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DIY Installation Guide
We know the prospect of installing new floors can be both exciting and daunting; fortunately, we have taken the guesswork out of the process with a guide to assist you as best we can! Indicated on each product is a recommendation to guide your decision to hire a professional or DIY.
If you want to DIY your space with new flooring, we have the created the essentials to check for before installing. From looking for moisture on your subfloor, to how different types of flooring click, this checklist is everything and more for any beginner or a pro looking to put the ‘I’ in installation.
- Check for signs of moisture
– Subfloor (Concrete slab and Timber substrate)
– External Site Inspection
– Internal Site Inspection - Floor Levels
– Subfloors must have no more than 3mm deviation over 1m
– Use a straight edge tool to check floor levels - The Internal Environment
– No underfloor heating
– Room temperature should be between 15-30 degrees.
– Indoor humidity levels should be within 30-70%
– Appropriate window furnishings to prevent harsh direct sunlight affecting your floors
– Ducted heating vents and fireplaces must be regulated at all times to prevent the floor from drying out.
2. Product Inspection
- Acclimatisation & Storage
– If storing your flooring onsite, cartons should only be opened when installation is ready to commence - Defective Boards
– All boards should be checked prior to installation. Look for defects such as; chipping, dents, excessive colour variation, bowing, locking system
Upon inspection, if there is any product defects please email photos of your product to [email protected]
3. Subfloor Preparation
- Floor Levelling
Ensure that the subfloor is clean, flat, smooth and level before installation. Subfloors must have no more than 3mm deviation over 1mFlooring Online recommends Bostik UL-200
– Concrete Slabs
– Yellowtongue & Chipboard
– Existing Floorboards & Tiles - Dry Subfloor
Ensure that the subfloor is dry and there is no moisture ingress. If your subfloor feels damp to touch, Flooring Online recommends the below product to prevent the moisture damaging your floors.
– Bostik 3in1 – Timber floor adhesive with built in moisture barrier
– Bostik Moisture Seal – Roll on moisture barrier
– Hydro-Stop Underlay – 2mm foam underlay with built in moisture barrier
– Builders Plastic – Effective moisture barrier suitable for installation under standard underlays
4. DIY installation
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- Choose your installation method: Direct Stick or Floating
– Direct Stick (Engineered Timber & Vinyl only) is the method of glueing your Engineered Timber Floor directly to your slab or substrate. This preferred method provides further stability and durability for years to come, whilst also being quieter under foot and allows for larger expanses of flooring before expansion trims are required.
– Floating (All Floors except Vinyl) is the method of clicking together your floor to create a raft and floating it over underlay. This method is ideal for quick and easy installations and allows for you to remove your flooring if needed. - Raft Sizes and Expansion Gaps
– All floors expand and contract according to the environmental conditions. To prevent issues such as cupping and peaking, expansion gaps are required around the perimeter of the floor.
– A minimum of 10-15mm (For floating floors) or 8-10mm (For direct stick floors) expansion gap must be left around the perimeter and internal objects such as kitchen benches and cabinetry.
– Scotia, expansion trims and skirts should be used to cover the expansion gaps. View our range of Trims & Accessories.
- Choose your installation method: Direct Stick or Floating
NOTE: All Flooring with Tongue & Groove locking systems are to be installed by a professional flooring installer.
5. Best Practice
We have put together Our top tips for DIY flooring installation that will save you time and ensure you achieve professional results.
Maximum Raft Size Allowances
| Product | Dry Areas | Humid Areas | Floating |
Direct Stick |
| Engineered Australian Species & European Oak (Floating) | 10m(L) x 8m(W) |
8m(L) x 8m(W) |
 |
|
|
Engineered Australian Species & European Oak (Direct Stick) |
16m(L) x 12m(W) |
10m(L) x 8m(W) |
|
|
| Engineered Bamboo |
10m(L) x 8m(W) |
8m(L) x 8m(W) |
|
|
| Solid Bamboo |
10m(L) x 8m(W) |
8m(L) x 8m(W) |
|
 |
| 8mm Hybrid |
12m(L) x 12m(W) |
12m(L) x 12m(W) |
|
|
| 6mm Hybrid |
15m(L) x 30m(W) |
15m(L) x 30m(W) |
|
|
| 5.5mm Hybrid |
15m(L) x 30m(W) |
15m(L) x 30m(W) |
|
|
| Laminate |
10m(L) x 8m(W) |
8m(L) x 8m(W) |
|
|
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