If you hire a Professional Wood Fitter. If fitting the Wood Floor yourself (DIY)

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1 WOOD FLOORING GUIDE

2 WHILE A REASONABLY COMPETENT DIY ENTHUSIAST CAN SUCCESSFULLY FIT BOTH LAMINATED AND ENGINEERED CROSS-PLY FLOORING, TILE GIANT RECOMMEND THAT ONLY AN EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONAL WOOD FITTER FIT SOLID WOOD FLOORS. AND REMEMBER WE RE ALWAYS HAPPY TO OFFER ADVICE AND GUIDANCE ON ALL OUR PRODUCTS AS WELL AS PROVIDING A LIST OF RECOMMENDED PROFESSIONALS TO HELP YOU GET THE JOB DONE. If fitting the Wood Floor yourself (DIY) Store the wood unopened in the room in which it is to be fitted for a minimum of 48 hours prior to fitting. This helps stabilise the product and minimise problems. Never fit any type of wood flooring to a surface that isn t completely dry or that may be susceptible to moisture in the future e.g. bathroom floors, saunas etc. If you are floating a wood floor the surface needs to be level. (Maximum of 3mm unevenness over 1 metre radius.) Always use a good quality moisture barrier as well as a sound barrier (underlay) that has a certified sound reduction (DB) approval. The same guidelines outlined for wood fitters below also apply to the DIY fitter. There is a full set of fitting instructions in every packet of wood flooring. If you hire a Professional Wood Fitter Make sure you agree with your fitter the direction you want the boards to run. In an average sized room we recommend that boards be laid in the direction of the major light source. Don t start fitting a room unless you have adequate wood to finish the job and don t use the surplus from one room to start the next unless you are sure you can get the balance needed. It is possible that we may not have further stock of that particular product. Wood is a natural product and each consignment will be different from the previous one. On such occasions the difference in length, width, style or colour can be very significant. When you are calculating the volume of wood you need, add 5% waste for regular shaped rooms if you are fitting boards up to 100mm (4 ) wide and 10% for irregular shaped rooms or wider boards. Ask your fitter to mix the planks from the various different packs of wood before fitting to ensure a random pattern of colours and shades.

3 Do not open the last packet or two of wood until you are sure you need them. Opened packets of wood are useless unless fitted immediately. Make sure your fitter cleans away all surplus glue with a damp cloth as he progresses along your floor. Do not leave any build-up of glue as the floor is being fitted Cleaning & Maintenance Once fitted the floor should be cleaned and polished using only the products recommended. Never ever use excessive amounts of water when cleaning your floor, as brushing or light vacuuming is usually sufficient to keep it looking superb. Laminates All our laminated flooring is manufactured to the highest quality standards and is resistant to most household stains such as cigarette burns, high heel marks, nail polish, tar, crayons & markers etc. Simply wipe away these stains with a well wrung out cloth using the recommended cleaner available from us. If, as a result of an accident, your laminated floor is very badly damaged you can purchase a paste to cover the blemishes or ask a wood fitter to replace the damaged planks. Natural Wood All flooring products with natural wood surfaces require greater care and attention. Natural wood flooring will stain easily but unlike laminated floors natural wood is more susceptible to damage. Therefore you need to: Protect heavy wear areas e.g. the area in front of the couch with mats or rugs. Remove castors from furniture if possible. Place felt grips underneath the legs of all chairs and tables. A good floor mat at the entrance to your home is essential to remove grit and wet from shoes. Cigarette burns etc. will damage the lacquer on natural wood products, so greater care must be taken. Minor surface abrasions are unavoidable but most of these are easily covered over by regular cleaning and polishing which often adds character to a natural wood floor and gives it a more authentic look. When your natural wood floor does eventually show signs of wear and tear, the floor can be lightly sanded and re-lacquered to make it look as good as new. Remember, water/moisture is the No.1 enemy of all wood flooring products. If water is accidentally spilled on your wood floor you should mop it up immediately. If the water is left on your floor for some time it will damage the wood and ultimately the floor. Room Climate If your wood floor is exposed to extremes of cold, heat or humidity levels for an extended period it will most likely result

4 in damage to your floor. We cannot be responsible for damage caused by environment changes outside our control. Please note the following important points: The room temperature should be maintained at approximately 68 F/20 c. The humidity levels should be maintained at between F/10-18 c. Do not install wood flooring in rooms that are left unheated for extended periods during the winter. Take care when papering, painting and plastering, as this will increase the moisture levels in the room significantly. Ventilation is very important. The same problem can occur with numerous pot plants watered frequently. Never fit wood flooring in buildings that remain unoccupied for long periods such as holiday homes. Wood, a Living Substance Solid wood flooring is a living substance and will change in character and substance over its lifetime. Please note the following points: 1 Most wood products (especially solid woods) will expand or contract after fitting depending on the conditions in the room. If the wood contracts minor cracks will appear between boards. However, they will usually close again when the moisture levels increase. These minor cracks are unavoidable and should be accepted as part of the character of the product. 2 Most natural woods will change colour over the first 3 years. The changes that occur will depend on the wood species and the light source. Most woods will get darker with age (cherry is the most common example). You should take account of this when buying your wood floor. Areas under rugs and mats not exposed to light will not change. If you remove the mat the colour difference will be very noticeable at first, but it will blend with the rest of the floor in time if left exposed. 3 Be careful not to apply too much polish to your floor or it will cause a build up of wax that will not look very well. Polish your floor lightly, not more than once a month and even less for low traffic areas. Only polish those areas exposed to high and medium traffic. If you do get a build up of polish it can be removed by using a special cleaner designed for the purpose. Leftover Wood Once a packet of wood is opened it begins to absorb moisture and therefore can become unsuitable for fitting within a short period (24 hours). If you have a plank or two left over wrap them up well in polythene bags (e.g. plastic shopping bags) and store them in case you need to replace some planks in future. When storing them always

5 lay planks down flat on a level surface rather than standing them upright to help prevent warping. Where possible a professional should always be employed and Tile Giant are not responsible for any work carried out by customers using these steps. STORE FLOORPLAN