Solid hardwood Flooring, parquet flooring, laminate flooring, engineered flooring, bamboo flooring

- All installed strips will be considered as accepted by the installer and/or homeowner.

- Make sure that before you ordered flooring you added at least 5% to the actual size of the area that you are going to cover.5% is industry standard form small defects, mismilling or missgrading that is allowed.

Installation requirements

- Gypsum joints must be completed and dried.

- Concrete work must have been completed at least 45 days prior to installation.

- The heating system must be functional and the building must be heated up to 21°C (70°F) for a minimum of 7 days.

- The relative humidity of the building must be between 40% and 45%.

- Plywood humidity (subfloor) must not exceed 12%.

- Subfloor thickness must be a minimum of 15mm (5/8”). Recommended is ¾”

- Particleboards or chipboards must not be used as the subfloor.

Before installing

**Do not install flooring that has not been properly acclimaed to humidity condition.  Recommended acclimatizing time is 7 day minimum in the rooms that the flooring will be installed. Try to disperse flooring as much as possible. If it is not possible, make smaller stacks, brake boxes and open ends. Before starting installation check moisture content on several randomly picked samples.

- Make sure the subfloor (plywood) is properly attached to the joists to avoid creaking.

- Correct slight irregularities on the subfloor with a sander.

- All the nails and screws of the subfloor must be driven-in properly.

- Remove baseboards and doorsills.

- Cut 2cm (3/4”) off the bottom of the doorframes to insert the strips underneath them.

- Vacuum the subfloor regularly during installation to make sure it is always clean and dust free.

- A vapour barrier or felt paper (#15) placed between the subfloor and the strips will help keep the humidity content of the flooring more stable.

 Tools and Accessories required

- Measuring tape

- Miter saw

- Square

- Sawhorse

- Chalk line

- Handsaw

- Hammer

- Vacuum cleaner

- Crowbar

- Drill and drill bits

- Safety goggles

- Nail punch

- Level

- Hardwood hammer (manual or pneumatic) and rubber hammer

- Other tools and accessories may be necessary depending on site configuration and type of installation.

Installation Guide

- Locate the longest wall of the room where the product will be installed. This wall must be perpendicular to the joists. The flooring strips must be installed perpendicularly to the joists.

- Allow for a 13mm to 19mm (1/2” to 3/4”) expansion joint between the wall and the flooring strips. This joint will be hidden by a baseboard or quarter round.

- Draw a guide line with a chalk line. The guide line must be parallel to the wall. Calculate its distance from the wall as follows: expansion joint + strip flooring width + tongue width.

Ex: For a 57mm (2 1/4”) strip 19mm (3/4”) + 57mm (2 1/4”) + 6mm (1/4”) = 82mm (3 1/4”)

- Choose very straight strips for the first 2 rows.

- Nail the first row by drilling holes on top of the strips first. The holes must be drilled 13mm (1/2”) from the side of the strip and 25cm (10”) from centre to centre. Also, drill holes on top of the tongue at a 45 degree angle. Using spiral roll shank nails, fix the first row of strips making sure you are aligned with the chalk line.  Use a nail punch to hide the nails properly.

- For the second row, drill holes on top of the tongue at a 45 degree angle and nail it with spiral roll shank nails. Use a nail punch to hide the nails properly.

- To end a row, cut the strip at the correct length and use the remainder of the strip to start the next row.  Do not forget to leave sufficient space for the expansion joint at the end of each row.

- Make sure you carefully choose the strips to avoid aligning the end joints with those of adjacent rows.  A minimum of 15cm (6”) must be allowed to avoid aligning the end joints.

- Install subsequent rows using the hardwood hammer while respecting the rules for alignment joints and expansion joints. Nail the strips every 25cm (10”).

- When installing the last 4 or 5 rows, use of a hardwood hammer will not be possible because of the proximity of the adjacent wall. Proceed in the same way as you did for the second row at the beginning of installation.

- You may have to cut the last row lengthwise. Fix it in the same way you did for the first row, that is, from the top.

- Once installation of the strips is completed, use a touch-up pen to fill nail holes and correct other imperfections.

- Install baseboards and doorsills.

- Vacuum once again. Spray some flooring cleaner on a mop and clean your floor. Installation is now complete.

Practical tips

- Installation of a factory-finished, hardwood floor requires more care than a conventional floor to prevent damaging the floor’s finish during installation. Frequent use of a vacuum cleaner during installation is highly recommended to eliminate saw dust and wood chips.

- Place your tools on the plywood or on a piece of cardboard rather than directly on the hardwood floor.

- Verify frequently that the hardwood hammer works properly and make sure its base is clean. If the base is damaged or rough, place tape underneath it to protect your floor’s finish.

- To better hide the expansion joint around the room, cut the gypsum so that the wood can use that space as an expansion joint.

- If a strip presents too much color variation or a minor defect put it aside and use it in a less visible area such as a closet. You can also cut a defective strip and use it to start or end a row.

- Make sure the hardwood hammer is resting properly against the side of the strip before nailing. Inadequate positioning may damage the strips.

- If a nail is not driven-in completely, use a nail punch and a conventional hammer.

- Save remaining strips after installation and store them in a proper place for future repairs.

Maintenance

- Use non-wax flooring cleaner to keep your floor in good condition. Use of conventional, domestic cleaners may permanently damage your floor’s finish.

- Never clean your hardwood floor with a wet mop or cloth. Water and wood are natural enemies.

- Do not wax your hardwood floor.

- Vacuum your floor frequently to eliminate the presence of solid particles (such as sand) which may damage and/or scratch your floor.

- Place protective felt underneath your furniture to protect your floor. Clean the felt regularly and replace it when necessary.

- When moving heavy furniture (fridge, piano, etc.), place a thick rug underneath furniture legs before moving.