Vinyl flooring is a popular choice for various rooms thanks to its durability and moisture resistance. Installation of vinyl flooring is relatively simple and does not require specialized tools. Before starting the installation, you must ensure that the subfloor is clean, dry, and level.
Important information to consider before deciding on an SPC panel installation system.
1.
Before the flooring is delivered to the installation site, doors and windows must be installed in the building, all “wet” works must be completed, e.g., plastering, partition wall construction, painting, etc. If there are basements under the flooring installation area in the building, they must be dry and well-ventilated. SPC panels can be installed in all residential rooms such as: living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, or bathrooms, and
in most public utility rooms.
SPC floors should be used in accordance
with their intended purpose resulting from the class of utility rooms according to ISO 10874. Information on the intended use of a given SPC Floor for the utility class of rooms can be found on the product packaging, in the product technical sheet, and in the product description available on barlinek.com
Packages containing SPC flooring panels must be handled with care during transport and unloading to avoid any mechanical damage. SPC flooring panels in their original packaging should be stored in a dry place, in a horizontal position, on pallets or wooden beams. A clearance of at least 75 mm must be maintained between the packages of SPC panels and the floor.
The flooring should be stored in its original packaging in the room where it will be installed for at least 24 hours to allow it to acclimate. The air temperature should be between +18°C and +29°C.
2.
The moisture content of a wooden subfloor (or wood-based panels) should not exceed 12%. The moisture content of a concrete subfloor should not exceed 2%, and that of an anhydrite subfloor should not exceed 0.5%. The measurement results should be documented.
3.
When performing the installation of SPC panels over underfloor heating, the moisture content of the concrete subfloor should not exceed 1.5%, and that of the anhydrite subfloor should not exceed 0.3%. The measurement results should be documented.
4.
The maximum permissible unevenness can be up to 5mm, measured over a length of 2m. Local unevenness should not exceed 2mm over a length of 20cm.
5.
The maximum permissible unevenness can be up to 5mm, measured over a length of 2m. Local unevenness should not exceed 2mm over a length of 20cm.
6.
The substrate should be dry, stable, free of scratches and cracks, and clean, with no visible dirt. Cracks and defects in cement or anhydrite substrates should be filled. Grout joints wider than 5 mm and deeper than 2 mm must be filled.
Plywood, OSB board, and particle board must be structurally sound and installed according to the board manufacturer’s recommendations. We recommend installing wood-based panels in two layers, joined with wood screws. The edges of one board layer should be installed staggered relative to the second layer. The subfloor made of wood-based panels must provide adequate rigidity and support for proper SPC flooring installation. Board joints should be smooth and should not cause deflection or springiness under load. All screw heads should be slightly recessed below the surface of the panel.
Wan’t!
SPC panels with integrated underlay
cannot be installed using the adhesive system.
7.
SPC flooring panels must not be installed over existing soft carpet flooring, soft PVC flooring, rugs, or other similar materials.
8.
Recommended tools and materials for flooring
installation:
9.
Before installation, the investor or installer should inspect the SPC panels and verify that they match the order. The panels should be inspected for quality, finish, gloss, color, and mechanical damage (information regarding the product type can be found on the label, in the instructions, or on the product sheet). If in doubt, the investor or installer should not use any SPC panel that they consider unsuitable for installation and should contact the seller immediately. Installing a damaged SPC panel, one that does not match the order, has visible defects, or exhibits unacceptable visual characteristics will void the warranty.
10.
During installation, use panels from several packages, carefully matching their colors to achieve a balanced visual effect for the floor. When ordering flooring, order about 5% more panels than the measured floor area. In rooms with many corners or obstacles, or where SPC panels are installed diagonally across the room or at the junctions with ceramic tiles, an additional 10% may be necessary.
11.
The maximum dimensions of a house/apartment floor plan where SPC flooring laid in a floating system does not require expansion gaps in door passages are 12m×12m. For dimensions up to 12m x 12m, we do not create expansion gaps in doors or passages to adjacent rooms. We create expansion gaps around walls and building elements such as stairs and columns.
12.
Heavy objects, such as a kitchen island or furniture, can be placed on a floating floor without the need to install expansion joints around the fixtures. However, it is necessary to install a perimeter expansion joint around fixed elements running from the floor to the island, such as plumbing and drainage systems. We always install wall-adjacent expansion joints.
13.
Before beginning installation, verify that the material’s color is consistent. The technology used is designed to faithfully reproduce the unique characteristics of natural wood; therefore, slight variations in shade and grain pattern among individual pieces are acceptable. This is a characteristic of the product, not a defect. A delivery may include panels from different production runs, which is standard practice. The buyer or installer is required to select and mix panels from different packages to achieve a harmonious visual effect. Installation should be suspended if significant contrasting color differences occur that disrupt the consistency of the finish.
14.
Each two-pack for classic herringbone installation contains two packages of panels: right-side panels marked with the letter “A” on the package and left-side panels marked with the letter “B” on the package.
15.
The SPC panel has a 1mm thick XPO foam underlay glued to the underside. CS underlay parameter – short-term load ≥ 400 kPa. An underlay integrated with an SPC panel with these specifications will withstand various types of loads throughout the floor’s service life.
Important!
Do not use additional underlay.
16.
Begin herringbone installation from the left side of the room to the right. You should always ensure that you have the grooves (lock tongue) on the longer sides of both board B and A facing you.
17.
Just because the locks on two boards are connected along the short side doesn’t mean the lock is fastened.
18.
To fasten the lock, strike the lock joints several times with a hammer. When the lock is properly fastened, the top surface of the panels should be flush, and there should be no visible difference in level between the joined panels.
Important!
Use a non-rebounding hammer, such as a sand hammer, for driving nails.
To properly join the panels, tap each short edge using a wooden block placed on top and a hammer.
19.
The order and arrangement of the first two panels are very important.
Place the left panel (B) first (1). The right panel (A) is installed second (2). The corner of panel B1 should be 10mm away from the wall (expansion gap). This is very important and will affect further correct installation.
20.
Install the next panels in the order B3 and A4. Be sure to tap the joint on the short edge of the lock with a non-rebounding hammer.
21.
To perform the installation of the last panel, start by measuring the distance X from the corner to the wall.
22.
On the last panel (in this case B5), measure distance X reduced by the expansion gap width of 10mm.
23.
Using an adjustable square, measure angle Y between the short edge of the panel and the wall.
24.
Transfer the measured angle Y to panel L5 and mark the cutting line.
25.
Cut the SPC panel using a hand saw or power saw.
26.
Connect the panel, cut to the correct length, using the locks. Remember to tap the lock connection with a hammer. A correctly cut panel, once installed, will have a 10mm expansion gap from the wall.
27.
To properly join the panels, tap each short edge using a tapping block placed on top and a hammer.
28.
Place the hammer on top of the panel, right at its edge.
29.
After installing the first herringbone strip, install the next panels. The order of installation is very important. The diagram shows the correct order of installation.
30.
After installing four rows of SPC panels, mark a cutting line parallel to the wall. The line runs from the corner on the left to the right.
31.
We cut the installed SPC panels using an electric saw with adjustable cutting depth.
32.
If you don’t have an electric saw with adjustable cutting depth, you can use a hand saw. Unfasten all the installed herringbone rows. The arrows indicate the direction in which to unfasten them.
33.
After unfurling the floor covering, cut the individual panels along the drawn line. Fold the cut panels together to form a single surface.
34.
Regardless of how the SPC panels are cut, lay the entire section of flooring flush against the wall.
35.
Remember to leave a 10mm wide expansion gap on each side.
36.
Install the remaining SPC panels in the same order as during the installation of the first four rows of the floor.
37.
When performing the installation of the floor around pipes, we must cut holes with a diameter equal to the pipe diameter plus 20 mm. This will allow for a 10-mm expansion gap around the pipes.
38.
We use wood drill bits to drill the holes. We cut the panel along the diameter of the holes.
39.
Attach the cut-off piece of board using mounting adhesive.
40.
The maximum dimensions of a house/apartment floor plan where SPC flooring laid in a floating system does not require expansion gaps in door passages are 12m×12m. For dimensions up to 12m x 12m, we do not create expansion gaps in doors or passages to adjacent rooms. We create expansion gaps around walls and building elements such as stairs and columns.
41.
After installing the entire floor surface, decorative skirting boards must be installed. Skirting boards should be attached only and exclusively to the walls, using mounting clips or mounting adhesive.
42.
SPC flooring with an integrated underlay can be installed over a water-based or electric underfloor heating system using a floating installation method.
Important!
A prerequisite for laying panels on underfloor heating is to carry out the screed heating process and prepare a heating protocol; this applies only to new, unheated screeds. Information on screed heating and the protocol are available on barlinek.com. The screed heating process should also be performed during the summer.
The maximum temperature at which the heating should be set is 27°C on the surface of the panels. The moisture content of the screed during installation over a floor heating system should not exceed: 1.5% CM for cement screeds and 0.3% CM for anhydrite screeds.
To prevent uneven operation of the panel core, the entire floor surface should be […]. If there are two or more heating loops in a single room, the temperature difference set between the loops must not exceed 5 °C. This also ensures the highest level of comfort (no colder spots on the floor).
The installation of SPC flooring over heated floors using a floating installation method requires the use of isolation expansion joints between the heated areas and the areas without underfloor heating. The underfloor heating system should not be turned on until at least 48 hours after the SPC flooring has been installed. When using SPC flooring on subfloors equipped with underfloor heating, keep in mind that any liquids spilled on the floor surface may evaporate more quickly. Therefore, any stains caused by liquids such as wine, urine, milk, etc.must be removed from the floor surface as soon as possible, as allowing them to dry on the surface of the SPC panels may cause permanent discoloration of the floor. The screed should be at least 20 mm thick above the heating elements. For installers – the use of thermal seals is recommended. Furniture placed on underfloor heating, e.g., sofas, should have legs at least 10 cm high.
Important:
SPC panels with integrated underlay cannot be installed on heating films – infrared mats with a system underlay for heating films.
43.
It is very important that underfloor cooling systems be equipped with appropriate control systems that prevent water vapor from condensing on the floor surface. To prevent this, the temperature of the cold water in the pipes should not fall below a specified value. In every room with an underfloor cooling system, a sensor should be installed that calculates the relationship between relative humidity and the temperature on the surface of the floorboards and shuts off the cold water supply before the so-called dew point is reached, that is, the condensation of water vapor on the surface of the panels. Room thermostats should not be set to a temperature lower than 23°C. Additionally, the difference between the thermostat setting and the room temperature should not exceed 5°C. Example: room temperature 30°C, thermostat set to at least 25°C. The underfloor cooling system should be protected against the water temperature in the system dropping below +18°C.
The decision on whether to use underfloor cooling requires a heat balance analysis, which should be performed during the design phase. Omitting this step may result in improper equipment selection and inadequate performance of the entire cooling system.
44.
SPC panels with integrated underlay can be installed in bathrooms and other rooms where water spills may occur, using a floating installation system. In a floating installation system, an expansion gap of at least 5mm must be made in the door frame opening (adapted to the type of masking expansion strip). The expansion joint can be filled with a flexible sealant. With a floating installation system, we always create a 5-mm-wide perimeter expansion joint.
In a bathroom equipped with an underfloor heating system, an expansion joint must be installed in the opening of the door frame separating the bathroom from the other rooms. It is essential to install expansion joints around walls, shower enclosures, bathtubs, toilet bowls, and other obstacles permanently attached to the floor.
Wan’t!
SPC panels must not be installed in shower pans, bathtubs, saunas, swimming pools, or other similar locations.
