NB Some metres have different scales so it is very important to read the manufacturers documentation. Regularly wipe any excess adhesive with a damp, clean cloth so it doesn’t get a chance to dry. Wood fiber or HDF based is often manufactured with a click system. here. Thinner material can be more cost-effective and is advantageous if overall floor height is an issue. Appropriate grades for installation include above grade, on grade or below grade 7/16 in. Good luck. I am sure you have heard some of the horror stories about wood flooring lifting, creaking, splits or large gaps appearing. At Wood Floor Warehouse we buy all our engineered wood floors in bulk and direct from the factory to ensure the best possible prices. Don’t make the dangerous assumption that all a manufacturer’s guidelines for preparing the surface and installing any of their products are the same. The natural material brings a sense of balance and synergy. Analyze the costs of labor and materials against services and warranties offered. G & S Timber has been supplying Cumbria and the UK with both solid and Engineered Flooring for many years. Thanks, Danny, Hi Jason – looking for a 2nd opinion here. Choose your favourite to see all the LVT flooring available in this style. The house is on a crawl space but the slope on the rear of the house wouldn’t allow for the new room. Felt is just one option out there. Some of our best selling laminate flooring categories. Reference the imagery for staple-down installation for guided … Following their best practices provides the best roadmap for your flooring project. If any of the tests fail, the cause must be investigated and a solution found to eradicate the problem so that the wood flooring can then be delivered to a site that is safe. So don’t be shy! Door threshold bars for all types of wood and laminate flooring. Engineered hardwood products vary in-depth, typically ranging from three-eighths to just over half an inch thick. Some will have click systems which can vary while others will have tongue and groove profiles which require gluing or nailing down. Snap a line or use some sort of straight edge to ensure that boards are lined up straight. This article shares some best practices for installing engineered hardwood floors. My real question is how clean does the concrete have to be?? Nail It: Using the Right Tools on a Wood Subfloor, Nailing It Is a Fast and Simple Option, Float It: The Option with Maximum Flexibility. We recommend 10-12mm around the perimeter of your installation. Based just outside Penrith, Cumbria we have many flooring options to choose from. 5/16″ Solid Strip Hardwood Installation Instructions. Don’t forget also to test the engineered wood products you intend to install. Before learning how to lay engineered wood flooring, it is important to learn about site conditions. Choose some of the most popular colours here. The first best practice is thorough planning. This is a very important stage in the installation process as it will have an effect on how well the flooring performs after installation. That approach won’t work here. Is this correct? Your email address will not be published. Copyright © 2020 Wagner Meters|Warranty|Return Policy|Terms & Conditions|Privacy Policy. All existing floor covering must first be removed. You can officially confirm and document the subfloor’s RH level in accordance with the ASTM F2170 standard for determining in situ RH in concrete slabs. A good adhesive forms a powerful bond yet remains flexible over the long haul. He currently works with Wagner Meters as our Rapid RH® product sales manager. First, there are many people out there that do a cleat or staple with a glue assist in an effort to gain the best of both worlds. The manufacturing process of the engineered wood creates a stable core that resists expansion and contraction from environmental changes. Timberline has provided both. The generous use of hardwood flooring throughout the home is one of the hottest design trends in residential architecture in recent years. By continuing to use our site you consent to use our cookies. The most common method is gluing. Boral Engineered Flooring is designed with a quality multi-layer construction, providing a stable timber floor with easy installation over many surfaces. You should install a floating engineered hardwood when you need flexibility. Boral Engineered Flooring brings the sophistication and warmth of real timber to a home in a range of unique Australian hardwood timber species. All surfaces should be scraped and cleaned until they’re free of any debris. Because wood is a natural product with natural colour variations, and different production lines can be used for each batch. This installation method is identical to staple-down, only the fastener and fastening tool differ. They will have a rep and/or technical department that should be able to get you lined out. Naturally imperfect boards are not uncommon, especially in rustic floors. When selecting the starter wall, consider the grain of the engineered hardwood, as well as how light may affect the perspective. forgot my 2nd question: in the picture of nailing install, they seem to be using roofing felt as underlayment; is that the preferred way to do it? Place joints randomly as it often looks better and produces less wastage. Oiled wood floors can often require a fresh coat of oil after installation. If this can’t be achieved, it may be necessary to replace or overlay the existing subfloor surface. Explore our finishes. Check your sub-floor is structurally sound and level as per the instructions in our site conditions guidelines. Avoid adhesives that are water-based, as they trigger expansion and contraction of engineered wood products. Benjamin Franklin’s axiom applies whether you’re a seasoned flooring professional or a weekend warrior looking to tackle a new project: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”. You can check out our other guides and common wood floor FAQ's on our website. Residential builders have found that newer products, such as engineered hardwood flooring, can be simpler and more cost-efficient to install than traditional hardwood. Engineered wood flooring is extremely popular due to being the most stable and versatile real wood floor type. It is much easier to fix a couple of errant rows than an entire room. Our expert technicians use only NWFA approved methods from sub-floor repair to final installation. Solid wood flooring can be a feature of any room and allow for almost limitless and timeless interior ideas. *, Install your space blocks. These problems are caused by site conditions reacting with the flooring and causing unwanted pressure and movement. Whatever glue product recommended by the manufacturer. Some of our most popular engineered flooring categories. Had 2 questions. great article. Congratulations if you figured out how to install your Wifi network or put together Ikea furniture without looking closely at the instructions. A simpler option is to set five-gallon buckets filled with water on the planks. Always consult the specific manufacturer for their requirements. 1st is glue vs staples for a 3/8″ thick engineered oak plank in 3″ width which is going on a 2nd floor plywood subfloor. Install the baseboard and trim products last. This is inclusive of all obstacles which may prevent your floor from expanding such as walls, door frames, fireplaces and importantly radiator pipes. Now I’m faced with having to replace the light cement per Association rules. The middle core is made with layers of crisscrossing plywood that are bonded for extra strength and stability. But for the best durability and to limit creaks/pops, is glue or stapling better? Required fields are marked *. “As Seen in Tomorrow’s Contract Floors magazine”. Instead, a seamless installation can be created using plinths, rebates and if necessary, edging strips. Chiseled edges and ends accentuate the long lengths and alternating width plank pattern. Select a colour to see all the engineered wood flooring we stock in this shade. To set the conditions for proper acclimation, have the engineered wood flooring products stay onsite under serviceable conditions for up to five days after delivery. We stock a wide range of colours in laminate flooring. Engineered wood floors provide amazing alternatives to other types of flooring material, but they are not free from potential challenges. Installations on underlay are called floating floors. All of our wood and laminate flooring underlay is suitable for timber sub-floor underlay,  but ensure that you are using a concrete underlay if installing onto concrete. For example, nailing down or stapling an engineered hardwood flooring over a radiant heat system takes special care. Choose your favourite to see all the engineered wood flooring available in this style. Ft. It is important to test the moisture content (MC %) of a wood subfloor. It’s critical to unpack and acclimate the engineered hardwood flooring under monitored conditions. The sub-floor must be level. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Choose your favourite to see all the laminate flooring available in this style. Good luck. Never use underlay when nailing or gluing down an engineered wood floor. There are different factors that come into play when making this decision. Explore our finishes. Assess and prep the subfloor surface. Secure the planks in place during installation so they don’t shift out of alignment. We hope that our information on how to lay engineered wood flooring has been helpful. Sign up to our mailing list for exclusive offers, inspiration and advice. The best way to install engineered hardwood flooring is to follow the manufacturer’s instructions closely. Thanks for the questions. Manufacturers of engineered wood have a variety of installation protocols and suggestions for their products. Select which room your new engineered floor will be installed in, to see our recommended choices. If you do intend to install engineered wood flooring in a longer run, look for areas where you can add expansion gaps such as doorways. *Always check with the manufacturer’s specifications and a flooring professional if possible! Engineered hardwood installation costs vary. Timber based sub-floors must be moisture tested and have a MC% (Moisture content) of 12% or less. Always remember: Different products have different specifications – even products from the same manufacturer. The ASTM F2170 standard is quite clear on the depth of moisture testing of concrete slabs. Claim Share Print. Concrete sub-floors must also be tested for moisture. A MC% (Moisture content) of 12% or less on a prong test, or below 3% using a concrete moisture metre. As you install more rows, use blue painter’s tape to keep the joints tight. Explore our finishes. Have you planned to install your engineered hardwood in a way that is compatible with a radiant heat system? While the ugly carpeting came off just fine, my contractor was unable to remove the glued down engineered hardwood (cheap stuff with very thin veneer with no room to sand down) without breaking the light cement underneath. Installing an engineered wood floor is a major project. Find out more and set your cookie preferences The breakdown comes when the floor isn’t flat, the wrong size/gauge fasteners are used, fastener spacing is incorrect, the wrong trowel sized is used for adhesive, or the product is low quality and would be hard to install in the best of situations. – MK, Your email address will not be published. Proper acclimation helps to minimize moisture-related warping as well as expansion and contraction. Use a hammer and block to gently tap the joints tight. Item coordinates with mouldings made to match 3/8 in. Tongue and Groove Engineered Hardwood Flooring can be installed over most properly prepared subfloors and are engineered to be dimensionally stable, making them suitable for installation on all grade levels where moisture conditions do not exist. Hardwood when you need flexibility our expert technicians use only NWFA approved methods from repair. 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