Engineered Multiply Flooring Installation Instruction

• Inspect ALL materials carefully BEFORE installation. Warranties & Claims DO NOT cover materials with visible defects once they are installed. It is the responsibility of the installer to determine if the job site sub-floor and job site conditions are environmentally and structurally acceptable for wood flooring installation. We can’t accept any responsibility for job failure resulting from and associated with sub-surface or job-site environment, climate and deficiencies.
  
  
• The installer and home owner has the final responsibility to inspect as to the condition of the products including quality, finish, and whether it is the correct product ordered (type, quantity, color, grain, size.) Do not install if the flooring is not acceptable. He must use good judgment and reasonable selectivity and hold out or cut off pieces with visible defects whatever the cause. Flooring with obvious defects or imperfections should be trimmed and used in hidden places or discarded. We will not, in any case, be liable for installer’s lack of judgment, quality of installation, labor, installation, and associated costs. Should any boards be un-acceptable, and need to be returned, exchanged or replaced for any reason, contact your supplier immediately. Once installed, the floor is considered as having been accepted by the owner and installer.
  
  
• Hardwood flooring is a product of nature and therefore, not perfect nor identical in grains or color and defects in the flooring can occur in the manufacturing process or naturally as a characteristic of the wood. Our products are manufactured in accordance with accepted industry standards which permit defects for up to 5%. Order 5% additional material above actual square footage of the installation to allow grading and cutting of the wood.
  
  
• The use of color coordinated wood floor putty to cover small cracks and gaps should be considered normal in hardwood flooring installations.
  
  JOBSITE CONDITIONS & PRE-INSTALLATION PLANNING (Requirements)
  
  

• The building must be structurally completed and enclosed. All outside doors and windows must be in place and have latching mechanisms. All concrete, masonry, plastering, drywall, and paint must also be completed, allowing adequate drying time as to not raise moisture content within the building. All texturing and painting primer coats should be completed.
  
  
• HVAC systems must be fully operated at least 14 days prior to flooring installation, maintaining a consistent room temperature between 60-80°F and relative humidity between 35-55% and should remain at this level year round. This is not only stabilizes the building’s interior, environment, but also is essential when acclimating hardwood flooring to the job site. Wood is a hygroscopic material that expands and contracts depending on the relative humidity level of the environment. Flooring must be stored in a climate controlled area, which is equal to the environment it will be installed 5-7 days prior to the installation, but DON NOT OPEN the carton until you are ready to install.
  
  
• Exterior grading, directing drainage away from the structure, as well as gutters and down-spouts should also be completed. Floors may be installed on, above, or below grade level and are not recommended in full bathrooms.
  
  
• It is essential that basements and crawl spaces are well ventilated and dry. Crawl spaces must be minimum of 24” from the ground to underside of joists. A vapor barrier must be established in crawl spaces using 6 mil polyethylene film with joists overlapped and taped.
  
  
• During the final pre-installation inspection, Subfloor must be checked for moisture content using the appropriate metering device for the wood and concrete. 
• Tips
  
  
  • Work out of several different cartons at the same time to obtain the best distribution of color, grain and shade mixture.
    
    
  •   Undercut door casings to avoid difficult scribe cuts, and remove any existing wall base, shoe molding, quarter round or doorway threshold. These items can be replaced after installation, but should be replaced in such a way to allow at least 1/2” room for expansion. See NWFA Installation Guideline for details.
    
    Subfloor Preparation: All Subfloor must be;
    
    
  • Clean, free of wax, paint, oil, plaster, debris. All previous or existing glues or adhesives must be removed before installation. #3 1/2 grit open coat paper may need to be used to grind a concrete sub-floor. This will loosen any dirt, loose concrete or contaminates. Sweep or vacuum thoroughly.
    
    
  • Flat to 3/16” per 8’ radius or 1/8” per 6’ radius. If a sub-floor prep work is required, “hills” should be sanded down and the “valleys” filled with an underlayment patch. Subfloor irregularities and undulations may cause any wood flooring installation to develop hollow spots between the flooring and sub-floor. These hollow spots are NOT the result of any wood flooring manufacturing defect and are NOT covered by the warranty.
    
    
  • Structurally sound and properly secured with nails or screws every 6” along joists to reduce the possibility of squeaking after installation. Nail or screw any loose areas that squeak or reveal movement and replace any damaged sub-floor or underlayments.
    
    
  • Dry and should be covered, wall-to-wall, with 15lb asphalt saturated felt. Lap edges of this felt 4” when positioning it. Double the felt around heat ducts in the floor. It is essential that basements and crawl spaces are well ventilated and dry. Crawl spaces must be minimum of 24” from the ground to underside of joists. A vapor barrier must be established in crawl spaces using 6 mil polyethylene film with joists overlapped and taped. ALL sub-floors must be tested for moisture. See below for an appropriate moisture testing.
    
    Acceptable sub-floors
    
    
  • 5/8” minimum thickness, preferred 3/4” or thicker exterior plywood installed with long edges at right angle to floor joists and staggered so that end joints in adjacent panels break over different joists.
    
    
  • 1” x 4” to 6” wide, square edged, kiln dried coniferous lumber, laid diagonally over 16” on center wooden joists. The ends of all boards are to be cut parallel to the center of the joists for solid bearing.
    
    
  • 3/4” inch minimum O.S.B. on 19.2” center floor joists system properly nailed. When joist space is greater than 19.2”, flooring may exhibit minimum performance. Adequate and proper nailing as well as soundness of the sub-floor should be ascertained.
    
    
  • Concrete sub-floors must be at least 90 days old, clean, level, sound and of sufficient compression strength (3000 lbs. P.S.I.) being sure that the surface is not slick. Sections not level such as waviness, trowel marks, etc. are to be eliminated by grinding or the use of a leveling compound.
    
    
  • Do not install over radiant heat system.
    
    
  • Appropriate moisture test must be done prior to installation – Always document your readings.
    
    Wood subfloors
    
    Check the moisture content of both the sub-floor and the hardwood flooring with a quality calibrated pin moisture. Wood sub-floor must not exceed 12% moisture content, or 3% moisture content difference between hardwood flooring and sub-floor. If sub-floor exceeds this amount, the source of the moisture needs to be located and eliminated before installation.