Avala Blackbutt SPC Laminate Flooring

INSTALLATION GUIDE
Dear Customer, you have just purchased an SPC flooring product, produced with the latest technologies. Its
exclusive hybrid composition guarantees you optimal performance in humid and temperate situations where
other types of PVC flooring are unadvisable.

PRE–INSTALLATION SUBFLOOR REQUIREMENTS

All Subfloors must be:
*Dry

*Clean: Thoroughly swept and free of all debris

*Structurally sound

*Level: Flat to 4.7mm per 3.3 meters radius

Wood Sub–floors must be dry and well secured. Nail or screw every 15cm along joists to avoid
Squeaking. If not level, sand down high spots and fill low spots with a leveling patch. Make sure all crawl
space are open & has proper ventilation.

Ceramic Tile, resilient tile and sheet vinyl must be well bonded to subfloor, in good condition, clean and level.
Do not sand existing vinyl floors, as they may contain asbestos

Concrete subfloors must be fully cured, at least 60 days old, and should have a painted or 200micron
polyethylene vapor barrier between concrete and ground. Subfloor should be flat and level within 4.7mm per
3.3 meters. If necessary grind high spots down and level low spots with a leveling compound.

Installation tools:
*Tape measure *Tapping block (trimmed piece of flooring)
*Pencil *Heel iron/ pry bar/pull bar
*Chalk line *Crosscut power saw / Guillotine
*3 M Scotch–Blue 2080 Tape * Rubber mallet

STARTING YOUR INSTALLTION
Work from several open boxes of flooring and “dry lay” the floor before permanently laying the floor. This will allow you to select the varying grains & colors and to arrange them in a harmonious pattern. Remember. It is the installers’ responsibility to determine the expectations of what the finished floor will look like with the end user first and then to cull out pieces that do not meet those expectations.

Begin installation next to an outside wall. This is usually the straightest and best reference for establishing a straight working line. Establish this line by measuring ab equal distance from the wall at both end and snapping a chalk line. The distance you measure from the wall should be the width of a plank. You may need to scribe cut the first row of planks to match the wall in order to make a straight working line if the wall is not square, you may want to position a few row before starting installation to confirm your layout decision and working line. When laying flooring, stagger end joints for row to row by at least 30cm/300mm. When cutting the last plank in a row to fit, you cab use the cut–off end to begin the next row. If cut–off end is less than 30cm/300mm in length, discard it and instead cut a new plank at a random length and use it to start the next row. Always begin each row from the same side of the room. When near a wall, you can use a pry bar to pry close the side
and end joins.

Inspection: Prior to installation, inspect planks in daylight for visible faults/damage. Check if subfloor/site conditions comply with the specification described in these instructions. If you are not satisfied do not install and contact your supplier.

Before laying: Measure the room at right angle to the direction of the planks. For best visual effect, planks
in the final row should be at least 50mm(minimum)or half width of plank. For this purpose. Planks in the first
row can be cut to smaller size Shuffle planks in order to obtain a pleasant blend of shades. Lay planks
preferably following the direction of the main source of light. We recommend laying on wooden floors
crossways (ensure there is sufficient cross ventilation running under the existing wooden floor) to the
existing floorboard. Planks must not be nailed or screwed to the subfloor. Baseboards and molding must not be fixed in a way which restricts the movement of the floor.

INSTALLING THE FIRST ROW:

1. Starting from the left with the tongue facing the wall, carefully place the first board in place. (Figure1) 2. Place 10mm spacers between the short and long side of the planks and the wall. 3. Always position one spacer between the wall and where the planks join.
4. The end joints of the planks in the first row are assembled by inserting the tongue side into the groove side of the previous plank at a low angle. Gradually lower the plank down flat until the end joint closes, insuring that the planks are perfectly aligned. Install the remaining full planks in the first row. 5. Cut the final board piece to length, never less than 30cm/300mm. (Figure 2) The remaining piece cut off from the last plank in the first row may serve as the first plank in the second row provided it is at least 30cm/300mm long. Always stagger the end joints from row to row to a minimum of 30cm/300mm.

CONTINUING THE INSTALLATION:
1. Begin the second row with the cut piece from the first row. (Figure 3) If the cut piece is shorter than
30cm/300mm, do not use it. Instead, begin with a new board that is at least 30cm/300mm in length and
allows 30cm/300mm between the end joints on the adjacent planks.
2. Position the long side of the first board in place overlapping the groove of the planks in the previous rowby approximately 3mm. Then angle the end joint into the previous plank. Angle the plank up and gently
push forward until the plank locks into the previous row. (Figure 2) Slide the board to the left/right as
necessary to align the edges of the end joint.
3. Carefully push the board down until the tongue & groove lock together on the side
and ends.
4. It is important to make sure that the first three rows are straight and square as they can affect the entire
installation.
5. Install the remaining boards and rows in the same manner. (Figure 3 and 4)
6. Cut the last board to size. If necessary, complete the tight fit by tapping the board
into place with a pull bar.
7. Whenever practical, use cut pieces from previous rows as the starter board to reduce waste. (Figure
2)
8. Maintain 30cm/300mm spacing between end joints after the first four rows for best appearance. (Figure 2)

Figure1

FINISHING THE INSTALLATION:
• After all the planks have been installed, remove all the spacers from the perimeter of the room.
– Install transition/reducer/end moldings. Do not fasten any floor finishing moldings through/to/on the floor.
– Predrill and install quarter round or skirting. Moldings must be sufficient to cover the 1 mm expansion gap.
Always fasten these to the wall and not the floor planks.

Warnings

1–heating mats work very well under carpet tile and stone, however, we do not recommend placing them directly underneath the Diamond Core vinyl hoor. It is best to install Diamond Core vinyl Mooring over embedded hoor heating systems. refer to manufacturer/distributor for installation & operating instructions.

Protection and Maintenance of Your Floor
Lasting beauty can be achieved through purchasing a quality floor covering and providing proper on–going
maintenance. Please follow the recommendations in this guide to retain the fresh look and protect the floor
finish.
• After installation, we recommend a first cleaning to remove any loose dirt or debris that may have been
caused during installation. Also, in order to protect the floor surface from walked in abrasive dirt and debris we recommend the use of an effective barrier system to limit the amount of moisture, dirt and grit that may enter the area, by using a good walk on/off mat.
• Check any new cleaning agent on a small test patch of the floor in an inconspicuous area.
• Avoid using harsh cleaners or any cleaner with an ammonia base.
• Furniture should be moved onto the newly installed floor using an appliance hand truck over hardboard
runways, or pulled on towels/blankets into position and be fitted with felt pads to protect your flooring
surface.
• Avoid exposure to long periods of direct sunlight. Close blinds or drapes during peak sunlight hours. Floor covering subjects to excessive heat and light is subjected to thermal degradation. Use appropriate precautions to protect the floor.

• Natural ventilation or intermittent air conditioning in vacant/holiday homes should
be used.
• Oil or petroleum–based products can result in surface staining. Do not track
asphalt–driveway sealer or automobile–oil drips onto the vinyl floor covering.
• Use non–staining mats. Rubber will discolour the floor or cause it to turn yellow.
• Frequently moved furniture should be equipped with felt pads to avoid scratching the floor. Heavy furniture
and appliances should be equipped with non–staining large surface floor protectors. Furniture with castors or wheels must be easy swiveling, large surface non–staining and suitable for resilient floors. Do NOT use
ball type castors as they can damage the floor. For office chairs soft–wheeled castors must be used.
• Use felt floor protectors under furniture.
• Do not allow pets with unclipped nails to damage your flooring. It may result in severe scratching to the
surface. The same is true for any high/stiletto heeled shoes that do not have proper tips on the heels.
• Sweep or vacuum the floor regularly to remove loose dirt. Do NOT use vacuums that use a beater bar or turn beater bar off.
• Do NOT use electric brooms with hard plastic bottoms with no padding.
• Clean up spills immediately.
• Micro mop (damp) as needed using clean water and a diluted floor cleaner. Do NOT use harsh cleaners or
chemicals on the floor. Do NOT use abrasive scrubbing tools. Do NOT use detergents, abrasive cleaners or “mop and shine” products.
• Vinyl Flooring, like other smooth floors, may become slippery when wet. Allow time for floor to dry after
washing. Immediately wipe up wet areas from spills, foreign substances or wet feet.
• If your floor has been exposed to excessive amounts of water due to flooding, do not panic, Diamond Core is waterproof. Simply remove the water as quickly as possible. A humidifier should be promptly turned on in the room to reduce the moisture levels back to normal. Do not dry the room to below the normal moisture level that existed previously.

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