Setup → Library, search for the code and tap to clone the checklist.
Then tailor checkpoint templates to your requirements.
If your team still needs paper in select areas, you can print the PDF from the FTQ360 app, mark it up in the field, then transcribe results and attach photos later, just note that paper won’t enforce required fields, conditional logic, or holds like the app does.
For step-by-step help, visit support.ftq360.com.
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