Fitting Guide - Solid Flooring

Important checks before installation:

Wood is a living substance that reacts to changes in relative humidity. Wood gains and loses moisture before and after installation, as surrounding conditions fluctuate. Indeed, wood expands in the summer when humidity level is high and contracts in the winter when the humidity level is much lower. To minimize the expansion or contraction of your hardwood floor, it is recommended that the building should be well ventilated and the relative humidity level maintained to at least 45% all year long. Before you begin, plastering and cement work must be completely dry. The wood must be left to acclimatize at house temperature for a period of at least 48 hours we recomend 7 days at the ideal relative humidity level, which is 45%. For new constructions or renovations, the house should be occupied and heating running for at least 2 weeks. Be sure to maintain a level temperature and humidity for at least five days prior to installation. The house must be heated at 22 degrees.

Testing the sub-floor for excess moisture:

If sub-floor is concrete:
Solid hardwood floors should not be installed over a concrete sub-floor, you warranty will be void if you install directly over concrete sub-floor. For a concrete sub-floor please use Teal Flooring?s engineered hardwood flooring.

If sub-floor is plywood:
The level of moisture in the plywood sub-floor must be tested using a hygrometer. The moisture content reading must not exceed 12%. If a higher percentage reading is measured, the fitting of the timber floor should not go ahead. If the humidity level is too high, turn up the heat and open the windows. Wait until the correct moisture level has been achieved before installing.

Installation:

Tools required:

* Hardwood floor nailer (with rubber mallet)
* Electric drill and bits
* Tenon-saw, circular saw or handsaw
* Claw hammer and nail punch
* Measuring tape
* Chalk line

Before you begin, it is important to verify that the nailer is in good working condition to prevent damage to the planks.

General preparation:

* Remove the base molding boards.
* Using a handsaw, cut the bottom of the door frames ?" (19mm) in order to slide a hardwood plank beneath the door.

Preparation for installing solid flooring:

Having tested your sub-floor for moisture as directed, the next step is to put down a vapor barrier. For this you must use 1000 gauge polythene. Ensure your sub-floor is clean and free from grit to avoid puncturing the polythene. Unroll the polythene over the sub-floor allowing an overlap at the joints of at least 100mm. Make sure you allow enough polythene to extend under the molding boards and that the polythene lies flat to avoid any bunching. All joints must be sealed using waterproof tape.

If you are installing your solid floor over a concrete sub-floor, you now put down your fixing base. For this you can use full sheets of 19mm plywood or pre-treated 35x50mm timber batons. Both sheets and batons must be fixed to the sub-floor using hammer in fixings. Batons should be fixed no more than 200 - 250mm apart from each other.

Step by Step Installation:

* Begin in the corner where the two longest straight walls come together and preferably lay your flooring in the direction of the incoming light. If you are fitting your floor over an existing plywood sub-floor, you should lay your flooring in the opposite direction to the existing floor
* Using the chalk line, draw a line 12mm larger than the width of the timber board out from your starting wall.
* Select your floor boards select your boards with care, making sure to reject any flawed pieces.
* Expansion Gaps: You must leave expansion gaps of 1mm (size of a small washer) every 4 - 5 rows to allow for timber movement and to prevent cupping. Also, an expansion gap of 12mm should be left around the perimeter of the floor by the walls and also around radiator pipes.
* Lay the groove edge of your first board on the guideline (groove edge facing wall) and fix through the face of the board to the sub-floor. Continue in this manner until the first row is complete.
* Start the second row with a board that is shorter or longer than the board used in the first row to avoid aligning the joints. Set the board in place and secure with secret nails through the tongue using your hardwood floor nailer. Nail every 8 - 10" and never nail closer than 3" towards the end of a board.
* Install the subsequent rows in the same manner, continuing to alternate with boards of different lengths to avoid aligning joints.
* The last three rows should be installed in the same manner as the first row. Finally slot row zero behind the first row and face nail in the same fashion.
* Nail holes can be filled using a matching wax or wood filler.
* Replace the moldings.
* Enjoy a Lifetime of Beauty that your new hardwood floor will bring you.

Fitting Guide ? Engineered Flooring

Important checks before installation:

Wood is a living substance that reacts to changes in relative humidity. Wood gains and loses moisture before and after installation, as surrounding conditions fluctuate. Indeed, wood expands in the summer when humidity level is high and contracts in the winter when the humidity level is much lower. To minimize the expansion or contraction of your hardwood floor, it is recommended that the building should be well ventilated and the relative humidity level maintained to at least 45% all year long. Before you begin, plastering and cement work must be completely dry. For new constructions or renovations, the house should be occupied and heating running for at least 2 weeks. Be sure to maintain a level temperature and humidity for at least five days prior to install. Brazilian Cherry or Jatoba must not be installed over radiant heat due to its specific physical properties. The house should be heated to 22 degrees.

Testing the sub-floor for excess moisture:

If sub-floor is concrete:
Concrete sub floor should be a minimum of 30 days old to ensure it is totally cured and the moisture rate must not exceed 3 lbs / 1000 ft2 / 24 hrs. If moisture reading is too high use a complete moisture proofing system (sealer and adhesive), suggested manufactures are Bostik, Franklin, or Sika.

If sub-floor is plywood:
The level of moisture in the plywood sub-floor must be tested using a hygrometer. The moisture content reading must not exceed 12%. If a higher percentage reading is measured, the fitting of the floor should not go ahead. If the humidity level is too high, turn up the heat and open the windows. Wait until the correct moisture level has been achieved before installing.

Preparation for Engineered flooring:

* Stapled down installation requires a 5/8 or 3/4 OSB or plywood sub floor
* Make sure sub floor is securely screwed down to prevent squeaks
* Sub floor must be flat and have a max tolerance of 3/16 per 10 foot if necessary flatten down irregularities and fill any uneven spots with a leveling compound
* Vacuum and make sure there is no debris or obstacles such as nail heads or dry glue
* Remove the base molding boards.
* Using a handsaw, cut the bottom of the door frames in order to slide a plank beneath the door.

Glued Down Installation: (direct over concrete)

Make sure sub floor prep is done

Recommended Adhesives:

* Bostik?s Urethane Adhesives (nest, BST or EFA)
* Franklin 811 Advantage
* Sikabond T-54 or T-55

Tools required:

* Tenon-saw, circular saw or handsaw
* Rubber mallet
* Chalk line
* Measuring tape
* Adhesive (Glue)
* Trowel recommended by adhesive manufacture since teeth size is important for best adherence
* 2 inch concrete nails and a 1? x 3? x 8? laths for first row holding block
* Claw hammer
* 3m adhesive tape or an easily removable equivalent
* 100 to 150 lb roller
* Towels for cleaning
* Square

Glued Down Installation:

* Using the chalk line, draw a line 1/4 inch larger than the width of the timber board out from your starting wall.
* Select your floor boards select your boards with care, making sure to reject any flawed pieces.
* Expansion Gap of 1/4 inch should be left around the perimeter of the floor by the walls and also around radiator pipes.
* The working area between starting wall and starting line will be the last floor section laid. Measure width of two pieces of flooring back from the wall minus the width of the 1/4 inch expansion gap and fasten the holding block there. Make sure this is square as this will be used to secure the starting row in place.
* For the best adhesive application work the trowel in a circular motion at 45% angle; adhesive left on floor by trowel teeth is all that is needed. (One gallon covers about 50 ft2, please see container specs)
* Only cover surface that can be reasonably be laid in a 2 hour time period as adhesive may dry quickly. Please refer to adhesive instructions for exact reaction times as they may be affected by room temperature and relative humidity.
* It is important that install be started straight and square
* Select boards and lay in working area leaving a 1/4 inch gap along side the wall perpendicular to starting line. Prop tongue side against the holding block and press first board down into adhesive
* Install additional boards from left to right until ready to trim first row end board
* To minimize waste select a board long enough, so that the remaining trim piece can be used to start the next row. Leave a 1/4 inch gap at end of each row
* To prevent end joint alignment, the first board of the next row must be at least 6 inches shorter or longer than that of the previous row
* Insert tongue end into the board groove and lower board as close as possible to adjacent one, slide tongue into groove and press board down.
* Proceed the same way for subsequent rows.
* Row to row install requires that no glue seeps into grooves for perfect tongue and groove fit
* To keep boards in place and avoid movement during install use the adhesive tape
* Now use the roller over the laid section before adhesive dries, please use protective padding on the roller to prevent damage to the surface of the floor.
* Once the main part of the floor has been laid, remove the blocking board used for the starting row and complete the install in the same manner as above. Be sure to leave the minimum required expansion gap of 1/4 inch at the wall.
* Please wait 24 hrs before moving furniture back into place after install.
* Set aside a few boards in case of future repairs.
* Replace the moldings.
* Enjoy a Lifetime of Beauty that your new hardwood floor will bring you.

Stapled Down Installation:

Make sure sub floor prep is done

Tools required:

* Tenon-saw, circular saw or handsaw
* Rubber mallet
* Chalk line
* Measuring tape
* Claw hammer
* Square
* Pneumatic stapler
* Power drill and 1/16 bit
* Finishing nails
* Flooring screws

Stapled Down Installation:

* Using the chalk line, draw a line 1/4 inch larger than the width of the timber board out from your starting wall.
* Select your floor boards select your boards with care, making sure to reject flawed pieces.
* Expansion Gap of 1/4 inch should be left around the perimeter of the floor by the walls and also around radiator pipes.
* It is important that install be started straight and square
* Align first board groove side with starting line, tongued side facing work area leaving a 1/4 inch gap along side the wall perpendicular to starting line. Drill and nail board vertically as close to the wall as possible to hide nail heads when base boards and/or qtr rounds are in place.
* Install additional boards from left to right until ready to trim the end board
* To minimize waste select a board long enough, so that the remaining trim piece can be used to start the next row. Leave a 1/4 inch gap at end of each row
* To prevent end joint alignment, the first board of the next row must be at least 6 inches shorter or longer than that of the previous row
* Since wall proximity limits use of stapler use finishing nails about every 4 inches alongside the tongue for the first few rows, and punch the nail heads down
* Additional rows may be installed the same way using the stapler. Staple boards every 4 to 5 inches, but at more than 2 inches from each board end.
* Because of wall proximity install of the last 4 or 5 rows is identical to first few rows. You might also have to rip the last row of boards to leave the required 1/4 inch gap from the wall.
* Set aside a few boards in case of future repairs.
* Nail holes can be filled using a matching wax or wood filler.
* Replace the moldings.
* Enjoy a Lifetime of Beauty that your new hardwood floor will bring you.