Howdens SDH3636 Operating instructions

Brand: Howdens

Model: SDH3636

Type: Operating instructions

HOWDENS

ENGINEERED

FLOORING

Sealed packs must be stored for at least 48 hours

where they are to be laid.

Packs should be stored in a room with a minimum

temperature of 18°C

Do not open packs until you are ready

to install the ﬂooring

Follow the ﬁtting instructions on the reverse

of this sheet

Relative air humidity: 45-60%

Important information

hrs

18 C

BARLINEK INWESTYCJE

ul. Przemysłowa 1, 74-320 BARLINEK

Three-layer ﬂooring board

Fire reaction: D

ﬂ

– S

Average minimal density 550 kg/m

Total thickness: 14 mm

Formaldehyde emission: E – 1

Pentachlorophenol emission ≤5 ppm

lacquered USRV 105

Slip oiled USRV 100

resistance: brushed and lacquered USRV 110

brushed and oiled USRV 106

structural lacquer USRV 99

Thermal conductivity 0,14W/m*K

Biological durability: NPD

IMPORTANT ENGINEERED FLOORING FITTING NOTICE

Flooring MUST be allowed to acclimatise Flooring MUST be allowed to acclimatise

• MUST LEAVE 15MM EXPANSION GAP

- Around the entire floor including cabinet legs, radiator pipes and

door frames

- Do not install cabinets over the floor

• SUB-FLOOR MUST BE CLEAN, DRY, FLAT AND LEVEL

- Timber based sub floors must be securely fixed before laying

- Always use a moisture barrier paper on timber based sub floors

• MUST USE HOWDENS FOAM OR XPS UNDERLAY

• ALWAYS USE A DPM ON CONCRETE FLOORS

- And any other mineral based subfloor

HOWDENS

ENGINEERED

FLOORING

Sealed packs must be stored for at least 48 hours

where they are to be laid.

Packs should be stored in a room with a minimum

temperature of 18°C

Do not open packs until you are ready

to install the ﬂooring

Follow the ﬁtting instructions on the reverse

of this sheet

Relative air humidity: 45-60%

Important information

hrs

18 C

BARLINEK INWESTYCJE

ul. Przemysłowa 1, 74-320 BARLINEK

Three-layer ﬂooring board

Fire reaction: D

ﬂ

– S

Average minimal density 550 kg/m

Total thickness: 14 mm

Formaldehyde emission: E – 1

Pentachlorophenol emission ≤5 ppm

lacquered USRV 105

Slip oiled USRV 100

resistance: brushed and lacquered USRV 110

brushed and oiled USRV 106

structural lacquer USRV 99

Thermal conductivity 0,14W/m*K

Biological durability: NPD

IMPORTANT ENGINEERED FLOORING FITTING NOTICE

Flooring MUST be allowed to acclimatise Flooring MUST be allowed to acclimatise

• MUST LEAVE 15MM EXPANSION GAP

- Around the entire floor including cabinet legs, radiator pipes and

door frames

- Do not install cabinets over the floor

• SUB-FLOOR MUST BE CLEAN, DRY, FLAT AND LEVEL

- Timber based sub floors must be securely fixed before laying

- Always use a moisture barrier paper on timber based sub floors

• MUST USE HOWDENS FOAM OR XPS UNDERLAY

• ALWAYS USE A DPM ON CONCRETE FLOORS

- And any other mineral based subfloor

HOWDENS

ENGINEERED

FLOORING

Sealed packs must be stored for at least 48 hours

where they are to be laid.

Packs should be stored in a room with a minimum

temperature of 18°C

Do not open packs until you are ready

to install the ﬂooring

Follow the ﬁtting instructions on the reverse

of this sheet

Relative air humidity: 45-60%

Important information

hrs

18 C

BARLINEK INWESTYCJE

ul. Przemysłowa 1, 74-320 BARLINEK

Three-layer ﬂooring board

Fire reaction: D

ﬂ

– S

Average minimal density 550 kg/m

Total thickness: 14 mm

Formaldehyde emission: E – 1

Pentachlorophenol emission ≤5 ppm

lacquered USRV 105

Slip oiled USRV 100

resistance: brushed and lacquered USRV 110

brushed and oiled USRV 106

structural lacquer USRV 99

Thermal conductivity 0,14W/m*K

Biological durability: NPD

IMPORTANT ENGINEERED FLOORING FITTING NOTICE

Flooring MUST be allowed to acclimatise Flooring MUST be allowed to acclimatise

• MUST LEAVE 15MM EXPANSION GAP

- Around the entire floor including cabinet legs, radiator pipes and

door frames

- Do not install cabinets over the floor

• SUB-FLOOR MUST BE CLEAN, DRY, FLAT AND LEVEL

- Timber based sub floors must be securely fixed before laying

- Always use a moisture barrier paper on timber based sub floors

• MUST USE HOWDENS FOAM OR XPS UNDERLAY

• ALWAYS USE A DPM ON CONCRETE FLOORS

- And any other mineral based subfloor

HOWDENS

ENGINEERED

FLOORING

Sealed packs must be stored for at least 48 hours

where they are to be laid.

Packs should be stored in a room with a minimum

temperature of 18°C

Do not open packs until you are ready

to install the ﬂooring

Follow the ﬁtting instructions on the reverse

of this sheet

Relative air humidity: 45-60%

Important information

hrs

18 C

BARLINEK INWESTYCJE

ul. Przemysłowa 1, 74-320 BARLINEK

Three-layer ﬂooring board

Fire reaction: D

ﬂ

– S

Average minimal density 550 kg/m

Total thickness: 14 mm

Formaldehyde emission: E – 1

Pentachlorophenol emission ≤5 ppm

lacquered USRV 105

Slip oiled USRV 100

resistance: brushed and lacquered USRV 110

brushed and oiled USRV 106

structural lacquer USRV 99

Thermal conductivity 0,14W/m*K

Biological durability: NPD

IMPORTANT ENGINEERED FLOORING FITTING NOTICE

Flooring MUST be allowed to acclimatise Flooring MUST be allowed to acclimatise

• MUST LEAVE 15MM EXPANSION GAP

- Around the entire floor including cabinet legs, radiator pipes and

door frames

- Do not install cabinets over the floor

• SUB-FLOOR MUST BE CLEAN, DRY, FLAT AND LEVEL

- Timber based sub floors must be securely fixed before laying

- Always use a moisture barrier paper on timber based sub floors

• MUST USE HOWDENS FOAM OR XPS UNDERLAY

• ALWAYS USE A DPM ON CONCRETE FLOORS

- And any other mineral based subfloor

HOWDENS

ENGINEERED

FLOORING

Sealed packs must be stored for at least 48 hours

where they are to be laid.

Packs should be stored in a room with a minimum

temperature of 18°C

Do not open packs until you are ready

to install the ﬂooring

Follow the ﬁtting instructions on the reverse

of this sheet

Relative air humidity: 45-60%

Important information

hrs

18 C

BARLINEK INWESTYCJE

ul. Przemysłowa 1, 74-320 BARLINEK

Three-layer ﬂooring board

Fire reaction: D

ﬂ

– S

Average minimal density 550 kg/m

Total thickness: 14 mm

Formaldehyde emission: E – 1

Pentachlorophenol emission ≤5 ppm

lacquered USRV 105

Slip oiled USRV 100

resistance: brushed and lacquered USRV 110

brushed and oiled USRV 106

structural lacquer USRV 99

Thermal conductivity 0,14W/m*K

Biological durability: NPD

IMPORTANT ENGINEERED FLOORING FITTING NOTICE

Flooring MUST be allowed to acclimatise Flooring MUST be allowed to acclimatise

• MUST LEAVE 15MM EXPANSION GAP

- Around the entire floor including cabinet legs, radiator pipes and

door frames

- Do not install cabinets over the floor

• SUB-FLOOR MUST BE CLEAN, DRY, FLAT AND LEVEL

- Timber based sub floors must be securely fixed before laying

- Always use a moisture barrier paper on timber based sub floors

• MUST USE HOWDENS FOAM OR XPS UNDERLAY

• ALWAYS USE A DPM ON CONCRETE FLOORS

- And any other mineral based subfloor

HOWDENS

ENGINEERED

FLOORING

Sealed packs must be stored for at least 48 hours

where they are to be laid.

Packs should be stored in a room with a minimum

temperature of 18°C

Do not open packs until you are ready

to install the ﬂooring

Follow the ﬁtting instructions on the reverse

of this sheet

Relative air humidity: 45-60%

Important information

hrs

18 C

BARLINEK INWESTYCJE

ul. Przemysłowa 1, 74-320 BARLINEK

Three-layer ﬂooring board

Fire reaction: D

ﬂ

– S

Average minimal density 550 kg/m

Total thickness: 14 mm

Formaldehyde emission: E – 1

Pentachlorophenol emission ≤5 ppm

lacquered USRV 105

Slip oiled USRV 100

resistance: brushed and lacquered USRV 110

brushed and oiled USRV 106

structural lacquer USRV 99

Thermal conductivity 0,14W/m*K

Biological durability: NPD

IMPORTANT ENGINEERED FLOORING FITTING NOTICE

Flooring MUST be allowed to acclimatise Flooring MUST be allowed to acclimatise

• MUST LEAVE 15MM EXPANSION GAP

- Around the entire floor including cabinet legs, radiator pipes and

door frames

- Do not install cabinets over the floor

• SUB-FLOOR MUST BE CLEAN, DRY, FLAT AND LEVEL

- Timber based sub floors must be securely fixed before laying

- Always use a moisture barrier paper on timber based sub floors

• MUST USE HOWDENS FOAM OR XPS UNDERLAY

• ALWAYS USE A DPM ON CONCRETE FLOORS

- And any other mineral based subfloor

HOWDENS

ENGINEERED

FLOORING

Sealed packs must be stored for at least 48 hours

where they are to be laid.

Packs should be stored in a room with a minimum

temperature of 18°C

Do not open packs until you are ready

to install the ooring

Follow the tting instructions on the reverse

of this sheet

Relative air humidity: 45-60%

Important information

hrs

18 C

Howden Joinery Group Plc

40 Portman Square, London W1H 6LT

DoP: HJ-004-JC

EN 14342:2005+A1:2008

Wood ooring for internal

non structural use

Reaction to re: D



– S

Minimum mean density: 550 kg/m

Minimum overall thickness: 10 mm

Content of Pentachlorophenol: ≤5 ppm

Emission of Formaldehyde Class E1

Slipperiness USRV 100

Thermal conductivity: 0,14 W/mK

Durability (Biological): NPD

HOWDENS

ENGINEERED

FLOORING

Sealed packs must be stored for at least 48 hours

where they are to be laid.

Packs should be stored in a room with a minimum

temperature of 18°C

Do not open packs until you are ready

to install the ﬂooring

Follow the ﬁtting instructions on the reverse

of this sheet

Relative air humidity: 45-60%

Important information

hrs

18 C

BARLINEK INWESTYCJE

ul. Przemysłowa 1, 74-320 BARLINEK

Three-layer ﬂooring board

Fire reaction: D

ﬂ

– S

Average minimal density 550 kg/m

Total thickness: 14 mm

Formaldehyde emission: E – 1

Pentachlorophenol emission ≤5 ppm

lacquered USRV 105

Slip oiled USRV 100

resistance: brushed and lacquered USRV 110

brushed and oiled USRV 106

structural lacquer USRV 99

Thermal conductivity 0,14W/m*K

Biological durability: NPD

IMPORTANT ENGINEERED FLOORING FITTING NOTICE

Flooring MUST be allowed to acclimatise Flooring MUST be allowed to acclimatise

• MUST LEAVE 15MM EXPANSION GAP

- Around the entire floor including cabinet legs, radiator pipes and

door frames

- Do not install cabinets over the floor

• SUB-FLOOR MUST BE CLEAN, DRY, FLAT AND LEVEL

- Timber based sub floors must be securely fixed before laying

- Always use a moisture barrier paper on timber based sub floors

• MUST USE HOWDENS FOAM OR XPS UNDERLAY

• ALWAYS USE A DPM ON CONCRETE FLOORS

- And any other mineral based subfloor

HOWDENS ENGINEERED FLOORING

INSTALLATION:

GLUELESS LOCKING SYSTEM

1 2 3 4

10.

A1. A2. A3. A4.

EN 14342

ENGINEERED WOOD FLOORING

INSTALLATION:

GLUELESS LOCKING SYSTEM

Natura engineered ﬂooring can be installed on any dry, clean, solid and even surface. Additionally, the humidity of the subﬂoor must be no more than

2% for a concrete surface, 8% for wooden , and 0.5% for an anhydrite surface. Packages should be stored horizontally in the environmentthey are to be

installed for a minimum of 48 hours without opening the packaging. The evenness of the surface is measured with a min. 2 m measuring rod or

a spirit level. The level diﬀerence should not exceed 2mm over 2 meters of the subﬂoor. If the diﬀerence is greater, it is vital that it should ﬁrst be evened

out. The room should be well-ventilated and the packaging should only be opened on the day of installation. Prior to installation, the ﬂoorboards should

be inspected and the pattern decided on. These instructions should be read carefully.

1. The following tools are needed to install an engineered ﬂoor:

• a hammer (1000 g), an assembly jig, wooden rule or measuring tape, ﬁne-tooth manual saw or an electric sawing machine,

wooden wedges, a push block for ﬁnal positioning of ﬂoorboards.

2. Use only the recommended underlay.

The direction in which the ﬂoorboards are to be installed is determined by the dimensions of the room. If none of the sides

exceeds 8m, it is recommended that the ﬂoorboards be installed along the direction of the light source or largest window. In the

case of dimensions bigger than 8m, or long but narrow rooms such as corridors, the ﬂoor should always be installed parallel to

the longest side of the room. Having established the direction, the width of the room should be measured. This value should then

be decreased by the width of the expansion gaps (usually 2 x 10 mm) and divided by 207 mm, that is, by the width of a single

ﬂoorboard. In this way, the number of rows of ﬂoorboards to be installed can be calculated, and the dimensions of cutting the last

row can be determined; if it is narrower than 70mm, the ﬁrst row of ﬂoorboards must be trimmed correspondingly.

NOTE: If humidity of a concrete subﬂoor exceeds 2-3%, damp insulation in the form of 0.2 mm polyethylene ﬁlm is

recommended in order to protect the ﬂoor covering against the damp penetrating from below. It should be installed

with an overlap of 200 mm, the joints being protected with adhesive tape.

3. Installation of the ﬂoor should begin with the underlay. You should butt the edges of the underlay (never overlapping), with

the exception of softboard underlay which should be installed with a gap of 2mm between the boards, and 10mm between the

boards and the wall (Photo 2).

4. The ﬁrst row of boards should be installed tongue facing the wall. Individual ﬂoorboards should be joined along the shorter

sides (headers) by sliding parallel to the locking joint of the following boards (Photo 3). Another method is the frontal joining of

boards by means of a hammer and a push block for the ﬁnal positioning (Photo 4). The last board should be trimmed to maintain

an expansion gap into which wooden wedges should be inserted.

5. The following row of boards should commence with the cut oﬀ section of the board remaining from the ﬁrst row, provided

that its length exceeds 50 cm. It is also important to maintain a minimum of 50 cm between the ends of boards in the adjacent

rows (staggered). The new row should be inserted tongue in groove and pressed manually towards the previous row (Photo 5,

Fig. 1). The board should be tapped lightly with a wooden block into the previously installed row (Photo 6). The following board

should be installed in the same manner, maintaining a distance of 5 to 8 mm between the fronts of the boards (Photo 7). The

board should be indirectly tapped using a hammer and push block, thereby joining the boards’ headers (Fig.2).

6. Each subsequent row of boards installed should be pushed from the front-side of the board in order to eliminate gaps in

the header joints) (Photo 8). Wedges should be inserted into the gaps along the walls.

NOTE: No belts or straps should be used in the installation of the ﬂoor. In the case of having to overcome an obstacle,

such as central heating pipes, a fragment of the board needing additional manoeuvring ought to be marked appropri-

ately, cut and ﬁxed (Fig. 3), all the time remembering to maintain the 10 mm expansion gap around the element to be

avoided (such as the central heating pipes). The resulting gap between the pipes and the ﬂoor can be covered up with

a rosette.

7. The last row of boards should be very carefully measured prior to installation (Photo 9). If they are too wide, the boards should

be carefully cut accordingly. The joint of the last row boards should be cut oﬀ to leave a ﬂat edge.

8. Upon completing the installation, the wedges should be removed and the remaining gap should be covered with skirting

boards, which should always be fastened to the wall (never to the ﬂoor).

9. IImmediately after installing the skirting, the new ﬂoor is ready for use.

NOTES: During installation it should be remembered that the maximum ﬂoor area without additional expansion joints

is 8m of the board’s width and 20m of its length. The ﬂoor should be used in the following conditions:

• air temperature: 18-24°C

• relative air humidity: 45-60%.

Damage to the ﬂoor caused by incorrect installation or damp do not constitute a defective product. Acoustic eﬀects

connected with using the ﬂoor covering are a natural feature of wooden ﬂoors and, again do not constitute any faults.

Nor does the variation in colour and change of hue (darkening), which is the result of exposure to the sun rays and is a

natural feature of wood. The ﬂoor must not be installed in unheated, damp rooms (bathrooms, saunas, laundries, etc.)

or outdoors. Wooden ﬂoorboards must be checked both before and during installation with regard to possible defects.

Installation of a ﬂoor with faulty boards will invalidate warranty claims. Floorboards which are found to have defects

prior to installation are subject to warranty claims. Please note that the boards may have natural wood losses, minor

scratches, dents, ﬁlled-in cracks and the eﬀects of the varnish treatment, which are not necessarily considered defec-

tive. Any defects should be reported immediately before continuing with the installation.

MAINTENANCE AND CARE OF FLOOR COVERINGS

In order to provide additional protection to the installed ﬂooring, it is permissible to apply additional layers of varnish or oil. (Sub-

ject to the existing ﬁnish – do not apply oil over varnish for example).

After installation of a varnished ﬂoor, and during its subsequent use, it is recommended to apply proper cleaning and mainte-

nance agents, following the attached instructions. The ﬂoor covering is easy to clean; this can be done with a vacuum cleaner

with a special end for wooden ﬂoors or with a brush. Spilt water and other contaminations should be removed immediately.

The worst enemies of wooden ﬂoors are water and sand; in order to protect a ﬂoor against them, it is recommended to place

protective mats at the entrance to the property. Pedestals, and other areas of furniture pressure, should be protected by gluing

felt pads underneath them (not to be fastened with nails). When using oﬃce furniture, e.g. chairs on casters, it is recommended

to position roll-stop protective mats. If the relative air humidity in the room drops below 40% (e.g. in the heating season), air

humidiﬁers should be used.

RENOVATION OF VARNISHED FLOORS

When varnishing for renovation and regeneration purposes, polyurethane varnish is recommended. Ensure you follow the manu-

facturer’s guidelines for the application. Slightly worn surface areas can be varnished if there are no clear gaps in the original

varnish applied by the manufacturer. A test-varnishing should be performed on a spare piece of ﬂoorboard remaining after

installation.

Then proceed as follows:

1. Area should be degreased and any previously applied maintenance agents should be removed thoroughly.

2. The entire surface should be carefully matted lengthways with ﬁne sand paper (granulation 180-250), to enhance the adhesion

between the old and the new coats of varnish. Failure to do so can result in the occurrence of visible scratches. Next, the sanded

ﬂoor should be dusted. Before applying the new layer, an adhesion test should be performed on a less conspicuous patch of the

ﬂoor.

3. The varnishing can then commence – the new layer should be applied following the instructions on the varnish label.

NOTE: Renovation work should be carried out by a professional contractor.

REGENERATION OF VARNISHED SURFACES

After years of use, or when heavily used, a varnished ﬂoor surface can become worn and the wood damaged. In such cases

the varnished surface can be refreshed by applying a new layer of varnish, observing the recommended guidelines and using

polyurethane varnish.

Surface preparation:

1. Remove any maintenance agents from the surface in the appropriate manner (following the manufacturer’s recommenda-

tions).

2. When dry, the ﬂoor should be tarnished with a disk sander to remove the existing layer of varnish and then dusted.

Varnishing:

Polyurethane varnish is recommended to be used following the manufacturer’s instructions after a prior test.

NOTE: Normal usage of the ﬂoor can resume after approximately 7 days. When applying the varnish, tools designed for

polyurethane products should be used. The renovation should be performed by a professional contractor. The thickness

of the veneer guarantees the performing of ﬂoor renovation a minimum of three times. In the case of substantial dam-

age to a speciﬁc part of the ﬂoor, one or more ﬂoorboards can be replaced.

INSTALLATION OVER UNDERFLOOR HEATING

1. Set the heating at 18°C on the surface of the ﬂoor for 2 weeks minimum prior to installation.

2. The ﬂooring should be installed at the same temperature, following the standard instructions for ﬂoatinginstallation.

3. The recommended unit power is 100 W/m

CAUTION: A precondition for laying the ﬂoor on the underﬂoor heating system is to perform a preheating for a period of 30 days while gradually increasing

the temperature from the lowest values to the maximum ones allowed by the heating system.

If the installation is not to be carried out at once, but is scheduled to be done later, the heating system must be set to 18°C (measured on the ﬂoor surface) 2 weeks

before the installation and the ﬂoor must be laid at the same temperature.In order to prevent wood from warping make sure that the ﬂoor humidity does not exceed

7 ± 2 % when laying the ﬂoor.

After installation:

1.Set the temperature at 18°C at the ﬂoor surface for no less than 48h. Then slowly increase the temperature by 1 or 2°C a day until the optimal temperature has been

reached. Do not make any sudden changes to the heating output during this period.

2. Do not raise the temperature above 26°C on the ﬂoor surface.

EN 14342

Howdens engineered ooring can be installed on any dry, clean, solid and even

surface. Additionally, the humidity of the suboor must be no more than 2% for

a concrete surface, 8% for wooden, and 0.5% for an anhydrite surface. Packages

should be stored horizontally in the environmentthey are to be installed for a mini-

mum of 48 hours without opening the packaging. The evenness of the surface

is measured with a min. 2 m measuring rod or a spirit level. The level difference

should not exceed 2 mm over 2 meters of the suboor. If the difference is greater,

it is vital that it should rst be evened out. The room should be well-ventilated and

the packaging should only be opened on the day of installation. Prior to installation,

the oorboards should be inspected and the pattern decided on. These instructions

should be read carefully.

1. The following tools are needed to install an engineered oor:

• a hammer (1000 g), an assembly jig, wooden rule or measuring tape, ne-tooth

manual saw or an electric sawing machine, wooden wedges, a push block for nal

positioning of oorboards.

2. Use only the recommended underlay.

The direction in which the oorboards are to be installed is determined by the dimen-

sions of the room. If none of the sides exceeds 8 m, it is recommended that the

oorboards be installed along the direction of the light source or largest window.

In the case of dimensions bigger than 8 m, or long but narrow rooms such as cor-

ridors, the oor should always be installed parallel to the longest side of the room.

Having established the direction, the width of the room should be measured. This

value should then be decreased by the width of the expansion gaps (usually 2 x 10

mm) and divided by the width of the top layer. In this way, the number of rows of

oorboards to be installed can be calculated, and the dimensions of cutting the last

row can be determined; if it is narrower than 70 mm, the rst row of oorboards must

be trimmed correspondingly.

NOTE: If humidity of a concrete suboor exceeds 2-3%, damp insulation in the form

of 0.2 mm polyethylene lm is recommended in order to protect the oor covering

against the damp penetrating from below. It should be installed with an overlap of

200 mm, the joints being protected with adhesive tape.

3. Installation of the oor should begin with the underlay. You should butt the edges

of the underlay (never overlapping), with the exception of softboard underlay which

should be installed with a gap of 2 mm between the boards, and 10 mm between

the boards and the wall.

4. The rst row of boards should be installed tongue facing the wall. Individual oor-

boards should be joined along the shorter sides (headers) by sliding parallel to the

locking joint of the following boards. Another method is the frontal joining of boards

by means of a hammer and a push block for the nal positioning. The last board

should be trimmed to maintain an expansion gap into which wooden wedges should

be inserted.

5. The following row of boards should commence with the cut off section of the

board remaining from the rst row, provided that its length exceeds 50 cm. It is also

important to maintain a minimum of 50 cm between the ends of boards in the adja-

cent rows (staggered). The new row should be inserted tongue in groove and pressed

manually towards the previous row (Fig. 1). The board should be tapped lightly with

a wooden block into the previously installed row. The following board should be installed

in the same manner, maintaining a distance of 5 to 8 mm between the fronts of the

boards. The board should be indirectly tapped using a hammer and push block, thereby

joining the boards’ headers (Fig. 2).

6. Each subsequent row of boards installed should be pushed from the front-side of

the board in order to eliminate gaps in the header joints). Wedges should be inserted

into the gaps along the walls.

NOTE: No belts or straps should be used in the installation of the oor. In the case

of having to overcome an obstacle, such as central heating pipes, a fragment of the

board needing additional manoeuvring ought to be marked appropriately, cut and

xed (Fig. 3), all the time remembering to maintain the 15 mm expansion gap around

the element to be avoided (such as the central heating pipes). The resulting gap be-

tween the pipes and the oor can be covered up with a rosette.

7. The last row of boards should be very carefully measured prior to installation.

If they are too wide, the boards should be carefully cut accordingly. The joint of the

last row boards should be cut off to leave a at edge.

8. Upon completing the installation, the wedges should be removed and the remain-

ing gap should be covered with skirting boards, which should always be fastened to

the wall (never to the oor).

9. IImmediately after installing the skirting, the new oor is ready for use.

NOTES: During installation it should be remembered that the maximum oor area

without additional expansion joints is 8m of the board’s width and 20m of its

length. The oor should be used in the following conditions:

• air temperature: 18-24°C

• relative air humidity: 45-60%.

Damage to the oor caused by incorrect installation or damp do not constitute a de-

fective product. Acoustic effects connected with using the oor covering are a natu-

ral feature of wooden oors and, again do not constitute any faults. Nor does the

variation in colour and change of hue (darkening), which is the result of exposure

to the sun rays and is a natural feature of wood. The oor must not be installed in

unheated, damp rooms (bathrooms, saunas, laundries, etc.) or outdoors. Wooden

oorboards must be checked both before and during installation with regard to

possible defects. Installation of a oor with faulty boards will invalidate warranty

claims. Floorboards which are found to have defects prior to installation are subject

to warranty claims. Please note that the boards may have natural wood losses,

minor scratches, dents, lled-in cracks and the effects of the varnish treatment,

which are not necessarily considered defective. Any defects should be reported im-

mediately before continuing with the installation.

MAINTENANCE AND CARE OF FLOOR COVERINGS

In order to provide additional protection to the installed ooring, it is permissible to

apply additional layers of varnish or oil. (Subject to the existing nish – do not apply

oil over varnish for example).

After installation of a varnished oor, and during its subsequent use, it is recommended

to apply proper cleaning and maintenance agents, following the attached instructions.

The oor covering is easy to clean; this can be done with a vacuum cleaner with a special

end for wooden oors or with a brush. Spilt water and other contaminations should be re-

moved immediately. The worst enemies of wooden oors are water and sand; in order to

protect a oor against them, it is recommended to place protective mats at the entrance

to the property. Pedestals, and other areas of furniture pressure, should be protected

by gluing felt pads underneath them (not to be fastened with nails). When using ofce

furniture, e.g. chairs on casters, it is recommended to position roll-stop protective mats.

If the relative air humidity in the room drops below 40% (e.g. in the heating season), air

humidiers should be used.

RENOVATION OF VARNISHED FLOORS

When varnishing for renovation and regeneration purposes, polyurethane varnish is

recommended. Ensure you follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for the application.

Slightly worn surface areas can be varnished if there are no clear gaps in the original

varnish applied by the manufacturer. A test-varnishing should be performed on a

spare piece of oorboard remaining after installation.

Then proceed as follows:

1. Area should be degreased and any previously applied maintenance agents should

be removed thoroughly.

2. The entire surface should be carefully matted lengthways with ne sand paper

(granulation 180-250), to enhance the adhesion between the old and the new coats

of varnish. Failure to do so can result in the occurrence of visible scratches. Next,

the sanded oor should be dusted. Before applying the new layer, an adhesion test

should be performed on a less conspicuous patch of the oor.

3. The varnishing can then commence – the new layer should be applied following

the instructions on the varnish label.

NOTE: Renovation work should be carried out by a professional contractor.

REGENERATION OF VARNISHED SURFACES

After years of use, or when heavily used, a varnished oor surface can become worn

and the wood damaged. In such cases the varnished surface can be refreshed by

applying a new layer of varnish, observing the recommended guidelines and using

polyurethane varnish.

Surface preparation:

1. Remove any maintenance agents from the surface in the appropriate manner (fol-

lowing the manufacturer’s recommendations).

2. When dry, the oor should be tarnished with a disk sander to remove the existing

layer of varnish and then dusted.

Varnishing:

Polyurethane varnish is recommended to be used following the manufacturer’s in-

structions after a prior test.

NOTE: Normal usage of the oor can resume after approximately 7 days. When

applying the varnish, tools designed for polyurethane products should be used. The

renovation should be performed by a professional contractor. The thickness of the

veneer guarantees the performing of oor renovation a minimum of three times.

In the case of substantial damage to a specic part of the oor, one or more oor-

boards can be replaced.

INSTALLATION OVER UNDERFLOOR HEATING

1. Set the heating at 18°C on the surface of the oor for 2 weeks minimum prior

to installation.

2. The ooring should be installed at the same temperature, following the standard

instructions for oatinginstallation.

3. The recommended unit power is 100 W/m

CAUTION: A precondition for laying the oor on the underoor heating system is to

perform a preheating for a period of 30 days while gradually increasing the tempera-

ture from the lowest values to the maximum ones allowed by the heating system.

If the installation is not to be carried out at once, but is scheduled to be done later,

the heating system must be set to 18°C (measured on the oor surface) 2 weeks

before the installation and the oor must be laid at the same temperature.In order

to prevent wood from warping make sure that the oor humidity does not exceed 7

± 2 % when laying the oor.

After installation:

1. Set the temperature at 18°C at the oor surface for no less than 48h. Then slowly

increase the temperature by 1 or 2°C a day until the optimal temperature has been

reached. Do not make any sudden changes to the heating output during this period.

2. Do not raise the temperature above 27°C on the oor surface.