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Columbia Flooring Columbia Clic™ Installation
Instructions
| GENERAL |
| Columbia
Clic™ is a revolutionary system for installing laminated
flooring without using the glue. Columbia Clic uses an ingenious
form of tongue and groove to "click" the panels
together. The Columbia Clic system enables you to work 50%
faster than with traditional, glued laminated flooring, and
because there is no glue, Columbia Clic is much easier and
cleaner to work with. |
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1. You
can join together the panels of the Columbia Clic system
in 2 different ways:
A. The panels can be rotated to fit into one another,
with either the tongue into the groove, or the groove onto the
tongue. The easiest way, though, is to fit the Columbia Clic
tongue into the groove. (The installation instructions are based
on using as much as possible this last installation technique.
Fitting the groove onto the tongue is only required in a few
specific situations.) Position the panel to be installed at an
angle of 20 - 30% to the panel already installed. Move the panel
to be fitted slightly up and down at the same as exerting
forward pressure. The panels will then click into place
together.
B. In some cases, the panels cannot be rotated into
one another, for example along the short edge of a panel
that has already been clicked into place along the long
side, or under a door frame, etc.
In this case, the panels can also be fitted lying flat.
IMPORTANT! To do this, you need a hammer and the SPECIAL
COLUMBIA CLIC TAPPING BLOCK. DO NOT USE ANY OTHER TAPPING BLOCK
- otherwise you may damage the panels to be fitted. You should
not attempt to knock the Columbia Clic joint into place with one
hit. For the short edge, use a number of smaller taps until the
panels click together completely. For the long edge you should
tap them together gradually; begin tapping lightly at the corner
of a panel until the joint is made, then repeat the process some
12 inches along until the entire long edge of the panel has
clicked in with the other.
For the best results, it is absolutely vital to follow the
installation instructions to the letter and TO USE THE
FOLLOWING COLUMBIA CLIC ACCESSORIES ONLY:
- COLUMBIA CLIC INSTALLATION SET (spacer blocks,
Columbia Clic buffer block and crowbar)
- COLUMBIA 3 & 1 FOAM UNDERLAYMENT OR COLUMBIA
SOUND CHOICE™ UNDERLAYMENT
- THE COLUMBIA CLEANER
- Columbia Clic is not suitable for use in damp areas such
as bathrooms or saunas.
- Check the panels from all packs before and during
installation. Defective panels should not be installed.
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2. Tools
for installing the floor
In addition to the traditional tools for installing laminated
flooring, such as hammer, saw, crowbar or pinchbar with
protruding edge (to be tapped on with a hammer), and spacer
blocks (1/32 to 5/16 inch), it is absolutely vital to use the
COLUMBIA CLIC TAPPING BLOCK when installing the floor. With any
other type of tapping block, you are certain to damage the
panels. When sawing pieces off the panels, use a fine-toothed
hand saw, jigsaw or cross-cut saw. To achieve a clean cut, saw
with the pattern side down with a jigsaw and up with a hand saw
or cross-cut saw.
3. The best preparation
The floor should preferably be installed parallel to the way the
light falls. The ideal environment is a temperature of 59-68° F
and relative humidity of 50-60%. Allow the laminated flooring to
acclimatize for 48 hours, in its original packing, in the area
where it is to be installed. Put the packs in the middle of the
room. NEVER against a wall or place in a corner.
CHECK THAT:
- The doors can still open and close after installing the
floor with sub-floor (minimum + 3/8 inch).
- The door frames may need to be adapted to install
the floor under them.
- The old plinths can be removed.
4. The base floor
The base floor must be thoroughly clean and flat before
COLUMBIA CLIC is installed on it. Flatten any unevenness
of more than 0.1 inch/yard. Depending on the situation,
the following cases may present themselves:
CONCRETE
New construction:
- The moisture content of the concrete may not exceed 2.5%
(CM method). A freshly poured coating must dry out for
at least 1 week per 13/32-inch thickness up to 1 5/8
inch, and 2 weeks per 13/32-inch thickness above 1 5/8
inch, with sufficient ventilation. (2 13/32 inch concrete
must therefore dry out for a minimum of 8 weeks).
- In case of floor heating, the moisture content may not
exceed 1.5% (CM method). In this case, some specific
installing instructions are applicable. Please consult your
dealer for more information.
Renovated construction:
- In the case of damp-proof flooring (PVC, linoleum, etc.),
Columbia Clic may be installed on the existing floor
covering.
- In the case of damp-open flooring (carpet, needle felt
floor, etc.), first remove the existing floor covering.
WOODEN FLOOR
- First remove any existing floor covering.
- The wooden floor must be sufficiently stable. Any
loose parts must be nailed down and, if necessary, a
levelling underfloor must be installed.
- The moisture content of the wood may not exceed 10%.
- It is essential that the creeping space under the
wooden floor be sufficiently ventilated: remove any
obstacles and provide sufficient ventilation (minimum
5/8 sq. inch total ventilation opening per yard of floor).
- Install the new panels across the planks.
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5. The
Columbia Clic Underlayment System
It is absolutely vital to use a leveling compound in order
to level out any unevenness in the base floor.
USE Columbia 3 & 1 Foam Underlayment or Columbia Sound
Choice underlayment.
Roll out two rows of the underlayment following the
instructions on the roll. Tape the edges together.
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| CORRECT
INSTALLATION |
Wood
is the primary constituent of Columbia Clic. Because the
humidity of the room can vary, due to differences between
the seasons for example, the floor must be able to expand
in all directions. This expansion can amount to 3/32 inch
per yard, so the greater the surface area, the greater the
room for expansion required. The floor must be able to expand
or contract on ALL sides. To facilitate this, an expansion
gap is provided at walls of 5/16" - 13/32". A
gap must also be provided around pipes or at thresholds.
With large surface areas, a wider gap must be provided,
for example under a double wall. Take into account the fact
that the floor may move in one direction. Where possible,
provide expansion gaps, for example under doors. These gaps
are covered by a profile that is not fixed to the laminated
flooring but to the base floor. Install the panels preferably
in the same direction as the longest wall and the way the
light falls (visually more attractive). Start installing
the floor on one corner or in the middle of the area. You
can also work from left to right, or right to left.
Always remember that the easiest way of installing the floor
is using the tongue into the groove.
In these installation instructions, we will begin with
installing the floor in the left-hand corner. This means that we
are installing the floor from left to right and will be clicking
the panel together using the tongue into the groove.
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| A. Take
four panels and place them ready in the corner where you want to
begin installation. For the time being, do not place them too
close to the wall so that you can easily get between the wall
and the panels. First saw through panel 2 so that you have a
piece 80 cm long that you can use with a groove along the long
and short edge (the sawn-off part against the wall). To ensure a
perfect expansion joint, the tongues along the long edge of
panels 1 and 3, which go against the wall, need to be sawn off. |
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| B. We
can now begin installation. Place your knees on panel 1 and push
the tongue of panel 2 into the groove of panel 1. Rotate panel 2
up and down (while you hold panel 2 hard against panel 1) until
both panels click together. If panel 2 does not stay flat or if
the joint is not perfectly tight, this is a sign that the joint
has not been fully made. If this is the case, rotate and press
both panels again, using more force until they click in
together. |
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| C. Now
install the second panel of the first row. Take panel 5 and hold
it in your left hand. Hold the panel slanted, so that the tongue
(on the short edge) can be fitted easily into the groove (on the
short edge) of panel 1. If the tongue sticks in the groove,
rotate panel 3 up and down and at the same time push against
panel 1. Make sure that panels 1 and 3 are perfectly aligned to
one another. This is very important for installing the next
rows! Before you go any further, first place a weight (e.g. a
full pack of panels) on top of panels 1 and 2. |
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| D. Place
both knees on panels 1 and 3. The weight (pack of panels) that
is lying on panels 1 and 2, will ensure that the joints you made
previously will not come apart. Now take panel 4 in both hands,
and fit it on the slant into the groove on the short edge of
panel 2. Ensure that - on the long edge - there is a space of
+/- 1 cm between panel 4 and the panels in the first row. Rotate
panel 4 gently downward and press it against panel 2 until you
feel the tongue and groove click firmly together. Now the panels
lie flat on the ground. Slightly lift up panel 2 and 4 and use
your left hand to tap panel 4 on the long edge side so that it
moves in the direction of the first row so that the tongue of
the long side of panel 4 comes into direct contact with the
groove of the first row. |
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| E. Rotate
panels 2 and 4 together up and down in order to make a joint
between tongue and groove. Always make sure when rotating that
you press the tongue and groove together with sufficient force.
After a few rotations, the tongue-and-groove joint should have
been made and you can now let the panels lie flat on the ground.
If there is no visible space left in the joint, then you have
joined the panels together correctly. If not, repeat the
rotation movement (and press harder) or you must check that the
panels in the first row are in perfect alignment. Now you have
joined the first four panels and have got used to the technique.
Then use the same technique as with panels 3 and 4 so that the
first two rows are fully installed. Now push the whole unit
against the wall and fill in the expansion joint (+/- 1 cm),
using spacer blocks, so that you have a sturdy whole. |
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| F. From
the third row on, finish off each row at a time, each time
joining the panel along its short edge, then along its long
edge. You can use the left-over pieces that you have at the end
of each row as the beginning panels of the next row. That way
you make the best possible use of each panel. Always place a
weight (a pack of panels) on the joints that you have just made
in order to stabilize them. |
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G.
Finish
After installing your floor, you can immediately walk on it and
begin the finishing process. This is one of the major benefits
of the Columbia Clic system.
- Remove all spacer blocks.
- Fix the skirting boards to the plastic membrane sticking
up from the floor. Never fix the skirting boards to
the floor itself, but allow the floor to expand and
contract underneath the skirting board.
- Finish the pipes with rosettes or elastic paste.
- In place where no profiles or skirting boards can be
placed, the expansion gap must be filled with elastic paste.
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| PRECAUTIONS |
- Protect furniture and chair feet by means of felt or plastic
gaps.
- Avoid bringing dirt, water and sand from outside by
using a doormat.
- Use wheel chairs with soft rollers suitable for laminated
flooring.
- Make sure there is a minimum humidity of 50% in the room.
If necessary, use a humidifier.
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| MAINTENANCE |
- With its smooth surface, Columbia Clic cannot retain dust
or dirt.
- NEVER use a wax or varnish coating on the floor.
- For dry maintenance, use a duster or vacuum cleaner.
- For damp maintenance: wipe over with clean water or
with COLUMBIA CLEANER diluted in water. (Never use other
cleaning product or detergents!) This product cleans
the floor very well and leaves a satin shine. Only use
a WELL WRUNG OUT CLOTH. ALWAYS WIPE DRY IMMEDIATELY
AFTER until no moisture is visible on the floor. If
you do not wipe it dry, the Columbia Clic cleaning product
has virtually no effect.
- WET MAINTENANCE IS ENTIRELY FORBIDDEN.
- Remove stubborn stains carefully with a little acetone.
Never use any scouring products!
- Columbia Clic is based on pre-treated, watertight glued
HDF board. Despite Columbia Clic's relative
moisture-resistance, remove any excess water immediately.
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Columbia Flooring Columbia Clic™ Installation
Instructions
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