Installation Guide

4
Lowes.com
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Pre-Installation and Jobsite Conditions Acclimation
•Manufacturerrequiresengineeredhardwoodproductstobeacclimatedforaminimumof48hourspriortoinstallation.Acclimationallowsooringto
achieveequilibriummoisturecontent(EMC)withtheinstallationenvironment.Allwoodcontinuallyexpandsandcontractsuntilitreachesmoisture
equilibriumwiththeenvironmentinwhichit’sinstalled.
deliverwoodooringtothejobsiteorinstallwoodooringuntilappropriatetemperatureandhumidityconditionshavebeenachieved.Flooring
shouldbedeliveredandstoredinsidetheHVACcontrolledportionofthejobsiteforaminimumof48hourspriortoinstallationtoallowtheproductto
acclimate.Flooringshouldbestackedwithatleasta4in.airspaceunderthecartons.Removeanyandallplasticwrapthatmayhavebeenusedto
ship the material.
•Makecertaintheroomtemperaturewheretheproductisacclimatedissettonormallivingconditionsasdescribedabove.Toreducetheriskof
moisturerelatedfailures,thesuboorandwoodooringmustbeofsimilarmoisturecontent.Testthesuboorbytakingaminimumof20moisture
contentreadingsper1000squarefeetofsuboorusingapin-typemoisturemeter.AveragethesereadingsandrecordtheminthePre-Installation
SuboorMoistureTestingsectionbelow.
•Likewise,checkthewoodooringmoisturecontentandrecordonthesamesheet.Whenboththesuboorandooringarebelow12%moisture
contentandtheooringiswithin4%ofthesuboormoisture,acclimationiscomplete.Theooringisacclimatedandreadyforinstallationonlywhenit
hasreachedamoisturecontentlevelconsistentwiththejobsiteandnormallivingconditions.
DO NOTinstalltheooruntilthesemoistureconditionsaremet.
Note: Toincreasereliability,suboorappropriatemoisturetestingshouldbeperformedaftertheHVACsystemhasbeeninoperationforaminimumof
14days.Excessmoistureonanyooringsubstrateifnotidentiedandcorrectedpriortoinstallationwillcauseoorcoveringfailure.WarrantiesDO
NOT cover any problems due to moisture levels that exceed these guidelines.

Use this section to record pre-installation moisture content readings.

Date: _____________ Installation Company: ______________________________
Moisture readings taken by: ____________________________________________
MoistureContent:_______%AverageMoistureContentofSuboor
 _______%AverageMoistureContentofHardwood
 _______%Differencebetweensuboorandooring

Date: _____________ Installation Company: _______________________________
Moisture readings taken by: _____________________________________________
Testmethodused:____CalciumChloride(ASTMF1869)___RH(ASTMF2170-02)1869_____ElectronicMeter(Tramexorequivalent)
MoistureReadings:_____________________________________________
_______________ _______________ _______________

•Theserecommendationsarenotintendedtosupersedefederal,stateorlocalbuildingcodes,butaswithmanyotherinteriornishproducts,mayrequire
modifyingexistingstructuralcomponentsforasuccessfulinstallation.Hardwoodooringisnotastructuralcomponent.Theproductwarrantydoesnot
protectagainstlosscausedbyinadequatesuboors,ooringsubstructuresorimproperinstallationofsaidsubstructures.

•Clean–Suboormustbecleanandfreeofdirt,curingcompounds,drywallmud,wax,paint,oil,sealers,adhesivesandotherdebris.Thesemaybe
removed mechanically. Do not install over chemically cleaned substrates.
•Flat–Mustbe3/16in.with10ft.radiusand/or1/8in.with6ft.radius.Sandhighareasorjoints.Filllowareaswithahigh-compressivestrength(3000
PSImin.)cement-basedunderlaymentller.
•Dry–Woodoormoistureshouldbeevaluatedusingtheguidancesuppliedaboveundertheheading“Acclimation”.Concretesuboorsmustbecuredfor
aminimumof30days.ThemoisturecontentofaconcretesuboorshouldbetestedusingaCalciumChloridetest(ASTM-F-1869orASTMF-710)and
shownogreaterthan3lbs.per1,000squarefeetin24hoursorinaccordancewithASTMF2170latestversionRHin-situprobe.Ifmoisturelevelsexceed
these limits, DO NOTinstalltheooringuntilappropriatecorrectionsaremade.

•Screwdownanyareasthatarelooseorsqueak.Woodpanelsshouldexhibitanadequatefasteningpattern,glued/screwedornailedasthatsystem
requires,usinganacceptablenailingpattern.Typical:6in.alongbearingedgesand12in.alongintermediatesupports.Flattenedgeswellasnecessary.
Replaceanywater-damaged,swollenordelaminatedsubooringorunderlayment.
•Buildingcodesestablishrequirementsforstructuralsupportcomponentsofooringsystemsthatmaynotprovideadequaterigidityandsupportforproper
installationandperformanceofahardwoodoor.Wheneverpossible,installooringperpendiculartotheoorjoistsformaximumstability.