Preparations for installing parquet flooring
Regardless of whether you decide on glue-down or floating installation, optimal preparation is the basis of an expertly installed floor! Parquet is not suitable for very humid environments. Regarding the correct installation techniques, we recommend contacting experts.
Suitable sub-floors
Cement and anhydrite base, cast asphalt, V100 fiber board.
Requirements for the subfloor
The subfloor must be flat, dry, clean and hard (for gluing). Flatness can be checked using a straight guide bar and a vernier caliper. Before installation, unevenness must be leveled (maximum 2 mm per 1200 mm length).
- Subfloor moisture is determined and recorded using the CM meter:
- The residual moisture content of the cement floor is a maximum of 2.0 CM%.
- In the case of underfloor heating, a maximum of 1.8 CM%.
- The residual moisture content of the anhydrite subfloor is a maximum of 0.5 CM%.
- In the case of underfloor heating, a maximum of 0.3 CM%.
Tables must be installed lengthwise, in the direction of the main light source. In long and narrow rooms (for example, corridors), tables should always be installed lengthwise.
If the width of the room exceeds eight meters, an additional expansion gap must be left in case of floating installation.
If the humidity is higher, the drying time must be longer.
The hardness of the subfloor (in case of gluing) is tested using the appropriate test device or an iron nail. The subfloor is hard if the edges of the scratch remain sharp. If the floor is not hard enough, it is only suitable for floating installation.
Check that the subfloor is clean - and that there are no oil and paint stains, cracks, etc. In case of gluing, cracks must be filled with epoxy resin and paint, plaster and mortar residues must be scraped off. Oil and grease must be removed by sanding.
- In order to obtain a perfect result, you must follow the installation tips given by the Floor Center:
Please read the installation instructions carefully before installation.
Unpack the parquet only immediately before installation.
The installation temperature must be at least 18º C and the humidity 40-65%.
The subfloor must be dry, smooth and clean.
In order to protect the valuable wooden floor from moisture rising from below, we recommend covering the subfloor with age-resistant 0.2 mm polyethylene film in case of floating installation. The overlap of the film tiles must be 20 cm, and the film must be turned up at the edges of the room.
In new buildings, the windows must be kept aside for a few weeks before installation. During the transition period and in winter, heat and ventilate the room regularly.
All work involving water or moisture (tiling, painting, wallpapering and plastering) must be completed before the floor is installed.
Seal the patio door area to prevent moisture from entering from the outside.
Do not store packaged parquet on a freshly installed subfloor! Use support blocks.
Store packaging, underlayment and adhesive at installation site. The room temperature must be at least 18º C.
Before installation, inspect the panels for defects. Complaints about defects on the installed floor are not accepted.