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 Acclimation (return to top) Why do I have to acclimate Kronotex planks for 48 hours (the store and other manufactures/Armstrong said no acclimation needed)? Kronotex
like all laminate flooring is made from high density fiber board
which responds to temperature and humidity. Even the trip from
the store to your house could expose the planks to a different
environment. Therefore, BEFORE opening the packaging please acclimate
all planks for 48 hours by laying each box horizontally and individually
in the center of the room, in which they are to be installed.
Last Piece (return to top) I am installing laminate flooring in place of carpet I removed. Since the wall base molding is high enough I can install the laminate under it and avoid using any quarter round. How do I get the last piece in the row installed? You do not have to remove the wall base molding. Simply shave equal parts of the locking system off the top of the grove of the installed plank and the bottom of the tongue of the new plank and glue the long joint. Please be sure to leave an expansion gap of at least 3/8” between the wall behind your wall base and the flooring. Mobile Homes (return to top) Can I install Kronotex in my mobile home/trailer? Conditional yes; the sub-floor must be clean, smooth and level within our stated tolerance. Older mobile homes may not have a vapor barrier, you may have to pull the skirt to access under the structure to check and install a vapor barrier. If there’s a dirt crawl space underneath your mobile home you should cover it with plastic to keep moisture from rising up. A double wide can be wider than 25ft. Please remember to use a transition molding every 40ft in length and 25ft in width. Moldings (return to top) I am planning to buy matching moldings and trims for my laminate flooring. How do I determine how much I need? Measuring for the molding pieces you will need is a lot easier than you may think. Please measure for Wall Base and Quarter Round first. Simply measure each wall, write down each measurement, and then total them up. We recommend that you also add about 10% waste to your total. After you have the total running feet you need, divide it by the length that the molding is sold in. You can do the math either in inches or in feet. For example, if you came up with a total of 960" or 80' that you need, and the molding is sold in 96" or 8' lengths, you would need 10 pieces of molding. If you don't end up with an even number, it is always recommended that you round up to the next piece. When it comes to transition type molding, it's a little different. You will need to measure each doorway or opening between rooms. As a rule of thumb, one piece of transition type molding will usually do two doorways, as long as the doorways are less than 36". The room temperature and humidity may vary from room to room and cause a different level of expansion and contraction. The transition (=T-molding) in the doorway will prevent the floor from buckling. Also, if you have an opening that is wider than one piece of molding, we recommend that you split it in the center as opposed to one big piece and a small cut piece. You may have a little bit more waste doing it this way, but overall it will look better with the seam being in the middle. Please remember to use a T-molding in rooms measuring over 40’ so that dimensions don’t exceed 25” x 40” in any section. Moisture Test (return to top) Do I really need a moisture test for my concrete sub-floor, if yes, how do I get one? Yes a moisture test is strongly recommended when installing laminate flooring over concrete. There are some DIY moisture test kits available at home improvement stores that can be used. If a less than favorable reading is returned it may be necessary to do a more precise test like a calcium chloride test or use a meter special designed to read moisture levels in concrete. 3 lbs/24 hours/1000 square feet is the highest acceptable reading for a Calcium Chloride test and a reading of 4.5% or less when using a Tramex moisture meter. If you are having your floor professionally installed the installer should have access to either one of these tests and I highly recommend seeing the test results along with getting a copy for your records. Please remember to always install a 6 mil polyethylene film as vapor barrier over concrete even if your moisture readings were fabulous. Below you find more detailed information about the described tests: THE RUBBER SHEET/PLASTIC MAT TEST This is the most commonly used test. However, its margin of error is very great. For this test, you place a 36" x 36" mat on a clean concrete surface, secure the perimeter with duct tape and leave in place for a minimum of 48 hours. After removing the mat, inspect the concrete's surface for darkening, any signs of moisture droplets, surface drying (whitening) and how well the duct tape stuck to the concrete. THE MOISTURE METER TEST Moisture meters are growing in popularity because there is no waiting for the results. But sometimes the results can be misleading. If there are coatings on the concrete or conductive fibers in the concrete, you can get inaccurate high moisture readings. There are two basic types of moisture meters used: conductivity and impedance. The conductivity moisture meter works on the principle that water is conductive -- the more water, the better the conductivity. Thus, a high reading shows on the moisture meter. The concern is that there are coatings and additives on or in concrete that will cause false readings. The non-destructive impedance type of meter, which is more accurate, uses low-frequency radio waves that travel down into the concrete. The meter measures the speed at which the waves travel and the result is the percentage of moisture by volume present in the concrete. These meters, too, are very sensitive and should only be used on a clean, residue-free surface. While moisture meters are expensive, they are well worth the cost. THE CALCIUM CHLORIDE TEST This is the most widely recognized test because you can get a quantitative amount of the moisture that is migrating. It is measured by the weight of the water (8.3 lbs. per gallon) per 1,000 square feet per 24 hours. This moisture reading should not be higher than 3 lbs per 1,000 square feet. PS: For more information visit: www.floortest.com/test.html Moving (return to top) I’m a contract worker who moves frequently. Can I move my Kronotex laminate floor? Yes, Kronotex can be moved up to 3 times! The flooring should be removed carefully by taking each complete row apart along the long edge of the plank first and then separating the individual planks from each other on the short edge. It makes it easier to slightly raise the planks from the underside and place a hand under the short end connections. Lift the short edge until the two planks separate. If you already know that you will be moving with your flooring we suggest buying a few additional cartons to cover for varying room sizes and damages during your move. Narrowest Piece (return to top) What is the narrowest piece of Kronotex I can use? The narrowest piece must be 2.5 inches wide. This is about as wide as one strip on a three strip décor plank. Please measure the net width of the room, deduct the space needed for expansion gaps on both sides and divide it by the width of the planks. This will give you the total number of rows (planks) for your project. If you come up with an uneven number of rows please remember that planks you cut lengthwise must be at least 1/3rd plank or 2.5 inches wide. Example: Net width of room 96” minus 2 x 3/8” (expansion gap) divided by 7.6” (plank width) equals 12.53 planks. If you do not have at least .33 as a remainder you must rip the first row along the starting wall so the width of the last row against the finishing wall is at least 2.5 inches. Note heavy furniture e.g. sofa, entertainment center generally sits along the walls. It is important to maintain this minimum due to the weight frequently delivered to the floor along the walls. New construction (return to top) I am planning to install laminate flooring in a new home. How long after dry walling and painting should I wait to install your flooring? Please allow a minimum of:
Installation (return to top) Which wall should I start installing Kronotex along? Should the tongue or the groove be against the wall? You can start installing your floor against any wall but some are better than others. Typically you want to run your laminate parallel to the main light source to decrease the visibility of the seam across the length of the product. In order to accomplish this you would need to start on the wall either to the left or the right of your main light source. If there is not a large window or main light source we recommend starting against the longest wall. If all your doors are located on one wall it may be easier to start on that wall so you can slide your laminate underneath the door jams. You will want to start in the left side of the wall you pick with the tongue on the long side of a plank facing the wall. The tongue against the wall should be removed. You can use a sharp utility knife for the 7 or 8mm product but 10 or 12mm will require a saw. It is important to work from left to right to avoid damaging the tongues on the short side of the boards. I also recommend installing the first and second row at the same time to insure everything is square. Basically what you are doing is using the second row to line up the first row before tapping the end joints together. Pets (return to top) I have seen your flooring products at Bob’s Floor & Décor in Hampton Virginia. I am thinking about using the Brazilian Cherry in my bird’s room, but have a few questions before I invest the dollars. Although the room is cleaned several times a day, we do get Bird droppings on the floor that may sit for an hour or two before they are cleaned up with a damp mop. Q: Will the finish on your flooring product withstand the droppings without staining or other damage as long as they are cleaned off in a short period of time? Kronotex flooring is hygienic and easy to keep clean. Routine cleaning requires just vacuuming or sweeping to prevent loose dirt or grit from scratching the floor’s finish. Bird droppings will not stain Kronotex flooring. We recommend the use of a damp mop to remove the droppings. Never use excessive amounts of water. Q: In this application would it be advisable to use a continuous bead of glue to the edges of the planks? Gluing the planks in areas that are exposed to moisture is highly recommended as it will keep any fluids from getting between the planks. Q: Your "Care and Cleaning" instructions state "Do not use any cleaning agents containing wax, oil or polish." What type of agent is recommended to help care of the surface finish and minimize the effects of the bird droppings? We recommend the use of our laminate floor cleaner which is available at selected retailers in a maintenance kit containing a 32 oz bottle of the laminate cleaner, a dust mop, felt protectors sized to fit chair and table sizes, an advanced cleaning formula and a redeemable coupon for a color fill repair kit. Please use felt protectors under furniture and replace all hard plastic or metal rollers on chairs with soft rubber rollers to avoid scratching the floor’s surface. Plants (return to top) I installed your laminate in my gym room with treadmill, stepper and lots of windows on one wall. I’m bringing my plants in for the winter, is it OK to put the plants around the treadmill? It shouldn’t be a problem if you use extra precaution to protect the laminate floor from moisture. Moisture is the enemy of all laminate floors. The number of plants that you’re planning to put inside this room may increase the humidity. Please ensure the humidity does not exceed 75%. Continue to use your HVAC! Use planters that ensure no water will leak on your floor after watering. Wipe all spills off immediately. Pull Bar (return to top) Do I need a pull bar to install your laminate flooring, if yes why? The majority of our floors require the use of a pull bar. A good rule to go by is if your floor requires the use of a tapping block then you are going to need a pull bar. Pull bars are used for the last plank in a row that ends at a vertical structure such as a wall. In these areas it is impossible to use a tapping block due to the limited amount of space so a pull bar is used instead. Please see below for pictures showing the use of a pull bar, expansion requirements, and the smallest usable piece. Rental Property (return to top) I have a rental property at the beach and now that the rental season is over I am refreshing it this winter. Can I put Kronotex laminate flooring in my rental property? Yes, you can install laminate flooring in your beach home provided that you continue to operate the heating and air all year to keep a constant temperature between 64º F and 94º F and a humidity not exceeding exceed 75%. Room Size (return to top) We are planning to install your laminate in our home. Our older daughter’s room measures 30 x 20 feet and our living room is 50 x 50 feet. What is the largest possible installation area for laminate flooring? Laminate flooring can be installed throughout your home but is not recommended for humid rooms like bathrooms and saunas. When installing laminate flooring a transition piece also called T- molding must be used in all doorways and in rooms measuring over 40’ in the direction of the long edge of the planks and 25’ in the direction of the short edge of the planks. Please see attached picture and remember to leave 3/8” expansion gap between the flooring and all walls.  Sound Quality (return to top) I heard laminate has a fake or hollow sound. Is this true and is there anything I can do to improve the sound quality? You may be surprised to hear that laminate flooring is not significantly noisier than other hard flooring surfaces. The thickness of the laminate flooring (10 or 12mm ideally with attached pad) and the choice of underlayment will have the greatest effect in reducing noise from pedestrian foot traffic = walking noise. We recommend purchasing an acoustical underlayment. Please do not use an acoustical underlayment underneath a floor with pre-attached pad. Stain Flooring (return to top) We have put Kincaid Birch down in the living room but find the color is too light. Is there any way that we stain it to make it darker? One of the advantages of Kronotex laminate flooring is its stain resistance. Therefore we do not recommend using any substances to alter its surface color or shine. Please consider some new pillows or a darker throw for your couch, an area rug or different curtains to change your living room’s appearance. Static Electricity (return to top) There is a lot of static in my new floor. What happened? What should I do? Static electricity occurs as a natural consequence of electron transfer between contacting surfaces, and is influenced by air humidity, clothing and materials used in upholstery covering. The electrostatic behavior of laminate flooring or any other wood material can be reduced by taking the following steps:
Square Footage (return to top) I saw your Slate laminate at my local floor store and really liked it. How do I calculate square footage and how much should I buy? Square footage is length multiplied by width. We recommend to purchase 10 % extra to compensate for cuts and waste and up to 20% extra for tile patterns. Please keep leftover planks/cartons in case a plank or section of the floor needs to be replaced in future. Subfloor (return to top) My sub floor is not level. Can I install Kronotex over a floor that is not level? Kronotex must be installed over a sub floor which is clean smooth and level. Laminate flooring with attached underlayment padding can accept a deviance of 1/8” over 40” but any low spots of 3/16” or greater must be filled in with leveling compound. Portland based leveling compound is mixed with water then “floated” on the subfloor where the compound will flow to the low spots and level the floor. This leveling compound should dry within a few hours. Surface Texture (return to top) What is embossed in register? Which Kronotex décor is available with this surface texture? If you look closely at a typical laminate floor, you'll discover that the texture on the surface doesn't match the pattern. The laminate surface has a "generic" smooth or wood grain texture applied to it, regardless of the underlying pattern. Laminate flooring with registered embossed (=embossed in register) surface is different. Premium press plates made in a multistage process are used to produce laminate flooring with embossed in register surface. This amazing technology actually matches the texture with the underlying pattern on each individual flooring plank. Regardless of whether you're looking at a wood look or a tile design, the surface of the floor matches the pattern underneath it, creating a startling level of realism. Thickness (return to top) I purchased one of your products that are listed as an 8mm (.315”) product but it only measures .300” thick. Is this a manufacturing error? Thank you for your note regarding the thickness of our 8mm product you purchased. The target thickness of the product is 8mm or .315”. However, due to changing conditions and consistencies of the raw materials such as HDF and paper the actual thickness may vary within a defined tolerance. The high density fiberboard we use is manufactured to a North American standard with an acceptable thickness variation of +/- 0.5mm or .0197”. Therefore, it would be technically acceptable to have readings as low as .295” or as high as .335” on our finished product. T-Molding (return to top) Where should I install the T-strip between the door casings? Please install the T-Molding where it is directly under the door when the door is fully closed. Underfloor heating (return to top) Can Kronotex be installed over a radiant heat system? Our laminate flooring may be installed over a hydro/water based system because the temperature changes slowly from cold to warm and reverse. We do not recommend installing our flooring over electric heat systems as they heat up and cool down very fast causing the floor to expand and contract too quickly and may damage it. Underlayment (return to top) I purchased your 12mm laminate flooring with attached padding. Do I need a foam underlayment or vapor barrier when installing the laminate over a) concrete, b) carpet, c) sheet vinyl or d) an existing hard wood floor? No additional underlayment should be used since the product purchased has a pre-attached pad. Adding additional pad will void the warranty and cause the floor to have too much deflection. This adds stress to the locking system and can cause it to fail over a period of time. When installing over concrete a 6mil poly vapor barrier is required. Our product can not be installed over carpet or carpet pad so these items must be removed prior to installation. This is for the same reason adding additional pad is not recommended. Laminate can be installed over sheet vinyl but will require a 6mil vapor barrier if over a concrete subfloor. Laminate can be installed over existing hardwood floors installed over a wooden subfloor without a vapor barrier. Hardwood installed over a concrete floor must be removed prior to installing a laminate floor. Since the hardwood is not going to act as a vapor barrier one would have to be installed. If this was done by putting plastic over the hardwood it would trap moisture between the concrete and the hardwood causing it to mold and rot. Water Spill (return to top) My husband and I recently purchased your line of laminate flooring and had it installed by a contractor. We had spilled water in an area, cleaned it up pretty good, and by the next day the flooring had warped somewhat. We have approximately eight to ten boards they may all need to be replaced due to this problem. I don't feel a spill of this kind should cause this kind of problem, but it has. The boards are buckled at the seams. Thank you for purchasing Kronotex laminate flooring. Where exactly did this issue take place? Was it on the side or in the middle of the room? Will this area be exposed to water again in future? If so you need to take extra precaution that we reference in our installation instructions to avoid this from happening again in future. We recommend adding glue to all four sides of each plank before installing laminate flooring around your sink, exterior entrance ways or any other areas where water may occasionally be present. All expansion spaces in these areas must be filled with a 100% mildew silicone sealant. Please see attached plank replacement instructions or contact a professional installer. Wall coverings (return to top) Can laminate flooring be installed on walls? Laminate flooring is currently recommended for flooring applications only. Weight (return to top) How much does a square foot or carton of your product weigh? The weight of our products varies between 22 and 35 lbs per carton. Please ask the customer to specify the product line to give an exact answer. Wires and cables (return to top) I have a lot of speaker wires, video coaxial cable, electric plugs… previously concealed by carpeting. Can I run the cables under the Kronotex planks? It is not recommend to run wires or cables underneath your laminate as this may violate your local fire code and cause unevenness in your subfloor which in turn will cause your laminate floor to buckle. There are wire tracks available that enable you to install low-voltage wiring (for example: speaker wire, stereo cables, telephone wiring, network wiring, alarm wiring) behind standard wall base molding. Some base moldings offer a channel for wiring.
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All Rights Reserved.