Installation Guide

ManualsBrandsPennsylvania Traditions ManualsFlooringBirch 12 mm Thick x 7.96 in. Wide x 47.51 in. Length Laminate Flooring (13.13 sq. ft. / case)

READ INSTRUCTIONS THOROUGHLY BEFORE BEGINNING INSTALLATION.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

Pennsylvania Traditions laminate ooring is installed using a patented glueless locking mechanism.

Because this is a oating oor system, Pennsylvania Traditions laminate ooring should not be

nailed or glued to the suboor. The oor should not be installed directly against any xed, vertical

objects (including walls, staircases, xtures, etc.); Allow a minimum of 5/16” (8mm) expansion

space around the perimeter of the room and any xed objects such as posts. Use spacers included

in the recommended laminate ooring kit to achieve uniform space around xed objects.

IMPORTANT!

Rooms measuring wider or longer than 30 ft (9m) require the use of T-moldings to allow for

normal expansion and contraction of the oor.

Be sure to stagger boards by a minimum of 12 in (300mm).

Pennsylvania Traditions laminate ooring should not be installed in rooms where the relative

humidity exceeds 70%.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL TYPES OF SUBFLOORING:

Pennsylvania Traditions laminate ooring can be installed over most oors such as vinyl, tile and

sheet oors. Substrates should be structurally sound and immobile. Before installing ooring,

ensure that the suboor is leveled within 3/16 in in 10 ft (2mm in 2m). Irregularities in the suboor

should be smoothed using a hydraulic cement base patching and leveling compound. Suspended

wood suboors should have a minimum of 18 in (45cm) of well-ventilated air space above the

ground.

Concrete:

● New concrete subooring should be cured for at least 90 days prior to installation. (Moisture

test: moisture vapor < 3 lbs./1,000 sq. ft./24 hours per ASTM 1869 calcium chloride test).

● Install 0.008 in (0.20mm) age-resistant, non-permeable polyethylene vapor barrier over the

concrete suboor. Seams must be taped using adhesive tape such as duct tape. The vapor

barrier should be installed up the wall by 1 in (25mm).

● Sheet Vinyl, Tile and Wood Subooring: Moisture content of the wood suboor should not

exceed 12%.

Carpeting:

● Remove deep pile carpeting and padding prior to installation of laminate ooring.

● Pennsylvania Traditions laminate ooring can be installed over industrial direct glue-down

carpeting installed over wood suboors without padding.

● Carpet installed over concrete must be removed. See instructions for installation over a

concrete suboor.

Questions? Call Customer Service: 1-877-356-0312

Pennsylvania Traditions Laminate Flooring Installation Guide

(for products without attached underlayment)

Page 1 of 6

Summary of content (6 pages)

PAGE 1
Pennsylvania Traditions Laminate Flooring Installation Guide (for products without attached underlayment) READ INSTRUCTIONS THOROUGHLY BEFORE BEGINNING INSTALLATION. GENERAL GUIDELINES Pennsylvania Traditions laminate flooring is installed using a patented glueless locking mechanism. Because this is a floating floor system, Pennsylvania Traditions laminate flooring should not be nailed or glued to the subfloor.
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Radiant Heating Systems: ●● Pennsylvania Traditions laminate flooring can be installed on under-floor radiant heating systems if the heating element is installed into wood or concrete subfloors. ●● Lower heating system to 60 ºF (16 ºC) for 1 week before installation. ●● After installation, slowly increase the temperature in increments of 10 ºF (6 ºC) per hour. ●● Surface temperature must not exceed 85 ºF (28 ºC). ●● Follow installation instructions for wood or concrete as outlined above.
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It is important to understand the parts of the plank to ensure proper installation: NOTE: Tongue and groove are exaggerated on drawing for illustration purposes. Drawing is not to scale. TONGUE (SHORT SIDE) TONGUE (LONG SIDE) GROOVE (LONG SIDE) GROOVE Fig. A (SHORT SIDE) STEP 1 Prepare planks for first row installation. Using a carbidetipped circular saw blade, remove the tongue on the planks adjacent to the wall, allowing room for spacers (as shown in fig 2).
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A B STEP 3 Using the laminate flooring tapping block included in the kit, gently tap second plank against the short side, joining plank A and plank B. Fig. 3 C STEP 4 - fig. 4 Begin installing the second row by angling the plank (plank C) to allow the tongue to slip into the groove of the plank in row 1. Push the plank down flat to the floor until it clicks into place. Do not force the plank closed as doing so can damage the joint.
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STEP 7 -fig. 7 Continue laying the floor from left to right in the manner described in steps 2-5. Fig. 7 Fig. 8a FINISHING A ROW STEP 1 - Fig. 8a When you come to the end of a row, you will need to cut the plank to complete the row. Flip a full sized plank over so that the tongue end points toward the wall, preserving the joint so that it can be inserted once cut. Mark where the plank should be cut, and cut with the décor side down.
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INSTALLING AROUND OBSTACLES: In difficult to fit areas, such as door moldings, remove the lip on the groove edge of the planks you are fitting into. This can be done by lightly sanding or planing off the lip on the groove side of the plank, allowing the plank to be installed laying flat. Once the lip has been trimmed on the plank being fitted to, lay the plank flat on the floor. Apply a thin bead of PVAc-D3 laminate glue on the top of the tongue. Then push the plank into position.