European Collection Installation

EUROPEAN COLLECTION LAMINTE FLOORING INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

European Collection laminate flooring is manufactured strictly as a floating floor with an extremely strong and durable locking system.
This gives our flooring the advantage of easy installation and our laminate flooring can be installed over any type of sub floor foundation.

MUST READ PRIOR TO INSTALLATION
Before installation set to begin, the guidelines stated in this manual must be thoroughly read and understood. Failure to follow our installation guidelines might cause damages to the aminate flooring such as cupping, bowing, gapping and other problems. Failure to comply by our guidelines will void the warranty offered by European Collection.

Acclimation:
Please follow National Wood Flooring Association’s (NWFA) acclimation guideline for allowing the flooring to acclimate for a minimum of 48 hours prior to installation. For a proper acclimation, place the unopened cartons of the planks flat on the floor in the room where they will be installed.

Normal Living Conditions:
Maintaining a recommended interior relative humidity level between 35% to 55%, and a temperature between 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the installation is a must. This ensures a maximum performance of our laminate flooring and provides a comfortable, healthy environment for the new flooring.

HVAC System:
Do not turn off the Heating Ventilation Airconditioning (HVAC) when you’re away from your home/building during long period of time (i.e. vacation). This will ensure that the flooring is performing under our Normal Living Conditions requirement. Failure to do so might cause significant damages to the laminate flooring such as shrinking, warping and delamination.

New Construction:
For newly constructed building, we recommend that the laminate flooring to be the last item to be installed. Prior to the delivery of the flooring, we required the all water related works to be completed and that all doors and windows to be installed and weather striped.

OWNER AND INSTALLER RESPONSIBILITY

Product Inspection:
Final inspection of product quality will be the sole responsibility of the homeowner, installer or contractor. At the time of the delivery and prior to the installation of the product, a thorough inspection must be done. Product inspection consists of but not limit to color, finish or damage during transit. DO NOT INSTALL the floor, if the material is considered unacceptable. European Collection accepts no responsibility for product or labor (removal and reinstall) cost on the floors with visible defects that have been installed. Please note that the industry standard permits a defect tolerance of 5% of the total flooring quantity.

Informing the Homeowner:
Prior to the start of installation, the homeowner must be made aware of the following: 1). Laminate Flooring is intended for indoor use only. 2). The sample board does not represent the true color ranges of the product that are contained in the carton. 3). The effect of moisture will have on the laminate floor, which excessive moisture can result in cupping, buckling, warping and delamination. 4). The importance of maintaining a controlled environment of interior relative humidity level of 35% to 55%, and a temperature of 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the life of the floor.

Exterior / Interior Environment:
Prior to installation, it is the sole responsibility of the installer to determine the jobsite environment and conditions are suitable for the material to be installed. The installer must conduct a moisture test of the sub floor according to the laminate installation guidelines set forth by the NWFA. The subfloor moisture test MUST be documented and made available to the omeowner prior to start of the installation. Furthermore, during the installation process, the installer needs to take the reading of interior relative humidity and temperature level at a daily basis to ensure that the flooring is installed under our Normal Living Conditions guideline. European Collection declines any responsibility for product failures due to improper subfloor preparation or environmental deficiencies at the job site.

Installation Period:
During the installation process, the flooring must be protected from any damages such as dings, dents and scratches. The installer must be responsible and take due diligence to prevent any damages. Any installation related damages caused to the flooring are not covered by European Collection’s warranty.

Delivery and Storage:
During periods of adverse weather conditions such as rain, storm and or snow, the flooring must be completely protected from getting wet and absorbing moisture while on transit for delivery to either the jobsite or place of business. Only stored the flooring in a controlled environment that conforms to European Collection’s recommendations.

JOB SITE INSPECTION AND PRE-INSTALLATION GUIDELINES

Job-Site Evaluation:
Prior to the start of the flooring installation, the installer must perform an evaluation on the job site conditions. Key job site conditions must be observed: 1). Is the water run off direct away from the side of the building? 2). Is the roof gutter system directing water to a main drainage systems that carries the water away from the side of the building? 3). Is there sufficient drainage around the landscape that carries the water away from the side of the building? 4). Are the sprinklers are the water spray away from the side of the building? 5). Are there algae growth on the concrete walkways and driveways.

Sub Floor:
The sub floor surface must be flat within 3/16 inch over a 10-foot radius in all directions. The sub floor must be structurally sound and free from any type of paint, oil, grease, dust, and all other types of residues/debris.

Moisture Testing:
The job site must be dry with no visible moisture. The installer must conduct moisture tests on the sub floor to make sure the job site is ready for installation. The only accepted forms of moisture testing are: 1). Calcium Chloride Test for concrete slab. 2). Tramex Moisture Encounter Plus MEP for wood sub floors. All moisture testing must be recorded and presented to the homeowner before the start of installation.

Moisture Emission:
For concrete sub floor, the maximum allowable moisture emission rate from the Calcium Chloride test is 3.0 pounds per 1,000 sq. ft. per 24 hours. The maximum acceptable moisture reading for wood/plywood sub floors is 14%. If the moisture emission rate exceeds the maximum allowable level, a vapor-retarding system must be applied to the surface of the sub floor prior to the start of the installation. Failure to do so will void the manufacturer’s warranty.

Wet Work:
All wet work (i.e. plastering, painting, masonry or tiling) must be completed prior to delivering the flooring to the job site.

Grade Level:
European Collection laminate flooring is designed to be installed over on grade, below grade and above grade levels.

HVAC System:
A consistent room temperature of 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit and 35% to 55% relative humidity must be consistently maintained at the job site during installation. The structure’s interior climate controls such as heating/air-conditioning/humidification system must be operating 5 days before the flooring is to be delivered. If the permanent interior climate control system is inoperable, a temporary interior climate control system must be in placed to ensure the interior’s room temperature and relative humidity is controlled to the guidelines.

Crawl Space:
Crawl spaces needs to be a minimum of 18 inches from the ground to the underside of the joists. Earth or thin concrete slab beneath the crawl space must be covered with a 6-mil olyethylene sheeting overlapping the seams by a minimum of 12 inches followed by duct taping the entire length of the seams. The poly sheeting needs to be extended at least 6 inches up the stem wall but do not sealed to the stem wall. This will allow for controlled emission of water vapors into the crawl space atmosphere. For a proper airflow, the crawl space should have perimeter-venting equal to a minimum of 1 ½ square feet per 1000 square feet of crawl space area.

Note:
Local building codes may differ. Follow local building codes. Any moisture related failures due to not covering the crawl space with 6-mil poly sheeting will not be covered by European Collection’s warranty.

SUB FLOOR REQUIREMENTS

Concrete Slab:
The concrete slab must be dry prior to the start of installation. New concrete must cure for at least 120 to 180 days depending on the size and depth of the slab. A Calcium Chloride Test must be conducted to make sure the concrete slab is ready for installation.

Wood/Plywood Sub Floor:
Wooden sub floor must be structurally sound and constructed according to local building codes. Both CD Exposure 1 plywood (minimum ¾ inch thickness) or OSB Exposure 1 (minimum ¾ inch thickness) sub floor panels are appropriate sub flooring materials. Repair any squeaky floor sound by securing any loose planks or panels. Prior to installation, moisture reading using the Tramex Moisture Encounter Plus MEP on the wood/plywood sub floor must be conduct.

Cleanliness:
The sub floor must be free from any type of paint, oil greases, and residues. Any debris such as mud or dust must be cleaned prior to the start of installation.

Floor Flatness:
The sub floor surface must be flat within 3/16 inch over a 10-foot radius in all directions. Self-leveling or patch type product must be used on concrete sub floors in order to correct any floor flatness issues. For wood or plywood sub floor, high spots need to be sand or plane while low spots needs to be filled with Portland cement based patching compound.

Vinyl:
The vinyl sheeting MUST be in fair condition and possesses no visible tears or holes. Existing sheet vinyl installed over concrete requires a vapor retarder system and must meet the flatness requirement.

Raised Foundation:
Ground level of the raised foundation sub floor must be completely covered with a moisture vapor retarding system such as a 6-mil polyethylene sheeting overlapping the seams by a minimum of 10 inches followed by duct taping the entire length of the seams. Joist type or pier and beam type construction must conform to the following requirements: 1). Joist span of 16 inches on center requires a minimum of 5/8 inch CDX plywood. 2). Joist span of 19.2 inches requires a minimum of 3/4 inch CDX. 3). Joist span of 24 inches requires a minimum of 1inch interlocking tongue and groove CDX plywood.

INSTALLING THE LAMINATE FLOOR
European Collection’s laminate flooring is designed only to be a floating flooring. Moreover, we require a vapor retarding/barrier system to be applied over the wood/plywood sub floor or concrete slab prior to installing the laminate flooring. Please be advise that most 2-in-1 and 3-and-1 underlayments only protect up to 4 pounds of moisture emission over 1,000 sq. ft in a 24 hours period. Hence, it is mandatory that the sub floor’s surface be covered with a single layer of 6-mil polyethylene sheeting prior to installing a 2-in-one or 3-in-one foam underlayment.

Required Tools and Accessories:
Please refer to the National Wood Flooring Association’s guideline on Essential/Recommended Tools and Materials needed for laminate installation.

Box Rule:
Open and select planks from 3 to 4 cartons in order to blend color and grain characteristics. This is to achieve a more uniform color tune and grain appearance throughout the installation.

Blending Rule:
Pick planks that better blend to the molding in order to avoid a drastic change in color.

Concrete Slab:
Prior to installing a high quality 2-in-one or 3-in-one foam underlayment, the slab must be covered with either 1). One layer of 6-mil polyethylene sheeting. The seam of the sheeting must be overlapped by a minimum of 10 inches while the overlapped seams must be duct tapped together. 2). An industry approved Concrete Vapor Barrier system (i.e Bostik).

Wood/Plywood Sub Floors:
Place a single layer of 6-mil polyethylene sheeting. The seam of the sheeting must be overlapped by a minimum of 10 inches while the overlapped seams must be duct tapped together. A high quality 2-in-one or 3-in-one foam underlayment needs to be installed on top of the 6-mil polyethylene sheeting.

Undercut Door Casings and Jambs:
The door casings and jambs needs to be undercut by 1/16 inch higher then the thickness of the laminate flooring.

Starting Line and Expansion Space:
For a starting line, snap a work line that is parallel to the starting wall, in multiples of the planks width, plus a minimum expansion space of 3/8 inch is required around the perimeter of the laminate. Layout the first row to begin and end each row with a plank at least 8 inches long. For plank designs, measure the width of the room and divide by the width of one plank. If the remainder is 2 ½ inches or less, cut down the width of the first row to allow the last row to be more than 2 ½ inches wide. Start the installation in a corner of the room and work left to right, or visa versa according to the plank configuration. When possible, install planks perpendicular to the source of light.

Staggering End Joints:
Staggered end joints of approximately 8 to 10 inches between end joints of adjacent planks.

Kitchen Installation:
All expansion spaces subject to moisture or plumbing leaks must be sealed using a mildew resistant 100% silicone sealant. Fill the expansion space in front of the sink and dishwasher, around the refrigerator and icemaker, exterior doors and any areas that are subject to flooding. Kitchen cabinets must be installed prior to installing the laminate flooring. Install the plank up to the kick plate of the cabinets, leaving a minimum 3/8 inch expansion space. Cover the expansion space with a quarter round molding.

Laundry Room Installation:
Laminate flooring must not be installed if the laundry room has a floor drain or sump plum. The expansion space around the perimeter of the laminate floor must be 3/8 inch wide and sealed prior to installing the wall trim. Sealing the expansion space is to prevent water getting underneath the flooring.

RADIANT HEAT INSTALLATION

Radiant Heat:
Radiant heating supplies heat directly to floor, therefore the flooring may dry out faster as compared to flooring in a home with a conventional heating systems. Laminate flooring can used in combination with many types of in-floor heating. The heating system can be cast in a concrete floor or installed under a wood subfloor. Therefore, understanding radiant heat and its effects on laminate flooring is imperative. Failure to following guidelines will produce unsatisfactory results and void all warranties.

Temperature Requirement:
The temperature of the installed laminate floor must not exceed 80 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition, the atmospheric temperature and the relatively humidity must be between 65 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit and 35 to 55 percent, respectively. It is imperative that the relative humidity does not drop below 35 percent and the flooring’s moisture content does dip below 6.8 percent. Failure to comply with the above requirements may result in failure of the floor such as gapping/shrinking, bowing and delamination.

System Operation:
The heating system must in operation for at least 2 weeks prior to the installation of laminate flooring. This is to drive out residual moisture of the sub floor. The system may be turned off or set to a suitable installation temperature between 65 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit. After installation, the system’s temperature may be increased slowly at the approximate rate of 5 degrees per day, not to exceed 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Water Heated System:
A pressure test must be performed and documented by a qualified plumber or the system installer before the installation is set to begin.

DISCLAIMER OF NON-RESPONSIBILITY
Disclaimer of non responsibility pertaining to labor and material cost, and damages cause to any/all cabinets, furniture, counter tops, build in appliances, moldings, trims, fixed furniture, wall paper, painting, specialized plaster coatings, etc., due to the need for removal of the flooring as a result of product failure such as cupping, buckling, bowing, shrinking, etc. European Collection reserves the right to void any/all warranties when any of the above mentioned or non mentioned items are installed over the surface of a flooring manufactured by European Collection where the floor experiences a manufacturer or non manufacturer related failure. The laminate floor must not be installed prior to the installation of cabinetry and or any other fixed furniture. If the laminate flooring is installed prior to the installation of the above mentioned and non-mentioned items, then ALL responsibilities for any damages and cost will be assumed by the general contractor/flooring contractor/designer/homeowner, etc. Said parties release European Collection from any liability or responsibility of any claims now or in the future.
Do not install moldings/trim if there is any question to their acceptability. Once the molding/trim is installed, it constitutes the acceptance of the material and the general contractor/flooring contractor/designer and homeowner will assume all responsibilities.
European Collection will not be responsible for any labor or material cost on claims involving the issue of color difference between the laminate flooring and supporting trim components. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the flooring contractor/installer to make certain that the molding color is acceptable for installation.

CARE AND MAINTENANCE

Cleaning:
Sweep or vacuum the laminate floor regularly with the hard floor attachment. Periodically clean the surface with professional cleaning products that are made specifically for laminate care. For more information to properly maintain your laminate floor, please refer to our Care and Maintenance guidelines.

Protective Guides:
To minimize indentations and scratches, use protective guides on the bottom all chairs and furniture legs while large furniture require protective glide pads that are designed to cover a larger area.