Installation Instructions
OWNER / INSTALLER RESPONSIBILITY
Hardwood ooring is a beautiful and unique product of nature, which is characterized by distinctive variations
in grain and color. These natural variations in color and grain are not aws, but are part of the natural beauty
and uniqueness of hardwood ooring Direct Loc® hardwood ooring is manufactured in accordance with
accepted industry standards (NWFA Hardwood Flooring Guidelines), which permit a defect tolerance not to
exceed 5%. The defects may be manufacturing or natural type.
•The installer assumes all responsibility for final inspection of product quality. This inspection of all flooring
should be done before installation. Carefully examine the flooring for color, finish, and quality before
installing it. Use reasonable selectivity and hold out pieces with glaring defects whatever the cause. If
material is not acceptable contact your Direct Loc® dealer immediately. Materials installed with visible
defects are not covered under warranty. B.R. Custom Surface will not assume any responsibility for
installed material.
•Before beginning the installation of any flooring product, the installer must determine that the environment
of the job site and the condition and type of the sub floor involved is acceptable. B.R. Custom Surface
declines any responsibility for job failure resulting from
or associated with inappropriate or improperly
prepared sub floors or job site environment deficiencies.
•When Direct Loc® flooring is purchased, a 5-10% allowance factor, depending on layout, must be added to
the actual square footage amount needed to complete the installation.
JOB SITE INSPECTION AND ACCLIMATION
•In new construction, hardwood ooring should be one of the last items installed. All work involving water or
moisture (plumbing, acoustical ceilings, dry wall tapping, etc.) should be completed prior to hardwood
ooring being installed. Heating and air systems should be fully operational, maintaining a consistent room
temperature at 60-80°F and a constant relative humidity of 30-50%.
•Flooring should not be delivered until the building has been closed in and cement work, painting, and other
materials are completely dry. Concrete and plaster should be cured and at least 60-90 days old. Check
basements and under oor crawl space to be sure that they are dry and well ventilated to avoid damage
caused by moisture.
•Flooring should be at the job site at least 72 hours before installation. Do not open until ready to install.
•Handle with care. Do not stand on ends. Store hardwood ooring in a dry place being sure to provide at least
a four-inch air space under and around the cartons
•Do not store directly upon grade concrete or next to outside walls. Cartons should be placed in the
installation area.
Installation Instructions
PLEASE READ AND REVIEW THE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE PROCEEDING
WITH THE ACTUAL INSTALLATION
BR Custom Surface
18167 E. Petroleum Dr.,
Suite A Baton Rouge, LA
70809
T: 1(866)-208-8116
F: 1(866)-533-1350
E: info@customsurface.com
W: customsurface.com
JOB SITE PREPARATION
•Acclimate product for 72 hours prior to installation.
•Verify oor is level and structurally sound. Repair as needed.
•Undercut door castings.
•Remove any existing wall base, shoe molding, quarter round or doorway thresholds.
•Cover the clean sub oor, wall to wall, with felt/building paper, pad underlayment, of similar material. This helps keep out dust,
hinders moisture movement from below, and helps prevent squeaks in dry seasons.
SOME INSTALLATION BASICS
Designers, architects, builders or homeowners in a position of overseeing an installation by professional installers should keep in
mind some simple “rules” that apply in the laying of any hardwood oor.
Tools needed to ensure proper installation:
•Do not underestimate the importance of a good pad underlayment for your Direct Loc® ooring. Not only will it help decrease any
hollow or creaking sounds that you might experience (as is common with any oating oor) but it can also serve as a vapor barrier
and insulator between your new hardwood oors and your suboor.
•Make sure the sub oor is DRY, level and free of squeaks. Measure the moisture content of the sub oor in several locations. The
moisture content of the suboor and the moisture content of the ooring should not dier by more than 4%. The installer and
homeowner are jointly responsible for checking the sub-oor moisture content. Do not install oor if moisture test reading
exceeds 12%
•All wood ooring displays some slight color variation board to board. Unpack and lay out ahead of the installer (called “racking”)
four or ve cartons of ooring so that variations can be mixed in a random pattern and not consolidated in a single area.
•Begin laying the oor from the end of the room that is the aesthetic focal point. This way, the partial board that has to be top
nailed or other corrections due to the actual geometry of the room, occur at the visually “unimportant” end of the room.
•Make certain that sucient expansion space is left at the perimeter of the installation. In climate areas where the humidity of the
room varies seasonally very little, a minimum expansion space of 1/4” is recommended. In areas where humidity variation is high
and uctuates from season to season an expansion space of 1/2” is suggested. The end joints of the oorboards should be
randomly positioned one to another to avoid visually symmetrical patterns like “stair casing”.
FLOORING INSTALLATION
The installer, before installation, must inspect boards. Any board installed shall be considered as accepted by the installer and/or
the buyer, and as such, cannot be deemed defective in manufacture, classication, or nish, under this warranty. If unhappy with
wood grade or product quality, halt installation and contact BR Custom Surface at 1-866-208-8116 or send an email to
info@customsurface.com immediately. Boards having an apparent defect should be set aside and will be considered a part of the
5% accepted by the industry. Also, boards should, before installation, be exposed to the room's temperature and humidity
for 72 hours.
►STEP 1: ESTABLISH A STARTING POINT
•Installation parallel to the longest wall is recommended for best visual eects, however, the oor should be installed
perpendicular to the ooring joints unless the suboor has been reinforced to reduce suboor sagging.
•When possible, always begin layout or installation from an outside wall, as these are normally the straightest.
•Before beginning to lay your oor, be sure to leave 1/4” of space between the rst row of boards and the wall. To determine a
straight line for your rst row of boards, measure the width of the board being installed and add 1/4” to this measurement.
Measure this distance away from the outside wall in 2 separate locations. Drop a straight chalk line between these
measurements on top of previously laid underlayment to act as a guide for your rst row of ooring. Place your rst board in
between the chalk line and the wall with the groove side of the board up against the chalk line.
•Begin installing the rst row of boards with tongue facing the wall.
•Attach the end joints of each board by starting at an angle to the previous board and folding each new board down into the
previous board. (These boards will be secured once the next row of ooring is installed). The last board laid will probably need
to be cut to t, making sure to leave 1/4” expansion from the side wall.
►STEP 2: INSTALLING THE REMAINING FLOOR
•The cut piece left over from the rst row can be used to begin the installation of the second row. (If the cut piece is shorter than
8”, however, do not use this. You would next begin with a new board.)
•Install the rst board of the second row in place by angling it up slightly, pushing forward and locking the side tongue into the
groove of the board in the rst row.
•Carefully push the board down into place, locking the tongue and groove of 2 boards together. The ends of each board are
attached by simply folding one board down onto the next. When the side of the board from the next row is installed, the tongue
of this board will lock into the groove of the previous row. This will hold all boards of the previous row securely in place.
•Continue down the second row of installation in a similar manner. After all boards in a row are installed, press down rmly or
walk on the row to make sure all the boards are lying at on the suboor. All remaining boards and rows are easily installed in the
same manner.
•Continue installing across the room, ending up on the far wall with the same 1/4” expansion space as on the beginning wall. In
the end, there will be 1/4” of space surrounding the perimeter of your room to allow for probable expansion or our ooring.
►STEP 3: INSTALL MOLDINGS AND COORDINATED TRANSITION PIECES
•Moldings and transition strips can be attached with nails or construction adhesive.
•Always predrill moldings and transition strips prior to nailing.
•Never fasten transition pieces to the hardwood oor, and always maintain a 1/4” expansion space.
Before placing furniture onto your new hardwood oor, make certain that all furniture legs have felt protectors or similar.
EXPANSION CRACKS AND SQUEAKS
Hardwood oors are aected by the changing seasons. At times your home is being heated and at times it is being cooled.
Recognizing that wood oor dimensions will be slightly aected by varying levels of humidity in your home, care should be taken
to control humidity levels within the 35%-55% range. If humid weather causes a slight expansion in your hardwood oor, the
board edges may rub together, producing a slight squeak. Never obstruct the expansion joints you left around the perimeter of
your oor during installation.
CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE OF A HARDWOOD FLOOR
A good quality dust mop is the most eective tool for cleaning dust and dirt o your new oor. To keep your oors looking their
best, dust mop at least twice a week to remove loose dirt or grit before it can scratch the surface of your oor. Water and
hardwood oors do not mix. Never wet-mop your oor, and always clean up spills and standing water immediately. Moisture that
is allowed to seep into the seams between planks will damage your ooring. Moisture damage is not covered by the warranty.
Besides using a dust mop to remove loose dirt, spray cleaners for pre-nished engineered wood ooring, like Aqua Shine, Shaw
R2X, or compatible, work well to clean your oor’s surface when more than regular dust mopping is needed. DO NOT USE: steel
wool, scouring powder, abrasive cleaners or detergents on your hardwood ooring. Oils from asphalt driveways or roads will tend
to leave a stain. Be sure to clean shoes and entry mats well. Grease tar or oil can be removed with a cloth that is dampened with
light mineral spirits. This usually lifts lipstick, crayon and most rubber scus. The help guard against scratches and dents, place
protective pads under furniture legs, appliances, and chairs. Make sure the protective pads are large enough to distribute weight
evenly. Use at least one-inch wide soft vinyl or rubber rollers when necessary. The ball type casters may damage your ooring. If
your hardwood ooring is adjacent to an exterior door, place doormats outside at the entrance to keep dirt and grit from being
tracked inside.
The 30-year nish and wear warranty does not make your oor resistant to scratching and denting. Many sharp objects can
easily scratch the nish of a hardwood oor. Care and preventative maintenance must be used to keep your new oor looking
as beautiful as when it was installed.
Thank you for choosing our Direct Loc® pre-nished hardwood ooring. Our products carry a thirty year (30) wear warranty and a
lifetime structural integrity warranty. Under the terms of this warranty, BR Custom Surface agrees to, at its discretion, either
replace or repair manufacturing defects of any product covered by warranty and subject to the following conditions and
exclusions.
STRUCTURAL DEFECTS
Hardwood oors are manufactured from natural material. Our lifetime structural integrity warranty covers any manufacturing
defects and classication errors. Manufacturing defects would include defects caused by improper milling, nishing, grading or
assembling. It also guarantees that this ooring will not warp, cup or buckle when properly installed and cared for. The accepted
industry standard of a 5% margin of imperfection shall not be considered a structural defect under the terms of this warranty.
WEAR
The UV cured aluminum oxide based nish has a thirty year (30) limited wear warranty, from date of purchase, against aking,
peeling and wearing through for as long as the original purchaser owns the home.
WARRANTY CONDITIONS
This warranty applies only to pre-nished hardwood ooring that has been installed and used strictly and exclusively for
residential purposes, not for commercial or industrial use. In addition, the ooring must be installed in compliance with the
installation and maintenance guide.
WARRANTY EXCLUSIONS
This warranty applies only to the original buyer and is nontransferable. When making a claim, proof of purchase or a receipt is required.
The warranty against wear excludes any damage caused by water or use of wet cleaning tools. Damage caused by lack of maintenance or
negligence, marks or scratches from heavy blows, furniture, house pet’s nails, high heels, rocks, sand and other abrasives, along with lack of
adequate prevention or protection and excessive environmental conditions are not covered under this warranty, Also, worn ooring must
cover more than 10% of oor surface.
Moreover, BR Custom Surface cannot guarantee its nish against fading due to normal wear. Discoloration from the sun is not covered under
warranty. It is recommended to move furniture and area rugs periodically so that any changes in the oor’s color will happen consistently. To
protect hardwood oors, it is recommended that felt pads, which should be cleaned or changed regularly, be placed under the bottom of
furniture legs. Rugs should be placed in doorways, high trac areas and places where water may be a problem (i.e. sinks).
Wood expands and contracts with seasonal changes in temperature and humidity. Even when properly installed slight gaps between boards
may appear. These are not covered under the warranty.
This warranty does not cover damage sustained during transport, storage, installation or by any other cause not expressly covered by the
warranty as described herein. This warranty does not cover labor costs or any other losses or expenses incurred as a result of a covered
defect. The responsibility of BR Custom Surface, under terms of the warranty, is limited to replacing defective products or refunding the
portion of the oor in question as covered under the warranty.
This warranty specically replaces and excludes any other warranty in relation to our products, including the legal warranty in jurisdictions
where exclusion of such warranties may be provided for law. Under no circumstances may the product buyer exercise any type of recourse
whatsoever against BR Custom Surface except for conditions specically provided for in this warranty.
BR Custom Surface
18167 E. Petroleum Drive l Suite A l Baton Rouge, LA 70809
T: 1(866)-208-8116 F: 1(866)-533-1350 E: info@customsurface.com W: customsurface.com