City Solid European Ash Agate 135mm Brush Matt Lacquered Flooring [SOL-FL-18-059]

Florence Solid European Agate Ash 135mm BML Rustic is 135mm wide, has a total thickness of 18mm and comes in random lengths of between 600-1800mm, with around 35% of the boards being 1800mm long.

Although this is a solid wood flooring all the way through it still has a wear layer above the tongue and groove, sanding cannot surpass this point. On this floor that wear layers is 8.0mm which if need can be sanded and re-finished up to 10 times, but under a normal maintenance program and in a domestic environment the floor should not need to be sanded for around 20 years.
The floor is constructed like a tradtional hardwood floor out of one peice to timber.
Each of the planks has bevelled edges (V Grooves) on all four sides resulting in very distinctive groove between the planks, adding more depth and dimension along with giving an individual definition to each plank.
The rustic grade of this hardwood is a very vibrant colourful floor full of character and excitement. The floor can display heavy grain markings, figuring, mineral streaks, colour variations, sapwood and frequent knots of varying sizes. Knot holes, checks splits and other imperfections are allowed, filled and finished.
Before applying the finish, the surface of the wood is roller brushed to remove some of the softer summer growth rings from the grain; this gives a naturally textured surface that gently highlights the natural grain structure. The floor is prefinished with a very durable matt lacquer which allows the wood to appear very natural, visually similar to oiled floor, the lacquer also gives great protection to the hardwood itself and allows for a easier cleaning and maintenance.

Florence Solid European Agate Ash 135mm BML Rustic Installation Guide

All solid wood flooring can react to the presence of moisture. In the winter when the home has the central heating on, moisture can leave the wood, while in the summer months when the humidity is higher, the wood will absorb moisture, this is all a natural process.

Nearly all problems related to solid wood flooring are due to improper installation and exposure to excessive moisture in the concrete sub floor or hummidity. If there is too much moisture it will cause the wood planks to cup, or buckle. This is why it is important when installing that you follow the correct recommended installation methods.

On concrete sub-floors we always recommend to install a surface DPM (damp proof membrane) such as Mapeiproof ESM prior to installation, this applies to both new and old floors. 

Also note that new concrete slabs require a minimum of 60 days drying time before covering them with a wood floor, please always test the moisture of a new concrete sub-floor in several random places to ensure it is suitable to be laid on.

Prior to installation a solid wood flooring must be acclimatised to reach its equilibrium. The product should be left in the room it is going to be laid in at normal room temperature for 10-14 days prior to installation.

Solid Wood Floors can be installed several ways:

• Fully Glued Down
• Floated on Fast Fit Peel and Stick Underlay (Only up to 150mm widths)
• Nail/ Screw Down Installations

Fully Glued Down Installations

All Concrete sub-floors must be dry, smooth, level and free of structural defects. If the concrete sub floor is uneven we recommend using a self levelling compound to level the subfloor out. The concrete must also be free of paint, oil, existing adhesives, wax, grease, dirt and curing compounds. These may be removed chemically or mechanically, but do not use solvent-based strippers under any circumstances. The use of residual solvents can prohibit the satisfactory bond of flooring adhesives. It is important to ensure a proper bond between the adhesives and concrete and wood panels.

You can nail down a solid wood floor over a concrete subfloor with the use of battens. A damp proof membrane sheet must first be laid over the concrete subfloor before the battens are laid out at centres of 450mm. The battens must be a minimum of 40mm in depth to avoid them bowing. The solid wood floor can then be nailed down as described above If you have a wooden subfloor you will need to lay a 1/2" plywood base over this before installation, this will then give you a smooth and level surface for you to install you wood flooring onto.

Another important consideration in using glue-down installation is your choice of adhesives as some are only suitable for floors up to a small width. To avoid warranty issues and the possibility of future problems we recommend Mapei Ultrabond P990 1K which you trowel out to fully bond to the subfloor. Alternatively you can use Mapei Ultrabond P990 1K Sausage adhesive which is applied with an applicator gun to run beads of adhesive on the subfloor at 150mm intervals, this is easier for DIY

Floating On An Adhesive Backed Underlay

You can also install a solid hardwood flooring over a concrete subfloor by floating it on an adhesive backed underlay such as Fast Fit Peel & Stick Underlay, this has adhesive on one side which the solid wood floor is laid onto. Before you lay down the underlay you will need to first lay a 1000 gauge sheet of damp proof membrane

Nailed Down Installations

Nailed down installation is the traditional way to install solid wood floors and can be done either directly onto wooden subfloor or on a concrete subfloor with the use of battens.

Solid wood floors can be nailed into existing wooden subfloors such as floorboards or plywood but not into chipboard floors as these are not strong enough to hold the nails. The floorboards must be in good condition and level if not it is advisable to lay 1/2" plywood down first. For added soundproofing it is also advisable to use a poly-foam underlay such barrier underlay

When you nail down a solid wood floor you use a Porta-Nailer to drive a nail at a 30 degree angle through the tongue and into the subfloor. Porta-Nailers can be hired from any good hire shop.

A new alternative to this is the new Elka Tongue Tite Screws these have been specially designed for use with tongue & groove wood flooring. Each pack covers 10m2 and comes with a special drill bit that fits any standard electric drill or screwdriver.

Installing onto Battens

You can nail down a solid wood floor over a concrete subfloor with the use of battens. A damp proof membrane sheet must first be laid over the concrete subfloor before the battens are laid out at centres of 450mm. The battens must be a minimum of 40mm in depth to avoid them bowing. The solid wood floor can then be nailed down as described above.

 This is a brief guide on installation solid wood flooring always refer to the manufactures installation guides in the packs of the flooring. Or visit our Flooring Manufactures Installations Guides

If you require any further advice on installation the please call our technical department on 0845 263 6586, e-mail us on info@ukflooringdirect.co.uk or click the Live Help Button at the top of the page.

Florence Solid European Agate Ash 135mm BML Rustic Maintenance Guide

In order to ensure lasting satisfaction from your new lacquered floor, it is important to correctly care for the floor starting immediately after installation. With the right care, the lacquered floor will become increasingly easy to clean and more hard wearing over time. This is because the recommended soap used to clean the floor actually coats it with an invisible film, providing additional protection and thus making the floor more resistant to dirt.

After-Installation Care

All lacquered floors are recommended to be cleaned with WOCA Lacquer Soap right after installation and before the floor is used. As a result of this the surface will then be more hardwearing and be easier to clean and maintain in the future.

Normal Basic Cleaning

Normal cleaning to remove surface debris is accomplished using a broom or vacuum cleaner. To remove normal stains and non-loose dirt, the floor should be cleaned with water and a hard-wrung, wet cloth. In order to achieve the best cleaning possible use WOCA Wood Cleaner, which is mixed with water at a ratio of 40:1. This has two functions: it cleans the floor and at the same time forms an invisible, protective film on the surface of the floor making it even more resistant to damage from dirt. It is very important to use two buckets when cleaning the floor- one with the WOCA Wood Cleaner mixed solution and one with clean water for rinsing the dirty cloth or mop. Immerse the cloth or soft mop in the Soap solution, and then wring out the excess fluid before wiping the floor. Rinse the cloth or mop in the clear water, wring out the excess water, then immerse in the Soap solution again. Repeat this pattern until the floor is clean. Do not pour the Cleaner solution directly on the floor but instead, always use a cloth or mop to apply the solution.

Cleaning Extremely Dirty Floors

If the floor has been neglected and/or becomes very dirty, it should be cleaned using WOCA Lacquer Soap, mixed with water in a 40:1 ratio, following the guidelines above. Once this is dry you will then need to apply the WOCA Lacquer Care which strenghtens the lacquer, as it protects against wear and scratches and herby prolongs the lifetime of the lacquered surface. The Lacquer Care does not buid up a thick layer on the surface as the old layer is renewed with the next application.

We recommend that you purchase a WOCA Lacquer Maintenance Kit with your floor.

Each kit contains

• 1.0 litre Woca Lacquer Soap (Will cover 350m2).
• 1.0 litre Woca Wood Cleaner (Will Cover 350m2)
• 1.0 litre Woca Lacquer Care (Will cover 60m2)
• 1 Polishing Pad and 1 Cloth.