Installation & Assembly

ManualsBrandsChristina & Son ManualsFlooringPearl Leather 8" x 49" x 12mm Laminate Flooring

INSTALLATION GUIDELINES FOR LAMINATE FLOORING

Please Inspect all Flooring Prior to Installation

Carefully confirm that the Color, Finish, Styling and Quality Fully meet the owner’s expectations. If you determine the product does not meet expectations, DO NOT INSTALL

and immediately contact your Place of Purchase. Not assume any responsibility, including costs for removal or replacement, for flooring that has been installed that does not

meet the owner’s expectations for any reason. LAMINATE FLOORING is INTENDED TO BE INSTALLED by NALFA (National Laminate Flooring Association) approved Floating Floor

methods.

Light Commercial applications must be pre-approved and Contact your retailer for additional information regarding the approval of Light Commercial jobs.

PLEASE READ AND REVIEW THE ENTIRE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH THEACTUAL INSTALLATION.

OWNER /INSTALLER RESPONSIBILITY

Laminate flooring is characterized by distinctive variations in grain and color. These variations in color and grain, are not flaws, but are a part of the styling, and uniqueness of

Laminate flooring. Laminate Floors are manufactured in accordance with the accepted industry standards which Installation Instructions allow a defect tolerance, (natural or

manufacturing), of 5% of the total of Laminate Flooring purchase per job. Warranty 95% of the total Laminate Flooring purchase per job. The remaining 5% may be used at the

owner’s discretion, but is subject to the industry standard 5% defect allowance. All flooring considered defective (outside of that listed in the Warranty Exclusions on the

Laminate Floor Warranty and Care sheet), after proper inspection by the installer or homeowner, should be culled, or trimmed out prior to installation and must not be

installed. If an individual piece is doubtful as to grade, color, or finish, the installer should not install that piece. Warranties DO NOT cover materials that are installed with

visible defects. If material in excess of 5% of the total job amount is found to be unacceptable, contact the place of purchase for your Laminate Floor immediately.

The installer and home owner must assume all responsibility for full inspection of products prior to the installation. Open and select planks from 3 or 4 cartons in order to

blend color and grain characteristics, and to allow for staggering of end joints a minimum of 7 to 10 inches. Carefully examining the flooring for color, finish, texture, and

quality before installing it. Use reasonable selectivity, and use touch-up markers and putty sticks, as well as culling or cutting out pieces with visible defects. Before beginning

the installation of any Laminate flooring product, the installer must determine that the environment of the job site, and the condition and type of the subfloor involved is

acceptable, ensuring that it meets or exceeds all requirements specified in the Laminate Floor installation RECOMMENDED SUB·FLOOR TYPES and PRE-INSTALLATION JOB SITE

INSPECTION sections below.

Laminate Flooring is susceptible to damage when exposed to extreme changes in temperature or relative humidity. If environmental conditions and installation instructions

listed below are not correctly followed, Laminate Floors may suffer irreversible damage. Does not accept any responsibility for flooring failure resulting from or associated

within appropriate or improperly prepared subfloors or improper job site environmental conditions. Before any flooring is installed, the installer must make sure that the

job-site environment and the condition of the subfloor involved meet or exceed the standards and recommendations as outlined in the SUB·FLOOR and JOB SITE

PREPARATION sections below. The use of touch up pens, filler or putty sticks should be used for the correction of defects. When ordering Laminate Flooring, a waste factor

between 5 - 10%, depending on layout, must be added to the actual number of square feet needed. (Diagonal Installations may require more.)

TOOLS AND/OR ACCESSORIES NEEDED: FLOATING INSTALLATION

Broom/Pencil/Terry Cloths/Tape Measure/Moisture Meter/Safety Equipment (Goggles and Mask)/Circular or Hand Saw; Miter or Table Saw/Hand/Jamb Saw (for undercutting

door trim)/Chalk Line and Chalk/Hammer; Rubber Mallet (Light Colored…Dark Colored Mallets damage paint on walls)/Nail Punch/Finish Nails (if installing trim and

molding)/Pry/Pull Bar/Spacing Wedges/Utility Knife/Floating Floor Foam Underlayment , no thicker than 3mm, with a density meeting NALFA requirements/6 mil Polyethylene

Film (if necessary as a moisture barrier)/3-M 2080 Blue Painter’s Tape Laminate Flooring Cleaner with Dry Mop

WARNING: not responsible for damage caused by negligent installation practices or misuse of installation tools. Laminate flooring uses a 4 sided glue less locking system. This

glue-less locking system enables you to work up to 50% faster than gluing.

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS: FLOATING INSTALLATION

STEP 1: Pre-Installation Jobsite Inspection When installing Laminate flooring in new construction sites, Laminate Flooring should be one of the last items installed. Flooring

should not be delivered until the pre-installation guidelines listed below are completed. After all the guidelines are met, the flooring should acclimate at the job site at least 48

hours prior to installation. Do not open cartons until ready to install. Prior to installation, the building must be structurally complete and enclosed. All exterior windows and

doors must be installed.

Any “wet” work inside the house (masonry, drywall, and paint) must also be complete - allowing adequate drying time to eliminate unnecessary moisture content within the

building. Concrete should be at least 60 days old. Permanent HVAC (heating/air conditioning) systems must be operating for at least 14 days before installation, maintaining a

constant room temperature between 60-78 degrees Fahrenheit and a relative humidity of 35-55%. Exterior drainage - including gutters and downspouts, must be in place and

drain away from the building. Laminate Floors can be installed on, above, or below grade, although they are not recommended for full bathroom installations. Basements and

crawl spaces must be dry. Crawl spaces must be a minimum of 18”from the ground to the underside of the joists and cross ventilated at a ratio of 1.5% (15sf per 1000sf) of the

total square foot area. A vapor inhibitor (6-8 mil black polyethylene film) must be put in crawl spaces with joints overlapped and taped.

Sub-floors must be checked for moisture content using the appropriate metering device for concrete or wood. Examples of concrete moisture meters that work well are: the

Delmhorst Moisture Meter Model and the Tramex Concrete Encounter.

Performing Moisture Tests:

WOOD SUBSTRATES: Test the moisture of the wood sub-floor using a calibrated moisture meter approved for testing wood moisture according to the meter manufacturer. The

reading should not exceed 14%, or read more than 5% different than the moisture content of the product being installed.

CONCRETE SUBSTRATES: There are multiple ways to test for excess moisture in concrete. Use an approved, calibrated moisture meter such as the Delmhorst Moisture Meter

Model G or the Tramex Concrete Encounter. On the Tramex Concrete Encounter Meter, moisture readings should not exceed 4.5 on the upper scale.

Perform a Polyfilm Test. Tape down 2’x 2’ polyfilm squares (a clear garbage bag or plastic drop cloth will do) in several places on the floor. Wait 24-48 hours, and then check

for the appearance of condensation on the inside of the bag or plastic and for a darkening on the concrete in that area. Either occurrence signals the likely presence of excess

moisture, requiring a mandatory Calcium Chloride Test. Once you have determined the moisture content and that excess moisture is indeed present, a Calcium Chloride and

pHAlkalinity Test must be performed to determine moisture emissions and alkalinity from the concrete slab.

Perform a Calcium Chloride test (these can be found in flooring retail stores or online atwww.moisturetestkit.com. The maximum acceptable reading is 3 lbs. /24 hours/1000

sq. ft. for moisture emissions. Perform a pH Alkalinity Test (a 3% Phenolphthalein in Anhydrous alcohol solution). Chip the concrete at least 1/4 “deep (do not apply directly to

the concrete surface) and apply several drops of the solution to the chipped area. If any color change occurs, further testing is required. Using the number method on the test,

a pH reading of 6-9 on a pH scale of 1-14 is considered acceptable. Not responsible for Hydrostatic, Hygrostatic, or Thermal dynamics resulting from an improper concrete slab

installation. When installing a floating installation over concrete, use a 6 mil Polyethylene Film or a 3 in 1 Underlayment and seal all seams prior to installing the floor. This will

provide a proper moisture barrier between the concrete and the Laminate flooring.

STEP 2: Storing the Material Prior to Installation

Once the building meets the conditions in Step 1, the material can be delivered to the site. Handle and unload the flooring with care and store within the area in which it is

expected to perform. Flooring stored on concrete floors should be elevated at least four inches to allow circulation under the cartons. Cartons must be stored horizontally

(parallel to the ground). Never store them standing on end. Stack the cartons 3-4 high to insure efficient acclimation. Do not store directly upon on grade concrete or next to

outside walls. Cartons should be placed as close to the center of the installation area as possible, away from exterior walls, windows, and doors. Keep out of direct sunlight

and away from air vents. Leave all boxes SEALED while they are acclimating (this allows all boards to acclimate within the boxes at the same rate). The Laminate flooring must

acclimate for a minimum of 72 hours prior to installation. Extra precautions may be necessary during extreme weather conditions.

STEP 3: Subfloor Types Radiant Heat Subfloors are Not Approved and installation of Laminate Floors are not warranted over Radiant Heated Substrates. It is the sole

responsibility of the purchaser to determine that all subfloor types meet the required specifications .Wood Panel Subfloors (Truss/joist spacing will determine the minimum

acceptable thickness. On truss/joist spacing of 16” on center or less, use a minimum 5/8”CDX or better grade plywood panel or23/32” APA E1 PS 2 rated NWFA approved

OSB panel. On truss/joist spacing of more than 16” up to 19.2” on center, use a minimum 3/4” Tongue and Groove CDX or better grade plywood panel, glued and

mechanically fastened, or a minimum ¾” APA E1 PS 2 rated NWFA approved OSB panel, glued and mechanically fastened. Truss/joist systems spaced over more than 19.2”

up to a maximum of 24” on center require a minimum7/8” Tongue and Groove CDX or better grade plywood panel, glued and mechanically fastened, or a minimum 7/8”

APA E1 PS 2 rated NWFA approved OSB panel glued and mechanically fastened. Floating Laminate Installation methods may be used for installations over APA Underlayment

Grade particle board and APA approved OSB Substrates.

Concrete Substrates Concrete subfloors on all grade levels must be tested for moisture content prior to installation of the Laminate flooring. The moisture content of the

concrete subfloor must register in the approved range, according to whichever test method is used to determine the slab condition. (see performing moisture tests above).

Summary of content (4 pages)

PAGE 1
INSTALLATION GUIDELINES FOR LAMINATE FLOORING Please Inspect all Flooring Prior to Installation Carefully confirm that the Color, Finish, Styling and Quality Fully meet the owner’s expectations. If you determine the product does not meet expectations, DO NOT INSTALL and immediately contact your Place of Purchase. Not assume any responsibility, including costs for removal or replacement, for flooring that has been installed that does not meet the owner’s expectations for any reason.
PAGE 2
Concrete must be 60 to 90 days old with a PSI rating (3000 psi or higher) that is approved by NWFA for installations of Engineered and Laminate Flooring. Concrete slabs must be totally flat– less than3 lbs. /1000 sf. / 24 hr. moisture vapor transmission. Lightweight (Acoustic) Concrete must be solid with a PSI rating of at least 2000 psi, that has no spalling(loose patches), or friable ,(crumbling), surface areas.
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Laminate on Stair Treads and Risers Cut the laminate planks net from side to side, no expansion space is necessary. Remember that the depth of the laminate tread material will be cut to accommodate the width of the laminate nosing which overlaps either arise of laminate or the piece of laminate which is glued to the edge of the step. One plank of laminate will finish most risers; if two planks are needed to accommodate the depth of the tread, position the joint close to the riser.
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10. Use a dolly when moving heavy furniture or appliances; but first, put down a piece of quarter inch plywood or Masonite to protect the floor. Never use Cardboard to protect the floor when moving or rolling heavy objects. Never try to slide or roll heavy objects across the floor. 11. A hard, smooth bottomed protective mat designed for Laminate Flooring should be used for furniture or chairs with casters.