Laminate flooring installation and maintenance
PRELIMINARY WORK Store the laminate floorboards in the unopened packaging and flat in the same room for at least 48 hours before installation. Do not install the floor in a wet or damp room (e.g. bathrooms and rooms with floor stairs). The floor is installed “floating”, i.e. the boards are not nailed, glued or otherwise attached to the subfloor, but are connected to each other without glue, i.e. with a click connection. As the climate changes, the floor expands and contracts slightly, which is why at least 10 mm of expansion space must be left around walls, door jambs, pipes and other fixed objects. Spacers must be used in doorways, corner rooms, corridors and for floors over 12 m long or over 8 m wide. The subfloor must be dry, flat (max. 3 mm / 2 m and 1.2 mm / 0.25 m) and clean. In the case of underfloor heating, it is advisable to consult a dealer. Laminate flooring can be installed on vinyl, linoleum, wood and ceramic floors. Textile carpets must be removed. Laminate flooring must be insulated from moisture coming from the subfloor. To do this, in buildings where there is a risk of moisture coming from below, especially in the case of concrete subfloors, the subfloor must be covered with a 0.2 mm polyethylene film, with an overlap of 200 mm from the edges. The subfloor must not be too damp. An intermediate layer (2 mm foam underlay) must be laid on top of the moisture barrier. Check that the laminate boards to be installed do not have any defects or signs of crushing. The flooring supplier must be informed of any possible defects before the boards are installed. Ideal installation conditions are a room temperature of 18 °C and a humidity of 50%. Humidity fluctuations during use must be between 35% and 60%. In private houses, apartments and office spaces with modern ventilation and heating systems, the air is very dry during dry periods (winter heating season), and the humidity can even drop below 35%RH. Excessive dryness also has a detrimental effect on human health. Therefore, we recommend artificially increasing the humidity in rooms during dry periods, for example with a humidifier.
INSTALLATION
▪ Traditionally, installation begins in the left corner of the room, with the protruding edge of the table facing the wall.
▪ If desired, the installation of laminate flooring with a Click connection can also be started from the middle of the wall or from the right corner of the room.
▪ It is also possible to install the other way around – placing the groove against the protrusion.
▪ When assembling the boards, place the tongue of the board to be installed into the groove of the board in the previous row at an angle of approximately 12° and carefully press the board down to lock the connection.
▪ The tables can be disassembled and reassembled several times. 3.
▪ Install expansion wedges between the board and the walls (expansion space min. 10mm).
▪ The installation of the new Click laminate floor with the connection lock can be started from a suitable place in the middle of the wall or from the corners of the room.
▪ A good place to start is near an obstacle, such as a doorway, corner of a room, radiator, etc.
▪ Start installing the next board in the new row by assembling the shorter edge.
▪ Once the shorter edge is in place, place the longer edge as close as possible to the installed row of boards.
▪ Then lift both boards up at the same time, push the longer edge of the new board into place, and bend the boards down.
▪ Install the entire floor in this manner. 6.
▪ Once some rows have been installed, stand on the already installed floor to assemble the new row.
▪ The last row usually needs to be sawn narrower. To do this, place the last row of boards exactly on top of the second-to-last row and use a piece of board to mark the wall contour on the last row of boards (don't forget to allow for 10 mm expansion space!).
▪ If desired, it is possible to replace a damaged board or lift and reinstall the floor.
▪ To remove the table, lift the table with the bulge upwards and remove it. MAINTENANCE
▪ Install doormats at all exterior doors to protect the floor.
▪ For regular cleaning, use a vacuum cleaner and, if necessary, a damp mop with a little neutral detergent. Never use water or steam cleaning machines.
▪ The floor should never be sanded, waxed or polished.
▪ Use felt pads on furniture legs.
▪ To remove stubborn stains, use methylated spirits or similar and a cotton cloth.