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Engineered Wood Installation Guide

Updated: Oct 2, 2023


INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS T&G DIRECT FIX & T&G FLOATING METHODS – For our Tongue & Groove ranges carefully read & follow the guidelines provided to ensure a quality install. Please read the entire document as a range of important considerations are noted for both Direct Fix & Floating installations. We strongly encourage you to use professional install contractors for all types of flooring installations. Written guarantees from the retailer or install contractor should cover method of install and workmanship as installation is not covered by Preference Floors product warranties. As per National Building Code requirements engineered T&G or Click flooring ranges cannot be direct fixed to a joist and bearer system. Batten fixing, refer special note at the end of page 4. Batten fixing is only suitable with our 21/6mm T&G range. Batten fixing is not suitable with any other thickness. Specific instructions must be followed for limited warranty provisions. Vertical Wall Features; oak T&G planks can be installed for vertical wall features. There are various methods of fixing applicable to this type of application. Please consult with your contractor to assess the optimum approach as each application will vary from site to site. Typically, a combination of secret nailing to timber battens along with an elastomeric adhesive will provide a suitable fixing for wall applications. Sub-Floor Heating; our structural warranty covers the installation for use over, In-slab Hydronic under-floor heating only. The warranty will cover both methods of installation; Direct Fix & Floating. The heating system must be installed and operated in compliance with the heating manufacturer’s recommendations. The system should not be operated with heat settings in excess of 27 degrees Celsius. No other type of heating system other than Hydronic in-slab systems will be covered by our warranty, for example, in-screed hydronic heating or electric heat blanket systems are not covered by our warranty. Site Conditions; prior to the installation, internal & external site conditions need to be inspected by the installer. Site specific circumstances such proximity to water, river systems, low-lying land, coastal & mountainous regions along with other climatic extremes may require more complex installation methods and maintenance. Under floor inspections must be conducted before installation whenever possible. Installers should be wearing personal protective equipment (PPE); the site should be well ventilated and protected from excessive heat & humidity, direct sunlight, or moisture ingress. Use temporary window coverings to moderate temperature extremes if nothing exists. PRE-INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS ALL METHODS Importantly, a professional contractor should perform the installation. The installation process and method selected is solely the responsibility of the contractor and you must be satisfied that the contractor is qualified to conduct your site installation. Should you have any concerns either contact your retailer or locate quality installers via the helpful site at; ATFA https://www.atfa.com.au/ 1. At site, please store the product in original cartons placed on a flat, dry area away from any extreme temperatures or moisture. 2. Confirm colour is per owners’ expectations prior to installation, do not install without confirmation. Supply errors can happen. 3. All planks must be carefully inspected prior to & during install to detect imperfections, do not install planks that contain defects. If certain planks are displaying slight bow or twist set aside under load to assist with site acclimatisation, these planks can be recycled into the install at a later time, slight bowing is acceptable. If assembly issues arise, please contact your point of purchase immediately. A waste factor of 8-10 % is required for length cutting, sorting and visual grade selection. 4. The site area must be clean and free of any contaminants, dust, or other construction / painting activity whilst theinstallation is in progress. Make sure you have the necessary protective floor covering material available if further construction is occurring after the floor installation. Do not use adhesive tape directly on the surface of the planks. 5. For all installation methods substrate flatness is critical; sub-floor should not exceed 3mm over a 3m radius in all directions. Any hollows or humps need to be assessed and rectified prior to installation. Always follow manufacturer’s guidelines for third-party products such as leveling compounds, moisture barriers and adhesives.


FLOATING INSTALLATION T&G – Acoustic underlay with attached moisture barrier (PE) film or an acoustic underlay with 200uM builders’ plastic (BP) is required. PVA adhesive must be DIN Certified D3/BS EN204 for structural joints. Do not use Aquadhere products. Use Sika, Mapei, Roberts or similar cross-linked PVA adhesives that comply with the D3/BS EN204 formula. Generic PVA’s such as Aquadhere cannot be used under any circumstances; all Aquadhere branded PVA’s are not suitable for gluing structural joints. If the floating option is selected the install performance and workmanship is a matter between buyer and reseller/ installer. Floating installations require a moisture barrier and acoustic membrane on top of all substrates. Concrete slab must be dry, approx. 2.5% and wood-based floors dry, maximum 14 %. Expansion provisions & intermediate trim requirements must be followed to support warranty guidelines. 1. Place acoustic underlay with PE film & ideally 200uM BP on the sub-floor & up wall skirt area (>50mm), overlap and tape. 2. Once the planks are selected apply cross linked PVA Adhesive which meets the D3/BS EN 204 specifications to the top of the Tongue profile on both long and short ends. Apply adhesive to the underside of the groove. Do not use excessive adhesive as it may squeeze onto the plank surface. Only apply adhesive to a small number of planks at a time to avoid curing prior to install. 3. Floor expansion and contraction requires perimeter expansion of 12 – 15mm for floating installations, this cannot be avoided. Width areas greater than > 6m and length runs greater than >11m will require expansion and room transmission trims to assist the natural movement of a floating installation. As a guideline allow an extra 1- 2 mm expansion gap for every extra 1m of width over the standard raft size, (6m x 8m). Adequate space around heating, service ducts & metal jambs should be created to allow the floor to expand and contract. Refer Figure 2 & 3. Note: caulking will hinder natural floor movement, it should be avoided. 4. All expansion guidelines must be followed. Wherever possible, each room should be treated as a separate install, this will assist in reducing floor movement and tension for an optimum install. If the client objects to trim inclusions, keep a record that the client did not wish to include expansion trims & advise client accordingly. Plan multi-room installs before final-fix. 5. Large or heavy objects such as Kitchen Island benches cannot be placed on a floating floor. The floor planks need to be installed around the perimeter of the Island Bench or under the bench kick boards/fascia to allow for natural floor movement. 6. For wall end finishing planks these should not be less than 200 - 300 mm, short end joins on parallel planks should be at least 300 mm in distance from the adjoining plank, Figure 1. 300mm or longer planks will provide an optimal visual outcome. Plan the layout for all visual aspects prior to final fix, this will assist in aesthetically blending the grade, colour, and joint alignment. For optimum visual impact planks should run in the direction of the longest wall area. Regularly review install alignment. 7. The installer needs to establish a method for pulling the planks tightly together to ensure gapping or bowing does not eventuate during the install. Methods such as cramping, wedging or ratchet mechanisms are commonly used. The installed plank areas must be weighted to assist in keeping the floor flat & stable. Avoid foot traffic whilst adhesive is curing, refer manufacturer’s instructions. 8. Cover flooring with adequate protection if construction or painting is still occurring at the site. The finished floor must be protected from intense direct sunlight & humidity. Screens or blinds must be used to inhibit direct sun. Items such as rugs and mats should notbe introduced until the floor has been able to acclimatise in its environment, this will take approx. 8 weeks.


DIRECT ADHESIVE FIX INSTALLATION T&G FULL TROWEL SPREAD METHOD. Note: Our 12mm planks cannot be direct fixed to a concrete slab, only suitable over timber-based sub-floors. 1. Substrate materials such as structural Plywood, P/Board & Solid Timber floors should be flat, dry (<14%) free of moisture ingress and securely fixed, (no bounce or noise). Inspect and repair sub-floor if movement or noise is apparent. Concrete Slab must be dry approx. 2.5% prior to installation. Refer ATFA guidelines for concrete moisture testing methods. Substrate flatness should not exceed 3mm over a 3m radius in all directions. For concrete slabs, any hollows or humps must be levelled prior to installation. Please follow manufacturer’s guidelines for leveling compound application and drying times. 2. All wood/ timber based sub-floor surfaces must be lightly sanded to ensure flatness, particularly at edges & joins. Surface area must be sanded to remove any foreign substances such as waxes or paint, this is necessary to achieve good adhesion outcomes. 3. Confirm colour with owner & inspect all planks carefully prior to & during the install. FAULTY PLANKS SHOULD NOT BE INSTALLED and will not be covered by warranty provisions. If certain planks are displaying slight bow or twist set aside under load to assist with site acclimatisation, these planks can be installed later in the project. Slight bowing is acceptable. If significant assembly issues arise, please contact your point of purchase immediately. Do not install defective planks, if in doubt stop and follow up immediately. 4. When possible, cover windows & door openings 24 hours prior to install to moderate the interior temperature, reduce excessive heat, and direct UV. Do not install during temperature & humidity extremes, always follow adhesive manufacturers guidelines. 5. Use only a recognised timber flooring adhesive & moisture barrier (use same brand for both items), Sika, Bostik, Mapei, Wakol or similar systems are readily available. Refer, Pictures 1 & 2. An optimum direct fix install requires full trowel adhesive spread using a minimum 4mm square notched trowel or as specified. The planks must be weighted to assist with high bond outcomes & avoid foot traffic during the curing time, follow adhesive manufacturers guidelines, clean up excess adhesive as you work. Note: Bead Gluing is not considered full contact bonding and is not covered by our warranty. For concrete slab installs, 3 in 1 adhesives with a ‘claimed’ moisture barrier attributes can only be applied onto a compatible roll-on moisture barrier. Our warranty will not apply without proof that an additional moisture barrier was applied with this type of adhesive. Should a claim arise, photographic files of slab testing data & moisture barrier invoice will be required to support your workmanship method. 6. To optimise structural and visual performance, wall end finishing planks should not be less than 200-300 mm, Short end joins on parallel planks should be at least 300mm or longer, lengthways in distance from the adjoining plank joint. Refer, Figure1. 7. Carefully plan the layout to optimise visual characteristics & expansion requirements prior to final fix. This will provide a balanced blend of grade, colour, and joint alignment. It’s a good idea to make sure the owner’s expectations are consistent with the installer’s layout plan & expansion requirements. Heavily featured planks can be used under cabinetry or less obvious locations. For optimum visual impact planks should run lengthways in the direction of the longest wall area, including hallways. 8. Large or heavy objects such as a Kitchen Island bench can be installed onto a Direct Fixed floor or installed later. Please make sure the installed floor is well protected if other trades are still to complete their interior fit outs. 9. If plank alignment issues arise on timber based sub-floors, full trowel adhesive and occasional secret nailing can assist alignment whilst adhesive is curing. Pre-finished floors are designed for direct fix (not full secret nailing), trowel adhesive must be used in conjunction with occasional secret nailing. Mechanical damage to the plank or surface appearance is not covered by our warranty. 10. Floor movement will vary from site to site. The installer should assess perimeter and longitudinal expansion to plan for any natural movement of the floor, especially around door thresholds, service ducts, heating pipes & metal jambs. If required, a flexible sealant to a maximum of 3 - 5mm issuitable with direct fix installations. Typically, width areas greater than > 8m and length runs greater than >13m (e.g., hallways) will require additional expansion capacity or control joints to cater for any natural movement. Consider aesthetically breaking long hallway runs & where possible compartmentalise room to room installs.


DIRECT ADHESIVE FIX INSTALLATION CONTINUED; 11. Please cover flooring with adequate protection if construction or painting is still occurring at the site. Floor protection such as compressed cardboard, thin MDF panels or similar are worthwhile but cannot be left in place for an extended period. Do not use adhesive tape directly on the surface of the pre-finished planks, the coating surface may get damaged when removed. Incidental scratching, chipping and indentations from external sources are site related and therefore will not be covered by our warranty. 12. Window and door openings must be covered by screens, blinds, or tinting treatments to inhibit direct UV heat and light. Avoid placing rugs and mats until the floor surface has acclimatised in its environment; allow 8 weeks. Special Note: Batten Fixing: 21/6mm only. If plywood panels or leveling compounds are not an option our 21/6mm T&G Oak range can be installed on a secure timber batten system. Importantly, Preference Floors will not provide warranty for any acoustic performance issues related to plank movement or batten fixing. Floors directly fixed to batten systems may display higher levels of noise & movement due to the nature of the batten installation. Should this method be adopted the warranty covering acoustic performance (plank movement & subfloor noise) shall remain with the install / contractor. Preference Floors will still provide warranty for the structural & coating integrity of the product. Industry best practice suggests the following method for Batten fixing; permanently fix batten, spacing maximum 300mm. Mid span end joins must include a sub-batten under the short end join. All short end joins and long edges must be adhesive fixed using a DIN-3 Certified Cross-Linked PVA to secure all T&G profiles. Do not use Aquadhere PVA products, they are not suitable for structural joint adhesion.


Cleaning guide, Direct Fix or Floating Installation. Do not steam mop or wet mop the floor. Static or absorbent towelling mops should be used for all natural Oak floor surfaces. When incidental spills occur simply wipe dry with absorbent cloth and use a light bristle broom for daily cleaning. Refer Picture 3. Do not use generic supermarket floor cleaning solutions, we strongly recommend professional floor care products such as Bona or Loba. Spray Mop Kits and refill floor cleaning products are readily available online or through popular retail outlets throughout Australia & New Zealand. A comprehensive Floor Care guide is available for easy download on our website. Oak flooring is a natural material that will expand and contract in shape if moisture or humidity is elevated. It may also shrink if moisture or humidity becomes extremely low. As a natural product plank changes from these circumstances may lead to irreversible damage if the interior is constantly exposed to temperature and humidity extremes. Please review the floor care guide to familiarise yourself with the requirements on how best to live and maintain your timber floor. By following our simple floor care and install guidelines a well-maintained timber floor can last a lifetime. Follow the steps and enjoy a lifetime of nature at its finest. Disclaimer: Preference Floors has used its reasonable endeavours to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained herein and, to the extent permitted by law, will not be liable for any inaccuracies, omissions, or errors in this information nor for any actions taken in reliance on this information. Products must be installed in accordance with relevant installation recommendations and industry best practices.

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