Recommendation for installation DESIGNline CONNECT
1. Tools for the installation DESIGNline CONNECT
The following tools are needed for installing DESIGNline CONNECT:
Tools needed:
- Trimmings knife with trapezoidal blade
- White headed rubber hammer
- Pencil / T-square
- Folding rule / measuring tape
- Spacers (wedges) – you can also use left over pieces of material as spacers
Optional tools to simplify the installation:
- Drill / hole punch for pipe cut-outs
- If necessary, tools for subsurface preparation
- Lath scissors
- Paper cutter, if necessary
- Try square or sliding T-bevel
2. Preparation and important information before the installation
2.1 Examination of the goods
Make sure you are satisfied with the flawless condition of the flooring delivered before the installation begins.
Claims cannot be made on goods that have been cut to size or laid. Colour consistency can only be
guaranteed for deliveries of one production load.
2.2 Acclimatisation
To acclimatise, DESIGNline CONNECT should be stored in the rooms where it will be laid for at least 12 hours
beforehand.
2.3 Room temperature conditions
DESIGNline CONNECT should be laid at a room temperature of between 18°C und 25°C. When installing in
conservatories, rooms with extremely high or low temperatures, or areas with full-length windows, please
consult with our Hotline. Please also note that the subfloor temperature must be > 15°C.
2.4 Subsurface condition
Prepare the subsurface according to DIN 18365. The subsurface must be even and stable. The maximum
height tolerance of 2 mm per linear metre must not be exceeded. If the indicated height tolerance is exceeded,
it is expressly recommended that the subsurface be evened-out with a suitable filler. Textile floor coverings
and needle felts must be removed. The removal of old floor coverings is a basic recommendation. Subsurfaces
with permanent rising damp must be sealed with liquid sealer before covering.
2.5 Use of the underlay mat ComfortTEC
We recommend using the underlay mat ComfortTEC from Windmöller Flooring.
These underlay mats offer you the following advantages:
- Bridging over uneven spaces in the subsurface, e.g., when installing on ceramic tiles, wooden
floors, etc. - Optimization of walking and impact sound levels
- When installing on partial or high-activity surfaces, a maximization of the nonslip effect,
e.g. shop-in-shop areas, special selling areas, etc. - Minimization of crunching sounds possibly caused by residual dirt on the subsurface
- Increased ease of laying and walking comfort
ComfortTEC is an optional requirement when installing on:
- Linoleum
- Rubber
- Cork
ComfortTEC is a mandatory requirement when installing on:
- Laminate / Parquet
- Even stone floors, marble, ashlar
- Ceramic tiles (seam requirements: < 5 mm wide / < 2 mm deep)
- PVC coverings
- Even floorings: new or reworked
Subsurfaces that have not been listed require clearance from Windmöller Flooring GmbH. The use of
underlays not cleared by Windmöller Flooring GmbH leads to the exclusion from all warranty claims!
For individual solutions, consultation with the Hotline is absolutely recommended.
3. Installation of DESIGNline CONNECT
3.1 Installation direction
Always work from left to right in the installation area. While doing this, the tongue side of the panel points
to the wall. Install the panels with the face side in the direction of the room's main light source. You can
significantly improve the laid floor's inherent stability by installing lengthways in long, narrow rooms.
3.2 Expansion joints / edge distances
With the help of suitable spacers, ensure a continuous expansion joint of at least 5 mm width all around.
TIP: Use left over pieces of floor covering as spacers. Also ensure a distance of 5 mm to all fixed objects in
the room, e.g., pipe passageways, door frames etc.! In principle, this expansion joint must not be covered
with silicon, electric cable, or similar material!
3.3 Using silicon is allowed in the following exceptional circumstances:
- Damp rooms:
Edge joints in damp rooms of max. 10m², for example bathrooms or kitchens, can be filled with silicon
in order to prevent water penetrating through the expansion joints under the laid surface. For all large
damp room areas we recommend using a skirting board with a sealed lip to protect against damp
penetration. - Metal door frames:
With door frames that cannot be shortened, we recommend 3 mm expansion joints, which can be filled
with silicon.
For all other uses of silicon, please obtain advance clearance from the Windmöller Hotline! Should door
frames need to be shortened despite the low material installation height of 5 mm, please also ensure an
expansion joint of 5 mm under the frame. If the panel will not lock into the required locking angle, then please
lock this together when it is lying flat. Expansion joints in front of pipes etc. can be covered with solid
flanges.
3.4 The installation
Install the first panel with the tongue side pointing to the wall and attach all further panels to this. Make
sure the head side connections with tongue and groove fit exactly on top of one another, and lock them with
strong pressure from the thumb and by hitting them lightly with a white rubber hammer. To attach the
subsequent rows, set the (at least 30 cm long) panel left over from the first row into the longitudinal groove
of the already lying row at an angle of about 30°, and lower with slight pressure against the row in front.
Take the following panel, insert it, also at an angle of 30°, longitudinally into the panel of the first row that
is already lying flat on the floor, and guide it as close as possible to the head side of the laid panel and lock
it as described above. This technique is used to install all the remaining rows and areas. Ensure "face sides
- joint displacements" in the individual rows of at least 30 cm, in order to achieve an optimal installation
plan. To install the last row, the distance between the wall and the installed row is measured and carried
over to the panel. The last row should preferably correspond to half a panel’s width. Do not forget the 5 mm
wide expansion joint. If the course of the wall is conical, it may be necessary to adapt he panel lying against
it accordingly.
3.5 Movement profiles within the area
Rooms with an uninterrupted area of 200 m² can be laid without any joints. A minimum floor plan of around
10 x 20 m should be considered. With extremely narrow, long rooms, movement profiles should be used.
Room areas which are interrupted by pillars, separating walls or doorways etc., should be separated by e
pansion joints of at least 5 mm at the same level as the structural component.
When installing skirting boards, or temporary or end profiles, please never attach the border or the profile
to the floor covering! Windmöller Flooring GmbH recommends profile solutions from Küberit. If you would
like more information, please contact the Hotline.
3.6 Undercut methods
Door frames, skirting boards and cabinet mouldings can also be undercut if necessary, in order to hide the
edge of the panels. If you use this method during the installation, then an appropriate expansion joint behind
the undercut must be taken into consideration.
3.7 Dismantling DESIGNline CONNECT
In order to guarantee that the DESIGNline CONNECT system can be laid repeatedly and to avoid damage to
the connections, it is essential to proceed as follows when dismantling the floor: Firstly, lift the panel that
was laid last out of the head side connection and then out of the longitudinal connection. You can now
dismantle the surface, panel for panel. Dismantling can be carried out from both sides.
4. Important advice for finishing laying
- Remove all spacers and dispose of the panel leftovers properly (recycling company).
- DESIGNline CONNECT may at no time be fixed as part of building work. The floor covering must not be
attached to the subsurface, to furniture, or to any other fixed building component. A floating installation
would not be ensured then; this would automatically lead to damage. - Dirt is considerably reduced by using effective walk-off zones and foot mats. Please attach felt glides or
suitable glides for hard floors under moveable furniture. Please equip office chairs or other rolling objects
with type w/ casters.
5. Cleaning and care
After the installation, a finishing cleaning is to be conducted. The general cleaning can be carried out by
sweeping, vacuuming or wet wiping. For heavy soiling use a polyurethane cleaner. All stain-forming and
aggressive substances must be immediately removed from the surface. Please also read our comprehensive
cleaning and detergent recommendations notice. DESIGNline Connect should be cleaned at regular intervals
in a two-stage wiping method - the type of cleaning and the effort depending on the area of application and
traffic volume.
5.1 Cleaning DESIGNline CONNECT BACANA
The BACANA collection is equipped with a top layer of 0.55 mm, and so is suitable for use in commercial
buildings. In small buildings (Frequency < 50 people/day) we recommend treatment in the form of a polymer
dispersion after the basic cleaning. The floor will be protected, the dirt adhesion lessened, and the regular
cleaning made easier.
Sealing with polyurethane is recommended for areas with a frequency of > 50 people/day. When installing
BACANA in areas with contact to aggressive substances such as, grease, acids, or lye, for example
in hairdressers, medical facilities, bakeries, or butcher shops, sealing with polyurethane is urgently
recommended.
5.2 Cleaning DESIGNline CONNECT LAGUNA
The LAGUNA collection is of living space quality with a top layer of 0.3 mm. This collection can also be used
in areas with less heavy commercial use like offices, hotels or patient rooms. We recommend maintenance
with polymer dispersion for such less heavy commercial use. This increases the ease of cleaning and
conserves the surface's value in the long-term.
We would be glad to answer any further questions or discuss special solutions on the Hotline. On top of this,
you can find more information about cleaning, and detergent recommendations at our homepage.
May be subject to technical alterations, Status: 06.2011
All installation recommendations up until the above date now lose their validity.
