BORAL Silkwood Installation Guide & Warranty
BORAL Silkwood Installation Guide & Warranty
BORAL Silkwood Installation Guide & Warranty
Disclaimer
The following can only be used as a guide and the installer should apply all Australian Standards and best practices when installing. This should include the relevant safety protocols required. It is vital that the installer collect and fully understand this data and not rely upon this guide as the sole means of direction. If there are any problems before or during the laying of a Boral Silkwood floor, stop and do not continue laying. Contact Boral Timber immediately on 1800 818 317 for further advice.
Product description
Boral Silkwood is a hardwood engineered flooring system that is fast and easy to install. It can be installed as a floating floor or alternatively can be glued directly to the subfloor. Floating floors are glued together by a tongue and groove connection and laid over a Boral Silkwood underlay or equivalent underlay. An expansion gap is left around the perimeter of the floor and is covered by a skirting board or moulding. Direct stick installation involves fully bonding Boral Silkwood flooring to an existing subfloor. Direct stick installations can help minimise expansion and contraction in locations that experience extended periods of high or low humidity. Boral Silkwood flooring does not require acclimatisation. The flooring should be brought to site when required for laying, after the area where the flooring is to be installed is at lock up stage, and after the completion of all wet trades.
Accessories
Boral Silkwood Standard underlay and moisture barrier or equivalent underlay Boral RV-4 acoustically rated polyurethane underlay or equivalent underlay Boral Silkwood Ultra underlay (reduces reflective sound) and moisture barrier or equivalent underlay Boral Silkwood (Cross Linked D3) PVA glue Prefinished, species-matched hardwood scotias Aluminium trims available in silver, bronze and champagne.
Suitable subfloors
Boral Silkwood is designed for any subfloor that is structurally sound, level, clean and dry such as Concrete slab Sheet flooring such as plywood or particleboard Existing strip timber floors.
Note: For installation over heated subfloors, please contact Boral Timber for additional instructions.
Remember
With the abundance of various different primers, levelling compounds, sealers and adhesives on the market, the following points should be considered and applied. Always follow the manufacturers guide lines. Always use compatible products. Manufacturers often have systems they recommend that guarantee compatibility. Whilst Boral Silkwood is fast and efficient to install, professional installation is recommended.
5. Timber substrates such as particleboard, plywood or existing timber floors should be sanded to create a clean flat surface. Plywood or particleboard should be a minimum of 5 ply or 12mm. 6. A concrete subfloor should be moisture tested in accordance with AS1884-1985 to ensure the concrete subfloor has a moisture content (MC) of less than 5.5%. If MC is greater than 5.5%, a moisture seal must be applied as per the manufacturers recommendations. 7. If the installation is to be a direct stick job, the selected adhesive should be applied to various areas on the subfloor prior to commencing installation, to confirm that suitable adhesion can be achieved.
Installation
Expansion gaps Expansion gaps and perimeter fixings should be planned before commencing the job. Expansion gaps are a requirement of timber flooring. Due to the hygroscopic nature of timber the flooring will expand and contract with changes in moisture content. The allowance of expansion gaps at the perimeter walls and around obstructions will allow the floor to move as required. If sufficient expansion gaps are not allowed for, buckling and deformation of the flooring can result. Boral Timber recommends a minimum expansion gap at all perimeter walls and obstructions of 14mm. In areas of high humidity and for floors exceeding 8m in width it may be necessary to increase the size of the expansion gaps, and/or include expansion joints within the flooring in order to increase the total expansion allowance for the floor. Expansion gaps can be readily increased by under cutting plasterboard walls or through the use of thicker skirtings or beading. The greater the expansion allowed while installing, the better. Expansion joints are best placed at doorways or in line with internal walls. Expansion joints help to break large floors into smaller sections thereby maximising total expansion gaps (refer Diagram 1).
1. Plan the direction of the first run of boards. The direction of the boards are often dictated by several factors and should be considered in the following rank of priority. Width of the room. It is best to run the length of the boards parallel with the longest length of the room (if rectangular in design) to allow for anticipated expansion at the width of the boards.
Diagram 1: Expansion joints likely locations for expansion
Acoustic systems
There are many varied acoustic systems available on the market today. Boral Timber supplies a range of acoustic underlays that conform to our warranty and installation guidelines. Alternatively, Boral Timber can work closely with all parties during the specification process to ensure satisfactory performance is achieved whilst not jeopardising any warranty or installation guidelines.
Full length windows. A factor to consider is that sunlight reflecting across the width of the boards will highlight the joints. If possible, without compromising the point above, run the boards perpendicular to the light source.
Note: The above can only best be used as a guide and the decision is best made on a job by job basis.
2. Conduct the necessary preparation to the substrate as described earlier. 3. Under-cut door frames if applicable at this point. 4. Unroll Boral Silkwood underlay (or equivalent underlay) onto the subfloor with the preattached moisture barrier facing down. Boral Silkwood underlay should butt together with the clear plastic moisture barrier providing a 150mm overlap. The seam should be sealed with the supplied double sided tape. (Adhesive is not required to fix this underlay to the prepared subfloor.) Install Boral Silkwood over the top of the underlay). If using Boral RV4 underlay please call Boral Timber on 1800 818 317 for Boral RV4 installation guidelines. 5. Plan the location and type of any trims to be installed, as some trims are easier to install prior to installing the flooring. 6. Set out the first run of floor boards using chalk/ string lines and measuring tools. Alternatively, lay the boards parallel to the longest wall in the room, leaving a minimum expansion gap of 14mm along all walls. Place 14mm blocks/ wedges along one end to maintain the gap while boards are being placed (see Diag. 2, Fig. 1). Be sure to remove wedges upon completion of the installation so that the floor is allowed to expand without restriction. 7. Start the first row of boards with the groove facing the starting wall. Take the second board and apply an unbroken bead of Boral Silkwood PVA adhesive to the topside of the groove (see Diag. 2, Fig. 2). Tap the boards together
Moisture barrier
All subfloors require a moisture barrier. Boral Silkwood underlay is supplied with a pre-attached moisture barrier. If using Boral RV4 underlay please call Boral Timber on 1800 818 317 for Boral RV4 installation guidelines.
using a Boral Silkwood tapping block and a hammer and continue along the starting run. (see Diag. 2, Fig. 3) 8. Measure and cut the last board of the first row, remembering to allow at least a 14mm expansion gap. Use the pull tool to tightly fit the last board of the row (see Diag. 2, Fig. 4 and 5). It is important to work from five opened boxes so that the full range of colours and features can be mixed within the floor. 9. Start new rows with a board at least 450mm shorter or longer than the strip used in the previous row. This will prevent end joints from clustering throughout the floor. 10. When adding the next row, apply an unbroken bead of Boral Silkwood PVA to the top side of the groove, along the length of the board and continue this along the length of the floor (see Diag. 2, Fig. 2). Tap the boards together using a Boral Silkwood tapping block and a hammer for a tight fit. 11. Measure and cut the last board to fit, allowing for at least a 14mm expansion joint along its whole length. A pull tool will be needed to fit the last board closest to the wall (see Diag. 2, Fig. 6). 12. Clean up any excess adhesive with a damp cloth while working.
starting wall
top side
allow at least a 14mm expansion gap. Use the pull tool to tightly fit the last board of the row. It is important to work from five opened boxes so that the full range of colours and features can be mixed within the floor. 9. Weight or fix first run in place. It is best to allow this first run to set before working against it to minimise any shifting during installation. 10. Start new rows with a board at least 450mm shorter or longer than the strip used in the previous row. This will prevent end joints from clustering throughout the floor. 11. Measure and cut the last board to fit, allowing for at least a 14mm expansion joint along its whole length. A pull tool will be needed to fit the last board closest to the wall. 12. Once laid the boards should be in constant, firm contact with the adhesive until cured. The application of appropriate weights, such as unopened boxes of flooring, will assist this process. 13. Excess adhesive should be removed quickly using the appropriate adhesive cleaner this may vary depending on the adhesive used. It is important to follow the manufacturers instructions.
Note: For further details regarding the direct stick method refer to adhesive manufacturers instructions.
it is important to remember that measures may need to be taken to maintain the warrantable range of relative humidity between 30%-60% (floating installation as per the Boral Silkwood installation guide) or 30%-70% (direct stick installation as per the Boral Silkwood installation guide). 2.3 Floor boards with visible faults or vastly different appearance prior to installation should not be installed. The installer must inspect the flooring as it is installed, and set aside or cut out any defects found prior to installation. Once the flooring has been installed, the installer has deemed the flooring acceptable and Boral Timber (Allen Taylor and Co Ltd trading as Boral Timber) assumes no further responsibility for flooring with defects visible at the time of installation, which has subsequently been installed. 2.4 It is important that you follow the Boral Timber care and maintenance instructions to care properly for your floor, as a failure to do so in part or whole will void this warranty. Your care and maintenance instructions are distributed at the point of purchase. Further copies can be obtained on the website; www.boral.com.au/timberflooring or by calling 1800 818 317 (Australian residents). 2.5 Installation of a Boral Silkwood floor must be carried out in accordance with the Boral Silkwood Installation Guide by a suitably qualified person. Installation Guides are available at all Boral Silkwood distributors, or can be obtained by contacting Boral Timber on free call 1800 818 317, or can be viewed on Borals website www.boral.com.au/ timberflooring. If the flooring is installed on a Do-It-Yourself basis and you are not suitably qualified to install the flooring, limitations to this warranty apply, see Do-It-Yourself Exclusions of Warranty below. If you have any questions about difficult or unusual installations please contact Boral Timber for additional guidelines. Free call 1800 818 317 (Australian residents).
original installation only. This warranty cannot be transferred except in the case of purchase by a developer or builder of a new dwelling. A developer or builder may transfer this warranty to the new owner of the dwelling only and this must take effect within 6 months following completion of the building works. 3.3 This warranty shall not apply where the flooring is laid in areas prone to becoming wet such as laundry or bathroom areas. 3.4 Boral Silkwood flooring is a natural product and colour and texture will vary according to climatic and soil conditions, and the age of the timber. Furniture, scotias and trims, or flooring manufactured from the same timber species are likely not to match due to the natural variability of timber. No warranty is offered against these natural characteristics. 3.5 This warranty shall not apply in the event the flooring is exposed, for whatever reason, to the elements including, but not limited to, rain, sun and frost. 3.6 Boral Silkwood flooring is a natural product and the flooring will change colour as the timber ages and with exposure to sunlight. Such colour changes are normal and are not to be considered a defect. No warranty is offered against these natural characteristics. 3.7 Damage to Boral Silkwood flooring caused by heat or staining from any cause whatsoever is not covered by this warranty. The flooring should be protected from exposure to excessive heat caused by direct sunlight, gas or wood fires or stoves or similar. 3.8 Boral Silkwood flooring is a non-structural product and must be laid over an existing structural subfloor (for example a concrete slab, a structural plywood or particleboard subfloor, existing timber flooring or tiles). No warranty is offered in relation to any damage arising from a failure to install the flooring over a suitable subfloor. 3.9 Hollow sections, variation in sounds from tapping or walking on the floor, squeaking boards or separation of the planks due to the failure of glue applied during installation are not related to manufacture and are not covered by this warranty. We suggest you refer back to your installers warranty. 3.10 Damage caused to the flooring during installation or unloading is not part of the manufacturing process and as such is not covered by this warranty.
3.11 Installation of the flooring is not covered by Boral Timber. Please ask your installer for an installation warranty. 3.12 Your flooring, when installed to Boral Timber guidelines, is designed to give you the best possible service life. Any changes to your floor structure, including alterations or removal and reinstallation of any part of the flooring after the original installation will void this warranty. 3.13 Any flooring bought at auction or as seconds will not be covered by any warranty. This material is sold as is. 3.14 All other warranties, whether implied or express and whether arising by statute or otherwise, are excluded to the extent permitted by law. 3.15 This warranty only applies to Boral Silkwood floors that have been installed with Boral Silkwood underlay, Boral RV4 underlay or an equivalent underlay.
5.4 This warranty applies to the original factory finish coating only and will no longer apply if the flooring is re-surfaced or re-coated. 5.5 Timber is a natural product which expands and contracts in relation to moisture content, as a result small cracks or checks may occur in some species under some conditions. The occurrence of such cracking and/or checking is not covered by this warranty. 5.6 This warranty extends only for wear areas which cover at least 10% of the surface area of the installed flooring, and will not extend to high traffic areas such as, but not limited to, entry ways, where suitable protection such as mats should be used. 5.7 The General Conditions and Exclusions of Warranty set out in paragraph 3 above also apply.
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8.11 The General Conditions and Exclusions of Warranty also apply (refer paragraph 3 above).
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AFS/01-31-38
PEFC/21-31-38
Boral Timber products are AFS Chain of Custody certified. Thisprovides peace of mind that Borals timber flooring and deckingare sourced from sustainably managed and legal forestry. Thecertification is linked to the largest forest management certification scheme in the world (PEFC) and is the only forest management certification scheme with an Australian Standard (4708-2007).
Disclaimer: Boral Timber retains the right to change specifications without notice in accordance with its policy of continued product development. Every care has been taken in preparing the information contained in this publication, however the company cannot accept responsibility for any inaccuracies that may have arisen and cannot accept liability for loss or damage either direct or consequential arising out of or in relation to use of application of the said information.
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www.boral.com.au/timber
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