Advice for laying
Beau Soleil, exceptionalparquet since 1875
Menu
Menu
Beau Soleil, exceptionalparquet since 1875
• Major construction work and hard surfaces must be finished and dry.
• The premises must be airtight (windows fitted) and the heating system in working order.
• The temperature in the room must be at least 15°C with humidity of between 45 and 60%.
• For rooms with high humidity such as kitchens, bathrooms, and toilets, adequate ventilation must be in permanent operation.
• • Parquet should be stored in its original packaging and kept flat on its original palette.
• The area to be floored must be flat and level, with a maximum variation of 5mm under a 2-meter rule.
PAY CLOSE ATTENTION to the humidity of the base, which is the main cause of problems. This must be checked before laying using a carbide moisture meter.
• For a concrete base, the humidity level must not be more than 3%.
• For a wooden base, the humidity level must not be more than 12%.
• For an anhydrite screed, the humidity level must not be more than 0.5%.
• As a rule of thumb, the drying time for screeds can be calculated based on a week-and-a-half per centimeter in dry weather, which should be doubled in wet conditions.
Before starting work, the tolerances of the base as defined under the NF DTU or CPT norms, notably tolerances of flatness and humidity, should be checked, which is the responsibility of the flooring professional. If these norms are not met, the flooring contractor must inform the client and refuse to start work. If the flooring contractor approves the base, they take responsibility for the consequences on the correct laying of the parquet. If the parquet is laid, the base is considered to have been approved.
• Only for 23mm solid parquet or 22mm laminated parquet.
• Nailed parquet can be laid on battens, chipboard sheets, or even old parquet in certain conditions.
• First check the rigidity, solidness, and humidity of the base.
• If possible, lay the battens such that the parquet lengths will then run towards the prominent light source (ie, window), and/or in line with the longest wall in the room.
• The battens can be laid either as floating or fixed, perpendicular to the direction of the finished parquet.
• Adjust the battens so they are level starting from the doorway using spacers. The maximum gap between battens is 400mm for standard applications, but can be less depending on other constraints.
The parquet is fixed by nailing on an angle where the tongue meets the plank. To allow the next plank to slot in easily, use a nail punch (flat-head nails of 45 or 50mm).
• Suitable for 14 and 23mm solid parquet, as well as 16 and 22mm laminated parquet.
• Use a special parquet adhesive that complies with French norms NF EN 14293 or NF ISO 17178.
• Apply adhesive directly to the base using a spreader or comb with 4mm square notches.
• The base must be sufficiently hard at all points such that superficial scratching with a metallic object does not result in dust, crumbling or flaking. There should be no surfaces that could interfere with the adherence of the glue. The base should have previously been protected from any splashes of oily substances, plaster, or paint.
• Porosity should be measured using a “water drop” test.
• Always check that the adhesive sticks to the base and the parquet before starting to lay.
• Undercoats must respect norm NF B53-676. They are incompatible with solid and laminated parquets laid over all types of underfloor heating. Cork sheets should be glued to the base diagonal to the parquet and must not be jointed.
• Begin laying the first rows by applying force downwards, not laterally, to achieve good adhesion.
Using adhesive from a tube should conform to DTU 51.2. This is often poorly executed and we do not recommend this method of laying.
Never apply adhesive to the tongues or grooves, or to the edges or ends.
• IMPORTANT: Before starting to lay the parquet, open several packets and assemble some pieces on the floor to check the product is correct in terms of grade, thickness, cut, and finish for products with a factory finish. The act of laying the parquet implies that the person laying it has checked and approved the merchandise, and no claim can be made on the manufacturer regarding these criteria once the parquet has been laid.
• Lay the planks running towards the dominant light, preferably in line with the longest wall in the room.
• Start laying along one wall, aligning the first row with the help of a cord or rule.
Leave an expansion gap along the walls of at least 8mm. To create this gap, use temporary wooden or plastic spacers. Regularly check that the planks are square and correctly aligned.
Continue laying successive rows, using the leftover cut plank of each row to start the next, thereby staggering the joints in a random pattern.
The joints at the end of each row should be staggered by at least twice the width of the planks (and by at least 10cm).
• For other patterns like brick pattern (or ship’s deck), chevron, or herringbone, refer to norms DTU 51.1 or 51.2.
• After removing the temporary spacers, fit skirting of sufficient width to fully cover the expansion gap, without impending any dilation in the parquet’s dimension.
• The skirting must not sit on the parquet.
• Do not straddle any expansion joints in the slab.
• It is the responsibility of the client to maintain temperature and humidity conditions after laying.
• If protection is required after laying, this should be of a suitable material (breathable, micro-perforated), and above all not impermeable, otherwise there is a risk of irreversible damage.
• Parquet delivered UNFINISHED must be sanded after laying to finish the surface and remove
the mastic present on knots.
• Then varnish, oil, or wax should be applied.
• Parquets delivered varnished are ready for use.
• For parquets delivered ready-oiled, an additional layer of oil should be applied after laying.Easy to apply and quick-drying
.
• For varnished parquets: Wipe with a damp cloth with a little gentle detergent or soap.
• For oiled parquets: Wipe with a damp cloth using a little gentle detergent, then go over with an intensive cleaner, before applying an additional layer of oil, as necessary.
• For waxed parquets: Use a vacuum cleaner or slightly damp cloth. Add extra wax as required.
The final appearance of the parquet should be judged from a height of 165cm at a distance of 2m with no low-angle lighting (more than 45°). The tolerances given must be respected for at least 95% for each room, without exceeding the allowed tolerances twice.
Joints: For oak, the thickness and width of a piece of wood with no restriction on movement increases by 0.33% for each 1% rise in humidity
above the benchmark level, and shrinks by 0.33% for each 1% drop in humidity
below the benchmark level. For information, our solid parquet is delivered at 10% (+/- 1%).
The width of end and side joints must not be more than 2% of the width of the planks, with a maximum
of 2mm (3mm for widths greater than 140mm).
Flatness:The tolerance of curvature is no greater than 0.5% of the width of the planks, with a maximum of 0.5mm.
