Engineered timber flooring must be known
1.0 What is engineered hardwood floors
Engineered real timber floors provide some extra stability, maintains all the appearance and characteristics associated with solid timber, which is manufactured with a decorative layer of solid timber bonded over layers of other timber, that can differ clearly in their construction and may be laid as floating floors, that glued to a subfloor as an overlay or in some cases fixed as a structural floor.
Constructions Board construction varies notably between products and a number of product types at the present time in the market will be considered. Product types are generally of two types, which have been in the market for some years; the first type contains a face lamella, core block layer and stabilization layer, and the second restrains a face lamella over a plywood base (typically referred to as 3 layer).Edge jointing systems & Install
Direct adhesive fix and floating
T&G and glue less profiles. There are two profile categories available in the market. The one part is the ‘tongue and groove’ or T&G profile similarly found in traditional solid timber flooring and then the other part is the interlocking or glue less jointing systems.
Our put forward that please do not floating any over 15mm thickness and 220mm width size.
Traditionally the T&G profile was used for direct adhesive fix applications as well as floated floors, which has the application about adhesive to board joints. Pay particular attention that some T&G is only designed for direct adhesive fixing. The glueless was designed for floating floor applications, but more many manufacturers now permit direct adhesive fixing at a recent time.
The jointing systems vary and are often patented designs with names including Uni-clic,UNIFIT 3G and 5G. And the effective use of some systems a sprung tongue at board ends, which have its own individual profile. It is significant that the jointing system has sufficient strength, which also provides sufficient locking force to prevent separation. It is supposed to be noted that strength, fit, ease and speed of installation varies considerably between locking systems.
1.01 Why Colour variation
Colour variation. The face lamella or veneer on all engineered wood timber, which is natural, and subjects to the natural colour variations within the species. Colour or tone variations are less apparent in some species than others, but no two packs of flooring will be similar in every detail. This is part of the beauty of choosing a natural product in that it is unique. Purchasers need to be fully aware of the natural colour variations, which will occur between boards of the same species and also that one pack may have a different blend of colours to another pack, especially if they were not manufactured simultaneously. Many manufacturers proposed that boards from varying packs are blended into the floor during installation, but with some suppliers that is not to open more than a few packs at a time.
The customer is required to be fully aware and accepting of the fact about colour variation occurs. If there are significant concerns regarding the supply of the flooring it must be raised with the supplier prior to laying. Normal colorations between boards do not provide grounds for replacement, which is needed to any concerns to be raised prior to laying.
Retailers and consumers should also be aware of the large amount of colour change, which can occur in wood due to exposure to natural light. This could always imply that there is a extremely contrasting variation in colour between the in-store sample (which may be some years old) and the newly delivered flooring. Some species are prone to more intense colour changes than others. As can be seen, the potential for dispute and disappointment on inspection of the new flooring can be substantial, however, which may be avoided by proper education of the retailer and of the consumer. With the more t effect pronounced, floor mats and rugs are not supposed to be used for up to 6 months, noting that greater care at external doors may be necessary during this period to prevent grit entry from footwear. In a similar way, some items of furniture may need to regularly moved if it is desired to minimize this effect. Colour change is a natural occurrence, which is familiarly not considered to relate to product quality.
1.02 What is wood flooring Grade
We refer to the grade of a floor in engineered timber flooring and we are referring to the size and number of features, which are present in the boards. ‘Feature’ includes gum veins, knots and past borer activity. The relating of aspects to board colour or length are not covered by grading. For which written descriptions should be available, grades are often manufacturer specific, although in many instances when the flooring is free of feature, which is just sold by species or common name. The place that products contain grade features, are needed to be familiarized with customers, which may be present and that in different species the type of feature predominating will often differ. European and American Oak will often contain moderate amounts of feature and grading from the USA, Europe and Asia may or may not apply. A more common Oak grade name is ABCD grade that contains boards, and boards are fairly heavily featured.
Again, it is cautious that opening packs of flooring prior is to installation and for the customer to be fully aware and accepting of the grade features at that time. At the same time, the selection and placement about boards to provide an even blend throughout the floor can be achieved because of selecting and laying from multiple packs. Boards, which are within grade, do not provide grounds for replacement and any concerns need to be raised prior to laying.
understanding engineered timber flooring before laying down.
1.03 Locality, dwelling environment
There are engineered floors that fit more humid dwelling environments, however, some species and constructions will not deliver adequate performance. It is important that checking both the manufacturer’s installation recommendations and warranty conditions, which is the product being considered, is designed for the intended dwelling environment.
A higher humidity environment is provided by the seaside environment and some wet trades were also present after the floor had been installed. Lack of protection of the prefinished product also resulted in damage to the flooring. The dwelling is in a country area, which elevated and ventilated in particular, hence the floor is exposed daily to higher humidity conditions. In this instance, with some products, the floor was floated, which is also less robust than adhesive fixing
where the internal environment is both warm to hot and of moderate to high humidity. For that reason, it is emphasized that each site and dwelling environment needs to be correctly assessed.
1.04 Building site conditions
regard to the exterior of the building or dwelling, all gutters, downpipes and drainage systems are needed to be in place and operational prior to laying the floor. Similarly, ground work be needed to complete to ensure water drains away from the building, which no ponding of water occurs either adjacent to slabs and footings or beneath the building adequately.
Prior to product being delivered to site, the building needs to be weather tight with all windows and doors in place. Wet trades, which include plastering, tiling, painting and plumbing, which should be complete and the building or dwelling then given time to dry from higher levels of moisture released from these trades.
1.05 Acclimatization
Prior to laying the
1.06 Appropriate subfloor
For both floating and direct adhesive fix applications a wide range of subfloors can be laid over, which is provided the subfloor is in a suitable condition with accepting the flooring as outlined below. In the case of direct adhesive fix applications, the structural integrity of the subfloor must be sufficient to withstand forces associated with board expansion.
And most instances subfloors will be concrete slabs or sheet floors of plywood or particleboard. Underlay, it is acoustic that can provide an intermediate layer. Other subfloors suitable to some product manufacturers also include existing timber floors, Masonite, resilient flooring and ceramic tiles (or similar). For the specifics relating to the preferred installation way, the product supplier’s installation recommendations need to be viewed and then suggestions adhered to.
1.07 subfloors –
All subfloors are needed to flat to accept the flooring system (floated or direct adhesive fix) adequately. For floating floors this generally speaking does not exceed 3mm beneath a 1m long straight edge. With direct adhesive fix applications, 3mm beneath a 3m long straight edge applies.
Numerous variation in the subfloor might lead to excessive deflection of a floating floor panel about foot traffic. Such movement may also lead to excessive noise, therefore proper preparation that is critical to realize a solid and quiet floor underfoot.
The individual flooring products of specific recommendations, which is recommended by adhesive manufacturers, may be tighter than this and in such cases should be followed. Where concrete subfloors are not sufficiently flat, leveling compounds, grinding or other means to level the subfloor are needed to be undertaken. With timber subfloors, packing of joists and sanding of sheet subfloors might be essential.
The surface of flooring is to be adhesive fixed should be free from all contaminants that may prevent or reduce the utility of the adhesive. Particularly, the surface needs to free from any waxes, grease, paint, sealers and other similar substances. Sanding or grinding with concrete slabs may be required to offer a suitable surface. Some adhesive manufacturers will request perform bonding tests. For floors direct adhesive fixed to concrete subfloors the following additional provisions apply:
• The flooring and the subfloor of intermediate layer (e.g. ceramic tiles over a slab) need to be removed or if permitted to be laid over by the engineered flooring manufacturer, which needs to be tested to ensure that it is adequately adhered to the subfloor. If adhesive fixing to an intermediate layer, the flatness provisions outlined above apply.
• With leveling compounds are used on a concrete slab they are to be applied to manufacturer recommendations and care is needed to ensure sealers used in conjunction, which with the product are completely covered by the leveling compound. Sealers could prevent adhesion. The leveling compound also requires enough tensile strength, which can accommodate the expansion forces from the adhered flooring. The low tensile strength of leveling compounds is not sufficient for adhesive fixed floors. The leveling compound in the photo can be gouged with a steel ruler.
1.08 Underlay
Particular care is required with slabs , which are below ground level and can be more prone to pressure effects from ground moisture and also with construction joints between slabs through which there can be the a continual transfer of moisture vapour and, at times, moisture by capillary action. Such joints are supposed to sealed necessarily.
Protecting from slab moisture is either provided through polyethylene plastic sheeting over the slab or underlay with a similar plastic layer as an integral part of it. When polyethylene sheeting is used it is often 0.2mm (200 microns) thick, taped at overlaps of 200mm, which is often brought up to at least floor level at walls and other vertical elements (for example, island benches). Pay attention that some underlays with integral moisture-retarding layer which are significantly less than 0.2mm that will not provide the same level of protection and in some situations an additional polyethylene sheet barrier should be considered.
1.09 Allowance for expansion
Pay attention that this is not the case about engineered timber or bamboo floating floors where width movement is greater than length movement.
When thinking this further, it also becomes apparent, which adjoining floor areas are generally different sizes. That is, a 15m-long by 1m-wide hallway may adjoin through a doorway to a bedroom, which is 3m long by 3m wide. Hence, the hallway floor under high humidity conditions would expand more in its length than the bedroom floor.
Consequently, there will be a difference in the movement of the two floor areas where they adjoin. To prevent one floor area from having an adverse effect on the other, it is necessary to separate areas of the two floor. Therefore, control joints need to be added and this is called as compartmentalization. An example with applicable trims is shown in the diagram opposite. With these joints, one floor area can no longer impair the movement of the other. The diagram shows that hallway with a control joint should separate the movement of the hallway floor from which leading into the room off it. As such, controls joints could be needed within the main body of a floor as well as with doorways to rooms off hallways.
The next aspect is that considering the overall size of the room or floor area, which may extend from one room to another. Manufacturers’ installation instructions require intermediate control joints if the floor area is over a certain size. In other words, this may be 10m in length and 8m in the width of the floor, which in some instances could affect decisions regarding the laying direction. Yet, it is significant that the specific manufacturer’s instructions are followed with regard to this as a different manufacturer may, such as, specify 10m in both floor width and length of the floor.
1.10 Colour changes in engineered timber flooring
Over time with the influence of ultraviolet light, colour changes occur both in the timber and the coating. As the changes are gradual, which it is often not noticed. In whatever way, if floor rugs are used in an area and then shifted the colour tones where the rug was may be importantly different from the remainder of the floor in particular. Most engineered timber flooring is prefinished, and a range of different coating types are used.
1.11 Appearance in the floor
The appearance can be either darker or lighter where the floor rug or other object covering the floor was. In some cases, the contrast is so noticeable to no consider one end of a board as belonging to the other end, however the contrast is often less severe, as shown in the photos. Remedial Measures It is prudent for installers that making owners aware is possibility. Regarding floor rugs or any another covering, which can also be suggested to not use them for six or so months to enable the whole floor to adjust more evenly. Though this may not conquer the situation completely it will assist. The only way of the contrast is to redress the situation, which can sand and coat the floor. But, onsite sanding and coating often results that were not present in the original factory finished boards in some finishing imperfections.
1.12 Accept of Products
No one can be made wooden flooring 100% profit, all of the wooden floorings importers must accept tolerance, warping, Edge damage, or some pieces unqualified by manufactory.
Important is We accept Colour variation, Sapwood, color change, Knots & wood grain ETC, because is natural product.
Our Manufactory
| Products tolerance | warping | Edge damage | Unqualified |
| <0.25mm | <18.5% of length | <1.5% of length | <0.3% |
| Colour variation | Sapwood (white of edge) | Color change | Knots & wood grain |
| Accept | Accept | Accept | Accept of Large of quantity |
engineered timber flooring is real wooden floorboard.
