Installation

Balena Floating Floors Installation Guidelines

Please read the following instructions thoroughly before installing the floor. The cartons of Balena flooring come with printed installation instructions. In case of disagreement with these instructions follow the printed instructions found in the cartons.

Important note: each project should be installed by a professional flooring contractor or skilled tradesperson. The installation process and method selected is the responsibility of the contractor. You must be satisfied that the contractor is qualified the carry out your site installation. If you have concerns about the install please contact your Dealer for review.

A thorough understanding and inspection of the specific site conditions needs to be undertaken by the installer prior to commencing work. Site specific circumstances such as proximity to water, river systems, coastal regions along with other climatic extremes may require more complex installation methods and maintenance. If applicable, under floor inspections should be carried out before installation.

Steam mopping should not be used under any circumstances. Regular sweeping and a damp mop is all that is required for general cleaning.

These guidelines apply to angle/tap and pressure fit product. All instructions and recommendations should be followed for a satisfactory installation.

The floor covering should be stored and installed in a climate controlled location with an average temperature between 55 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
Post installation temperature range is 32 degrees F to 98 degrees F.
Avoid exposure to direct sunlight during installation to avoid possible discoloration and to avoid excessive heat build up on the floor surface. Temporary covering of windows and doors maybe required during the construction/installation phase. Once the building is occupied the use of drapes and or sun blinds is recommended to reduce harmful UV exposure and heat on the floor surface.
Regardless of new construction or renovation projects, keep flooring stored in rooms that are not being worked in and only install product after all other trades have completed work to avoid site related damage and residues on the flooring.
To minimize shade and batch variation, mix and install planks from multiple boxes.
Inspect all planks for damage before installing. If you have any concerns about the product’s fit or finish please contact your Dealer. DO NOT INSTALL DEFECTIVE PLANKS. Claims will not be accepted for planks that have been cut to size or installed.
All subfloor patching must be completely dry before installing the planks.
Installation-Floating method only on a sound flat subfloor.

Tools required: Tape Measure, Utility Knife, Jigsaw, Straight Edge, Tapping Block, Rubber Mallet, Pull Bar, 6-8mm Spacers, T-Square, Safety Glasses, Hand Pressure Roller or Weighted Roller, Broom or Vacuum and, if necessary, tools for subfloor repair.

All subfloors must be clean, flat, dry and structurally sound. Nails, screws and grout lines need to be flush and sound. The correct preparation of the subfloor is a major part of a successful installation. Subfloor must be flat, maximum 1/8” variation over 10 feet.

SPC has an attached acoustic underlay suitable for single family residential dwellings. The use of additional underlayment is not required and may impact the performance of the installed floor and its locking system.

Acoustic installs for multi family residential or commercial installations: If additional sound dampening is required, a rigid (dense) acoustic matting can be used to meet the specified acoustic outcome. Typically, rubber or cork/rubber matting up to 5mm (3/16”) are suitable in these circumstances. Please check with your acoustic underlay supplier or acoustic specialist for an appropriate product or installation guidelines.

CAUTION: Some types of nails, such as common steel nails, may cause discoloration transferring through the SPC flooring. Solvent based construction adhesives are known to stain floor coverings. All responsibility for discoloration problems caused by the use of the above mentioned products is not the responsibility of the supplier but rests with the installer/contractor.

Installation Over Timber/Wood Panel/Concrete Floors

Do not install SPC directly over existing solid strip flooring or engineered wood flooring that have been installed directly on concrete or solid flooring that has been installed on structural bearers, joists or timber battens. (Reference point 4.)

All floor surfaces must be smooth, permanently dry, clean and free or all foreign matter such as dust, wax, solvents, paint, grease, oils and old adhesive residue. The surface must be rigid, dense, and free of flaking or powdery substances. Sand all edges if joints are not flush on wood based panels.
Wood based subfloor types-Plywood, OSB, Particleboard, (PB), and Masonite. They must be structurally sound and installed as per their manufacturer’s recommendations. Local building codes may only establish minimum requirements of the flooring system and may not provide adequate rigidity and support for proper installation and performance. If needed, add additional fittings to adequately secure an existing substrate. For new substrate material fasten and secure according to panel manufacturing guidelines or meet local building regulations. Lightly sand all surface areas and importantly joints.
Important extra requirement for Particle Board (PB) & OSB subfloors. Cover with 200um builder’s plastic over the entire surface. Tape joints. This method is to make sure the acoustic underlay does not adhere to the subfloor and create the opportunity for telegraphing any subfloor movement commonly associated with PB and OSB floor installations.
SPC flooring is not recommended for installation directly over solid strip flooring nor engineered wood flooring, floating floors or fire-retardant treated plywood or preservative treated plywood. An additional layer of structurally rated plywood or hardboard (Masonite) or OSB approximately a minimum thickness of 6 or 7mm should be installed over the existing floor. Do not use additional underlay for normal installations. It will compromise the click system and void the warranty. Refer to page 1 Acoustical installs multi-Residential and Commercial.
For concrete slab installations: The slab must be dry and level, maximum moisture level 2.5-4.5% in a 24 hour period. Maximum level for ASTM 2170 in-situ Relative Humidity test method-85%.
Do not install over concrete with a history of high moisture or hydrostatic conditions. Ph level of the concrete should be between 5-9.

The final responsibility for determining if the concrete is dry enough for installation remains with the floor installer/contractor.

Radiant Heat: Hydronic in slab only- Radiant heat components must have a minimum of 12mm (1/2”) separation from the product. This is the only type of radiant heat system that is approved. Radiant heat system must be turned on and operational for at least two weeks prior to installation to reduce residual moisture in the concrete. Three days prior to installation lower the temperature to 66 degrees F (19C). After installation gradually increase the temperature in increments of 2 degrees F to avoid overheating. Maximum operating temperature should never exceed 81 degrees F (27C). Use of an in-floor temperature sensor is recommended to avoid overheating.

Installation Over Existing Floor Coverings

SPC flooring can be installed over most existing hard surface floor coverings provided that the existing floor surface is clean, flat, dry and structurally sound. No loose grout, tiles or planks. Tile grout depth must be less than 2mm below the surface.
Existing sheet vinyl floors should not be heavily cushioned and not exceed more than one layer in thickness. Soft underlayment and soft substrates will compromise the product’s locking ability, as well as diminish its indentation resistance.
Installation is not allowed over any type of carpet.
Do not install over any type of solid wood floors directly adhered to concrete of installed directly over timber bearers and joists.
Never use solvents or citrus adhesive removers to clean old adhesive residue. Solvent residue left on the subfloor may affect the new floor covering and its acoustic base.

Floating Installation Only

SPC flooring is designed to be installed utilizing the floating method. Never permanently secure the planks to the subfloor when using the floating installation method. Do not install cabinets, kitchen islands, benches or fixed objects on top of the flooring. Three eighths inch (3/8”) expansion space must be left around the perimeter of all general installations. Larger installs may require additional expansion space. Refer to note below. Undercut all door jambs. Do not fasten wall moldings and or transition strips to the planks.

Wet Areas: Bathroom and Laundry. These areas must be isolated from any adjoining floor installations. The area must be perimeter sealed with a quality mold resistant sealer as per building code requirements for wet areas.

Expansion recommendations: For Hybrid SPC flooring installs greater than 75 feet in length and 45 feet in width you should allow for room to room expansion trims and longitudinal expansion joints to allow for the normal expansion and contraction that occurs within the overall building structure. 3/8” perimeter expansion is recommended for general installations. Avoid excessively long hallway installs that run into large open floor plan areas. Extra expansion space may be required. Always consider transmission breaks to improve the performance of your floating install

Before you start the installation it is important to determine the layout of the flooring. Proper planning and layout will prevent having narrow plank widths at wall junctures or very short length pieces at the end of rows.
As with all plank products, install the planks parallel to the longest exterior wall.
Determine if the starter row will need to be cut. If the first row of planks does not need to be trimmed in width, it will be necessary to cut off the unsupported tongue so that a clean, solid edge shows towards the wall.
Installation must start from the left side of the room working to the right when working in front of the planks or facing the starting wall.
Install the second plank in the row by angling the end tongue into the end groove of the first plank. Be careful not to bend the corner of the plank. Maintain an expansion gap of 3/8” from the wall. Start the second row by cutting a plank to the desired length. Keep in mind that the plank must not be shorter than 6” to achieve the best appearance.
Install the first plank in the second row by inserting the long side tongue into the groove of the plank in the first row. This is best done with a low angle of the plank. Maintain pressure into the side seam as you rotate the plank to the subfloor. Install the second plank in the second row by inserting the short end tongue into the previously installed plank groove. Align the plank so that the long side tongue tip is positioned just over the groove lip of the plank in the first row. Working from the end seam, at a low angle, insert the long tongue into the groove of the adjoining plank. Vert little force is required to seat the tongue into the groove. You should feel the tongue lock into the groove.
Work across the length of the room installing planks along the wall in the first row and then aligning the planks in the second row. It is critical to keep these two rows straight and square as they are the foundation of the rest of the installation.
Check squareness and straightness regularly.
Cut the last plank in the first row and leave an expansion gap of 3/8”. Planks may be cut with a quality utility knife using the ‘score and snap’ method or cut with a saw. The left over of this plank may be used to start the next row as long as it is greater than 6” long.
Continue installing planks and make sure to achieve a random appearance with end pieces a minimum of 6”. Check that all planks are fully engaged. If a slight gapping is found, the gap can be tapped together by using a tapping block and a scrap piece of flooring to cover the tapping block to avoid damaging the planks.
When fitting under door skirting, if necessary, a flat pull bar may used to aid in locking the planks.
When fitting around obstacles or into irregular spaces, planks can be cut easily and cleanly using a utility knife with a sharp blade or hole saw. It is often beneficial to make a cardboard template of the area and transfer this pattern to the plank.
Protect all exposed edges of the flooring by installing wall molding and or transition strips. Make sure that no plank will is secured in anyway to the subfloor.
For wet areas such as bathrooms and laundries caulk the perimeter of the floor with mold resistant silicone suitable for wet areas.
Protect the finished flooring from direct exposure to sunlight to reduce fading and thermal expansion.