Installation Guide - Performance Plus

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 contact
your retailer or AHF Products 1 866 243 2726.
The floor covering or adhesive in this package does NOT contain asbestos.
NETTOYANTS RECOMMANDÉS : Nettoyant pour planchers en bois franc et
laminé Bruce
®
LIMPIADOR RECOMENDADO: Limpiador para pisos de madera dura y laminados
Bruce
®
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 Material Safety Data Sheet,
please call 1 866 243 2726 or visit www.floorexpert.com, our technical website.
CAUTION: WOOD DUST
GENERAL INFORMATION
Owner/Installer Responsibility
NOTE: Lock&Fold hardwood flooring is installed using a floating floor installation. A 1/2˝ expansion zone 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.
Beautiful hardwood floors are a product of nature and therefore, not perfect. Our hardwood floors are 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 assumes all responsibility for final inspection of product quality. Inspection of all flooring should be done
prior to installation. Carefully examine flooring for color, finish and quality before installing it. If material is not acceptable,
do not install it. 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, must 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.
• Prior to installation, the owner/installer has final inspection responsibility as to grade, manufacture and factory finish. The
installer must use reasonable selectivity and hold out 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 the piece.
• 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.
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
• Quiet Comfort Premium Or Quiet Comfort • 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
• Recommended hardwood flooring cleaner
(Add for Glue-Down Installation)
• Recommended adhesive and adhesive remover • 1/4˝ x 1/2˝ x 3/16˝ (6 mm x 13 mm x 8 mm) V-Notch trowel
• 3M Scotch-Blue
™
2080 tape • VapArrest S-135 Professional Moisture Retardant System on concrete (if needed). Use
with urethane adhesive only.
(Add for Mechanically Fastened/Staple-Down Installations)
• Stanley-Bostitch 2025K (Only) • 1˝ Staples/fasteners (minimum) • Compressor and hose
• Nylon/Plastic tapping block • In-line regulator
Storage and Handling
Handle and unload with care. Store in a dry place being sure to provide at least a 4ʺ (10 cm) air space under cartons, which are
stored upon “on-grade” concrete floors. Flooring shall 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. Concrete should be at least 60 days
old. 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. Do not open cartons of locking hardwood flooring in advance of installation. Air
conditioning/heating systems should be in place and in operation at least 14 days prior, during and after installation of the
flooring.
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
PERFORMANCE PLUS
WITH LOCK&FOLD
™
TECHNOLOGY
3/8˝ (10 MM)
FOR STAPLE DOWN, MECHANICALLY FASTENED,
FLOATING AND GLUE DOWN APPLICATIONS
INSTRUCTIONS D’INSTALLATION
BOIS DUR PERFORMANCE PLUS
™
AVEC TECHNOLOGIE LOCK&FOLD
™
10 MM (3/8 PO)
POUR POSES AVEC ATTACHES MÉCANIQUE,
AGRAFES, À CLOUER OU À TASSEAU
INSTRUCCIONES DE INSTALACIÓN
MADERA DURA DE INSTALACIÓN
POR PERFORMANCE PLUS
™
CON LA
TECNOLOGÍA LOCK&FOLD
™
3/8˝
FIJACIÓN MECÁNICA; CON GRAPAS,
CLAVOS O TABLILLAS
For complete warranty information call 1 866 243 2726 or visit www.ahfproducts.com.
RECOMMENDED CLEANER: Bruce
®
Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner
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.
• LEVEL/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 such as
S-194 Patch, Underlayment & Embossing Leveler with S-195 Underlayment Additive. 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 13% on a wood moisture meter, or read more than a 4% difference from the moisture level 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: Avoid subfloors with excessive vertical movement. 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 the installation of the flooring it is likely it will do so after installation of the flooring is complete. As flooring
manufacturers we are unable to evaluate each engineered system. Spacing and spans, as well as their engineering methods,
are the responsibility of the builder, engineer, architect on consumer, who is better able to evaluate the expected result based
on site related performance.
INSTALLING THE FLOOR
Before You Start
• Before installing the planks, central heat or air conditioning should be operating for 14 days.
• Install only at room temperature above 60˚F (16˚C) and 35-55% humidity conditions.
• In rooms with under-floor (radiant) heating, the surface temperature of the subfloor may not, under any circumstances,
exceed 85˚F (29˚C). Increasing heat should be done in 5-degree increments. Ascertain that the subfloor is properly
engineered or controlled for the flooring being installed. Subfloors designed for materials with higher resistance to heat
transfer, such as carpet, WILL damage the flooring. Installations that include multiple floor covering products on a single
heating circuit must be adjus3ted for the flooring product with the highest heat transfer or lowest temperature requirement.
• When possible, preselect and set aside boards that blend best with all horizontally mounted moldings (reducer/stair nose
etc.) This will assure a uniform final appearance. Install these boards adjoining the moldings.
• Floor should be installed from several cartons at the same time to ensure good color and shade mixture.
• Be attentive to staggering the ends of the boards at least 4˝-6˝ (10-15 cm) when possible, in adjacent rows. This will help
ensure a more favorable overall appearance of the floor.
STEP 1: Doorway and Wall Preparation (All Installations)
• Undercut door casings and jambs. Remove any existing base, shoe mold or doorway thresholds. These items can be
replaced after installation. When undercutting door casings the installer should confirm there is the recommended expansion
space. The floor must have 1/16˝ clearance under the door casing to be able to float freely without vertical restriction.
STEP 2: Plan Your Layout Using the Following Steps (All Installations)
• Decide the direction of the floor installation in the room. Planks installed parallel to windows accent the floor the best. Floors
should be installed perpendicular to the floor joists. Stiffen subfloors as necessary to prevent vertical movement.
NOTE: If your room exceeds a maximum room width of 30’ (9 m) or a maximum room length of 30’ (9 m) additional expansion
space is required. T- Moldings may be used at doorways or intersections to increase the expansion space.
STEP 3: Laying the Underlayment (Floating Installations)
• Install the underlayment in the same direction that the hardwood flooring is to be installed.
• Extend the underlayment a few inches up the wall.
• Trim excess prior to installing trim or moldings.
• The floating floor underlayment already has double-sided tape for ease of taping the precut overlapping seams. If a non-
adhesive underlayment is used, tape all seams with the included tape.
STEP 4: Installing First Row (Floating Installations)
• Select a board to begin installation of the first row using the longest boards available.
• Starting from the LEFT with the tongue facing the wall, carefully place the first board in place. Use wedges or 1/2˝ (13 mm)
scrap along the wall to hold plank in place while allowing the required expansion space.
• Align the next piece by overlapping the end of the first board so that the joint is tight when the board lays flat. Some slight
adjustment of the board may be necessary to assure a tight fit.
• Again, place wedges or 1/2˝ (13 mm) scrap as necessary to restrain movement and maintain expansion zone.
• Continue in this manner until the first row is complete.
• Cut the final board to length allowing the necessary expansion zone.
• Place wedges to restrain movement and maintain expansion zone.
• A 1/2˝ expansion space is required throughout the installation. Do not attach or pinch the flooring to the subfloor at any point
of the installation including gluing, nailing, or by any other methods.
• If the wall is not straight, scribe the first board as necessary to maintain alignment.
• Continue to Step 7.
Room Width Room Length Expansion Space Required
30´ 30´ 1/2˝
40´ 40´ 3/4˝
50´ 50´ 1˝
60´ 60´ 1-1/4˝