Installation Guide

INSTALLATION
Installing the Floor
1. Continue to install the ooring making sure to nail/staple 1”-2” from the ends and every 3”-4” thereafter.
2. Products that are 9/16" or thicker - nail/staple 1"-2" from the ends and every 6" to 8" thereafter.
3. Make certain the tool is adjusted properly to ensure that the fastener is at the proper angle and is ush within the nail pocket. As you continue working
across the oor try to maintain a six-inch minimum space between end joints. Randomly install different lengths to avoid a patterned appearance.
4. If needed use a tapping block to help engage the boards together until the tongue-and-groove is ush and tight and no gaps are present between
adjacent planks. NOTE: Never use a rubber mallet or hammer directly on the ooring to engage the tongue-and-groove. This can damage the ooring
and/or nish.
5. As you approach the end wall it may be necessary to cut the width of the last row – be sure to allow for the expansion along the end wall. Once the nal
cuts are made set planks into place.
6. The last few rows will need to be fastened by hand. To fasten the nal planks into place, you must either manually blind nail and/or face-nail through the
surface on the nal planks. Drill pilot holes at a 45-degree angle to the oor and blind nail using l” nishing nails. Alternatively, drill pilot holes in the
face every 6” (try to drill holes in darker portion of the wood) and install with 1” nishing nails. Countersink nails and ll with appropriate colored wood
ller – remove excess ller from surface with a clean rag and proper cleaner.
FLOATING FLOOR INSTALLATION GUIDELINES
(5 Ply Products 3/8” & ½” thick, 3” or wider only)
Additional tools & material needed:
Floating Floor Adhesive
Shaw T&G Adhesive
Terry Cloth Towels
Foam underlayment
Pry/Pull Bar
Clean Green™ Hardwood
Floor Cleaner / Shaw R2X
6 Mil Poly Plastic Sheeting
Tapping Block & Spacers
2in1 Underlayment
Before you begin using the following instructions, please refer to the Pre-Installation Job Prep information above.
6 Mil Polyethylene not required over a vinyl, wood, or a wood product sub oor.
6 Mil Polyethylene required over concrete type suboors – on grade or below grade.
Do not install over carpet.
If installing over vinyl, ensure that the vinyl is secure to the sub oor. Do not install over perimeter glued vinyl.
If installing over an existing wood oor, install the ooring at right angles to the wood oor.
Secure creaking and loose oorboards with screws.
Do not install over wood ooring glued to a concrete sub oor.
½” of expansion space required at all vertical surfaces.
Note: Larger rooms require additional expansion space. Add 1/16” to the width of the expansion space for every 3’ the room extends beyond 25’.
Dimensions exceeding 40’in length or width – it is recommended to use a T-Molding for proper expansion.
Getting Started
1. Remove all doors and shoe moldings. Undercut all door casings 1/16” higher than the thickness of the ooring and underlayment to be installed. Place a
scrap piece of plank and a sheet of underlayment against the door casing to act as a guide and cut the door casing with a hand saw or power jamb saw
set to the correct height.
2. After determining the direction to run the planks, measure the width of the room (the dimension perpendicular to the direction of the ooring). The last
row of the ooring should be no less than 1 ½” wide; if it is less, cut the width of the starter row to avoid a narrow last row.
3. Select a starter wall. An outside wall is best: it's most likely to be straight and square with the room. Measure out from the wall, at each end, the overall
width of the plank plus ½” for expansion. If the rst row requires ripping then measure from the wall the width of the ripped board plus ½” for expansion.
4. Snap a chalk line using a (brightly colored chalk) from these points.
5. Install Underlayment: Unroll the 6 mil. Poly sheeting overlapping edges 4” and seal seams with clear plastic tape. Allow the poly to run 2” up the wall
and trim back after installation of ooring. Install 1/8” foam underlayment.
Note: Use of a oating oor 2 in 1 underlayment may be used. Follow manufacturer’s instructions for application installing the 2 in 1
underlayment.
6. Prior to installing the ooring, secure a straight edge (starter board) inside the chalk line to act as a guide and to prevent the row of planks from shifting
during installation. The straightedge could be a straight piece of lumber or piece of ooring. This is temporary and will be replaced as the oor is
completed.

Installing the Floor
1. Insert spacers at walls to maintain the expansion space between the ooring and the wall.
2. Before starting to glue planks, dry lay the rst two rows of ooring. Working from right to left, install planks so that the groove faces the straight edge
(starter board). When reaching the end of the rst row, cut the plank as necessary to t. On the rst 4 rows stagger end joints a minimum of 16” and then
8” thereafter.
3. Use the remainder of the plank from the rst row to start the second row. If the piece is less than 8” long, cut a new plank in half and use that piece to
start the second row.
4. Lay the remainder of the planks in the second row. Make sure that the rows are straight and no gapping exists on the sides or ends. Once you have dry
laid the rst two rows, remove all the planks in order. You are ready to begin.
5. Begin gluing the boards; Run a continuous bead of adhesive along the groove of the short side (width) and the plank’s side groove (length). Proper
alignment is critical. Misaligned starter rows can cause side and end gaps to appear in proceeding rows of ooring.
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For reference purposes only if printed or downloaded.