Installation Instructions

• Basic Tools and Accessories:
Rubber mallet / 4d-6d Flooring nails / Jamb saw or hand saw / Chalk line / Pencil
/ 15 lbs. Asphalt felt / Table saw or band saw / Hammer / Tape measure /
Leading brand of hardwood flooring cleaner / Broom / Powernail manual 45 T&G
Powernailer, pneumatic 445 Powernailer or other machines designed or adapted
specifically to ¾” solid wood flooring / Quality moisture meter.
• Unfinished and factory-finished solid strip and solid plank flooring should be
installed perpendicular to the joists or on a diagonal for any single layer subfloor.
(Exception: Over diagonal, solid subfloor boards, install perpendicular to joists or
subfloor direction.)
• When ¾” solid strip and solid plank flooring is laid parallel with the floor joists,
follow one of these two steps:
o Add a layer of minimum nominal ½” (15/32”) CD Exposure 1 (CDX)
plywood underlayment to the existing subfloor (as previously
recommended).
o Or brace between truss/joists in accordance with the truss/joist
manufacturer's recommendations and with local building codes. Some
truss/joist systems cannot be cross-braced and still maintain stability.
• Before installing wood flooring, install an approved vapor retarder. Some
examples of acceptable vapor retarders over wood subfloors include:
o An asphalt laminated paper meeting UU-B-790a, Grade B, Type I, Style
1a.
o Asphalt-saturated kraft paper or #15 or #30 felt that meets ATM Standard
D-4869 or UU-B-790 Grade D.
• Wall Line Layout
• Choose a starting wall according to the most aesthetically or architecturally
important elements in the room, taking into consideration fireplaces, doors,
cabinets and transitions, as well as the squareness of the room. The starting wall
will often be the longest unbroken wall in the room.
• Snap a working line parallel to the starting wall, allowing ¾” expansion space
between the starting wall and edge of the first strip or plank run.