WECork - Products: Floating Floors, Installation Instructions - Your Cork Flooring And Sound Control Specialist

PRODUCTS: FLOATING FLOORS - Avant Garde Collection
Floor Tiles • Floating Floors • Underlayment • Sheets • Rolls • Expansion Joints
Insulation Corkboard • Cork Stoppers • Giftware

Floating Floor Specifications
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AVANT GARDE with Greenshield™
SIZE: Nominal 12" x 36" x 7/16"
900 X 300 X 11mm

PACKAGING: 6 Planks per Carton, 56 Cartons per Pallet, 31 pallets per container

FINISH: High performance water based finish with 4 times the wear resistance of traditional urethanes

THICKNESS:
(top cork layer) 3.2 mm
(fiberboard layer) 6.0 mm
(underlayment cork layer) 1.8 mm

STYLES: Classic, Classic White, Roma, Porto, Madrid, Saddle Madrid, Monte Carlo, Saddle Monte Carlo, Olive Barcelona, Sardinia, Zurich, Canyon, Moss Tuscany, Nairobi, Sable Gibraltar.

DENSITY:
(Cork layer) > 450 kg/m3
(fibreboard layer) > 880 kg/m3

MOISTURE CONTENT: < 8%

BONDING BEHAVIOR: No Delamination

WEAR RESISTANCE - PERFORMANCE RESULTS
Adhesion: EN ISO 2409: 1
Scratch Resistance: ISO 15184, ASTM D 3363 - 9H
Stain Resistance: EN 438.2: 5 (No visible change)
Abrasion Resistance: (Taber using CS-17 wheels: 1kg weight/each wheel) > 6,000 revolutions
Impact Resistance: EN 438.2:.10N

SQUARNESS: <0.3 mm

STRAIGHTNESS: <0.3 mm

Installation Instructions

Installer/Owner Responsibility
Cork floors are a product of nature and therefore, not perfect. The defects may be of a manufacturing or natural type. The Installer assumes all responsibility for final inspection of product quality. Carefully examine flooring for color, finish and quality before installing. If material is not acceptable, do not install it and contact the seller immediately. WE Cork recommends selecting planks from various cartons during installation to maintain natural color and pattern variation. Avoid exposure to direct sunlight as it will cause fading.

Recommendations
Prior to installation of any wood-flooring product, the installer must determine that the job site environment and the sub surfaces involved meet or exceed all applicable standards and recommendations of the construction and materials industries. These instructions recommend that the construction and sub floor be dry, stiff and flat, within 3/16" in 10" and 1/8" in 6'. Use a quick drying mortar based leveler if necessary.

WE Cork glueless floating floors can be installed over existing pvc or vinyl. Carpeting must be removed. WE Cork recommends the use of 6mil polyethylene sheeting as a vapor barrier under all installations. Polyethylene sheets should overlap 8" at the seams, run 3" up the wall, and sheets should be taped together. Use of foam underlayments or soft pad is not recommended under WE Cork glueless floating floors.

Always leave a 3/8" space between flooring and perimeter walls and fixtures. Floors exceeding 30' in length and or width will require an expansion joint.

The floor should be allowed to contract and expand therefore, finish moldings; trims and thresholds should never be attached to the floor itself.

Installation of WE Cork glueless floating floors is not recommend in bathrooms or any areas with high moisture concentration.

Tools and Material
Mallet, wood block, ruler, saw with finish blade, measuring tape, 3/8" wedges, crowbar

In-Floor Radiant Heating
WE Cork Glueless Floating Floors are suitable for use with underfloor heating. It should be pointed out that the flooring installed over in floor heating may gain moisture or dry out faster. Use of a humidifier is suggested. The surface temperature of the floor should not exceed 85 degrees fahrenheit. In floor heat should be allowed to run 5-6 days before installation regardless of the season.

Floor Installation

Place 6 mil polyethylene sheets on subfloor. Overlap seams 8" and tape. Run up the wall 3".
Start installation in corner of longest perimeter wall using 3/8" wedges to keep the floor 3/8" from the wall. You may install left to right or right to left. Before installing measure length of room to insure that the last plank installed is not less than 12". If it is, the first plank installed should be shortened to guarantee overall stability.
Begin placing of the panels by installing the "tongue" side facing the wall. Continue by installing next plank at short side inserting tongue side into groove side at a 45 degree angle gently moving opposite end of plank slightly up and down pressing gently. Allow floor to lay flat and use tapping block, placed flat on floor, to gently tap floor together. Once the planks have clicked together, DO NOT TAP THEM AGAIN, as this can cause the joint to be too tight and result in peaking. (Cork flooring is resilient by nature, to much pressure at the seams contributes to the peaking. Should this happen gently remove the plank and reinstall) Never hammer directly on the panel. Close the joint on the last panel of the row using a crowbar.
On remaining rows, if the cut off piece from previous row is longer than 12" it can be used to start the next row. End joints between adjacent rows should always be staggered by at least 12". Position the long side of the plank to be installed at a 45 degree angle to the plank already installed. Lift plank gently slightly up and down and press lightly on grooved side. Close the joints by tapping together gently (as described above) until floor clicks into place.
On the last row, it is usually required for the planks to be cut lengthwise. Measure each plank at several places along the length for a proper fit. Be sure to leave 3/8" expansion space. Mark and cut. Install last panel, adjusting it with the help of a crowbar.
Remove wedges and cover perimeter gaps with a baseboard. Never attach the finish moldings, trims or thresholds to floor.

Protection
Protect floor from scratching and denting by using felt gliders beneath furniture. At points where there will be a lot of heavily centered wear (i.e., in front of desks, entrance door, etc) a protective matt must be put down to protect the floor surface. Avoid rubber backed or other non-ventilated mats or rugs.

Spills should be wiped up immediately

Never apply tape or other adhesive products directly to the finish.

Maintenance
Sweep or vacuum floor frequently to avoid buildup of abrasive material.

Clean the floor with Bona wood floor cleaner following the instructions on the bottle. (Avoid use of excess water on floor)

Occasionally Bona wood floor refresher may be used to rejuvenate the finish.

Products containing wax should never be used on urethane-finished floors.

Floating floors are made of thin veneer laminated to a cork base. How long the finish lasts is directly related to the traffic level and quality of the floor care. It is the responsibility of the owner to determine when the floor needs recoating. When the floor exhibits sign of wear it is time to renew the finish. WE Cork recommends recoating with Bona Traffic. This will make the floor look new again and prolong its lifespan. WE Cork recommends following the finish manufacturers guidelines.

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