Installation Procedures for Beauflor Resilient Vinyl Flooring
Except TEXALINO (Supreme & Prestige) and FLEXSTREME PRODUCTS (Luciano | Sandro | Antonio | Dario)
The information below is provided for anyone fitting a Beauflor resilientl vinyl floor covering.. Beauflor suggests that wherever possible the purchaser uses a professional installer in order to obtain the best results from their purchase.
Please read the complete instructions prior to fitting our vinyl floor covering. Failure to follow our instructions may influence your warranty so it is important to fully understand what is required before installation begins.
1. Room Measuring
- Measure the maximum width and length of the room remembering to include any recess or doorway, adding 15cm to each dimension.
To avoid unnecessary joins in your new floor it is important to purchase the widest width available.
- If more than one piece is required to fit your room you will need to
allow for pattern match along the join (pattern match information is
provided on each sample). Is also important that each piece is cut from
the same parent roll. This will ensure that you have true colour match
along the seam. If pieces are cut from different rolls, please check
with your supplier that these have the same batch number. If not,
Beauflor will not accept responsibility for any colour variation.
2. Before Installation
Firstly ensure you have the necessary tools including:
- A sharp knife (a hooked blade is generally safer than a straight blade for long cuts)
- A soft brush
- A long metal rule or straight edge
- A tape measure
- A tube of suitable Seam welding fluid (this is only necessary if there are joints)
- A roll of double-sided tape suitable for use with cushioned vinyl floor coverings (plasticiser–resistant)
- Hair-dryer (optional)
Before installation, it is ideal if the cushioned floor can be laid flat & left for two hours at a room temperature of +18°C. If it is not possible to do this then the flooring should be loosely rolled and left in the room where it is to be installed for at least 24 hours. This will make the floor more flexible & easier to handle.
3. The Subfloor and its preparation
Imperfections in the subfloor will affect the final appearance & performance of cushioned flooring.
Basic requirements:
- For ALL floors
Subfloors must be absolutely level, clean and free from grit, dust, grease, oil, polish, old adhesive & paint. It is essential that the subfloor is dry. Dampness can cause discolouration to the flooring. A damp proof membrane (DPM) is required for solid direct to earth subfloors. If in doubt, take a hygrometer reading to check the level of dampness. A maximum hygrometer reading of 75% RH is recommended. Any underfloor heating should be turned off during installation. - For concrete floors
Use a levelling compound if the surface is uneven, rough or cracked. It is usual to apply 3-6mm of levelling compound to produce the desired level of smoothness. - For floor boarded timber floors
All loose floorboards should be secured with suitable nails or countersunk screws. Any protruding nails must be hammered down flush with the surface. Cover the floorboards with 3-6mm gauge resin-bonded plywood panels (normally 1200mm x 600mm). Secure the panels with 25mm ring shanked nails, staples or countersunk flat head screws, at 100mm spacing. If the subfloor is timber on top a solid base (e.g. wood blocks on concrete) remove the timber & treat as concrete. Do not lay the flooring directly on timber treated with wood preservative. - Quarry or Ceramic tiles
Follow the basic requirements above for concrete floors. Any loose or broken tiles should be removed and the floor patched with a suitable concrete batch before using a latex levelling compound to fill the joints between the tiles to create a smooth surface. Old quarry tiles were often laid on subfloors without a suitable Damp-proof membrane. This should be checked prior to installation of the floor. If there is no integral DPM then a surface DPM must be installed. - Existing smooth flooring
Remove all existing cushioned vinyl, linoleum, cork flooring. - Existing hard flooring such as PVC Composition tiles (including bitumen based 'Marley' tiles)
These tiles may be left in place. All polish must be removed from the tiles with a solution of 2% household ammonia, the floor must then be thoroughly rinsed with clean water. Any damaged or loose fitting tiles must be removed and the floor patched flush to the remaining tiles with levelling compound. To prevent staining to the new floor, the tiles must then be covered with a MINIMUM 6mm thickness of levelling compound: WARNING: Do not sand any existing flooring material, it may contain asbestos fibres, which can be hazardous to health. (Beauflor residential vinyl floors do not contain asbestos)
4. Fitting your flooring (loose laying)
Attention : Maximum room size for loose laying : 20 m²
Rough cut the material to size leaving about 5cm all round for final trimming in. If more than one piece of flooring is needed, cut the pieces to length but add an amount equal to the pattern match to each piece, plus the 5cm trimming allowance. Line up the cut piece to your selected starting wall.
The material is laid with the 5cm over-cut running up the walls, ensuring that the pattern runs parallel to the wall.
Cutting in: It is important to cut the floor in gradually. Several small trimming cuts are better than attempting one cut and will result in a better finish. Always hold the knife perpendicular to the floor to keep a straight cut finish.
Internal corners: Make small diagonal cuts across the material's corner very gradually until the material fits neatly into the corner.
External corners: Push the material firmly down to the join of the floor & wall. Cut down the material, following the corner & trim flat to the floor. It can be helpful to gently warm the floor with a domestic hair dryer to make it more flexible
Irregular fittings (radiator pipes etc): Push the material into the join between the floor & fitting and cut down almost to the floor. A small cross-cut will then stop the material tearing. Gently ease the material down around the fitting by cutting to the floor at all pressure points and cutting flat to the floor.
With the material now lying flat around the fittings and corners, the final cutting along the wall lengths can be carried out. Push the flooring into the join of the wall and floor with the straight edge and, cut off small strips at a time, gradually working the material down to the floor keeping the blade tight against the skirting board and held as near the vertical position as possible. Avoid trimming in too tightly as this will prevent the material lying flat (as a general rule leave a gap of 1mm - thickness of a credit card - between the edge of the floor and the skirting board to allow for normal movement, this will avoid any buckling due to room expansion/contraction)
Release any trapped air by sweeping with a soft broom.
To allow movement of heavy appliances (fridges/washing machines/cookers) it is important to fully adhere a 5cm deep band running beyond the full width of the appliance where the floor meets the wall. This minimises the risk of pulling up the flooring during movement. If heavy appliances are to be regularly moved placing them on an off cut of vinyl or on a piece of hardboard should be considered. This will further reduce the risk of damage to the flooring.
Pattern-matching, seam cutting and welding
IMPORTANT: If the floor is loose laid it is only possible to accomodate 1 seam. If there is more than 1 seam required the floor must be fully adhered (see below)
Additional items required:
- Low-tack masking or clear adhesive tape
- acrylic adhesive and fine notched spreader or a double-sided adhesive tape suitable for vinyl flooring
- Chemical vinyl sealant fluid (Cold welding fluid Type A). Available from: Werner Muller GmbH, Rudolf-Diesel-Strasse 7, 67227 Frankenthal, Germany, T: +49 (0) 62 33 37 93 0
Follow these steps:
- Fit the largest of the rough-cut pieces in accordance with above guidelines.
- Lay the next largest rough-cut piece so that it overlaps the first by 35-50mm, ensuring that the pattern matches. NOTE (4m width only): adjacent sheet widths should be reversed to minimise apparent shade variation. Fit this second piece as described above.
- To cut the seam place your steel rule or straight edge so that the guiding edge lies over both edges of the overlapping material. Hold firmly and cut through both thicknesses simultaneously keeping the knife as vertical as possible to the flooring to create a closely butting seam (This will require gradual cutting - do not attempt to accomplish in one stroke.)
- Carefully fold back the flooring and put down a piece of double-sided tape on the floor directly under the middle of the seam. Alternatively apply a 15cm/6” band of acrylic adhesive to the floor directly under the seam.
- Carefully replace the flooring onto the tape or into the adhesive making sure that the pattern match is correct.
- If using adhesive allow 24 hours after adhesion of the floor to the subfloor before finishing the join. Otherwise proceed as below
- Cover the seam with a low-tack masking or clear adhesive tape (do not use a strong adhesive tape as this may damage the floor surface when you remove it).
- Cut through the tape along the seam so it is ready to take a cold-welding vinyl sealant fluid. Insert the applicator needle well into the seam until it touches the subfloor. Pull it slowly along the seam whilst gently squeezing the tube.
- The needle will allow fluid to flow into the seam and, at the same time, a bead of fluid about 2-4mm wide will be left on the tape. Remove the tape after about 10 minutes when the welding fluid has dried to leave a virtually invisible seam.
- The seam will be dry enough to walk on after 20 minutes and fully cured in 2-3 hours, by which time it will be a watertight, dirt-resistant seam.
Adhering vinyl to subfloor
Perimeter adhesion
We do not recommend perimeter adhesion of Beauflor Vinyl floor coverings. However double-sided tape (suitable for resilient residential vinyl) can be used in doorways to ensure the vinyl lies flat. Alternatively the floor can be held in place under a suitable threshold strip.
Full adhesion
Installations requiring full adhesion are best carried out by a professional floor layer.
Generally installations requiring only one sheet of flooring material and less than 20m² do not require full adhesion. Installations over 20m2 are better fully adhered especially if involving more than one piece of flooring.
If heavy appliances are to be regularly moved placing them on an off cut of vinyl or on a piece of hardboard should be considered. This will further reduce the risk of damage to the flooring.
Additional tools/items needed:
- An acrylic flooring adhesive (rubber/neoprene adhesives must not be used)
- a fine notched spreader
- an old blanket
Follow these steps:
ADHESIVE APPLICATION (single piece installation)
After fitting, turn back the flooring to expose about half of the subfloor. Apply the adhesive to the subfloor in accordance with the adhesive manufacturer's instructions. Replace the flooring material slowly and carefully over the prepared subfloor without trapping air bubbles. Turn back the other half and follow the same procedure. Roll the flooring with a 50 kg flooring roller to push out any trapped air bubbles .
ADHESIVE APPLICATION (two piece installation)
Where more than one piece is being fully adhered, complete fitting as described above and pattern-match both pieces, but do not cut the seam. Refer to the section below - "Pattern-matching, seam cutting and welding" before you begin. Fold back the material from the side walls parallel to the seam, exposing about half the subfloor under each piece. Spread the adhesive in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, replace the material over the prepared subfloor and allow enough drying time to ensure both adhered halves no longer move.
Cut through both pieces of material creating the final seam - this action is detailed in the next section. Fold back both edges along the seam and spread adhesive over the remaining exposed subfloor. Allow the recommended drying time and then carefully reposition the material. Roll the flooring with a 50 kg flooring roller to push out any trapped air bubbles. Take care not to force adhesive up into the seam. To complete the installation, follow the instructions for welding described in the next section.
Once the installation is complete we recommend that you allow at least twenty-four hours drying time before moving heavy objects back into place.
Pattern-matching, seam cutting and welding
Additional items required:
- Low-tack masking or clear adhesive tape
- acrylic adhesive and fine notched spreader
- Chemical vinyl sealant fluid (Cold welding fluid Type A). Available from: Werner Muller GmbH, Rudolf-Diesel-Strasse 7, 67227 Frankenthal, Germany, T: +49 (0) 62 33 37 93 0
Follow these steps:
- Fit or adhere the largest of the rough-cut pieces in accordance with above guidelines.
Lay the next largest rough-cut piece so that it overlaps the first by 35-50mm, ensuring that the pattern matches. NOTE (4m width only): adjacent sheet widths should be reversed to minimise apparent shade variation. Fit this second piece as described above. - To cut the seam place your steel rule or straight edge so that the guiding edge lies over both edges of the overlapping material. Hold firmly and cut through both thicknesses simultaneously keeping the knife as vertical as possible to the flooring to create a closely butting seam (This will require gradual cutting - do not attempt to accomplish in one stroke.)
Allow 24 hours after adhesion of the floor to the subfloor before finishing the join. Cover the seam with a low-tack masking or clear adhesive tape (do not use a strong adhesive tape as this may damage the floor surface when you remove it).
Cut through the tape along the seam and apply a cold-welding vinyl sealant fluid. Insert the applicator needle well into the seam until it touches the subfloor. Pull it slowly along the seam whilst gently squeezing the tube.
The needle will allow fluid to flow into the seam and, at the same time, a bead of fluid about 2-4mm wide will be left on the tape. Remove the tape after about 10 minutes when the welding fluid has dried to leave a virtually invisible seam.
The seam will be dry enough to walk on after 20 minutes and fully cured in 2-3 hours, by which time it will be a watertight, dirt-resistant seam.
The above instructions should be sufficient to enable the successful installation of all Beauflor residential resilient floors. If you have questions which are not covered by the above guidelines please call our Customer Service Centre where our team of specialists will be pleased to provide you with further information.
light commercial applications
