Installation Guide

Doc. ID: 124 Rev: 5 Effective: 8/2015 Page | 6
Nail Down Installation
Step 1 – Establish a Starting Line
• Lay out the direction of the floor. Install flooring perpendicular to joists. If it is to be in parallel to the joist, reinforce subfloor with a
layer of 1/2” CDX ply.
• Select a straight starter wall.
• Mark the starting line using a chalk line or a string between two nails. This distance between the wall and the line should equal the
face width of floor plank plus 1” (3/4” expansion gap plus 1/4” standard tongue width = 1”). Do not include the width of the tongue.
This will result in 3/4” expansion gap between flooring and the wall.
Step 2 – Install the First and Second Rows
• Lay the first plank behind the chalk line with the tongue facing the center or the room. Position the edge of the tongue on the line.
Leave a 3/4” gap between flooring end and the wall.
• On the groove side, pre-drill and face nail. (refer to page 3 for spacing guidelines)
• On the tongue side, pre-drill at 45° angle and blind nail by hand through the nailing “pocket” on top of the tongue.
• Counter sink the nails with nail set. Repeat same method to complete first row.
• On the second row, if you can safely use your power nailer use it. If not, pre-drill the tongue at 45° angle and repeat hand blind nailing
with finish nails as above.
Step 3 – Install the Remaining Rows
• If the pneumatic or power nailer cannot be used on the next row, repeat the second row installation method until the power nailer
can be used.
• When the pneumatic nailer can be used, blind nail the rows on the tongue side. Place nails at the same intervals as the previous rows.
• Maintain a minimum 6” end joints stagger between rows.
Step 4 – Install the Last Row
• Use the pull bar to draw the last row to fit tightly to the previous row.
• Face-nail the last row on the tongue side.
• If the last row is less than 1” wide, it should first be glued to the previous uninstalled row and the two as a joined unit should be face
nailed as one.