flooring care & maintenance
Preventive Maintenance: Starts with temperature control. If you are comfortable it is right for your floor.
Temperatures should be kept between 60 to 80 degrees F. and the relative humidity should be between 35 - 50% at all times.
A good idea is to use exterior and interior doormats at all entrances. This will collect dirt and moisture and prevent it from being tracked on to the floor.
Area rugs are recommended at all hinge points and within high traffic areas such as kitchen sinks and hallways. Do not use rugs with rubber or vinyl backing as these may promote staining and entrapment of moisture.
Use only non slip pads recommended for use on wood floors. Use furniture leg protector pads (felt or indoor outdoor carpet type) under all furniture that is placed on your new floor.
Make sure to remove any metal or hard plastic caps that are on the bottom of the legs prior to applying furniture protectors and make sure these protectors are clean and well maintained.
Do yourself a favor and replace chairs with plastic casters with rubber caster wheels.
Make sure to keep pets nails trimmed.
Do not roll, or drag heavy objects across your floor. Do not wear shoes having heel taps, spikes, cleats, rocks, gravel or sharp objects protruding from the sole.
Routine Maintenance: Vacuum, sweep or dust mop your floor once a week or more if needed. The vacuum head should be a brush or felt attachment. Do not use a vacuum with a beater bar head. Also, make sure to vacuum interior doormats and shake debris from exterior doormats regularly.
Spills, pet accidents, or tracked in dirt should be cleaned immediately. The sooner a mess is removed, the easier it is to clean up and prevent tracking.
We recommend Basic Coatings Squeaky Clean or Bona Hardwood Cleaner for regular cleaning and removing grease and smudges from your floor. These procedures and products will help maintain the shine of your beautiful laminate floor.
Never clean or wet mop with water! Water may permanently damage the floor.
Do not use harsh abrasive cleaners, bleach, ammonia or vinegar based cleaners, wax or acrylic polishes, or oil soaps.
Temperatures should be kept between 60 to 80 degrees F. and the relative humidity should be between 35 - 50% at all times.
A good idea is to use exterior and interior doormats at all entrances. This will collect dirt and moisture and prevent it from being tracked on to the floor.
Area rugs are recommended at all hinge points and within high traffic areas such as kitchen sinks and hallways. Do not use rugs with rubber or vinyl backing as these may promote staining and entrapment of moisture.
Use only non slip pads recommended for use on wood floors. Use furniture leg protector pads (felt or indoor outdoor carpet type) under all furniture that is placed on your new floor.
Make sure to remove any metal or hard plastic caps that are on the bottom of the legs prior to applying furniture protectors and make sure these protectors are clean and well maintained.
Do yourself a favor and replace chairs with plastic casters with rubber caster wheels.
Make sure to keep pets nails trimmed.
Do not roll, or drag heavy objects across your floor. Do not wear shoes having heel taps, spikes, cleats, rocks, gravel or sharp objects protruding from the sole.
Routine Maintenance: Vacuum, sweep or dust mop your floor once a week or more if needed. The vacuum head should be a brush or felt attachment. Do not use a vacuum with a beater bar head. Also, make sure to vacuum interior doormats and shake debris from exterior doormats regularly.
Spills, pet accidents, or tracked in dirt should be cleaned immediately. The sooner a mess is removed, the easier it is to clean up and prevent tracking.
We recommend Basic Coatings Squeaky Clean or Bona Hardwood Cleaner for regular cleaning and removing grease and smudges from your floor. These procedures and products will help maintain the shine of your beautiful laminate floor.
Never clean or wet mop with water! Water may permanently damage the floor.
Do not use harsh abrasive cleaners, bleach, ammonia or vinegar based cleaners, wax or acrylic polishes, or oil soaps.
Laminate Floor Care Products Recommend
flooring installation
Product Inspections
Inspection of all flooring material for defects must be done before installation. Materials with visible defects are not covered under warranties once they are installed our laminate floors are manufactured in accordance with accepted industry standards, which permit defect tolerance not to exceed 2%.
Sub-Floor Preparation
Inspection of all flooring material for defects must be done before installation. Materials with visible defects are not covered under warranties once they are installed our laminate floors are manufactured in accordance with accepted industry standards, which permit defect tolerance not to exceed 2%.
Sub-Floor Preparation
- Sub-Floor must be flat, dry, smooth, level and free from residues and structurally sound.
- A level slope is a foundation that is less from 5mm over 2 meters or ¼” over 6 feet.
- Documents must be kept for all test results for warranty purpose.
- You may install Republic Flooring over existing resilient floor coverings, wood flooring and ceramic tile (grout joints must be leveled).
- Appropriate laminate underlayment must be used when installing over all hard surfaces.
- The floor should be acclimated in the rooms in which it will be installed by letting the packages of flooring lie flat on the floor for at least 48 hours prior to installation.
- Acclimation of the floors can be done by leaving it inside the box.
- Acclimation of the floor must be done in the room where the flooring will be installed and where the temperature and humidity are maintained at or near normal living conditions.
- The storage area must be climate controlled with a temperature range between 65°F and 90°F (18°C and 32°C) and a relative
humidity not exceeding 65%.
- Check that the doors can still open and close after the floor and the underlayment have been installed.
- Underlayment should be 2mm thicker, preferably one that has a moisture barrier film on one side and sound barrier on the other.
- For the concrete, let the underlayment moisture barrier run up the perimeter of each wall 4” and trim after the floors are installed.
- Republic Flooring can be installed over a multiple of in-floor heating.
- It can be cast in a concrete floor or thin layer of filler on the surface of concrete sub-floor.
- It can be installed under a wood sub floor or installed on the surface of the sub floor as electrical matting.
- Follow the instructions from the supplier of the floor heating system.
- Temperature of the sub floor or the heat radiating from electric heating mats should not exceed 84 degrees Fahrenheit (29 degree Celsius).
- Expansion space should be left around the perimeter. Typically expansion is 5/16".
- You can install Republic Laminate Flooring on grade, below or above.
- Republic Laminate Flooring requires 5/16” expansion for every 20 feet in length or width. A T-Molding is required for greater than 45 feet in length or width.
- A 5/16” expansion space must be for undercut jambs and casing.
- Start in a corner and lay first row with tongue sides toward walls. Proper expansion space can be achieved by pulling floor away from wall once first three rows have been installed.
- Hold next board against the first board at approximately 45 degree angle and lay flat on floor. Continue in this manner for the entire first row.
- Cut end board in first row to correct length and start second row with left over piece (if possible). End joints must by staggered by at least 8” for a natural random appearance. Butt seam must be placed in each row regardless of width.
- Hold boards approximately 45 degree angles to board in front. Press forward to engage joint and lay flat on floor.
- When three rows have been laid, pull floor away from starting wall unit there is proper amount of expansion space. Place shims between floor and wall to maintain this space.
- You can proceed until the entire floor is finished.Trim the underlayment before installing quarter round or wall base.