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Installation
Instructions
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1
Preparation
Preparation is 9/10ths of the law. "Think before
you Click"
Remove all existing floor coverings,
including carpets, underlays, and tack strips. If
vinyl is glued down and it is in good repair, leave
it be. We do not recommend you install flooring over
carpets etc. For timber floor overlays ensure the
floor is flat and dry and free from defects. If
there are nails or staples present remove these with
pliers. For concrete floors, ensure the floor is
flat and dry. Level isn't that important, however
flatness is. Check with a long straight edge, the
rule of thumb is a deviation of +or- 2mm per linear
metre of deflection, i.e. gaps under your straight
edge.
In the case of timber floors, if the existing
planks are in bad repair, then either replace the
damaged planks, and or fit an overlay of plywood
securely nailed at 150mm intervals. It is paramount
that the floor is free of dampness, if you think the
floor suffers from penetrative damp, then get a
specialist check this for you, prior to installing
new flooring. If the concrete floor is out of true,
then a thin coat of latex screed may be applied.
Water based latex levelling compounds work ok,
providing you have applied a pva soaker to the
screed first. If there are any lumps and bumps in
the screed, then chisel the bumps off, any dips can
be filled with compound, and towelled smooth.
Just because you wont be seeing this floor when
its covered doesn't mean "out of sight out of mind"
, ensure that you have properly prepared the floor.
2
Which way to lay
Which way you lay your new flooring, is really a
matter of choice with floating floors. But as a
general rule, we would use 2 factors. 1. lay the
flooring with the direction of sunlight , and or 2.
lay the flooring parallel with the longest wall.
Also consider if you are installing a floor in your
lounge and you maybe installing flooring in another
room, example a Hall, in the future, its nice to
have both floors in same direction, so consider what
will look best for both rooms.
3
Where to Start
Once you have chosen which direction you are going
to install the flooring, the next decision is where
to begin.
We always install left to right as you
face the wall you are laying against. If there are
discrepancies in the trueness of the wall, then you
will need to scribe the first row of planks. We will
assume you are leaving skirt boards on.
Scribing
Lay a full row of planks along the
wall, clicking each plank together, the very last
plank will possibly need cutting, turn it thru 180
degrees push it hard against the right hand side
wall, and mark where it needs cutting, cut it and
install. Here's the scribing part, its easy when you
know how. With the first row in place, take a small
block of wood say 25mm thick and holding it against
the wall/floor joint push a pencil hard against the
wood, and trace and move the block of wood along the
wall. This will mimic the contour of your wall.
Unclick each plank and cut with a saw bench or a
jigsaw, and refit. Now push the full row up against
your wall, pull back slightly, and insert your wedge
(spacer) In QLD allow approx 10mm expansion.
Continue installing planks. >. see pictures
We would recommend you fit 3 more
rows, but don't fit the rows together until you have
installed complete rows, then click row 3 to row 4,
then row 2 to row 3&4 then row 1 to row 2,3,&4. Then
slide the lot into position against the wedges. Then
continue installing the flooring across the room.
4
Doorways
If the doors into the room, open inwards, remove
them and store. Its vital that when we install
flooring at the doorway, that we scribe the
architraves accordingly. This is simple and needs
only a couple of tools. Take a spare piece of
underlay, and an off cut of laminate, and using a
handsaw, held flat against the plank cut into the
architrave, when through, remove the waste with a
chisel.
5
Fitting into a doorway
When installing the last row of planks, its quite
easy to get unstuck and "bodge" the job. Time taken
here will, ensure a neat and tidy installation. For
example: lets say the gap between the new floor laid
ad the wall, is 80mm and the planks are 190mm wide.
Also lets assume the door is in the centre of the
wall, and that we have removed the bottoms of the
architrave.
6
Basic tips
It is sometimes a tad disconcerting, when you
suddenly realise the actual plank you wish to fit,
is larger than th gap its being fitted into. And
having checked your measurements, and all seems ok,
you cannot fathom out how to fit that darn plank.
Well we have the same issue, and its really quite
simple to overcome, see the example ^ just above
^ that plank was too large for the gap, so we
slide it under the existing flooring, and then up
against the wall, and it slips into situ, use of the
pull iron, and a tap with the hammer and its clicked
into place. Easy
7
Basic marking of the planks is simple. Turning
the last plank thru 180 degrees, and marking as such
allows the last board to be cut and installed
effortlessly.
Fig 1. Join head joint of new
laminate plank to fitted plank. Held at 30 degrees,
and clicked and lowered into place.
Fig 2. Holding the long side of this
plank, pull it towards the fitted planks, (towards
you) and tug, it should click into place. TIP: keep
right hand close the head join of the fitted plank,
to minimize movement.
Fig 3. For good measure, tap down on the face of
the plank with the heel of your hand, ensuring the
joints have locked.
8
Finally
Once all of the planks are installed its time to
trim out the floor. The edging between the planks
and the skirting is called ( Scotia, quadrant,
moulding etc.). As a rule we air nail this using a
nail gun firing, 25-38mm nails. We fix every 500mm
and not closer than 50mm to a corner. To cut the 45
degree angles we use a hand held mitre saw, and
apply a small amount of wood glue to the cut edge,
wiping any excess with a moist cloth. Lastly,
fitting the door threshold bar in place. This is
commonly called an expansion profile, and may be
screwed or siliconed in place.
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