Wood is a natural product with naturally occurring imperfections and variations in color, grain, and appearance. Actual flooring products may differ in color, grain and appearance from illustrations and samples, and variations in color, grain and appearance will exist in any quantity of the flooring itself. These are not considered defects.
FOR ALL INSTALLATIONS - ALWAYS WORK FROM 5-6 DIFFERENT BOXES AT ONE TIME The installer is the final grader. Installer/homeowner will take full responsibility for all flooring that is installed, even if the primary owner of the residence is absent at the time of installation. If you are unsure of any requirements, please consult the dealer flooring was purchased from prior to installation. Although the producer takes every precaution to ensure that the flooring is graded and shipped to industry standards, we suggest you inspect each plank of flooring before installation. Boards that you may not like the look of or contain an imperfection that you think will affect the look of the floor should be used as cut pieces for your start/end pieces. You may also use these pieces in less conspicuous areas such as in closets or under sofa’s etc.
Open boxes fully (never just the ends) and allow the wood to acclimate to the ambient temperature of the room. The wood must be given min 72 hours to acclimate and a relative humidity of 40% before installation. Special note: In some instances, you may not be able to acclimate flooring. When the relative humidity is too high or too low (above 60 % and below 40 % RH), acclimating may not be suitable. Always consult your hardwood flooring dealer or installer to ensure the homes specific conditions are accounted for before acclimatization. Expansions and contraction caused by acclimating is not covered under warranty.
Ensure the site environmental conditions are suitable for installation and take record. This includes: Relative humidity, subfloors or concrete moisture reading, condition of product to be laid, sources of water or humidity extremes. Do not continue the installation, if any of the conditions are not met and do not generally comply with NWFA instructions. Ensure all other trade activities are completed as they may impact the quality of the installed flooring. Wood flooring is one of the last products to be installed at a construction site. Window, door, dry walling, painting, and HVAC activation (on for >7 days) must be completed and dry before installation begins. This is to avoid humidity extremes and damages that void the warranty. Ensure the subfloor is perfectly level (1/8” per 8’). Level high spots and fill low spots as required. Ensure the subfloor is firmly anchored ensuring no movement, flex, or squeaking. Ensure the subfloor is less than 12% MC and record readings, subfloor must be within 4% of the actual floor being installed.
Thoroughly sweep and vacuum the area where the flooring is to be installed. Prepare installation along longest straightest wall first using long pieces for the starting row and across (perpendicular to) floor joist. In some applications, installing parallel to floor joist may be required for aesthetic reasons. Consult your Dealer, Installer and Developer for their recommendations and building code requirements. Open and select products from a minimum of 5 boxes to ensure an appropriate mix of lengths, wood character and color. Inspect each piece before installation. Do not install any defective piece or piece that has a color, character, or grain etc. that may not suit the look of the floor and may be displeasing to the consumer. These pieces can be cut and used for starters, installed in a less conspicuous location (E.g. closet, under cabinets etc.) or discarded. If you choose not to install these pieces, please note they are not covered by warranty. Installing over a crawl space: You may install over a crawl space providing care has been taken to cover all areas of exposed earth with a 6mm C.G.S.B polyethylene. You must also ensure that scient cross ventilation exists so that no moisture will accumulate and be absorbed in the wood flooring. Follow local building codes.
If maintained properly, hardwood flooring can last a lifetime. The key to successfully keeping your flooring in the best shape is to ensure proper care and maintenance is carried throughout. It is recommended that all liquids and spills should be wiped o as soon as possible in order to prevent any damage. You may consider using area rugs to protect susceptible areas (around kitchen sink, at entrance for wet footwear, etc.). Abrasive dirt such as sand, street dirt, grit and cat litter can damage any hardwood floor. Protect your floor by using entrance mats and area rugs. Regular cleaning or vacuuming of these rugs will prevent accumulation of dirt. Felt protectors under the legs of all pieces of furniture will prevent damage caused by scratching. For best results, only use recommended cleaning products specially formulated wood care and maintenance products for the finish on the hardwood flooring.
