INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS FOR FLEXURA® with the UNICLIC® - system

1) General
The UNICLIC-system is a patented system for installing FLEXURA wooden floors without glue.
For optimal results, it is imperative that the installation instructions are strictly followed and that only FLEXURA ACCESSORIES ARE USED, i.e.:

a)FLEXURA INSTALLATION SET (spacer blocks, Uniclic tapping block and pinch bar),
b)FLEXURA UNDERFLOOR SYSTEM.
c)FLEXURA MAINTENANCE PRODUCTS.

Flexura wooden flooring is not suitable for use in humid areas such as bathrooms, saunas, etc.
Check the contents of all packages before and during the
installation. Floorboards with visible defects may not be installed.

The Flexura range is created by mother nature, and as no two trees are alike, no two floors are alike. Your floor will be individual, with its own color variations and patterns, this is part of the inherent beauty of a wooden floor. Each picture is to be used as a guide rather than an exact match. In order to obtain a great variety in the design, mix together panels from different boxes before putting them into position.

Floorboards with the UNICLIC system can be installed in 2 different ways:

a)The floorboards can be rotated to fit into each other (tongue
into groove, or groove into tongue). However, the easiest way is to fit the tongue into the groove. (The following installation instructions are based on using this installation technique as much as possible. Installing the groove onto the tongue is only necessary in a few specific casesPosition the floorboard to be installed at an angle of 20-30° to the board that has already been installed. When fitting the floorboard, move it upwards and downwards slightly, and push it forwards at the same time. The floorboards will then click into place.

b)In some cases, the floorboards cannot be rotated when they are installed, for example, underneath a doorframe. In this case, the floorboards can also be installed flat. IMPORTANT! For this, you require a hammer and the SPECIAL FLEXURA TAPPING BLOCK. NEVER USE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF TAPPING BLOCK. This could cause damage to the floorboards when they are installed.

You should not attempt to knock the Clic joint into place with a single hit. For the short edge, you must tap several times until the floorboards click together completely. For the long edge, you must work gradually: you start tapping gently at the corner of the floorboard until the joint has closed, and repeat this action every 30 cm until the entire long side of the floorboard has clicked together completely.

2)Tools for installing the floor
In addition to the traditional tools for installing wooden flooring, such as a hammer, saw, crowbar or pinch bar with a protruding edge (to be tapped on with the hammer), and spacer blocks (8-10 mm), it is imperative to use the FLEXURA TAPPING BLOCK when installing the floor. If you use any other type of tapping blocks, you will certainly cause damage to the floorboards during installation. When shortening the floorboards, use a fine-toothed hand saw, a jigsaw or a crosscut saw. To achieve a clean cut, when using a jigsaw you must ensure that the patterned side is underneath, and when using a hand saw or a cross-cut saw you must ensure that the patterned side is on top.

3) Optimal preparation
The floor should preferably be installed so that the incoming light is parallel with the floorboards.
The ideal conditions are 15-20° C and a relative humidity of 50-60% Check that:
- the doors can still be opened and closed after installing the floor with underfloor (minimum + 1cm)
- the doorframes may have to be adapted in order to install the floor underneath them
- the old skirting boards can be removed

4) The base
The base must be perfectly clean and flat before any floorboards are installed on top of it. Any unevenness of more than 2mm per meter must be removed. Depending on the situation, the following cases are possible:

CONCRETE.

New construction:

• The moisture content of the concrete must be less than 2.5 %
  (CM method). A freshly poured cement screed (topping) must dry for at least 1 week per cm of thickness up to 4 cm, and for 2 weeks per cm of thickness above 4 cm, and be adequately ventilated.
• 
  (A 6 cm thick topping must therefore dry for at least 8 weeks).
  The moisture content of an anhydrite floor may not exceed 0.5%.

Renovated construction:

• In the case of a damp-proof floor covering (PVC, linoleum, etc), FLEXURA may be installed on the existing floor covering.
• In the case of a moisture-open floor covering (carpet, needled felt, etc), the existing floor covering must first be removed.

WOODEN FLOOR

• First remove any existing floor covering.
• The wooden floor must be sufficiently stable. Any loose parts must be nailed down and, if necessary, a leveling underfloor must be installed.
• The moisture content of the wood must not exceed 10 %.
• The creeping space underneath the wooden floor must be
• adequately ventilated: first remove any obstacles and provide
• adequate ventilation (minimum of 4 cm2 total ventilation holes per m2 floor).
• Install the new Flexura- floorboards across the old boards.

5) The underfloor: The FLEXURA UNDERFLOOR SYSTEM
It is imperative to use a leveling underfloor in order to completely remove any unevenness in the base. ONLY use the FLEXURA
UNDERFLOOR SYSTEM, a membrane consisting of a damp-proof
150 µ PE membrane and a 3 mm PE underfloor layer, fitted with an overlapping flap and self-adhesive strip. Follow the accompanying instructions when installing this membrane.
Install the membrane, allowing it to run up the wall. This is the
surface onto which the skirting board will finally be fixed, before the membrane is cut off at this level.

6) Correct installation
Wood is the primary constituent of FLEXURA floorboards. Since
the humidity can vary in a room due to seasonal differences, e.g. between summer and winter, it is imperative that the floor can expand in all directions. This expansion can be as much as 2 mm
per meter. The larger the surface, the more space is required for expansion. ALL the sides of the floor must be able to expand or contract. To enable this, an expansion gap of at least 8 to 10 mm must be allowed for at the walls.
This expansion gap must also be allowed for around pipes or
thresholds.
In the case of larger surface areas, a wider gap must be allowed for, e.g. underneath a double wall.
Take account of the fact that the floor may move in one direction. Wherever possible, provide expansion gaps, e.g. underneath doors. These expansion gaps are covered by a profile that is not secured to the wooden flooring, but to the base floor.
It is preferable to install the floorboards in the same direction as
the longest wall, so that the incoming light is parallel with the
floorboards (visually more attractive). You can start installing the floor in one corner or in the middle of the room. You can also work from left to right, or from right to left.
Always remember that the ‘tongue-in-groove system" is the easiest way method of installation.
7) The first three rows

8) The final row
Always ensure that there is a 10 mm expansion gap between the final row and the wall.
When doing this, remember that you have to saw off the long edges of the final row of floorboards.
Install these floorboards one at a time next to the boards of the penultimate row and tap the long edges together using the pinch bar and hammer. Use the FLEXURA tapping block to tap the short edges together.

9) Pipes
Ensure that in the row where there is a pipe, the pipe is positioned exactly at the transverse joint of two floorboards. Take a drill bit that has the same diameter as the pipe + 20 mm for the expansion. Click the floorboards together at the short edge and drill the
hole so that the centre of the hole is positioned where the two
floorboards join. Now install the floorboards as part of the floor.

10) Underneath doorframes
Saw the floorboards so that after they have been installed, there is an expansion gap that is at least 10 mm wide.
When you cannot rotate the floorboard, use a pinch bar or tapping block and hammer to tap the boards together.

11) Finishing
After installing the floor, you can immediately start walking on the floor and begin finishing it off. This is one of the major advantages of the UNICLIC system.

• Remove all spacer blocks
• Fix the skirting boards to the plastic membrane overlapping up from the floor. Never secure the skirting boards to the floor (so that the floor can expand and contract underneath the skirting board).
• Finish the gaps around pipes with rosettes.
  In places where profiles or skirting boards cannot be placed, you must fill the expansion gap with an elastic filler paste.

12) Precautions

• Protect furniture and chair legs with felt or plastic caps.
• Prevent dirt, water and sand from being brought inside by placing a mat at the door.
• Use wheelchairs with soft wheels, suitable for hard floors.
• Ensure that the level of humidity in the room is between 50 % and 65%. If necessary, use an adequate humidifier.