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Installation Instructions
BE SURE TO READ THE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS AND MAINTENANCE GUIDE. IMPROPER INSTALLATION AND CARE MAY RENDER THE WARRANTY AS VOID.
Before installing product, inspect all materials carefully for defects (such as chips and colour or sheen) under good light conditions. These floors are manufactured in accordance with industry standards, which permit a defect tolerance of 5%. All installed product is deemed ‘accepted’.
Differences in surface finish between planks are an unavoidable characteristic of laminate flooring. Light will reflect differently from board to board. This is part of the design of the décor. All laminate flooring will exhibit some gloss variances, or by directional angle or different light conditions. The manufacturer does not accept gloss difference as a warrantable claim. In some cases and with approval, boxes may be returned for product credit if they are unopened and in good condition.
The laminate flooring MUST be allowed to climatize to the environment of the installation area. The unopened package must lie horizontally in the installation area for 48 hours at an approximate temperature of 18-24 ºC (64-75 ºF) and a relative humidity of 30-60 percent.
For best results, be sure to use laminate planks out of more than one box.
REQUIRED TOOLS AND SUPPLIES
Foam underlay, spacers, tapping block, pull bar, saw, hammer, painter’s tape, utility knife, pencil, tape measure, ruler, pressure sensitive adhesive tape (Tuck tape or equivalent), broom or vacuum, safety glasses, chalk lines, level, transition pieces as needed.
For installation on concrete floors or any floors over a crawl space, a polyethylene vapour barrier must be laid down beneath the foam underlay. Use 4mm (or thicker) poly. Run the poly 5cm (2”) up walls and overlap seams 45cm (18”) then tape seams.
Wood sub-floors need to be well nailed and secured with screws. The wood sub-floor should not exceed 3% moisture content.
JOB SITE CONDITIONS
Ensure that the job site sub-floor and job site conditions are environmentally stable and structurally stable (refer to local building codes) for floor installation.
Floors must be carefully checked for moisture problems. Any moisture problems need to be solved before installation (refer to NWFA guidelines). New concrete needs to cure for at least 60 days.
This product is not suitable for damp rooms such as bathrooms, saunas, rooms with damp concrete, rooms with floor drains or rooms that could potentially flood.
FLOOR PREPARATION
The sub-floor must be thoroughly even, dry, clean, and solid.
Be sure to check that your floor is level. If your floor has any waves or bumps (ie. carpet staples, glue residue, etc.), your laminate flooring cannot be installed correctly. Self-levelling compound can be used to level your floor.
When installing over existing hardwood floors, install boards’ perpendicular to existing floor.
Foam underlay must be placed beneath your laminate flooring to ensure comfort and noise reduction. Different types of foam underlay should be used depending on the type of floor you are installing on (concrete, plywood, etc.), and whether you are installing on the ground floor or higher, as higher levels may need better sound insulation.
Make sure the laminate and foam underlay will fit under your open doors.
Radiant Heated Sub-floors
Before installing over a radiant heated floor, turn off the heat and wait until the floor has reached room temperature. After installing the floor, return the floor to previous temperature in 2 degree intervals over 1 hour per interval.
Caution: the slab surface must never exceed 30 ºC (see NWFA guidelines-Appendix H: Radiant Heat Installations).
INSTALLATION OF FLOOR
Diagram 1
The foam underlay should run in the same direction as the laminate planks, and be adjoined side by side with the seams taped together without overlapping.
To ensure that the decorative laminate surface will be well under the finished trim, the tongue on the sides of the planks that face the wall will need to be removed. A good way to accomplish this is to score the tongue several times with a utility knife until it snaps off.
Diagram 2
Start in a corner by placing the first plank with its trimmed side facing the wall. Use spacers along each wall to maintain an expansion space of 8-12mm between the wall and the flooring.
Because your flooring needs room to expand and contract, the laminate should not be attached to the floor, regardless of the surface.
Diagram 3-5
First row. Attach the planks at their ends by folding the end tongue into the end groove. When building the first row, ensure that all the edges are lined up to create a straight row.
Diagram 4
Diagram 5
Diagram 6-7
To fit the last plank in each row, use the saw to cut the correct length. Prior to cutting, measure the last plank by placing a full length piece against the wall.
Diagram 7
Diagram 8
If you are using a handsaw, cut the laminate with the decorative side facing up. But if you are using a jig or circular saw, cut the planks with the decorative side facing down to avoid chipping. It is recommended that you stick painter’s tape on the cut-line to prevent the laminate from chipping when being sawed.
Diagram 9
When starting the second row, the planks should be staggered to create a beautiful pattern. Begin the next row with the excess piece from the last plank of the previous row.
The Stagger is the distance between short ends from one row to the next and should apply the following: minimum distance between joints of the short ends of the planks in parallel rows shall not be less than 2 times the width of the plank (for example: if plank is 8” wide, ends should be staggered by at least 16”).
Diagram 10-11
Each plank should be attached on the long-side first, by pushing the tongue side of the plank into the groove side at about a 45 degree angle, then slide next to neighbouring plank and dropped down to fit side by side.
Diagram 11
Diagram 12-15
To install the last row, lay a plank on top of the previous row with the tongue side of the plank against the wall. Lay another plank upside down on top of the first plank and use it as a ruler to measure the correct width for the planks in the last row. Be sure not to include the tongue in the measurement of the width, as it will be snapped into the groove of the preceding row. Also, don’t forget to allow room for spacers.
Diagram 13
Diagram 14
Diagram 15
Diagram 16
Door frames and heating vents also require expansion space. As such, you must first cut the plank to the correct length. Then place the cut plank next to its actual position so that you can measure and mark the areas to be cut out. Finally, cut out the marked points allowing the necessary expansion distance for your flooring to make a measured fit.
If needed, your door frames can be trimmed so that the planks can slide easily under the frames. Turn one of your planks upside down and, using a handsaw cut away the necessary height for the plank to slide underneath.
