Installation Guide

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Cali Vinyl Flooring Installation Guide
Installation of Cali Vinyl™ Flooring by Cali Bamboo®
Before laying: Measure the room at right angle to the direction of the planks. Planks in the final row should be at least 1/3
the width of a plank. Due to this rule, planks in the first row can be cut to smaller size. Shuffle planks in order to obtain a
pleasant blend of shades. Lay planks preferably following the direction of the main source of light. We recommend laying on
wooden floors crossways to the existing floorboard. You should never nail or screw planks to the subfloor.
• Floor should be installed from several cartons at the same time to ensure good color, shade and appearance. Cali
Bamboo® Vinyl Plank will have 11+ patterns for each product.
Expansion gaps: Even though Cali Bamboo® Vinyl Plank will have very minimal expansion and contraction it is still required
to leave ¼” expansion space around the perimeter as well as all fixed objects (tile, fireplace, cabinets).
• When installing using the glue down method the use of transition pieces becomes optional.
• To cover your expansion space, Cali Bamboo® carries matching bamboo flooring moldings that include reducers,
t-moldings, baseboards, quarter rounds, and thresholds. Matching stair parts are also available; including stair nosing,
treads and risers. Please visit Cali Bamboo®’s Flooring Accessories webpage.
Tip: When installing around pipes, drill the hole ¾” larger than the diameter of the pipes.
Installing the first row:
1. Start out by pouring adhesive on to the subfloor. Make sure you do not pour out to much at one time. Cali Bamboo®
does not recommend spreading more than an arm’s length (6 to 8 feet) worth of adhesive at a time. This will help to
ensure the glue does not flash over before you can adhere the planks.
2. Use tapping block as necessary to fit planks together, but be careful not to let installed floor move on the wet adhesive
while you are working. Repeat these steps as you move along with the installation.
3. Starting from the left with the tongue-side facing the wall, carefully place the first board in place, using spacers to leave
a 1/4” expansion gap between wall and edges of the plank.
4. Install the second piece by aligning the butt end with the end of the first piece at a 45 degree angle. Softly push the
second piece down until the tongue and groove lock together to secure the joint on the ends. Continue in this manner
until reaching the final board in the first row.
5. Cut the final board piece to length and install it in the same manner as the previous piece.
Next steps:
1. If the cut plank is at least 8” in length, it can be used as a starter piece in another row. If the cut plank is shorter than
8” do not use it. Instead, begin with a new board that is at least 8” in length and allows 8” between the end joints on the
adjacent planks.
2. Position the first board in place by angling it up slightly, pushing forward and interlocking the side tongue. The long side
of the plank should fit snug with no gapping.
3. Install the second plank in the second row by partially disengaging the first plank for the purpose of locking the butt
ends of the first and second plank. Once this is done repeat step 2.
4. Carefully inspect the long edge and short ends of the plank for any gapping before moving on to the plank. If you notice
a gap, STOP, and reinstall the board to ensure a snug fit.
5. Install the remaining boards and rows in the same manner.
6. Cut the last board to size.
7. Whenever practical, use cut pieces from previous rows as the starter board to reduce waste, however, it is a best
practice when doing this to not create a repeating pattern. For a natural look rows and patterns should be staggered.
8. Maintain proper spacing (at least 8”) between end joints for best appearance.
Installation
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