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Laminate
Flooring Laying Instructions
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READ THESE
INSTRUCTIONS FULLY BEFORE YOU START TO LAY YOUR FLOORING.
TOOLS AND ACCESSORIES FOR CORRECT
INSTALLATION.
Waterproof PVA adhesive, floor fitting pack (includes
tamping-block, spacers, pull-bar), fine tooth saw or jig saw
with blade suitable for laminate, hammer, pencil, 820cm)set
square, tape, measure,
damp proof membrane, acoustic foam underlay, door threshold
strip, cleaner/restore and safety glasses if using electric
tools.
BASIC RULES
For best effect, lay panels parallel to incoming light, or in
marrow rooms along length. The sub floor must be dry(moisture <
5%), clean and level to within +/-0.08”(2mm) over a 1.09 yard(1
Mt.) run. If lying over existing hard flooring, ensure all
areas are sound. Do not lay over existing soft floor
coverings. New concrete floors should be allowed at least 8
weeks to dry out before lying, and it is recommended a 900 gauge
or over polythene damp proof membrane to lie on top of all
concrete floors as a precaution against possible damp.
PREPARATION PRIOR TO INSTALLATION
• Remove all furniture from room.
• Cut door mouldings to allow flooring to fit under. Place
panel upside down on top of unserlay and use as platform for saw
to rest on while cutting (fig 1).
• Trim bottom of door if required (fig 2).
• Sweep or vacuum floor/Ensure cleanness and level.
• In kitchens, remove kicker boards and lay flooring up to
cabinet legs allowing expansion gap of 5/16-3/8 (8-10mm.) Trim
top of kicker boards to fit prior refitting.
• Remove skirtings if required or leave if you intend to fit
decorative skirtings or quadrant to cover expansion gap.
• Measure width of room and if the last panel is less than 2
(50mm) wide, you will need to reduce width of the first row of
panels to give a better appearance.
• Sunway flooring is designed to be a floating floor and as such
must not be fixed to the subfloor by any permanent means (i.e.
nails). Adhesive should be applied only on the tongue
and groove edges of the panels. After installation, re-fix the
skirting to the nails but never to the flooring. Decorative
skirting or moulding should be fixed ti original skirting only.
• As this is a natural product, it will suffer
contractions/expansions due to climate conditions. Therefore,
it is important to always allow expansion gaps of
5/16-3/8(8-10mm) between the flooring panels and walls, columns,
piping, stairways or any other fixed element.
• Expansion gaps must be left at each doorway. Intermediate
expansion gaps may be necessary for flooring panels and walls,
columns, piping, stairways or any other fixed element.
• Expansion gaps must be left at each doorway. Intermediate
expansion gaps may be necessary for floors longer than 39’ (12M)
or wider than 26’(8M).
• Remove panels from box and check for damage to tongues and
grooves.
INSTALLATION
• If you use 1/8(3mm) PE foam as isolation underlay, lay it
perpendicularly to the direction of the panels fig. 3).
• If you use isolation fireboard underlay, lay it at 45 angle to
flooring ensuring joints will not coincide (fig. 4).
• Start first row, lay the panels from left to right, without
using glue, with the grooved sides facing the wall and using the
spacers to leave a 5/16-3/8(8-10mm) expansion gap( fig. 3).
• To cut the last panel of the first row, turn it and lay
alongside the panels already installed, in such a way that the
tongue will face each other (fig. 6). Note: If you use a hand
saw, cut the panel with the decorative side facing you; if you
use electronic saw, turn the decorative side down.
• If your off cut is longer than 12(30cm), you can use it to
start the second row, otherwise, we advice you to use a new half
panel (fig. 7). Without using the glue, yet, place into
position the panels of the first 3 rows, using the spacers at
the ends.
• If the walls are uneven, it may be necessary to scribe the
planks and trim the 1st row of panels to ensure expansion gap in
all points and without exceeding ½(12cm) at any points, so that
the skirting will cover the gap.
• Remove the panels on sequence from each row except for the
very first one laid. Check if each joint/groove is clear of
debris/dust. Make sure you do not disturb the spacers placed on
the perimeter.
• You can now start to glue the panels.
• Great care must be taken with this as correct gluing will
ensure a long and trouble free life for your floor.
• Do not spot glue, apply a continuous bead the full length on
the top of tongue and in the groove (fig. 8).
• Place a bead of adhesive along the top of the tongue on the
right hand side of the first panel, not along its length. Fill
the groove on the left hand side of the second panel with
adhesive and push panels together. Continue for remainder of
the first row.
• Push panels together by hand then tamp into place with tamping
block which is grooved to fit panel tongue (fig. 9).
• Do not hammer directly onto panels, always use the special
tamping block which is grooved to fit panel tongue (fig. 9).
• A thin line of adhesive should appear along the full length of
each joint if correctly glued. Wipe off excess adhesive with
damp cloth, while still wet.
• Complete second and third row in the same way by applying
adhesive to ends and length if laid panel tongues, and grooves
of each new panel (fig. 8). Close up joints by hand, then with
tamping block and pull-bar at end. Fit spacers to lock row onto
place.
• Check if all rows are straight with string line and joints
well closed. Wipe off excess adhesive.
• Now take a break and allow at least one hour for the adhesive
to set (fig. 10). Once these rows are set, it will make the
remaining rows easier to lay. Do not walk on the area laid
during this setting period.
• Lay each of the remaining rows in the same way, dry first to
ensure good fit, then apply adhesive.
• When using offcuts, ensure that panels joints do not fall
within 8 (20cm) of each other as this can weaken finished floor
(fig. 11).
• Take your time to ensure a good finished job – do not rush.
• When fitting row 4th onwards, try and complete the floor in
one movement/go.
LAST ROW
• When you reach the last row, you may need to trim the panels
to width as well.
• Place the panel to be cut on top of the ones already installed
in the previous row, with the tongue towards the wall. Then
place another panel against the wall – do not forget to use the
spacers, mark the cutting line with a pencil and cut the panel
(fig. 12).
• After cutting and applying the glue, fit the panel with your
hands, adjust with the pulibar (fig. 13).
FITTING AROUND COLUMNS OR PLERS
• If you encounter columns or piers, mark area to be removed on
the panel (allow usual expansion space). Make 2 parallel cuts
and then, with the help of a chisel and hammer, cut out the
required piece (fig. 14).
• Mark center of pipe on the panel (fig. 15). Then, make a hole
with a wider diameter than the pipe (about 5/8 (16mm) wider).
Cut the panel through the hole(s) with a saw at 45 angle. Fix
panel in position, then apply adhesive to the cut and for the
piece cut out into place. Do not forget the spacers.
TO COMPLETE INSTALLATION
• When flooring is completed, leave 23 hours before walking on
it.
• Remove all spacers, ensure expansion gap is completely clear
of debris and reaffix original skirting to the walls to cover
expansion gap (fig. 16). Or fit decorative skirting or quadrant
to existing skirting. Fix threshold or expansion profiles (fig.
17 and 18).
AFTER CARE
• Clean Sunway flooring with a damp well wrung cloth or mop.
You can also vacuum or sweep the floor.
• Remove stubborn stains with laminate floor cleaner or acetone.
Never use polish, was or varnish.
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