INSTALLATION: Instructions

GENERAL RULES:

3/4" solid flooring is intended for installation on or above grade. For installation below grade, special precautions must be taken, including an assessment of the humidity levels and seasonal variations in humidity. Windsor Plywood can best offer you advice in this area. Also do not install over radiant heat installed within concrete floors.

Your flooring should be delivered at least 72 hours before installation. Boxes should be opened and heating or air conditioning should be on so that the flooring can acclimate to the conditions under which it will remain after installation.

Your wood flooring requires 1/2" to 3/4" expansion void between the first and last rows of planks and the walls, and at all vertical obstructions within the room. This space must be covered by baseboard and shoe mold after floor installation.

Your new flooring should be installed at right angles to your joists. When installing over old flooring, the flooring should be installed at right angles to the old flooring. Otherwise, the old floor should be overlaid with 1/2" plywood gapped 1/8" at the edges and nailed with 7D or larger nails.

High spots on subfloor should be sanded down and renailed where necessary to eliminate any squeaks or loose boards.

Because of the natural colour variation in hardwood flooring, it is important to work out of three or four cartons at a time to assure a beautiful blend of shading. Lay out a portion of the floor before nailing, providing a good mix of long and short boards and ensuring that all joists are spread out evenly. Joints should be a minimum of 6" to 8" apart.

Proper nail spacing is one nail every 8" to 10" with at least two nails in every board. Every board should be nailed so that there is a nail within the last three inches of both ends of the board.

Use 2" nails for machine nailing over plywood-on-joists and use 1-3/4" nails for machine nailing over plywood on concrete.

The following tools are needed for installation: tape measure, broom, chalkline, hammer, nail punch, prybar, circular saw, miter saw or table saw, and power nailer or mallet.

INSTALLATION:

Ensure sub-floor is clean, with no high spots or loose boards.

From the starting wall, measure out a distance at each corner equal to the width of the board plus 3/4". Snap a chalkline between these two points as a guide for the first row.

Lay the first row. Pre-drill and face-nail this first row 1/2" to 3/4" from the edge closest to the starting wall in the darker grain of the wood with 7D or 8D cut steel type flooring nails. Edge nail the boards at 45 degree angle through the tongue of the board.

After completion of the first row, go back and sink the face nails with a nail punch. Any holes that will not be hidden by baseboard molding will need to be filled with filler which blends with the floor.

Subsequent rows can now be placed and nailed, using 45 degree edge nailing only. The power nailer can be used when space from the wall allows. Typically, the first few rows will need to be done by hand. Also, the last few rows will need to be hand nailed.

When fitting the last rows, be sure to rip the board to allow for the required 1/2" to 3/4" expansion space.