IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT YOUR FLOORING PLEASE READ BEFORE INSTALLING

Transcription

1 IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT YOUR FLOORING PLEASE READ BEFORE INSTALLING

2 ACCLIMATIZATION AND STORAGE Your new flooring has to be acclimatized for 24 hours before installation begins. The flooring must remain in its packaging stored horizontal in the room which it is to be installed into. Please Note the room must be between 18 and 24, heat sources or other direct radiant heat exceeding 50 are not allowed. SUBFLOOR It is of the utmost importance that the subfloor is dry, clean, solid and flat. You can find appropriate electronic moisture meters in DIY stores, The subfloor must be flat and the flatness tolerances must be observed. The installer must always and in particular with renovation work check the current status of the subfloor, if it does not meet the requirements stated here extra work will need to be carried out to level the subfloor out, to determine the flatness of your floor apply these tolerances over 3m length the floor must not be more than 3mm difference. UNDERFLOOR HEATING We can recommend both electric and water based underfloor heating systems be used with Aqua Plank flooring with a temperature not exceeding 28 C and an average running of 20 C. The heating must be turned off 48hrs prior to installation and once the flooring has been installed turned on with an increase in working temperature of 5 C per day until normal operating temperature has been reached. Water Based heating pipes are to be fitted a minimum of 30mm below the subfloor surface and electric based cables and grids a minimum of 10mm. TOOLS Having the correct tools and equipment and understanding of how to use them safely is key to a successful installation, Broom and or a vacuum cleaner, tape measure, pencil, set square, ruler, utility knife, hand roller, rubber mallet and a tapping block. EXPANSION Depending on the climate conditions your flooring will expand or contract, it therefore needs to be kept a suitable distance away from any fixed structures such as walls, supports, door frames, radiator pipes etc, this is called the expansion gap. This gap should be a minimum of 5mm, for areas larger than 60m2 it is recommended to increase this minimum size to a 10mm gap, if the run of a single wall exceeds 20 linear metres then an additional 5mm gap needs to be placed within the floor surface. PLEASE NOTE All flooring will CHIP, DENT and SCRATCH unless care is taken to PROTECT it, FELT PADS should be used on all moveable furniture. Matting at room entrances will greatly reduce grit and dirt from being transferred onto your flooring Liability for the installation remains with the installer following the fitting instructions and guides supplied and ensuring that the product and area are both suitable to be installed. Prevent the flooring form coming into contact with a large amount of water, or from being submerged as the click connection is not Waterproof. Conservatories and rooms with excessive light should be avoided unless protection screens are used, this can be glass protection or blinds.

3 Aqua Plank Drop Click installation method Preparation 1. This flooring should be installed between a room temperature minimum of 18 C / 62 F and a maximum of 28 C / 82 F 2. Its recommended that the flooring is acclimatised for 24 hours before the installation starts 3. Before fitting the floor carry out checks in daylight for possible defects or any discrepancies in the batch, colour or shine 4. Check that the edge profiles are undamaged and that the tongue and groove are free from dirt 5. When possible its recommended working from two packs of the same batch to avoid pattern repetitions while fitting 6. The sub floor must be prepared sufficiently in advance to ensure a successful installation, it must be dry, firm, smooth, level and free from defects. If the sub floor has an uneven surface in excess of 3mm over a 3m length then further action will be required with an appropriate levelling compound. The finished appearance of this or any click vinyl product will only ever be as good as the sub floor over which it has been laid, if you are in any doubt of the requirements please contact the retailer for full instruction Installation It is recommended that you start on the longest straight wall and from the left hand side lay the first board, with the longer tongue edge facing the installer and out into the room, leave an expansion gap between the wall and the board in accordance with the finished run size. Always work from left to right with the longer tongue joint facing you. (Fig1) The first row is laid in a straight line by clicking the head joints of each board together (Fig2), put the shorter side of the profile into the head joint of the previously laid board and press the panel downwards the use of a hand roller is recommended so that the head ends connect firmly and securely. Continue laying the first row until you reach the last panel. For the last panel take a measurement don't forget to allow for the expansion gap and with the use of a utility knife and a straight edge mark and cut the panel with the knife (Fig 3) scoring a few times to cut through the wear layer of the board, this will allow you the break the panel into two. With the off-cut from the first row, providing it is over 1/3 of total panel length it can be used to start the next row, if not a new starter board will need to be created. Starting from the left hand side place the groove edge on to the tongue edge of the first row panel (Fig4) at an angle less than 25, the panel is slid to the left making allowance for expansion and then lowered to the floor while keeping pressure pushing firmly against the first board. The second panel is fitted by placing it into the groove of the first row again and then sliding it to the left to meet the first board fitted in the row. Position the corner of the head end against the head end of the previous fitted panel and then lower to the floor, use the hand roller to secure the joint, once a row has been completed take a rubber mallet and tapping block and gently strike along the row edge (Fig 5) to ensure that the click mechanism has been firmly locked during installation. Using the methods starting, jointing and finishing rows the floor can be built up to cover larger areas. to install the last row they will normally need to be cut down in size, to do this lay a panel on top of the previous row with the groove towards the wall, lay another panel upside down and place by the edge of the wall, allowing for expansion, this will give you a line to mark and cut, allowing the final row to be fitted.

4 5G INSTALLATION METHOD Setting Up Remove skirting boards and door frames can be undercut to accommodate the expansion gap necessary for the flooring. To minimise the effects of direct sunlight it is recommended to run the flooring parallel to the windows and this will help limit the expansion effect caused by the sunlight. Remember to leave a minimum of 8mm expansion gap around all objects such as pipework, sinks and walls etc. During the planning stage ensure you have at least half a width of a tile against the wall opposite the starting wall, the actual length is not critical but try to avoid cuts less than 200mm in length. Installation Begin from the left hand side of a long straight wall, with the long side of the tile s tongue edge facing the wall, the end may need to be scribed to the left hand side of the wall in order to balance the cut of the final plank of the row. The use of wedges is recommended to maintain the expansion gap, these will be removed after the installation. To join the second tile line up the ends of the first and second tile above each other and push down vertically ( Not at an angle) to connect them, you should hear a click once locked correctly, continue until you reach the last plank of the row, this will need to be scribed into the wall not forgetting to leave an expansion gap. Continue connecting tiles to create the first row, ensure that the tiles are lined up with each other to prevent any issues joining later rows. Once the first row is complete check that it lies parallel to the starter wall and that the final row on the opposite wall will have around half a tile width, it may require further scribing of the first row to achieve this. The second row can be started with the offcut remaining from the end of the first row if it is a suitable size (200mm minimum length and at least 300mm from the joint between the first and second tiles of the first row.) scribe the tile to the left hand wall to achieve this allowing for the expansion gap. When sized correctly fit the longer tongue edge of the first tile of the second row into the groove of the tile in the first row, at an angle between and lower to the floor to lock the joint. The second tile is located in the first rows groove again and slid to meet the first tile and line up the short ends, at a similar angle, lower to the floor and apply pressure to the short end to lock the first and second planks of the second row. Using the methods of, starting the rows, joining the boards and finishing the row the rest of the floor can be built up row on row. The final row is fitted in the same way but will require it to be scribed into the wall, allowing for the expansion gap. Once complete the expansion gaps around all walls and any other objects can be covered with skirting, beading or radiator cover caps.

5 How To Care For Your Floor 1. Remove all loose dirt and debris from the flooring by using a vacuum cleaner, broom or a dust pan and brush, electro static wipes, if you are using a vacuum cleaner please refer to the manufacturers guidelines and make sure that it will be suitable for cleaning aqua plank flooring. 2. We recommend that only PH Neutral cleaners and disinfectants are used during the cleaning of your new floor, try to remove spills as soon as they arrive on the floor and rinse down with warm clean water, please be aware no flooring product will be impervious to every chemical or solvent and to avoid rubber and petroleum based products such as tyres, casters, floors matts and asphalt sealers which may contain chemicals that could react and permanently stain your floor. 3. We recommend to fit a suitable non rubber backed door mat as this can prevent upto 80% of tracked in dirt debris 4. Avoid swamping the floor area with detergent and rinse water, take care to remove all liquids off the surface as re-deposited rinse water with dirt and detergent can settle on the surface and give a hazy appearance. Helpful tips Avoid dragging or sliding heavy items of furniture, carousels and point of sale across the floor. Spending a small amount of time looking after your new click vinyl floor will ensure that it continues to look at its best and provide you with many years of carefree use without the need of costly maintenance and repairs. Never use abrasive cleaners or scourers Never use wax s or floor polishes during cleaning Do use Mop and water for cleaning Do use drip trays underneath pot plants Do use PH Neutral cleaners Do remove any spills as soon as they occur Moisture Proof Click System PU Coated Suitable for Bathrooms Faster Installations Adding Extra Protection Natural Feeling High Impact Suitable For High Definition Textured Surface Resistance Underfloor Heating Images