Installation Guide

ManualsBrandsBruce ManualsEngineered HardwoodHydropel Oak Gunstock 7/16 in. T x 5 in. W x Varying Length Engineered Hardwood Flooring (22.6 sq. ft.)

WATERPROOF LOCKING HARDWOOD WITH ANGLE/ANGLE TECHNOLOGY INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

FOR FLOATING AND GLUE DOWN APPLICATIONS

PREPARATION

STORAGE AND HANDLING

• Handle and unload with care. Store in a dry place being sure to provide at least a four-inch air space under cartons

which are stored upon “on-grade” concrete ﬂoors. Flooring should not be delivered until the building has been

enclosed with windows doors are in place, and cement work, plastering and all other “wet” work is completed and

dry.

• Although it is not necessary to acclimate engineered ﬂooring it is best to store it in the environment in which it is

expected to perform prior to installation. Check adhesive label for adhesive storage limitations.

JOB-SITE CONDITIONS

• The building should be enclosed with all outside doors and windows in place. All concrete, masonry, framing

members, drywall, paint, and other “wet” work should be thoroughly dry. The wall coverings should be in place

and the painting completed, except for the ﬁnal coat on the base molding. When possible, delay installation of base

molding until ﬂooring installation is complete. Basements and crawl spaces must be dry and well ventilated with

proper moisture barrier in crawl space.

• Exterior grading should be complete with surface drainage, offering a

minimum drop of 3˝ in 10´ (7.6 cm in 3.05 m) to direct ﬂow of water away

from the structure. All gutters and downspouts should be in place.

• Engineered ﬂooring may be installed below-, on- or above-grade level. Do not

install in full bathrooms.

• Crawl spaces must be a minimum of 18˝ (46 cm) from the ground to the

underside of the joists. A ground cover of 6-20 mil black polyethylene ﬁlm

is essential as a vapor barrier with joints lapped 6˝ (15 cm) and sealed with

moisture resistant tape. The crawl space should have perimeter venting equal

to a minimum of 1.5% of the crawl space square footage. These vents should

be properly located to foster cross ventilation (Figure 1).

• Where necessary, local regulations prevail.

• The installation site should have a consistent room temperature of 60-80°F

(16-27°C) and humidity of 30-50% for 14 days prior to and during installation

and until occupied.

TOOLS & ACCESSORIES NEEDED

• Broom • Pencil • Safety glasses • Matching ﬁller • Moisture meter (wood, concrete or both)

• Transition and wall moldings as needed • Hand saw, table saw, circular saw or band saw

• Premium Underlayment (Only when installing Bruce Hydropel) • Tape measure • Carpenter square

• Hammer or rubber mallet • Vinyl/plastic tapping block • Pull-bar • Utility knife

• NIOSH – designated dust mask • Recommended wood glue • 3M Scotch-Blue

™

2080 Tape

(Add for Glue-Down Installations)

• Recommended adhesive and adhesive remover

• 3/16˝ x 1/4˝ x 5/16˝ (6 mm x 13 mm x 8 mm)

V-Notch trowel (Figure 2)

• 1/2˝ x 15/32˝ V-notch or 1/4˝ x 1/4˝ for Moisture

barrier and sound control or other adhesive

manufacturer’s trowel

SUBFLOOR CONDITIONS

Floating ﬂoors may be installed over any subﬂoor that is structurally sound, ﬂat, clean, and dry on all grade levels. All

substrates must meet or exceed all applicable building codes and be:

• CLEAN – Subﬂoor must be free of wax, paint, oil, sealers, adhesives and other debris.

• FLAT – Within 3/16˝ in 10´ (5 mm in 3 m) and/or 1/8˝ in 6´ (3 mm in 2 m). Sand high areas or joints. Fill low areas

with a latex additive cementitious leveling compound of 3,000-PSI minimum compressive strength patch and

underlayment. Follow the instructions of the leveling compound manufacturer. Leveling compounds must be tested

for moisture to ensure they are within the speciﬁed requirements for proper installation.

• DRY – Check and document moisture content of the subﬂoor using the appropriate moisture test. Moisture content

of wood subﬂoors must not exceed 12% as indicated by a wood moisture meter, and be within 3% moisture content

of the product being installed.

• STRUCTURALLY SOUND – Nail or screw any loose areas that squeak. Wood panels should exhibit an adequate

nailing pattern. A typical pattern is 6” (15 cm) along bearing edges and 12” (30 cm) along intermediate supports.

Flatten edge swell as necessary. Replace any water-damaged, swollen or delaminated subﬂooring or underlayments.

NOTE: Subﬂoors with excessive vertical movement should be avoided. Optimum performance of hardwood ﬂoor

covering products occurs when there is little horizontal or vertical movement of the subﬂoor. If the subﬂoor has

excessive vertical movement (deﬂection) before installation of the ﬂooring, it is likely it will do so after installation of

the ﬂooring is complete.

THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING AHF PRODUCTS FLOORING. When properly installed

and cared for, your new ﬂooring will be easy to maintain and will keep its great look for years.

These directions are based on industry standards and best practices. Failure to follow these installation instructions

may result in damage to the ﬂooring and void the ﬂoor’s warranty.

• For complete warranty information call 1-866-243-2726 or go to www.ahfproducts.com.

• For technical or installation questions, or to request a Safety Data Sheet, please call 1-866-243-2726 or visit

www.hardwoodexpert.com our technical website.

• For general questions or comments, please visit us at www.ahfproducts.com or call 1-866-243-2726.

Product

Recommended

Underlayment

Recommended Adhesive

Bruce

Hydropel

™

Premium Underlayment

Bruce

Summit Select

™

All In One Adhesive, Bruce

Equalizer

™

Pro and Bruce ProConnect

™

Plus

Robbins

HydroGuard

™

Attached Pad, No additional

underlayment needed

Pressure Sensitive Adhesive

Hartco

HydroBlok

™

Attached Pad, No additional

underlayment needed

Pressure Sensitive Adhesive

GENERAL INFORMATION

Owner/Installer Responsibility

NOTE: Locking hardwood ﬂooring is installed using a ﬂoating ﬂoor method. A 1/2˝ expansion zone (1/4˝ expansion

zone required for glue down installations) must be maintained at all vertical obstructions including doorways and

transition strips. The ﬂooring cannot be ﬁt tight against any vertical surface such as stairways, walls or pipes. Do not

attach or pinch the ﬂooring to the subﬂoor at any point in the installation when using a ﬂoating installation, including

gluing, nailing or by any other methods. Do not restrict horizontal motion of the ﬂoor by wedging planks under other

surfaces, such as door jambs, base molding, or existing transition strips. Base cabinets should not be installed on top

of the planks.

Beautiful hardwood ﬂoors are a product of nature and therefore, not perfect. Our hardwood ﬂoors are manufactured in

accordance with accepted industry standards. For optimum performing hardwood ﬂooring, carefully read and follow

these installation instructions.

• These hardwood ﬂoors were manufactured in accordance with accepted industry standards, which permit grading

deﬁciencies not to exceed 5%. These grading deﬁciencies may be of a manufacturing or natural type. When ﬂooring

is ordered, 5% must be added to the actual square footage needed for cutting and grading allowance (10% for

diagonal installations).

• The owner/installer has ﬁnal inspection responsibility as to grade, manufacture and factory ﬁnish. Inspection of all

ﬂooring should be done prior to installation. The ﬂooring should also be carefully examined for color, ﬁnish, and

quality before installing it.

• The installer must use reasonable selectivity and not use or cut off pieces with deﬁciencies, whatever the cause.

Should an individual piece be doubtful as to grade, manufacture or factory ﬁnish, the installer should not use that

piece. If material is not acceptable, do not install it and contact the seller immediately.

• Prior to installation of any hardwood ﬂooring product, the owner/installer must determine that the job-site

environment and the sub-surfaces involved meet or exceed all applicable standards. Recommendations of the

construction and materials industries, as well as local codes, should be followed. These instructions recommend

that the construction and subﬂoor be clean, dry, stiff, structurally sound and ﬂat. The manufacturer declines any

responsibility for job failure resulting from, or associated with, subﬂoor and substrates or job-site environmental

deﬁciencies.

• Use of stain, ﬁller or putty stick for touch-up and appropriate products for correcting subﬂoor voids is accepted as

part of normal installation procedures.

ATTENTION INSTALLERS

SAWING, SANDING AND MACHINING WOOD PRODUCTS CAN PRODUCE WOOD DUST. AIRBORNE

WOOD DUST CAN CAUSE RESPIRATORY, EYE AND SKIN IRRITATION. THE INTERNATIONAL

AGENCY FOR RESEARCH ON CANCER (IARC) HAS CLASSIFIED WOOD DUST AS A NASAL

CARCINOGEN IN HUMANS.

Precautionary Measures: If power tools are used, they should be equipped with a dust collector. If high dust levels

are encountered, use an appropriate NIOSH-designated dust mask. Avoid dust contact with eye and skin.

First Aid Measures in Case of Irritation: In case of irritation, ﬂush eyes or skin with water for at least 15 minutes.

If you have any technical or installation questions, or to request a Safety Data Sheet, please call 1 866 243 2726

or visit www.hardwoodexpert.com our technical website.

IMPORTANT HEALTH NOTICE FOR MINNESOTA RESIDENTS ONLY:

THESE BUILDING MATERIALS EMIT FORMALDEHYDE. EYE, NOSE, AND THROAT IRRITATION, HEADACHE,

NAUSEA AND A VARIETY OF ASTHMA-LIKE SYMPTOMS, INCLUDING SHORTNESS OF BREATH, HAVE BEEN

REPORTED AS A RESULT OF FORMALDEHYDE EXPOSURE. ELDERLY PERSONS AND YOUNG CHILDREN, AS

WELL AS ANYONE WITH A HISTORY OF ASTHMA, ALLERGIES, OR LUNG PROBLEMS, MAY BE AT GREATER RISK.

RESEARCH IS CONTINUING ON THE POSSIBLE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE TO FORMALDEHYDE.

REDUCED VENTILATION MAY ALLOW FORMALDEHYDE AND OTHER CONTAMINANTS TO ACCUMULATE IN THE

INDOOR AIR. HIGH INDOOR TEMPERATURES AND HUMIDITY RAISE FORMALDEHYDE LEVELS. WHEN A HOME

IS LOCATED IN AREAS SUBJECT TO EXTREME SUMMER TEMPERATURES, AN AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM

CAN BE USED TO CONTROL INDOOR TEMPERATURE LEVELS. OTHER MEANS OF CONTROLLED MECHANICAL

VENTILATION CAN BE USED TO REDUCE LEVELS OF FORMALDEHYDE AND OTHER INDOOR AIR CONTAMINANTS.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF FORMALDEHYDE, CONSULT YOUR

DOCTOR OR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

Our Family of Brands

RECOMMENDED ADHESIVES: See chart below

RECOMMENDED ADHESIVE REMOVER: Low Odor mineral spirits

RECOMMENDED CLEANER: Bruce

Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner

RECOMMENDED UNDERLAYMENT: See chart below

RECOMMENDED WOOD GLUE (modifying the lock and joint gluing): Bruce

EverSeal

™

Adhesive

CAUTION: WOOD DUST

Figure 2

WARNING:

EXISTING IN-PLACE RESILIENT FLOOR COVERING AND ASPHALTIC

ADHESIVES. DO NOT SAND, DRY SWEEP, DRY SCRAPE, DRILL, SAW, BEADBLAST, OR

MECHANICALLY CHIP OR PULVERIZE EXISTING RESILIENT FLOORING, BACKING, LINING

FELT, ASPHALTIC “CUTBACK” ADHESIVE, OR OTHER ADHESIVE.

These existing in-place products may contain asbestos ﬁbers and/or crystalline silica.

Avoid creating dust. Inhalation of such dust is a cancer and respiratory tract hazard.

Smoking by individuals exposed to asbestos ﬁbers greatly increases the risk of serious bodily harm.

Unless positively certain that the existing in-place product is a non-asbestos-containing material, you must

presume it contains asbestos. Regulations may require that the material be tested to determine asbestos

content and may govern removal and disposal of material.

See current edition of the Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI) publication Recommended Work Practices

for Removal of Resilient Floor Coverings for instructions on removing all resilient ﬂoor covering structures or

AHF Products Inc. 866-243-2726.

AHF ﬂoor coverings and adhesives do NOT contain asbestos.

Soil Line

2nd Floor

(above ground level)

1st Floor

(ground level)

Basement

(below ground level)

Figure 1

Summary of content (3 pages)

PAGE 1
Our Family of Brands WATERPROOF LOCKING HARDWOOD WITH ANGLE/ANGLE TECHNOLOGY INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS FOR FLOATING AND GLUE DOWN APPLICATIONS RECOMMENDED ADHESIVES: See chart below RECOMMENDED ADHESIVE REMOVER: Low Odor mineral spirits RECOMMENDED CLEANER: Bruce® Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner RECOMMENDED UNDERLAYMENT: See chart below RECOMMENDED WOOD GLUE (modifying the lock and joint gluing): Bruce® EverSeal™ Adhesive THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING AHF PRODUCTS FLOORING.
PAGE 2
Concrete (All installation methods) The flooring can be glued directly to concrete with a minimum compressive strength of 3000 PSI. Do not install over a concrete sealer or painted concrete. If present, remove by grinding or sanding. Do not install over slick, heavily troweled or burnished concrete. Roughen the surface as necessary by sanding or grinding. Use an appropriate NIOSHdesignated dust mask. Floating floors can be installed over any structurally sound concrete.
PAGE 3
Installing in Kitchens or Bathrooms • Be sure to place a spacer between the marking pen and “scribe” piece of board. This adds the 1/4˝ (6.35 cm). General Information for Glue-Down Installations • Prolonged exposure (greater than 36 hours) to water could damage the hardwood flooring. Installation and maintenance recommendations should be closely followed to prevent water from contacting the core material of the flooring.