Laying Engineered Wood Flooring

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Laying and Fitting Engineered Wood Flooring

For ease of installation the following tools are required: Saw, P.V.A.Glue, Hammer (500 g minimum), Tape Measure, Pencil, Professional Knocking Block, Professional Pull Bar, Drill, Wedges and a "T" square.

This product is suitable for laying over certain types of underfloor heating systems. Please contact your supplier for technical information before laying.

To keep the wood in excellent condition it is imperative that the humidity level be controlled at all times, from delivery to laying the floor, and during the years that follow installation. The optimal humidity range for hardwood flooring is 45 – 60 %; temperature should be maintained at about 18 °C.

The wood should never be stored outdoors, on a cement floor, in a garage or in any damp conditions. Care should be taken to store the wood flat; packs should never be lent against a wall. The wood should be left in the packaging until you are ready to lay the floor.

In a new construction all windows and doors etc should be installed and all wet trades should be completed. Where a new concrete slab has been laid, the moisture content must not exceed 5 % and the humidity level of the building must not exceed 60 %.

When laying a wood floor avoid areas that are wet or humid, e.g. bathrooms, shower rooms etc.

It should also be remembered that the floor layer is the last person to inspect the flooring. Care should be taken to ensure that a balanced look is maintained when laying out the floor; any pieces that are suspect should not be laid. A waste factor of 5 % should be taken into account.

The appearance of spaces between boards indicates a drying out of the wood and an insufficient degree of humidity.

The appearance of waves or noticeable swelling in the finish of the wood floor indicates the presence of excessive humidity. Heating systems may have to be utilised throughout the year to maintain the correct humidity level. The installation of a humidifier or an air exchange system can prove indispensable in controlling humidity.

Above all don't forget that wood is a natural, living material and that we must look after it for life. A proper maintenance program should always be carried out Barrier matting should be placed at all exterior doorways. Remember that pets running round, stiletto heels, and dirt and grit left on the floor can scratch wood; proper maintenance should be carried out to prevent this.

The following information is based upon practical experience.

Due to the variety of installations we can only generalise. We would always recommend that the floor layer satisfy themselves of the suitability of the conditions before laying the floor.

Either remove the skirting boards and replace after installation, make sure to leave a 10-12 mm gap between the floor and the wall. If the skirting is not removed a quadrant finishing strip should be used over the expansion gap. Draw a line parallel to the longest wall allowing for the 10mm expansion gap, and lay the first board up to this. The board should be places with the groove facing the wall. The expansion gap should be maintained by inserting wooden wedges between the board and the wall.

PVA adhesive should be placed in 100mm strips every 600mm on the top side of the groove, it should also be placed on the full width at the end of each board. Excess adhesive should be wiped away immediately with a damp cloth.

Continue across the room knocking boards together with a 600mm knocking block in a flicking action down the edge of the board, this will avoid damage to the board edges. The cut off from the first row (provided that it is more than 300mm) should be used to start the second row; this will result in a staggered joint.

The last row of boards will normally have to be cut to width. The simplest way of doing this is to place the last but on e in position without gluing. Place the last board on top of the last but one and scribe a line, ensure that you have left room for the 10mm expansion gap. Lift the board and cut.

After gluing the last but one board and placing it into position, glue and insert the last board and lever into position. Insert wedges to hold the boards in position and allow the adhesive to set. Remove all wedges and either pin quadrant moulding to the skirting or refit the skirting if it was removed prior to installation. A full installation kit is available from our website. Also available is a range of quadrant mouldings, door strips etc.

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