Installation Guide

HARDWOOD FLOORING
INSTALLATION
GENERAL CONTINUED
SUITABLE SUBFLOORS AND FLOOR PREPARATION
ON ABOVE OR BELOW GRADE
moisture content. Concrete suboors must be cured for a minimum
of 60 days. The moisture content of a concrete suboor should be
tested using an in-situ probe and show <75% RH (ASTM F2170). Test
results should be recorded on the data sheet provided at the end
of this instruction manual and left as permanent record with the
purchaser. Moisture in concrete suboors can create high moisture-
vapor emission levels, hydrostatic pressure, and high alkalinity levels.
This combination is highly corrosive and damaging to ooring, over
time. To avoid this, ensure construction of concrete suboors are
according to the American Concrete Institution’s guidelines (ACI’s
302.2 Guide). Only once these readings and conditions are achieved
and/or appropriate moisture mitigation corrections have been made
is the ooring to be installed.
This ooring should not be installed under cabinets or other
permanent xtures, this can cause gapping or other issues with the
planks. The ooring should not be installed over carpet.
If the oor is being covered, it should be completely cleaned prior to
covering to prevent damage caused by dirt/debris. Do not cover the
oor with plastic, previously used cardboard, wax paper, felt, or red
rosin paper. Ink from printed cardboard could damage the ooring.
A breathable material such as clean, dry, plain, uncoated cardboard
or craft paper can be used. A common reinforced builder’s paper is
also a good choice for covering the oor. When covering the oor
a low-adhesion painters tape should be used against the base or
shoe moldings. Avoid taping to the ooring directly. If taping two
covers together at the seams be sure to tape to each other instead
of the oor. The oor should be completely covered to avoid uneven
ambering of the oor which is natural when the wood oor is
exposed to UV light.
on your preference. Using the tongue and groove glue with the
staple reduces movement as the sub-oor deects.
To check for the atness of your suboor, hammer a nail into the
center of the oor. Tie a string to the nail and push the knot against
the oor. Pull the string tight to the farthest of the room and examine
the oor for any high/lows relative to the string. Suboors must be
at to 3/16” per 10’ (5mm per 3 meters) and/or 1/8” in 6’ radius (3mm
in 2m). Any areas in excess of the atness specication must be
sanded down or lled with an appropriate leveler.
Concrete suboors should be at least 60 days old and constructed in
accordance with ASTM E1745. Level the substrate and ll all cracks,
holes, and low spots with a polymer modied 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,
then the substrate should be considered non-porous. Abrade the
surface with 30-grit sandpaper until porosity is achieved. After
abrading, remove all debris before proceeding with installation. Glue
down oors 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.
The area in which the ooring is to be installed must have an
installed and working HVAC for a minimum of 5 days prior to arrival
of the ooring, and maintained between 65°F-75°F with a relative
humidity level between 35%-55%. This temperature and humidity
condition must be maintained prior to and during the installation of
the product, and for the life of the product thereafter. Humidication
and/or dehumidication systems may be necessary to maintain
these conditions.
Manufacturer warranties do not cover natural expansion and
contraction that results in separation between planks or damage
caused by excessively low or high humidity. Seasonal gapping is not
considered a manufacturing defect as it is natural process in wood
ooring products.
Before installation begins, the ooring must be acclimated for
72 hours in the room it is being installed under the appropriate
temperature and humidity conditions outlined above. The material
should be stacked with at least 4” airspace under the cartons,
removing all plastic wrap that may be around the packaging, and
opening the ends of the cartons.
A wooden suboor and wood ooring must be of similar moisture
content. In order to ensure this, the suboor should be tested
by taking a minimum of 20 moisture content readings per 1,000
square feet using a pin type moisture meter. Average the readings
and include them on the data sheet provided at the end of these
instructions. The wood ooring moisture content also needs to be
checked and recorded on the sheet. The readings need to be left
with the owner of the ooring as permanent record of testing. After
the acclimation period the suboor and ooring should be below 12%
moisture content, and the ooring should be within 4% of the suboor
The sub oor must be structurally sound, at, dry, and clean.
Carpet staples or any/all adhesive residue must be removed and
the oor must be clean to ensure proper installation. All wooden
suboors must be structurally sound and must be installed
following the American Plywood Association’s (APA) and the
manufacturer’s recommendations. Nail or screw any areas that
are loose or squeaking. Vertical deection must not exceed 3/16”.
Wood panels should exhibit an adequate fastening pattern, glued,
screwed or nailed as system requires, using an acceptable nailing
pattern, typically 6” (15 cm) along bearing edges and 12” (30.5
cm) along intermediate supports. Flatten edge swell as needed.
Replace any water damaged, swollen or delaminated subooring
or underlayment. Building codes establish requirements for
structural support components of ooring systems which may not
provide adequate rigidity and support for proper installation and
performance of hardwood ooring. Whenever possible, install
ooring perpendicular to the oor joists for maximum stability. When
joist spacing exceeds the traditional 16” on center, it is recommended
that you apply a thin bead of water resistant tongue and groove
glue to the bottom side of the groove to lock the tongue and groove
prole in place. This will reduce the potential for movement of the
tongue and groove, which may contribute to squeaking or crackling
sound underfoot. When using this method of installation, you may
continue to choose to staple or nail down the hardwood depending