Installation Guide

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Suboor Installaon
• Installaon on plywood and wood substrates: DO NOT install over parcleboard.
1. Suboor should be 3/4” or thicker plywood to be installed over 16” on center joists.
2. Lay plywood so grained outer plies are at right angles to joists; adjacent rows should be
staggered four feet and nailed with 7D or larger nails, every 6” along each joist.
3. Re-nail old oor where squeaks occur and sand down any high spots and install the new planks
perpendicular to the old boards, or overlay with ¼” plywood underlayment.
4. Leave a 1/8” gap at edges and nail every 6” at edges, and every 12” in both direcons and
through the interior of each plywood sheet with 7D or larger nails.
5. The plywood or wood substrates should have a moisture content within 2 percent of that of the
acclimated wood ooring.
• Installaon on concrete slabs
1. Concrete slabs must have at least ¾” of plywood and 6 mil polylm vapor-barrier aached, per
the NWFA guidelines for nail-down suboors on concrete.
2. Use mechanical fasteners including; powder-driven pins, pneumac driven nails, screws,
deformed pins, or other concrete-suitable applicaon.
3. Allow at least 3/4” for expansion around all vercal obstrucons.
4. Allow 1/8” space around staggered panels.
5. Fasten starng in the center and moving out, to prevent bowing.
6. Then fasten 2” from the edge at 6”-8” intervals along the perimeter of the sheet and then at
least one fastener spaced every 12” across the interior of the panel.
Center Line Layout Method
• Using the trammel point method nd the middle of the room and snap a line down the center in
the longest direcon.
• Using wood screws, install a starter board along the line.
• Now nail a rst row of ooring along the starter board, ensuring that the starter board does not
move during the process. The grove edge should be lined up against the starter board.
• Then drill and nail the rst three rows through the tongue. Top nails should not be used.
• A blind nailer should be used to install the remaining rows of ooring.
• Once the rst direcon is complete, remove the starter board and repeat in the other direcon.
Note that this will require the use of a spline or slip tongue to join the groove edges and reverse
direcon.
Hardwood Flooring
Installaon Guide