Installation & Assembly

ManualsBrandsMohawk Flooring ManualsFlooringCity Escape Oak 3/8" Thick x 5" Wide x Varying Length Engineered Hardwood Flooring

Installation Instructions

For 3/8”, 1/2”, and 9/16” Mohawk oors with Enhanced Engineered Construction

™

Structurally sound concrete subfloor: Concrete substrate should be at least 60 days old and constructed in accordance with ASTM E1745. Level substrate

and fill all cracks, holes and low spots with a polymer modified portland cement patch or leveling compound. Burnished or steel troweled concrete substrates

must be inspected for porosity by placing a few drops of water on the surface. If the water is not absorbed within 3 minutes, the substrate should be

considered non-porous. Abrade the surface with 30-grit sandpaper until porosity is achieved. Glue down floors may be applied to concrete with a rating of

3,000 psi or greater. Glue down application over lightweight concrete (less than 3,000 psi) is not permissible.

Wood Suboors

• Approved suboor panels should meet or exceed the following guidelines:

• Plywood must be minimum CDX grade (exposure 1) and conform to U.S. Voluntary Product Standard PS1 performance standard or Canadian

performance standard CAN/CSA 0325-0-92.

• Oriented strand board (OSB) must conform to U.S. Voluntary Product Standard PS2 or Canadian performance standard CAN/CSA 0325-0-92. The panels

must be tongue and groove and installed sealed side down.

• Particleboard must be a minimum 40-lb. density, stamped underlayment grade and 3/4" (19 mm) thick. (Floating installation only)

Floor joist/truss spacing will determine the minimum acceptable thickness of the subfloor panels. Joist/truss spacing of 16" on center or less for single panel

subflooring requires a minimum 5/8" (19/32", 15.1 mm) CDX (exposure 1) 4' x 8' subfloor panels. Joist/truss spacing of greater than 16", up to 19.2" (488

mm) on center, requires a minimum nominal 3⁄4" (23/32", 18.3 mm) tongue and groove CDX (exposure 1) plywood or OSB 4' x 8' subfloor panels, glued and

mechanically fastened. Floor systems with joists/truss spaced greater than 19.2" (488mm) on center up to a maximum of 24" (610 mm) require minimum 7/8"

tongue and groove CDX (exposure 1) plywood or OSB 4' x 8' subfloor panels, glued and mechanically fastened. Installation over joist spans greater than 24"

on center is not recommended. For installation over joist spans greater than 24" on center, consult NWFA for panel thickness guidance.

Solid Wood Subfloor — Direct Glue or Staple Down Applications

• Minimum 3/4" (19 mm) thick with a maximum width of 6" (15 cm) installed at a 45° angle to the oor joists.

• Group 1 dense softwood (pine, larch, Douglas r, etc.) No. 2 common, kiln dried with all board ends bearing on joists.

• For direct glue-down applications add 3/8" (9.5 mm) approved oor panel under layment.

Existing Wood Flooring — Direct Glue or Staple Down Applications

• Existing engineered ooring must be well bonded/fastened. When gluing over existing wood ooring, the surface nish must be abraded or removed to

allow adequate adhesive bond.

• Existing solid hardwood ooring that exceeds 6" (15 mm) in width must be covered with 3/8" (9.5 mm) approved underlayment and fastened as required.

• Do not install over solid or engineered ooring attached directly to concrete.

Wood suboors should be well nailed or secured with screws. Nails should be ring shank and screws need to be counter sunk. The wood suboor must be

structurally sound, without loose boards, vinyl or tile. If suboor panels are single layer, less than 3⁄4" thick, add another single cross layer for strength and stability,

minimum 3/8".

Underlayment oor panels must be installed sealed side down. When used as a suboor, allow 1/8" (3 mm) expansion space between each panel. If spacing is

inadequate, cut in with a circular saw. Do not cut an expansion space on tongue and groove panels. When installing parallel to the oor joists, it may be necessary

to increase rigidity of the structural suboor system by installing an additional minimum of 3/8" (9.5 mm) approved underlayment oor panel.

NOTE: Avoid subfloors with excessive vertical movement or deflection. If the subfloor exhibits excessive vertical movement (deflection) before installation of

the flooring, it will likely do so after installation of the flooring is complete. Indications of excessive deflection are uneven finish wear, fastener release,

squeaking, compromised or damaged locking systems, sectional contours such as bowing or dipping in floors and uneven flooring material.