general

instructions

Congratulations with your new ‘Solid

Wood Flooring’. Before starting with the

installation, it is critical that you read the

following instructions carefully. Failure to

do so will inevitably result in problems

occurring and invalidate your warranty.

Installer/owner

responsibility

Solid hardwood floors are a natural product and as such are subject to

many variances in both colour and character, this is to be expected at all

times. In order to establish a consistency of product a grading and

manufacturing tolerance of 5% has been set to allow for de-selection of

material if deemed unsuitable for the installation. A 5% cutting or waste

allowance must therefore be added to the net square meters required for

the site to be installed. This product is produced with a manufacturing

tolerance of + or - 1.5% on the dimensions of the board, this should be

considered on installation and where product is out of tolerance that

section dismissed as part of the cutting and waste allowance.

The installer or owner assumes all responsibility for final inspection of

the product quality prior to installation. The installer or owner must

determine that the job site environment and the sub-surfaces involved

meet or exceed all requirements within these instructions; claims will

not be accepted if a fault was visibly noticeable or preventable prior to

installation. These conditions are noted further within.

• All flooring must be stored in the correct conditions prior to installing.

• This product “must not” be stored on site until all sub – floors;

plastering, cement work; decorating and all other wet work is

completely dry.

• The owner has final responsibility to ensure that they have received

the correct species and finish that was selected in store.

• The installer/owner must inspect each board and deselect pieces

with defects whatever the cause, under no circumstances should

these be installed.

• Solid hardwood floors must not be installed below ground level,

conservatories or in bathrooms. Solid hardwood floors must never

be floated.

• It is normal practice to use stain, putty or filler stick for defect

correction or minor dimension differences.

• Always work from 3 to 4 packs at a time mixing boards to achieve

the appearance you require, taking into consideration the texture of

the wood and the natural change in colours. Each floor, even each

board is an individual piece of nature, which is guaranteed to make

your home a place of beauty.

warranty enquires. We strongly recommend you keep a record

of your moisture and humidity readings prior to installation

and in order to accurately determine acclimatisation. These

measurements “will be” required by the manufacturer or supplier

if there are any future problems.

Acclimatising

your new floor

AS PART OF THE WARRANTY CONDITIONS

OF YOUR SOLID WOOD FLOOR IT IS ESSENTIAL TO

ACCLIMATISE THE PRODUCT PRIOR TO INSTALLATION

The aim of acclimatising wood flooring is to allow the moisture content

of the timber to adjust to the normal expected day to day conditions

within the building once it is occupied.

Prior to installation, it is the installer’s responsibility to ensure that the

internal site conditions are stable and are suitable for the installation of

solid hardwood flooring. A room temperature of between 18 -20ºC

and relative humidity of between 45-55% must be maintained.

In winter, especially when the temperature is 0ºC or below, and the

air is dry outside, we recommend the use of a humidifier to stabilize

site conditions if the site readings are showing below 45% humidity.

Screed / concrete subfloors must be under 4% moisture content using

Tramex / Other non destructive moisture meter (2.5% CM Test / Din

Standard). Ash-felt or bitumen sub-floors are not suitable to take solid

wood flooring, engineered should be considered as an alternative.

Failure to do this could cause ongoing behavioural problems

with the floor and will invalidate the warranty.

The building should be fully enclosed including doors and windows.

Heating should be operational.

All wet work must have been completed otherwise the moisture will

transfer from walls floors and ceilings to the hardwood flooring.

The delivered flooring must be left in the packaging with polythene

wrapping intact. The flooring should be stacked horizontally no more

than 2 to 3 packs high or wide. Break up stacked cartons with battens

to increase air circulation. The use of gas or paraffin heaters should be

avoided. Do not store next to radiators. The flooring must be left in situ,

for 3-7 days before installation. Further checks must be undertaken by

the installer to confirm the solid wood flooring is in equilibrium with the

site it to be installed.

You can expect your hardwood flooring to be supplied at 8 to 10%

relative moisture content at the point of delivery. The correct moisture

content for installation within the UK & ROI climate is 10-12%; this is

why acclimatisation is required. Testing must be carried to ensure the

product is within this window. If the product has moved beyond 12%

action should be taken to reduce the moisture / humidity readings

within the area / product. A reputable installer will have testing

equipment such as “Tramex” to check relative humidity and the

moisture content of the subfloor and wood.

New build and

renovation projects

A new installation site needs to dry out before wood flooring is

delivered. There is nearly always excessive moisture on either new

construction sites or major refurbishment contracts. In these instances

the wood will absorb the excess moisture; resulting in stress issues

such as cupping, expanding and later contraction. Always protect

against excessive moisture ingression, where it helps use

dehumidification equipment to stabilise the site conditions.

‘’Explanation of why the flooring should be one of the last jobs to be

undertaken on site; Other trades can damage an excellent installation

if care is not taken to safeguard against moisture ingression in hard

wood floors. In new building projects moisture is introduced into the

fabric throughout the construction process. Example; Under BS882

a concrete mix of (1:2:4) one cubic metre of concrete will contain

187 litres of water. This will have to dry out to below 4% moisture

content before your flooring is installed. This may take up to a day

take a new moisture reading of the concrete sub floor before

proceeding with the installation.

Under Floor Heating

Please note: This product is “not” guaranteed for use with under floor

heating due to the general movement characteristics associated with

wood when rapid temperature changes occur. Installing this product

over under floor heating “will” invalidate the warranty.

Sub base:

When fitting to a sub base other than battens (Screed, ply, chipboard)

the sub base must conform to BS 8204: Part 1 1987, which states

that it must not deviate by more than + or - 3mm under a 3m straight

edge in any one direction.

Wooden sub structures must be sound and securely fixed. They must

be a minimum of 18mm in depth in order to be supportive. (This

applies to Ply or Chipboard also)

Always show a preference for Ply to be used as opposed to Chipboard.

Ply will offer a better nail fix, there is a good possibility that the nail will

work free from Chipboard. Furthermore Chipboard when damp will

become less resilient if moisture is introduced. Screed / Concrete subfloors

must be under 4% moisture content using Tramex / Other none

destructive moisture meter (2.5% CM test / Din Standard), above this

will cause excessive dimensional change in the wood flooring resulting

in problems such as cupping not covered by the guarantee.

Expansion

All solid wood floors will react to changes in the presence of

moisture within the boards. In the winter months when central heating

is present, moisture leaves the wood causing the floor to contract

which will leave slight gaps between each plank. In the summer

months when the humidity is higher the wood will expand and the

gaps will disappear. This needs to be allowed for during the fitting

process. Therefore it is important when installing a solid floor to leave

the proper expansion area around the perimeter and to ensure the

flooring is fully acclimatised prior to installation. An expansion gap of

15mm must be in place around the “FULL” perimeter of the room.

Flooring must “NOT” be run through doorways in to other rooms,

instead it should be broken in the doorway again allowing 15mm;

this gap is covered by a profile (such as the Elka 3 in 1 system)

that is not fixed to the new flooring.

Please note with a large area (lengths in excess of 10 m) the floor

must be divided with an expansion gap provided on both length and

width. On completion, this gap is again covered by a profile that is not

fixed to the new flooring.

Installation of Floor

All Methods:

On completion of the preceding tasks the following steps should be

followed for Installation.

• Generally you will want the flooring to run the length of the room

towards a natural source of light for aesthetic reasons.

• Under cut the bottom of door frames, wardrobes, etc. to allow for

the floor board and underlay to fit under it.

• Open 4 or 5 packs and “shuffle” the boards to ensure an even

distribution of colour and character.

• If you discover a defective piece DO NOT LAY IT. You are the final

judge of acceptable quality.

• ELKA or its dealers will not be responsible for costs associated with

installing, finishing and/or replacing flooring installed with obvious

defects.

• Mark a straight line parallel to the chosen wall, allowing a 15mm gap

for expansion. It may be necessary to scribe the first row of boards

to achieve correct alignment.

• The first board should be laid groove to the wall allowing for

expansion of approx. 15mm between the wall and first board.

• The last board in the first row should be fitted ensuring a 15mm

expansion gap at the head of the board.

• The second row and all following rows should be started with the off

cut from the last board on the previous row.

• It is necessary to ensure that the end joints of adjoining rows are at

least offset 150mm, this leaves the floor stronger and is visually more

attractive.

• Tapping blocks should be used to tap boards together,

direct contact of hammer or mallet on the board edge

is not recommended.

• All perimeter gaps should be covered with skirting or Scotia using

cover strips at thresholds.

Installation

There are 2 methods to install your Solid Wood Flooring:

Nailing on to Wooden Sub-Floor:

• Before you start make sure the subfloor is in good shape. Bouncy,

squeaky or uneven areas must be repaired. Note 18mm plywood,

solid wood or battens hold porta-nails better than mdf or chipboard.

If fitting over an existing floor, install at a right angle to floorboards,

if this is not possible - fit plywood so that the direction can be

changed. The floor will be stiffer and less prone to joints separating

if plywood is used.

• Securing can be done by using a porta-nailer or other form of secret

nailing with nail lengths to be suitable for 18mm solid wood floor

installation. The porta-nailer will fire a nail at a 45º angle through the

tongue in to the batten or ply substructure. Secret nailing should be

spaced at 150 - 200mm intervals. Even small panels must be

secured in a minimum 2 locations.

• For some extremely hard wood species, it may be necessary

to pre-drill nail holes.

Gluing on to Wooden or Concrete Sub-Floor:

• You must use a water-free, alcohol or polyurethane glue, specially

formulated for use with wood flooring. Installation can be by either

the traditional trowel method or by applying a glue batten system

(such as Elka Bond), in all cases follow the instructions of the

adhesive manufacturer.

• With this method, you adhere direct to the sub floor and you do not

need to apply glue to the tongue and groove.

• Any surplus glue that may seep out on to the surface of the wood

must be removed immediately with a damp cloth.

• Flooring straps can be used to pull the boards together and hold

them firm whilst the glue sets.

Wood floor care guide:

Wood floors are a lifetime investment, and decisions concerning them

should not be taken lightly. Routine maintenance should include

protecting the surface finish from moisture and heavy wear which

creates scratches. Our recommended Elka maintenance program

requires more than sweeping and vacuuming.

Consumer Expectations:

Wood floors are NOT impervious to the day to day impact of grit, food,

spills, and water. Preventive maintenance like area rugs, floor protectors

(on ALL furniture on your wood floors), and routine maintenance with

proper hardwood floor cleaner (such as Elka Clean) should always be

exercised (improper products can contribute to additional wear, may

VOID your warranty, and cause failure when recoating.

Good practice:

Do: Place Protector pads on ALL furniture legs resting on your

wood floor.

Do: In high traffic areas use added protection (such as Elka

Protect) to prolong the surface life of your floor. These products

works in conjunction with Elka 3in1 cleaner as part of the

manufacturers recommended maintenance program.

Do: Place walk off mats and area rugs in high traffic areas (make sure

they stay dry and are cleaned underneath on a regular basis).

Do: Perform routine maintenance; this should include sweeping,

vacuuming and/or dust mopping to remove dirt and grit.

Keep this as a regularly scheduled event. Always perform this

process before and after a major event that involves a high

volume of traffic on the floor.

Do: Keep high heel shoes in good repair, as well as keeping your

pets nails trimmed on a regular bases.

Do not: Use WET mops.

Do not: Use ammonia.

Do not: Use dust cleaning substances.

Do not: Track dirt over the surface of the floor, clean immediately.

Do not: Use other general floor cleaning products, only specialised

products for wooden flooring should be considered.

Do not: Wax a urethane or oiled finish.