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Special Considerations and Tips to Achieve Professional Wood Floor Installation Results "In-use Moisture Content" Differences of more than 4% between the expected in-use average moisture content of flooring and the in-use average moisture content of under-floor construction are likely to cause problems such as cupping. The greater the difference the more severe the problems. A significant difference of 8% or more may result in buckling of the floor when the under-floor is the higher moisture content. Storage and handling practices Precautions concerning moisture conditions must be observed. In particular, the building should be closed in with all doors and windows in place and all concrete, masonry and plaster thoroughly dry. On exterior walls install a vapor retarder within the wall system. Check with an HVAC engineer for proper placement. Finishing should proceed within 1-3 weeks after installation is completed. Longer periods of exposure to job site conditions can result in future problems and include increased risk of damage from contaminants. Stager Plank Lengths. For best appearance always use long flooring planks at entrances and doorways. Incorporate as many shorter pieces as possible at random throughout the floor, in closets, areas under cabinets and planned area rugs. Randomly stagger the planks. Avoid breaking the blank ends in a line or a definable pattern. Put a "frame" around obstructions. You can give a much more professional and finished look to a plank flooring installation if you "frame" hearths and other obstructions, using mitered joints at the corners. Use only sound, straight boards for sub-floors. The quality of the sub-flooring will affect the finished flooring. Use only square edge 3/4" dressed boards no wider than 6". Boards which have been used for concrete form work are often warped and damp and should not be used. Don't pour concrete after flooring is installed. Concrete basement floors are sometimes poured after hardwood flooring has been installed. However, many gallons of water from drying concrete are evaporated into the house atmosphere where it may be absorbed by hardwood flooring and other wood components. This is not a recommended building practice since excessive moisture will cause problems with wood floors and other woodwork. Wood flooring should not be installed until after all concrete and plaster work are completed and dry. Put voids between screeds to good use. Masonry insulation fill, normally used in hollow concrete blocks, can be poured between the screeds of a slab installation to give additional moisture protection and deaden the drumming sound that sometimes occurs from foot traffic. Sound deadening in multi-story building. Noise transmission from an upper to a lower floor can be reduced. Nail sub-floor to the joists in the normal manner and cover this with 1/2" or thicker cork or insulation board laid in mastic. Cover this with another 3/4" plywood sub-floor also laid in mastic. Nail the finish plank floor to the plywood. Note that specifications for some high-rise apartment buildings call for other types of sound-deadening construction. Mastics and trowels. Different Manufacturers Products. Do not randomly mix different manufacturers' products. Use transition areas such as doorways to separate the different manufacturers. T&G Planks on Flooring, Walls and Ceilings. The planks can be nailed direct to the studs for a horizontal application. For vertical or diagonal application to a stud wall, nail 1 1/2" thick furring strips (2 x 4s) to the studs at 12" spacing and nail the flooring to these strips. For masonry walls, fasten lengths of 2 x 4s on 12" centers to the walls with concrete fasteners designed for the expected load. Nail size and schedule are the same as for flooring applications. Click here for detailed paneling application guide (pdf). |
