Installation and general

maintenance instructions
Avenue
www.avenuefloors.co.uk

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Installation &
Maintenance
The installation of Avenue floors is
straightforward and follows the same
guidelines that apply to all quality
resilient floors.
NATIONAL REGULATIONS
Site conditions must always comply with the
relevant national regulations and installations
standards.

STORAGE
Avenue rolls should be stored in either a flat
horizontal or vertical position. In order to
minimise the risk of pressure marks when storing
in a horizontal position, the rolls should not be
stacked one on another. Do not store the rolls in
very cold (less than 2C), very warm (more than
40C) or humid places.

VISUAL INSPEC TION

Please inspect the product prior to installation.
Check that the colours correspond to those
ordered, that the quantities are correct and that
there is no visible damage to the sheet. Do not
install any vinyl that displays any imperfections.

SUITABILIT Y
Avenue vinyl can be laid on concrete,
cementious screed, anhydrite (calcium
sulphate), timber and ceramic tiles which have
been suitably prepared (see Floor preparation).
Avenue vinyl can be completely bonded with
adhesives or as loose-lay, if limited to an area
less than 12m and installed as one single sheet.
For textile backed products, see the separate
conditions and installation manual.

Avenue floors can be used with traditional

water-based under-floor heating and cooling
systems. Electric wire systems are not
recommended.
Avenue floors are only suitable for in-house
installation.

COMPOSITION, CONSTRUC TION

AND QUALIT Y OF THE SUBFLOOR
Knowledge of the composition and construction
provides valuable information that allows you to
check the acceptable humidity, compressive and
tensile strength of the floor correctly. In addition
it tells you what type of floor preparation and
leveling compounds, adhesive and possible
moisture barrier you may need during the
installation process.
When faced with ambiguity or doubt about the
quality or composition of your subfloor, check
with your adhesive and/or leveling compound
supplier.

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FLOOR PREPARATION
Good preparation is essential for a trouble-free
installation and is vital for an excellent floor
appearance and adhesion. The finished
appearance of a Avenue floor will be as good as
the quality of the base over which it is installed.
Any irregularities in the sub-floor will show
through the finished floor. The sub-floor must
be hard, smooth, clean, dry, free from defects
and fit for purpose. When needed, scrape off and
remove old adhesives and loose-laying leveling
compound. Make sure the subfloor is flat and free
from chemical substances.
A suitable leveling compound should be used
to ensure that no irregularities show through
to the surface of the finished floor. However,
the selection of suitable materials, including
smoothing and leveling compounds and any
ancillary products is dependent upon the end use
of the completed flooring, and must be agreed by
the supplier of the preparative materials and the
flooring contractor.
Any proprietary materials used for floor
preparation must be used in accordance with the
manufacturers recommended instructions. In all
cases, the sub-floor must be sufficiently dry.

Important:
Floor installation should not begin until the
installer has assessed and approved the
sub-floor or conditions.

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THE MOISTURE CONTENT OF THE

SUBFLOOR
Unheated cementious screeds less than
2.0CM%
Underfloor heated cementious screeds less
than 1.8CM%
Unheated anhydrite (calcium sulphate) screeds
less than 0.5CM%
Underfloor heated anhydrite (calcium
sulphate) screeds less than 0.3CM%
Direct-to-earth concrete and stone sub-floors
must have an effective damp proof membrane
(DPM). Follow manufacturers detailed instructions
for the installation of a surface DPM and the
use of leveling compound. An overview of
recommended manufacturers and suppliers can
be provided by IVC group.

TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS
BEFORE, DURING AND AF TER
INSTALLATION
Avenuet floors are best installed with a room
temperature of between 18C and 28C and a
floor temperature of above 15C.
Installations in areas colder than recommended
will make the sheets harder to handle and less
flexible, whilst cutting will become more difficult.
For installations in areas warmer than
recommended, we advise consultation with your
local installer on how to create the appropriate
installation conditions.
A constant temperature, fluctuating no more than
5C per day and not below the required 18C
room temperature and 15C floor temperature,
should be maintained 24 hours before, during and
72 hours after installation.

ACCLIMATISATION
Avenue floors have to acclimatise in the
room where the installation takes place or an
equivalent area for at least 24 hours prior to
installation, or until the product has achieved an
ambient temperature. Again, this is a minimum
temperature of 18C and a maximum of 27C.
Avenue recommends cutting take place 24 hours
before installation. Unpack the Avenue floor and
check all sheets in daylight for possible defects or
discrepancies in colour.
For two-meter width floor coverings, the sheets
should then be rolled loosely and stored in an
upright position for acclimatisation.
Four-meter width sheets should be cut to size and
laid flat to acclimatise.
When cutting to size please consider the nature of
the design and pattern. In the case of wood and
tile styles Avenue recommends that every sheet
is installed in the same direction (a). In the case
that the design is one all-over colour or design,
Avenue recommends that every sheet is rotated
through 180 (b). If there is doubt, we advise to
check with your IVC distributor.
When cutting to size please consider the nature of
the design and pattern. In the case of wood and
tile styles Avenue recommends that every sheet
is installed in the same direction (a). In the case
that the design is one all-over colour or design,
Avenue recommends that every sheet is rotated
through 180(b). If there is doubt, we advise to
check with your IVC distributor.

a
b
UNDERFLOOR HEATING
Avenue floors can be used with traditional
water-based under-floor heating systems,
provided there is a lower constant room
temperature of 18C for the acclimatisation
period, installation and 72 hours after installation.
The underfloor heating must be gradually
increased by increments of 5C until it reaches
the standard operating temperature conditions
with a maximum temperature of 27C. For
suitability of the system please refer to the
manufacturers instructions.

Be careful when
stacking rolls.
Falling rolls can
cause harm to
people and the
surrounding
environment,
and this may also
result in damage
to the product.

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UNDERFLOOR COOLING
Avenue can also be installed over floor cooling
systems; however, the supply temperature of the
cooling water must not be reduced below the
dew point temperature. Temperatures below this
will produce condensation and can therefore
damage the floor covering. Thermostats in the
room must never be set at a temperature which is
more than 5C lower than the room temperature.

RECOMMENDED ADHESIVES
Avenue floors recommend to install with solvent
free adhesives. IVC provides Xtrafloor adhesives,
appropriate for effective and efficient installation.
If you use other adhesives, please contact Avenue
or your retailer, who can provide a list of those
appropriate.

Recommended
tools:
Tape measure
Pencil

INSTALLATION FROM ONE

COLOUR BATH
We recommend that you always use materials
from a single colour bath in one room, as we
cannot guarantee a 100% match between
different colour baths.
The rolls, selected within one colour bath, should
be installed in the sequence of increasing roll
number, with respect of the reverse laying
direction if the design requests it.

Adhesive and trowel

Damp cloth
Utility knife
Hook blades
Straight blades
Steel line for cutting

FULLY BONDED OR LOOSE-LAY

INSTALLATION
If a room or an area is smaller than 12m without
any sliding furniture (dining-or office chairs) and
the vinyl can be installed in one part/sheet, then a
loose or fully bonded installation can be selected
as desired.

straight and/or seams

Roller minimum 35kg
Cold welding kit

If a room or area is larger than 12m or there is

sliding furniture (dining or office chairs), or if the
vinyl cannot be installed in one part/sheet, then a
fully bonded installation is recommended.

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STEP BY STEP FIT TING INSTRUC TIONS, USING ADHESIVES

1. Place the sheets in position, cut seams with the double-cut method and trim to size.
2. Fold back half of the sheet to reveal the subfloor ready for the application of the adhesive. Prior
to using the adhesive read the supplier instructions. Spread the right amount of adhesive, with
a notched trowel, equally over the subfloor. After applying the adhesive and in accordance with
the instructions, allow the adhesive to partially dry (open time) until it reaches its initial bonding
strength, before returning the floor covering into place.
3. Install the floor covering sheet avoiding bubbles, compressions and tensions. Check that the seam
junctions are closed tightly together. Do not try to compress seams that cause curling. This curling
is an indication that the sheets are not placed together correctly.
4. To remove any bubbles, rubbing from the inside out should even out the floor. Use a rolling
motion to level out the adhesive; this should be done before the adhesive has fully dried.
5. Repeat steps 1 to 4 with the second half of the sheet.
6. Check all seam junctions and repeat the rolling motion as described in 3.
7. Welding the seam together is recommended.

WELDING
Cold welding is the only option for ensuring
closed and tight seams. Avenue recommends
cold welding tapes from Werner Mller
Kaltschweitechnik. Please read the
manufacturers instructions before applying.

Follow the cleaning instructions for Avenue

floors which may be implemented 72 hours after
installation. Try to prevent the floor from coming
into contact with water during this time, as the
adhesive is not completely dry.

EX TERNAL CONDITIONS
PROTEC TION
Avenue should be protected from exceptional
walking conditions for 24 hours after installation
and for heavy traffic for 72 hours after installation,
in order to allow the adhesive to stabilise at
consistent temperatures between 18-27C.

The appropriate management of external

conditions can help protect the flooring, which
saves time and expense on cleaning and
maintenance, and also extends its lifespan. Most
soiling comes from an external source and is
transported indoors by foot and rolling traffic. If
dirt lodges under sliding furniture, the flooring
will not only be soiled but will also suffer (light)
damage in the form of scratches.

FIRST CONTAC T WITH WATER

Prevent the floor from coming into contact with
water for the first 72 hours after installation,or
until such time as all seams are welded. Hereafter
the adhesive is sufficiently resistant to water so
that the bonding strength will not be affected.

CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE

Appropriate maintenance procedures will help
preserve the appearance and extend the life of a
Avenue floor. The frequency of maintenance will
depend on the amount and type of traffic, degree
of soiling and the floor colour and type. Some
Avenue floors have a PU lacquer on top of the
resistant wear layer. This lacquer protects against
soiling and makes the overall maintenance easier.
A PU lacquer also makes a prior treatment with
protection polish unnecessary. For Avenue floors
without a PU lacquer, a gloss starter coating can
be applied for extra protection of the surface.
Follow the manufacturers instructions when
applying the gloss starter coating.

ENTRANCE MATS
A proper clean-off zone is strongly recommended.
It will reduce the soiling of the flooring by as
much as 70%. Entrance mats, when properly
serviced, can effectively remove any abrasive
and foreign materials from foot traffic and cut
down on tracked in water. Avenue recommends a
minimum of two full strides of entrance matting.
Where possible, prevent dirt from reaching
the floor. A suitable barrier matting system will
help prevent soiling and abrasive material from
entering a building and make maintenance
easier. Regularly clean the clean-off zone so that
it functions optimally. Prevent fibres from the
clean-off mat from running or adhering together
with dirt. As far as possible, remove sand and
adherent dirt such as chewing gum using a spray
or gum remover. Replace the clean-off mat in
time to ensure an optimally functioning dirt
entrapment zone.
Avoid rubber or latex backed mats as these may
leave stains.

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REGULAR CLEANING

OCCASIONAL CLEANING

Remove daily dirt

Mopping

Sweeping

Damp mopping

Dry mopping

Traditional mopping (as dry as

possible)

Vacuum cleaning
Spot and stain removal
Damp cloth
Handpad
Damp mopping
Microfibre damp mop
Traditional mop (as dry as possible)

X TRAFLOOR CLEANER
MAINTAINER
Our range of cleaning products has been specially
formulated for use with Avenue floors. Our
concentrated cleaner is suitable for daily and
weekly cleaning and can be used with all cleaning
methods such as damp or wet mopping, combine
machine, spray cleaning and scrubbing.

Important:
Take care to immediately wipe up
any spillages on the vinyl flooring
to minimise the risk of permanent
staining occurring.
Vinyl flooring can be slippery when
wet.
If the use of a neutral detergent is
necessary then follow the rules and
mixing proportion quantities of the
manufacturer.
After cleaning, the floor should be
dry within 1 or 2 minutes so there
is no residual water with cleaning
detergent and dirt remaining on
the floor.

X TRAFLOOR SPOT REMOVER

A ready to use cleaner formulated for removal
of spills and other deposits, Xtrafloor supplies
a range of maintenance products that are
recommended for cleaning Avenue floors.
Products containing soap or unsuitable
detergents such as washing up liquid may leave
hard-to-remove film or residue on the surface.
These can detract from the appearance and may
be slippery. Xtrafloor maintenance products are
carefully manufactured to produce the highest
performance when used in accordance with the
instructions on the box. Detailed information
about regular cleaning and occasional
maintenance, applied in residential environment,
can be consulted in the Avenue Cleaning and
Maintenance Instructions.

Note:
Contact your Avenue floor
representative/retailer if you are
unsure about any part of these
installation and maintenance
instructions.

Important note from the warranty:

Almost all flooring will vary in colour over time when exposed to UV light. Avoid this by using curtains
or sunscreens when the sun is very bright.
Avoid rubber or latex backed mats as they may leave stains. Also rubber and latex castors (we advice
castors type W in accordance with EN 12529) or protection caps under furniture cannot be used.
Protect against scratching from furniture by using wide free-moving castors, glides, rollers or felt pads.
Use furniture caps under heavy items or appliances to prevent indentation.
In case of loose lay installation, damage of the vinyl flooring caused by heavy overload or sliding
activities is not covered by the warranty conditions.
Do not allow cigarettes, matches and other very hot items to contact the floor as this causes permanent
damage.

Contact your Avenue floor representative/retailer for complete warranty conditions.

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www.avenuefloors.co.uk