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.
Note:
Keep a record of all your readings for later reference and 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 per 1mm thickness of concrete to dry out, therefore you
must
always 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. looring 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 over 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 looring. 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.
W
ood 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.
