NATURE PATH Oak 8mm Flooring Utilizes the Uniclic Instruction Manual
- July 15, 2024
- NATURE PATH
Table of Contents
NATURE PATH Oak 8mm Flooring Utilizes the Uniclic
Product Information
Specifications
- Product Name: Nature PathTM Flooring
- Installation System: Uniclic click-lock
- Installation Method: Floating floor without glue
- Tools Required: Hammer, saw, pencil, measure, Uniclic tapping block
- Acclimatization Time: 48 hours in unopened packaging at room temperature
- Expansion Joint: Minimum 8 to 10 mm (5/16 to 3/8) on all sides of the floor
- Expansion Joints for Large Rooms: Every 13 m (40 feet) width-wise and length-wise
Product Usage Instructions
Pre-Installation Preparation
- Ensure all panels are inspected in daylight for defects before installation.
- Allow the planks to acclimatize for 48 hours in the unopened packaging at room temperature.
- Plan the layout of the floor considering expansion joints and mixing panels for a uniform appearance.
Installation Steps
- Begin by choosing your starting point and direction of installation.
- Follow the provided diagrams for clicking the panels together or tapping them with the tapping block.
- Maintain an expansion joint of at least 8 to 10 mm around the perimeter and obstacles like pipes and thresholds.
- For challenging areas, use a pull bar and hammer to tap the panels together.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
-
Q: Can the Nature Path flooring be installed over existing flooring?
A: It is recommended to install Nature Path flooring on a clean, flat subfloor for best results. Remove existing flooring if necessary. -
Q: Do I need to use underlayment with Nature Path flooring?
A: Underlayment is not required for Nature Path flooring installation, but it can provide additional sound insulation and moisture protection. -
Q: How should I clean and maintain Nature Path flooring?
A: Regularly sweep or vacuum the floor to remove dirt and debris. Use a damp mop with a mild cleaner suitable for laminate floors for deeper cleaning.
General
Nature Path™ flooring utilizes the Uniclic click-lock installation system. This is a revolutionary method for installing floors without using glue. The panels can be clicked together simply thanks to the ingenious shape of the tongue and groove. This process is unique because you can install the planks in two different ways:
- Method A: Position the panel to be installed at an angle of 20 to 30° to the panel already installed. Move the panel gently up and down and at the same time exert forward pressure. The panels will automatically click into place. You can either insert the tongue into the groove, or the groove on to the tongue. The tongue-in-groove method is the most common and easiest way. See diagram 1A – 1B – 1C
- Method B: You can also tap the panels into each other without lifting. For this method you must use the special Uniclic tapping block. The planks should not be joined with a single tap. To avoid damaging the panels you must tap them together gradually. See diagram 2A – 2B
Tools for installing the floor
For the best result, you must follow the installation instructions exactly. Besides the regular tools for installing floors (i.e. hammer, saw, pencil, measure) you will also need the following accessories:
- Installation kit (pull bar, spacers (1-8 mm / 0.039″ -0.315″) and Uniclic-adapted tapping block)
- Underlayment system
Of course, we also need to saw the panels. To obtain a clean cut, the pattern side should face down when you use a jigsaw, sabre saw or circular handsaw and up, when you use a handsaw or a crosscut, saw.
Focus Points
- Thanks to the click-lock installation system, the floor floats and is installed without glue. You can walk on the floor during and immediately after installation.
- When beginning your installation, you can choose where you want to begin. Think about what will be the easiest way to install the floor. We will demonstrate the installation for right-handed people, from left to right. You can work in the other direction if you want.
- Make sure the panels are mixed sufficiently when you install them, so that you do not end up with too many identical, light or dark panels next to each other.
- Check all panels in daylight before and during installation. Defective panels must never be used.
- The floor should preferably be installed parallel to how the light enters the room. The ideal conditions are 59-68°F (14-20°C ) at a relative humidity of 50-60%.
- Let the planks acclimatize for 48 hours in the unopened packaging at the normal room temperature, in the middle of the room where the floor is to be installed.
- Room humidity can vary according to the season, so the floor must be able to expand and contract. For this reason, make sure you leave an expansion joint of a minimum 8 to 10 mm (5/16″ to 3/8″) on all sides of the floor, around pipes, thresholds and under doors.
- Large rooms must have expansion joints every 13 m (40 feet) width-wise to the panels and every 13 m (40 feet) length-wise. It is recommended to provide an expansion joint between different rooms (e.g. under the door). Expansion joints can be finished by means of a molding that is attached to the subfloor.
Installing the floor
- Ensure that the end joints of the panels in two successive rows are never in line. Always ensure that the joints are staggered by at least 15 cm (6″). See diagram 3A
- Begin the first row with a whole plank. First saw off the tongue on both the long and the short sides. See Diagram 3B
- Put the plank with sawn-off sides against the walls. Put the spacers from the installation kit between the planks and the wall. This will ensure that your expansion joint is wide enough: 8 to 10 mm (5/16″ to 3/8″). See diagram 3C
The diagrams indicate where the Nature Path panels are clicked together by angling up and down or where they are tapped together flat. Follow the diagrams precisely. See diagrams 4.1 – 4.16
In places where it is too difficult to install the Nature Path planks with the tapping block (e.g. against the wall), you can tap them together using the pull bar and a hammer. See diagrams 5A – 5B – 5C
There must also be an 8 to 10 mm (5/16″ to 3/8″) expansion joint between the last row and the wall. Keep this in mind when sawing the last row of panels.
Pipes
In rows where there is a pipe, make sure the pipe falls exactly in line
with the short side of two panels. Take a drill bit with the same diameter as
the pipe plus 20 mm (3/4″) for the expansion. Click the panels together on the
short side and drill a hole centered on the joint between the two panels. Now
you can install the panels in the floor. See diagrams 6A – 6B – 6C
Under doorframes
When sawing the panels ensure that the expansion joint under the door is at
least 10 mm (3/8″). If you cannot lift the panel, use an adapted tapping block
or pull bar and hammer to tap the panels together with the planks that are
flat on the floor. See diagrams 7A – 7B
Finishing
- Remove all spacers.
- Never attach the molding to the floor. This method allows the floor to expand and contract under the molding.
- For a perfect finish around pipes, use rosettes or caulking.
- In places where profiles or skirting cannot be placed, fill the expansion gaps with caulking.
See diagram 8A
Welcome home to your Nature Path™ floor