INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOLID WOOD FLOORING

1. A note of caution (click picture to enlarge)

Wood is a natural product and is subject to variations in colour, grain structure and geometry. For this reason, up to 5% of your Solid Wood Flooring may not be usable for its intended purpose.

China Link’s guarantee does not apply should the installer:

1. install obviously defective boards.
2. fail to combine boards in an aesthetically appealing manner.

2. Preparing for Installation

2.1 Storing Solid Wood Flooring

Please store Solid Wood Flooring cartons flat on the ground. Keep the cartons sealed.

The storage room should be about 18 degrees and have a relative humidity of 45-60%.

2.2 Conditioning the room before installing your Solid Wood Flooring

Before moving your Solid Wood Flooring into the premises where it will be installed, please ensure that:

· Painting and wallpapering are completed.
· Plaster is dry.
· Floor and wall tiles have been installed for at least 3 weeks.
· Windows are in place.
· Radiators have been bled.
· No re-humidification takes place in the room where the floor will be installed.

2.3 Acclimatising your Solid Wood Flooring

Place the Solid Wood Flooring cartons in the room at least 72 hours before installation.

Ensure a room temperature of about 18 degrees and humidity of 45-60% before, during and after installation.

In winter, particularly with low temperatures and dry air, you may wish to use a humidifier.

2.4 Planning

In square rooms, lay the floor in the direction of incoming light. In rectangular rooms, lay it length-wise.

Allow for expansion gaps every 10 meters.

2.5 Installation Tools

Ha mmer, saw, measuring tape, square, pencil, drill, chisel, fitting bar, tapping block and wedges.

3. The sub-floor

Any sub-floor should be dry, clean, firm and level (maximum unevenness of 2 mm per linear meter).

3.1 Concrete sub-floor

Please ensure that the concrete moisture does not exceed:

· 3% for concrete sub-floors with cement.
· 0.5% for concrete sub-floors with anhydrites.

3.2 Batten structure sub-floor

Ensure battens are strongly fixed and level. The distance between batten centres should not exceed 400 mm.

3.3 Wooden sub-floor

Lay your Solid Wood Flooring at right angles to the existing floor.

4. Under floor heating

We reco mmend not to install Solid Wood Flooring on top of under floor heating.

Should you wish to install Solid Wood Flooring on top of under floor heating, please seek professional advice.

Among other things, you should make sure that:
1. The heating has been on for at least 3 weeks before laying the floor.
2. The sub-floor surface temperature does not exceed 27 degrees.
3. The heating has been switched off 48 hours before laying the floor.
4. 8 days after laying the floor, the heating is switched on and temperature gradually increased (increasing 2-3 degrees every 24 hours).

5. Installation

The three main installation methods for Solid Wood Flooring are: nailing, gluing and floating.

Regardless of which installation method you use, you should follow the co mmon installation instructions (5.1).

In addition, please follow specific installation instructions for nailing (5.2), gluing (5.3) or floating (5.4).

5.1 Co mmon installation instructions

· Open the Solid Wood Flooring cartons right before installation starts.
· Work out of 4-5 cartons at any given time so that you can select the most appropriate plank for every space.
· Be ready to reject up to 5% of the planks.
· Use a guide running along the wall to ensure that the first line of planks is laid straight.
· Lay the first plank with its grooves towards the walls (corner) and work to your right.
· Start the next row with the piece of plank remaining from the previous row as long as it is long enough.
· Stagger the heads of adjacent planks in order to produce a pleasant visual effect.
· Use wedges to create 12-15 mm expansion gaps at walls, door thresholds, pipes, stairs, stone floors, etc.
· You will probably need to cut the last row of planks length-wise as it will rarely fit exactly against the wall.
· Leave the wedges in place overnight and then take them out and cover spaces as appropriate.

5.2 Specific installation instructions for nailing (minimum thickness 18 mm)

· Nail every single row.
· Use top nails as necessary to hold the first row firm and in place.
· Use an adjustable pneumatic nailing machine and headless machine nails (35-50 mm long).
· Secret nail the planks at an angle of 45˚ through the top of the tongue.
· Nailing should be effected no less than 25 mm from the heads and every 100-125 mm thereafter.
· For some extremely hard wood species it may be necessary to pre-drill nail holes.

5.3 Specific installation instructions for glueing

· We reco mmend alcohol-based and water free glue.
· Use a good quality wood flooring glue compliant with EN204D3 or BS4071.
· Follow the instructions of the glue manufacturer.

5.4 Specific installation instructions for floating

· Use expert installation personnel.
· Follow the installation instructions for Engineered Wood Flooring.

MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOLID WOOD FLOORING

1. Lacquered Solid Wood Flooring

1. You may wish to use a protective treatment just before starting using your Solid Wood Flooring.
2. Make sure your room temperature is about 18¡æ and relative humidity between 45-60%.
3. Place felt or alike under furniture legs.
4. Place a floor mat at every entrance.
5. Use dry cleaning methods such as wiping, dry mopping or vacuuming. Avoid water.
6. Remove sand or dirt i mmediately as it may scratch your Solid Wood Flooring.
7. Remove dirt and stains with a gentle detergent and a damp (NOT wet) sponge, mop or cloth.
8. Never use aggressive detergents or products containing a mmonia or silicones.

Consult your local flooring shop for specialised maintenance products.

2. Oiled Solid Wood Flooring

Please purchase quality soap and quality maintenance oil for oiled flooring at your local flooring shop.

Please follow the soap manufacturer's advice. Among others:

1. The floor should be free from dirt or residue before cleaning.
2. Dissolve soap into a warm (not hot) water solution 1/40 or as reco mmended by the soap manufacturer.
3. Always work with 2 buckets. One with soap water and the other with clean water to rinse the mop.
4. Wash the floor lengthways, using a damp (not wet) floor mop.
5. Leave the soap solution briefly on the surface of the wooden floor in order to dissolve heavy dirt.
6. Never use plain water.

Please follow the maintenance oil manufacturer's advice. Among others:

1. Apply the maintenance oil evenly on the Solid Wood Flooring.
2. Polish until the Solid Wood Flooring appears silky matt.
3. Allow 24 hours for the maintenance oil to completely settle.