Owner Manual

ManualsBrandsMohawk Flooring ManualsFlooringVintage Harbor Oak 5/9" Thick x 7" Wide x Varying Length Engineered Hardwood Flooring

Installation Instructions

For Mohawk Engineered Hardwood oors with Ply Construction

Underlayment

Use Performance Accessory Underlayments or equivalent with equal or better specifications. Underlayment requirements are critical to a floating installation.

Excessive pad compression or compaction is a common cause of seam failure. Lay the underlayment on the floor with the moisture barrier facing up. The

direction of the underlayment should lie parallel to the direction of the floor being installed.

For the first row of flooring, the underlayment should be placed so that approximately 1" overlaps onto all perpendicular walls. Place the following row

next to the first row on top of the lower moisture barrier overlap. Remove the adhesive strip and fold back the upper overlap on the second row. Make

sure the underlayment fits together tightly; don’t leave gaps. On the last row, place the underlayment 1" up the wall. To join rolls on the short side of the

underlayment, use a moisture resistant tape to connect the two pieces so water cannot penetrate the underlayment.

Expansion Space

An expansion space equal to the plank thickness must be maintained around the perimeter of the room, all pipes, counters, cabinets, fireplace hearths,

doorframes and any other fixed vertical objects in the room. Doorway or archways 48 inches or less and rooms larger than a 26' X 33' are required to

have a T-Molding.

Glue and Glue Placement

The recommended glue for floating installation is Performance Accessory Tongue & Groove D3 Rated Floating Floor Glue. The glue must be placed on every

plank along the topside of the groove and bottom side of the tongue for the full length of the side and end. Apply only a 3/32" bead of glue. If the groove is

filled with glue, it will be difficult to close the seam, preventing a tight fit.

Getting Started

The installation begins with three rows of flooring glued together and held in place with low adhesion delicate surface painters tape with the groove side

facing the wall. Spacers must be used to establish the expansion space from the walls equal to the plank thickness. These three rows must be straight,

square and in rack because they establish the alignment of the rest of the floor. After putting these three rows together, allow the glue to set 15 to 45

minutes before proceeding with the installation.

With the tongue facing out, the planks can be tapped together with a tapping block on the tongue to make a snug fit. After installing 8 or 10 rows of flooring,

stand back and check for crowning or heaving due to tension strapping or any damage caused by improper taping.

Cleaning

If any glue squeezes out of the seam between the planks, allow it to dry for 10 to 15 minutes and then lightly scrape it away with a plastic scraper or putty

knife. Any glue left may be cleaned with a damp cloth. Do not allow the glue to dry on the face of the flooring; it will be very difficult to clean off.

Row 1: It is necessary to work from right to left when installing tongue and groove engineered hardwood flooring. Plank 1 should be a full length board, laid in

the right hand corner of the room. Lay the plank with the groove of the long side facing the wall. Use wood wedges to maintain spacing around the perimeter of

the room equal to the plank thickness. Place each plank firmly against the wood wedges. Slide the end tongue of the board to be installed into the end groove of

the board previously installed. After setting the first row and making sure you’re working against a firm starting point, lay out three to four rows before starting

to install. Lay the rest, plank after plank, in this manner until you have completed the first row. Cut the last plank accordingly. Ensure that this first row is straight

using the wedges to maintain proper expansion space from the wall. Planks may require scribing and cutting to fit wall curvature if present.

Row 2: When possible, use leftover plank from the first row to begin the second row to minimize waste. Initial layout of material will allow you to check your end

seams to ensure they are not too close. End joints on adjoining rows should be offset by no less than 6". Align this plank and lock the side into place against the

first plank in row 1. The next plank is aligned with the end joint first into the previous plank in row 2. The side of plank is then tapped lightly against the previously

laid row. Continue laying in this way across the entire row. Remove the fitting wedge and press in the row of planks with a light pressure on the long side. The

Uniclic Tapping Block may be required to ensure a tight fit of all long-side joints. The planks are now laid row after row in this sequence.