On May 13, 2021, the UNI 11368: 2021 Standard was published, exceeded the two standards UNI 11368-1: 2010 and UNI 11368-2: 2013. The new standard is divided into 3 parts: glued, floating and srewed-nailed wooden floors.
The document specifically defines the “Evaluation criteria for the construction of wood and parquet flooring for internal use and the related methodologies to be applied for its delivery and installations.”
The Standard clarifies an important aspect concerning the verification by visual examination of the flooring once it has been laid. Once the installation is finished, a final inspection of the flooring must be carried out in the presence of the client or his technical representative. The examination must be carried out according to the indications of UNI CEN / TS 15717, which provides for the observation of the flooring in an upright position with natural light diffused behind the observer. The main checks concern the bonding, the planarity, the alignment of the elements on the basis of the laying geometry, the combination of the individual elements, the coplanarity between adjacent floors or with inserts of different materials, the expansion joints, the possible grouting, sanding and finishing in the case of finished floors in place.
Furthermore, a note of the Standard specifies that after 5 days from the delivery of the flooring, external factors may intervene, which modify its performance characteristics and make the envisaged limits inapplicable.
The concept of “creaking” is introduced for the first time, only for the floating and screwed-nailed installation, specifying that it must be considered as a peculiar characteristic of these types of flooring, just as the use of silicone is recommended to seal the flooring in correspondence with the wall closures.
All Garbelotto and Clip Up System® (discover on the dedicated website) products fully comply with the stringent requirements of the high standards at national and international level. A UNI standard is not a law, because using it is voluntary, but it is the best solution to create a product, conduct a process, carry out a profession.
We at Garbelotto promote these correct and fair practices to ensure a perfect installation everywhere, in Italy and over the world!