Engineered Hardwood Flooring Installation

Disclaimer: Requires Vinyl Slip Sheet or concrete sealer for all Nikzad Products.

JOB-SITE PREPERATION

Check the job site before delivery. Be sure the flooring will not be exposed to excessive periods of humidity or moisture. The surface grade or slope should direct water away from building.

Basements and crawl spaces must be dry and well ventilated. In joist construction with no basement, outside cross ventilation through vents or other openings in the foundation walls must be provided with no dead air areas.

The building should be closed in with outside windows and doors in place. All concrete, masonry, sheetrock and framing members, etc. should be thoroughly dry before flooring is delivered to the job site. In warm months, the building must be well ventilated; during winter months heating should be maintained near occupancy levels at least five days before the flooring is delivered.

Because materials used to provide energy efficient structures trap moisture in residence, it may be necessary to delay delivery and installation of flooring to allow excessive moisture trapped during construction to evaporate. The average moisture content of framing members and subflooring should be bellow 10% before delivery of the flooring. Moisture contents above 12%-14% can cause moisture related problems.

When job site conditions are satisfactory, have the flooring delivered and boxes placed into small lots and stored in the rooms where it will be installed. Engineered flooring should be acclimate and allow 72 hours or more, for the flooring to become acclimated to job site conditions.

From the time flooring is delivered and until occupancy, temperature and humidity should be maintained at or near occupancy levels. After occupancy, continue to control the environment. Extended times (more than 1 month) without HVAC controls can promote moisture conditions, which can adversely affect flooring.

SUBFLOOR PREPERATION

The surface of the subfloor must be level within ¼” in a 10 feet radius. The subfloor must be clean and thoroughly dry.

Concrete subfloors must have been installed and cured at least 30 days, and concrete dry- weight must be 4% or less. For floating installation, a foam or poly/foam moisture barrier underlayment should be used, overlapping each sheet and taped together with duct tape. For glue-down installation, it is imperative that the subfloor is clean, level and dry. Fill low areas with leveling compounds; sand or plane high areas. Foreign substances may cause adhesive to fail. Room temperature and humidity should be near living conditions several days before installation.

GLUE-DOWN INSTALLATION

Preparation for installation

• Before installation, do a calculation to determine the width of the last row of boards. Split the difference between the starter row and the last row. In any case, you will most likely be required to cut the last row of boards to width with a table saw equipped with a plywood cutting blade.
• Select a starter wall. An outside wall is best because it is more likely to be straight and square with the room. Measure out from this wall the width of two boards.
• Snap a chalk line from these two points. Since most walls are not straight, the edge of some boards may have to be trimmed along the wall or cut to fit.
• It is extremely important to blend boards from several cartons or bundles to ensure a good balance of color and graining.

Installation

• Spread adhesive from chalk line out to the width of two boards according to instruction of manufacture glue. Allow adhesive to set for 30 minutes.
• Install the first row of starter boards and secure into position with tongue facing the starter wall. Proper alignment is critical. Misaligned starter rows can ruin the entire installation. Professional installers sometimes firmly secure a straightedge along the chalkline, as a guide and it also helps to prevent boards from shifting in the wet adhesive. Or, top nail the first row with finishing nails (wood subfloor), or sprig/pin nails (concrete subfloors).
• You MUST make a good connection with the tongue and groove system to create a stable floor. Use a tapping block to tap the boards together until the tongue-and-groove “snaps” into place.
• When the first two starter rows are secure, spread 2 to 3 feet of adhesive across length of the room. Never lay more adhesive than can be covered in approximately 3 hours. If the adhesive has set and will not transfer to the back of the board, scrape up the adhesive and reapply.
• Place boards into position on top of adhesive and tap into position with a tapping block. Avoid clustering the end joints. Stagger random lengths so that end joints are no closer than 6”.
• After several rows of boards are down, lay perpendicular strips of blue tape 12” apart to hold the boards securely. Repeat this process as the installation progresses. When you have finished installing boards across the work area, go back to the beginning of the installation and remove straightedges. Spread adhesive to exposed subfloor and use a pry bar to position the final two rows into place. Be aware that you will have to remove the tongue from the last row to complete the installation.

Cleanup

Retain a few leftover boards in case a repair is ever required. Peel up blue tape 24 hours after installation.
Clean adhesive from floor and tools with glue remover, while still wet; once it dries it is very difficult to remove. If it dries on the floor finish follow this procedure:
Carefully scrape off excess adhesive with a plastic scraper. Take care not to scratch flooring finish. Sweep floor to remove all dust and dirt.
Remove residue using proper glue remove ware. Follow up with a wood floor cleaner.

Final Inspection

After the floor is rolled and cleaned, inspect the floor for nicks, scratches and boards that may have moved during installation, as well as any other imperfections that may need attention. Touch up nicks and scratches with manufacturer related touch-up products. In typical climates, the new floor can accept floor traffic within 12 hours. Dry climates may require more curing time.

TOOLS AND MATERIALS

Carpenter’s Square; Tape measure; Hammer; Utility knife; saw; crowbar; Spacer Blocks; Clean cotton cloths; Bucket of Warm Water; Touch-Up Kit/ Filler Kit; Plastic Scraper for Glue Removal