Installation Guide

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Cali Vinyl
®
Pro with Mute Step
®
Flooring Installation Guide
Page 16
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 multiple 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.
Quick Tip! When installing around pipes, drill the hole ¾” larger than the diameter of the pipes.
Installing the First Row:
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.
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 your next row. When laying the next row and
future rows, make sure that there is at least 8” between the plank end joints on adjacent rows. Avoid an “H” pattern by
varying the size of your starter piece. For a natural look rows and patterns should be staggered.
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. Slide this plank towards the butt end seam of your starter plank until the
tongue rests on the groove.
3. Use a tapping block and hammer to ensure engagement along the length of the plank . Avoid excessive force as it will
cause the plank seams to peak. Any gapping can affect the whole floor, so you want to make sure to ensure a tight fit
for every plank.
4. To engage the butt end seams properly, use a scrap of flooring at least 6” as a bridge piece to hold the planks together.
5. Use a tapping block and hammer at the end of the plank (exposed butt end seam) to engage the ends the planks
together. Only tap the top edge of the plank so that you do not damage the clicking mechanism. Ensure proper
engagement by using the rubber mallet along the engaged planks seams. Remove the bridge piece and continue the
row in the same fashion. Using the bridge piece ensures that the butt end seams are properly engaged to prevent any
gapping.
6. Use a pull bar and a hammer to engage the final plank in the row. Insert a spacer to ensure proper expansion space is
left. Continue installing the rest of the rows in the same manner.
Installation