You must follow the installation and maintenance guidelines to receive the maximum benefits/life from your floor.
Make sure you have enough cartons to complete the job, always add 5% for scrap. Place unopened floor packs in the middle of the room 24-48 hours before beginning installation. Do not open cartons until you are ready to begin installation For best appearance and utility; we recommend that you randomly mix panels from multiple boxes.
Color difference between individual panels or packs is a normal consideration with natural flooring, therefore to maximize appearance it is always advisable to install your flooring in natural light (laying at night is not recommended). Cork and wood are products of nature. The difference in structure, color and patterns (even in the same box) are part of the natural beauty of the material.
Cork or wooden floors are not suitable for humid and steamy rooms.
Inspect all panels prior to installation. It is your responsibility not to install defective panels.
All panel end joints should be staggered 8″ from previous row joints
As with all products of nature, sunlight can cause color variations.
An expansion gap of at least 3/8″ should be used everywhere, not only between walls and other floors, but also around door frames, pipes, or other fixed objects. With room sizes greater than 33′ (planks laid lengthwise) or 26′ (planks laid across), expansion joints must be included. Building-specific expansion joints must be considered. These expansion gaps can be covered with baseboards and/or molding.
Subfloor Specifications
Subfloor surface must be solid and level within 1/8″ of an 8 foot radius. Subfloor must be clean and dry.
Concrete subfloors must not contain more than 3 lbs. moisture (1.5 lbs. with radiant heat systems) on a dry weight basis (calcium chloride test). The moisture content of wood subfloors should be between 6-10% moisture content (CM).
The relative humidity range in the workplace should be 45% – 65%; The room temperature setting should be between 65F-80F degrees.
Job Site Assessment
Before installing, thoroughly inspect the job site. Determine if grade, subfloor, and subfloor condition are acceptable. In homes with crawl spaces, foundation vents should provide cross ventilation with no dead air space. Ventilation ducts must be located along the foundation with an opening area equal to 1 ½% of the square area within the crawl space. If there is excessive moisture under the house, you must place a black polyethylene moisture barrier or 6 mil foam underlayment (available for purchase at this site) on the ground in the crawl space below the installation area.
Preparation
Inspect subfloors to make sure they are firm and level.
Wood Subfloors: Inspect the wood subfloor to determine that it is sound and level. Make any necessary repairs and remove or install any protruding nails, staples or screws. Re-nail loose areas or squeaky areas. If the subfloor sags, inspect the joists below for crooked or other weaknesses and repair. Sand or brush high areas, fill in low areas. At this point the legs of the door should be undercut to avoid difficult cuts. Also be sure to allow adequate expansion under the legs of the door.
Concrete Subfloors: Concrete subfloors above or below grade are generally acceptable if an effective moisture barrier is installed. Make sure any concrete subfloor is at least 50-60 days old before installing cork/wood flooring over it. Check moisture content by touching a 2 foot button. x 2 sq. ft. of polythene film to the tile in three to four places and, if possible, place a lamp or other heat source on the polythene for 24 hours or test for calcium chloride. Signs of excess moisture include: discolored concrete, cloudy film, or actual water droplets on the underside of the poly. Fill any voids or low spots in the subfloor with a self-curing leveling compound. Make sure it is fully cured before proceeding with the cork/wood installation. 15 lbs. Roofing paper is also suitable for leveling small depressions in the floor. Cut to the shape of the depression and stack in layers to even out the area.
Other Subfloors: Cork/Wood flooring can be installed over a variety of existing floors, including: vinyl tile or sheet, rubber tile, linoleum, terrazzo, ceramic tile, or other wood flooring. The same leveling and moisture requirements apply and the existing floor must be sound.
Before beginning to install CORK/WOOD flooring in a below grade installation (basements, etc.), a 1/64″ (0.2 mm) polyethylene film should be laid. Overlap the film 6″ and seal the seams with electrical tape. Also, for below grade installations, wrap the film on the wall.
start laying
Measure the room, this allows you to determine if the last board in the first row will be shorter than 12″. If this is the case, the first board in the row should be shortened to maximize the overall stability of the floor.
If the starting wall is not straight, spacers or battens should be used to ensure the first row is straight. After the first three rows are installed, these spacers can be removed (always leave a 3/8″ expansion gap, however).
Place the first board in the right corner of the room with the tongue side facing the wall. Don’t forget to use spacer wedges along all walls or other fixed points in the room. Insert the end joint of the second board precisely into the end joint of the first board. This should be done at an angle of approximately 20°-30° lowering the panel into place with light pressure. Continue installing the first row.
With the second row, start with the excess plank piece from the previous row if the plank is at least 12″ long (Note: Stagger end joints in adjoining rows by at least 8″. Otherwise, a new plank must be cut. Always maintain wall space. Using the excess plank from the first row, starting at the right, lower this plank into place at approximately a 20°-30° angle to that of the first row. This is accomplished by raising the front angle side of the plank by approximately (3″-4″), along with the previously laid plank from the same row, then snap it into place with light pressure with the planks from the previous row. After the entire row is laid, use a tapping block (lightly) to close any gaps between the panels.
If you used spacers or battens to keep the first row straight, remove them after row 3-4, leaving the required space on all walls. Be sure to maintain clearance around fixed points (walls, door frames, etc.). The floor should float freely.
If you cannot butt the planks together under door frames, baseboards, etc. and drawbar can be used. Remove all spacers and install all baseboards and trim, making sure the floor is free to move underneath. Never attach baseboards or molding directly to the floor.