Installation Guide

IMPORTANT: Manufacturer requires the use of a manufacturer approved vapor retarding system be applied over the surface of the wood
sub floor or concrete slab prior to installing the floor when using the floating floor system. NOTE: mo st 2 in one and 3 in one underlayment’s
ONLY protect against 4 lbs. of moisture emission over 1,000 sq. ft. in 24 hours. Therefore, it is MANDATORY that the slabs surface be
covered with a layer of 6-mil polyethylene sheeting prior to installing a 2-in-one or 3-in-one padding/vapor retarder.
NOTE: T-MOLD BRAKES ARE REQUIRED AT ALL DOORWAY TRANSITIONS AND
FLOORING INSTALLATIONS THAT EXCEED 25 FEET IN WIDTH.
Concrete Slab:
Place a layer of 6-mil polyethylene sheeting over the slabs surface overlapping the seams by 10” to 12”. Make sure that the entire length of the
overlapped seams are completely and thoroughly tapped together using 3” wide clear packing tape, and that the sheeting is flat and wrinkle free. Then
place a high quality 2 in 1 or 3 in 1 foam padding (not to exceed 1/8” or 2 to 3 mm in thickness) over the surface of the poly sheeting
Wood Sub-Floors:
For installations over wood sub floors, place a layer of 30-30-30 single layer asphalt laminated paper meeting UU-B-790a, Grade B, Type I, Style la or
a single layer of 15 lb. tar saturated felt paper over the surface of the sub floor overlapping the seams 4 to 6 inches and staple in place followed by a
high quality 2 in 1 or 3 in 1 foam padding.
Starting Line & Expansion Space: Snap a working line parallel to the starting wall, in multiples of the planks width, plus an expansion space of 3/4”
preferable to 1/2” minimum to set up the base baseline of installation. Be careful to assure you do NOT end up with a width of less than 2 inches at the
final opposing wall. If so, adjust by ripping down the width of the first row.
Backer Board/Install: (Follow the above-stated directions for making and installing a backer board). Begin by placing boards along the length of the
backer board leaving ½” to ¾” expansion space along the walls. Note: Only the end joints (for this row) will be glued. All rows following the initial row
will require gluing of the tongue and groove (Use glue that is specifically designed for this purpose. Note: Tongue and groove glue can be purchased at
your local flooring dealer or at your local big box store). Note: do not use standard carpenters glue as the floor (when walked upon) may produce
a crackling noise. Follow the glue manufacturer’s directions for the proper amount and placement of the glue. To keep the planks from moving
and the seams from opening, use 3M Scotch Blue tape # 2080EL applying the tape perpendicular to the direction of the grain, and making sure to
overlap the joints of the planks.
Disclaimer: Upon completion of the installation of a random length engineered wood floor, the floors surface may not appear as
continuously flat as compared to a traditional long strip floating floor. Hollow sound and squeaking should be expected since the flooring is
not secured to the sub-floor by means of chemical fastening (i.e. gluing) or by mechanical fastening (i.e. staples, cleats or nails). Hollow
sound and/or squeaks is NOT a defect caused by manufacturing, but rather the result of the way in which the floor is put together. Caution:
it is considered acceptable when floating engineered wood flooring to expect an over-wood/under -wood condition in accordance to
acceptable industry standards. Some vertical movement between planks could also occur over time.
INSTALLING OVER RADIANT HEAT SYSTEMS
NOTE: MANUFACTURER REQUIRES THAT OUR RADIANT HEAT QUALIFICATION FORM BE FILLED OUT PRIOR TO INSTALLING OVER A
RADIANT HEATED SUB FLOOR SYSTEM. FAILURE TO DO SO CAN/WILL RESULT IN LOSS OF ANY/ALL APPLICABLE WARRANTIES.
Radiant Heat: The heat source is directly beneath the flooring, so the flooring may dry out faster than a similar floor in a home with a conventional
forced air heating system. Engineered wood floors can be installed over radiant heat as long as you understand radiant heat and how it can impact
wood flooring, what precautions to take, and what type of wood flooring to use. Failure to follow guidelines can/will produce unsatisfactory results, not
to mention void any/all applicable warranties.
Temperature/RH Requirements: Make certain the temperature of the installed wood floor does not exceed 80 degrees Fahrenheit and that the
temperature within the atmosphere is maintained between 60-80 degrees Fahrenheit and the relative humidity is maintained between 35-55 percent
respectively. Moreover, make sure that the floors moisture content does NOT go below 7%. It is critical that the relative humidity does not drop below
35%, otherwise you may experience the following condition(s) with your floor: gapping/shrinking, checking, cracking, splitting, warping, bowing and/or
wear-layer and/or inner ply delamination/separation. CAUSED BY STRESS. Note: Expect some heating season separations between the edges of
each plank. Once it has been determined (through testing) that the site conditions are suitable for the installation, then, and only then can the
installation proceed forward.
Thermostats: It is recommended to have three thermostats: one to control the tubing water supply temperature, one to control the room temperature
with different zone controls and one for outside the house. This three-thermostat system is kindest to wood flooring because it moderates the floor
temperature. People tend to crank up the heat inside the structure which can/will over heat your floor resulting in cracking, splitting, wear-layer and/or
inner ply delamination/separation, shrinking, gapping, cupping, buckling etc. Note: Subtle changes to the setting 2 to 3 degrees up or down in a 24-
hour period is recommended, otherwise you may experience the aforementioned conditions.
Subfloor: The essential requirement in proper application of wood flooring over radiant heated systems is to avoid penetration of the heating element.
Radiant heated subfloor systems can be concrete, wood or a combination of the two. The type of subfloor determines subfloor preparation.
Concrete Subfloor: If the sub-floor is concrete and it has cured, turn the heat on, regardless of season, and leave it on for at least 5-6 days to drive
out residual moisture before installation of the wood flooring. Some installation systems, particularly glue-down applications, require the heat to be
reduced or even turned off before installation of the flooring begins, so the adhesive does not cure prematurely and/or excessively. ALWAYS check
with the adhesive manufacturer for recommendations.
Water Heated System: With a water-heated radiant heat system(s), a pressure test MUST be performed and documented by a qualified plumber or
the system installer prior to beginning the installation of the wood flooring.
Note: One of the above-mentioned installation methods can be used to install engineered wood flooring over a radiant heated sub floor. For
glue-down applications consult with the adhesive manufacturer prior to beginning the installation as they will have specific
requirements/guidelines when it comes to gluing down over radiant heated sub floor systems.