Instructions for installation and upkeep of our wooden floor

Store the parquet, or floor covering in a completely dry and humidity free area. There must be insulation between the parquet and the floor and it must be stored in such a way as to avoid any warping.

The level of humidity in the atmosphere where the product is stored must be between 40% and 60% and the temperature should be between 15 and 30 degrees centigrade. Please Note: Only open the packages when you are going to start work and handle the planks with care.

The wooden flooring has undergone rigorous controls at the factory. Therefore, if you find an abnormality on opening the packages on starting work, do not continue; you should report the problem immediately to your retailer. We would remind you that any product already installed is considered accepted by the customer and can under no circumstances be exchanged or reimbursed.

Twenty four hours before you start work, you should open the packages in the place where the work is to be carried out. This allows the product to adapt itself to the atmospheric conditions of the room.

As wood is a living material, you will find that each plank has different markings and colours. It is therefore advisable to open all the packages and mix up the planks to allow for these differences.

The laying of parquet or wooden flooring should be carried out after all other works such as painting, wallpapering and renders have been completed.

The room should be dry and the windows should be closed; the temperature should be between 15 and 30 degrees centigrade and the level of humidity between 40% and 60%.

The support on which the flooring is to be laid must be absolutely clean and perfectly flat. Any irregularity of more than 2mm must be planed. If necessary, sand and finish off. It is imperative to spread a film of polyane (200 microns minimum) in order to form a humidity barrier. ATTENTION: This barrier is designed to prevent humidity rising up from under the floor. However, if there is too much humidity this barrier will not be perfectly waterproof.

Ciment screed: The wooden support is considered to be dry when its humidity does not exceed 3% of its dry mass when laid on cement or concrete, and 0.5% in the case of an anhydrite screed. If the surface has been refaced the drying time is 5 days for 3mm. Measure with an electric humidity meter or follow the CM method. A freshly cemented screed must dry for at least 2 weeks per centimetre thickness in a sufficiently ventilated room.

Wooden support: The humidity level must not exceed 10%.

An old wooden floor: The floor must be sufficiently stable. Any loose parts must be nailed down if required, and leveling under floor must be installed. Install the new panels across the planks.

Fiberboard and plywood: These should be rigid and installed on wooden battens close enough together to avoid movement. An underlay should be used.

Damp-proof flooring (PVC, Linoleum…): Floating laying on underlay

General requirements:

The floors must have been executed in accordance with the norms NF P 52-301/DTU 65.6, NF P 52-302-1/DTU 65.7 et NF P 52-303-1/DTU 65.8 Be careful of humidity rate in the concrete: The base floor is considered dry when it’s moisture content does not exceed 2% of its dry mass when it is mortar or concrete (approximately 2 weeks per cm), and 0.5% for a liquid coating.

The natural drying of the base floor must be completed by the commencement of any heating installation and it’s maintenance approximately 3 weeks prior to laying the parquet, (whatever the season). Heating systems must be halted at least 48 hours prior to laying the parquet and must recommence in progressive stages (in stages of 5°C), approximately one week after the laying of the parquet.

The surface of the parquet must not exceed 28°C.

Owing to the slight thickness and density of our products, the thermic resistance is less than 0.15 m²K/W, which conforms to DTU 65-8. The wood veneered flooring of 8mm and Absolu 10, Absolu 14 and Prestige, have a resistance of 0,05m²K/W, 0,07 m²K/W, 0,08 m²K/W et 0,09 m²K/W respectively.

Important: The system must distribute an homogeneous heat on the desire surface.

Where there is any type of existing underfloor heating system, it is not advisable to use either maple, beech or cherry. These types of wood are too unstable.

 

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