You need to follow the installation and maintenance guides to receive the maximum benefits/lifetime of your flooring.
Make sure you have sufficient cartons to get the job done, always add 5% meant for waste materials. Place the unopened packages of flooring in the middle of the room 24 to 48 hours just before beginning installation. Usually do not open up cartons until you are ready to begin set up To get the greatest appearance and utility; we recommend you randomly combine panels from different cartons.
Color Difference between person panels or packs are normal consideration in Organic Flooring, therefore to maximize appearance it is usually smart to install the flooring in day light (laying at night time isn't recommended). Cork and timber are both items of nature. Difference in the framework, color, and patterns (actually in the same carton), are all part of the natural splendor of the material.
Cork or Hardwood Flooring is not ideal for damp and steamy areas.
Inspect all panels just before installation. It is your responsibility never to install defective panels.
All End-Joints of Panels should be staggered 8" from joints of the previous row
As with all products from character sunlight may cause color variations.
An expansion space of at least 3/8" must be used throughout, not merely between walls and various other flooring, but also around door frames, pipes, or other set objects. With a room size of more than 33'(planks laid length sensible) or 26' (planks laid crossways), expansion joints should be included. The buildings own expansion joints should be used consideration. These expansion spaces can be covered with baseboard and/or trim.
Subfloor Specifications
The surface of the subfloor must be sound and level within 1/8" within an 8-ft. radius. The subfloor should be clean and dry.
Concrete subfloors must not contain more than 3-lbs. moisture (1.5 lbs. with radiant heat systems) on a dry-weight basis (calcium chloride test). Moisture content of hardwood subfloors should be between 6-10% Wetness Content (MC).
Relative humidity range at the job site ought to be 45% - 65%; Area Temperature setting should be between 65F-80F degrees.
Job Site Evaluation
Before installing inspect the job site thoroughly. Determine if the grade, subfloor and subfloor conditions are suitable. In homes with crawl spaces, base vents must definitely provide cross ventilation without dead air space. Vents should be located through the entire foundation with opening area add up to 1 ½% of the square region within the crawl space. If excessive moisture exists underneath the home, you need to lay a 6-mil black polyethylene or foam underlayment moisture barrier (available for purchase on this site on the ground in the crawl space below the set up area.
Preparation
Inspect the subfloors to ensure they are sound and level
Timber subfloors: Inspect the wood subfloor to determine that it is sound and level. Make any required fixes and remove or collection any protruding nails, staples or screws. Re-nail any loose areas or areas with squeaks. If the subfloor sags, inspect the joists below for twists or other weaknesses and repair. Sand or plane any high areas, fill up any low areas. At this time, door jambs should be undercut to avoid difficult cuts. Also be sure to keep proper expansion under door jambs.
Concrete subfloors: On or below grade concrete subfloors are generally acceptable if a highly effective moisture barrier is normally installed. Be sure that, as the very least, any concrete subfloor is at least 50-60 days old before setting up a cork/wood flooring over it. Check moisture content by taping a 2-ft. x 2-ft. square of polyethylene film to the slab in 3 or 4 locations and, when possible, place a lamp or additional heat supply over the poly every day and night or carry out a calcium chloride check. Signs of surplus moisture include: discolored concrete, cloudy film or real drinking water droplets on the lower of the poly. Fill up any voids or low areas in the subfloor with a self-curing leveling compound. Make sure it really is fully cured before proceeding with the cork/ wood set up. 15-lb. Roofing paper can be appropriate for leveling minor depressions in the floor. Cut to the form of the depression and stack in layers to level the region.
Other subfloors: Cork/Timber Floors can be installed over a variety of existing flooring including: vinyl sheet or tiles, rubber tiles, linoleum, terrazzo, ceramic tile, or other wood flooring. The same leveling and dampness requirements apply and the existing floor must be sound.
Prior to begin laying CORK/Real wood Flooring in a below quality installation (basements, etc.) a 1/64" (0.2mm) polyethylene film must be laid Overlap the film by 6" and seal the seams with duck tape. Also, in below quality installations wrap the film up the wall structure.
Begin Laying
Measure the space, this allows you to determine if the last plank in the initial row is going to be shorter that 12". If this is actually the case, the 1st plank in row should be shortened to maximize the overall stability of the flooring.
If http://pin.anime.com/user/flooringpros/ the starting wall is not right, spacers or batten should be used to insure the first row is straight. After laying the initial three rows these spacers can be removed (however, you should always leave a 3/8" expansion space)
Lay the first plank in the proper corner of the area with tongue-part towards the wall. Do not forget to make use of spacer wedges along all walls or other fixed factors in the room. Insert the end joint of the second plank precisely into the end joint of the first plank. This purpose, it must be done at an angle of approximately 20°-30° reducing with light pressure the panel in place. Continue installing the 1st row.
With the next row, focus on the leftover piece of plank from the previous row if the plank is at least 12" long (Note: Stagger end joints in adjunct rows by at least 8".. If not a new plank must be cut. Always keep up with the spacing from the wall structure. Using the leftover plank from the first row, beginning on the proper, lower this plank set up at approximately 20°-30° angle with the main one in the first row. Lower another plank in this row set up at the same position. This is achieved by lifting up leading part of plank by approximately (3"-4") - as well as previously laid plank from the same row - after that lay set up with minor pressure with the planks from the previous row. Following the fitting the entire row, make use of a tapping block (lightly) to close any gaps between panels. Preceded with the laying row by row.
If you used spacers or batten to keep carefully the first row straight, after the 3-4 row remove them, still leaving the mandatory spacing on all wall space. Make certain the spacing is held around fixed points (walls, door frames, etc.). The flooring must float freely.
If you cann't engage the joints of planks under door frames, kick plates, etc. and pull bar can be used. Remove all of the spacers and install all base boards and trims ensuring the floor can move openly underneath. Never attach bottom boards or trim directly to the flooring.