Installation Bamboo Solid Flooring Instructions

Installation Guidelines Glueless

Bamboo and Hardwood

IMPORTANT:

COLOR VARIATION

BAMBOO AND HARDWOOD and hardwood flooring are natural products and color variations are to be expected. For best visual effect, shuffle planks form several cartons and do not install boards varying greatly in color next to one another.

ACCLIMATION

As relative humidity varies in different parts of the country, acclimation of the flooring prior to installation is the most important precaution to take in order to insure a successful installation.

Proper acclimation is necessary to adapt the moisture content of the

BAMBOO AND HARDWOOD and hardwood flooring to the conditions of your environment.

Improper acclimation can cause the floor to buckle and/or the boards to shrink or cup after installation.

SUBFLOOR PREPARATION

With a floating floor, the subfloor must be level, dry and free of imperfections. An uneven subfloor will make the floor feel unstable and cause premature damage.

Prefinished Glueless Bamboo and Hardwood Flooring

Installation Instructions

You must read and understand these instructions completely before beginning installation.

Responsibility for the suitability of BAMBOO AND HARDWOOD

Floating Floors with glue-less locking system and accompanying productsfor each individual installation cannot be assumed by US Floors, since US

Floors has no control over the installer's proper application.

Should an individual plank be doubtful as to appearance or dimension the installer should not use this piece.

US Floors will send replacement material in a timely manner.

EXPECTATIONS: BAMBOO AND HARDWOOD Floating Floors with glue-less locking

system are subject to the normal behavior of minor expansion during periods of high humidity and minor contraction during periods of low humidity (usually the heating season). Expansion and contraction can be kept to unnoticeable levels by stabilizing the building through temperature and humidity control, allowing for proper acclimatization of the product prior to installation, and providing the recommended expansion space mentioned below.

INSTALLATION ON CONCRETE SUBSTRATE: BAMBOO AND HARDWOOD Floating

Floors with glue-less locking system can be installed over concrete that is above grade, on grade or below grade. Concrete substrates are required to be sound, smooth and level. Tolerance of level must be within 1/8 in 10'. Check concrete slab for moisture with Calcium Chloride moisture test.

Moisture content cannot be more than 3 pounds per 1,000 sq. ft. per 24 hours.

Fill any low spots with Portland based leveler and scrape any high spots. Before installing Floating Floor, cover concrete floor with 6 mil polyethylene sheets, run up the wall 3", overlap seams 8", and tape the sheets together. Install underlayment over this moisture barrier. The manufacture recommends using 1/8 cork underlayment. 1/2 expansion space should be left around the perimeter.

(Typical expansion space is equal to the thickness of the product installed).

INSTALLATION ON UNDERLAYMENT-GRADE PLYWOOD AND MAN-MADE

BOARD SUBSTRATES: Subfloor must be clean and level. Fill any low spots with

appropriate filler and sand any high spots. Tolerance of level must be within 1/8 in 10'. Subfloor must not exceed 14% moisture content (electrical resistance method).

Check basements and under floor crawl spaces to be sure they are dry and well ventilated to avoid damage to planks caused by moisture. For buildings with crawl spaces, 6 mil polyethylene sheeting should be used as ground cover over the earth.

The manufacture recommends 1/8 cork underlayment to be used loose laid directly over the plywood substrate. 1/2 Expansion space should be left around the perimeter.

(Typical expansion space is equal to the thickness of the product installed).

BAMBOO AND HARDWOOD FLOATING FLOORS MUST BE ACCLIMATED: Store flooring material out of the box at job site for a minimum of 72 hours.

During storage and installation, maintain temperature and relative humidity to level consistent to the conditions that will prevail when building is occupied.

Heating or air conditioning should be used for an appropriate length of time prior and during installation. With improper acclimation, the floor could noticeably expand or contract after installation.

NOTE: Installation of an expansion joint (T-Mold) is necessary when transitioning from one room to another. US Floors supplies color matching trim pieces for all floors.

BAMBOO AND HARDWOOD FLOATING FLOORS ARE INSTALLED WITH A

BULT-IN GLUELESS INTERLOCKING SYSTEM: The plank profile has a milled tongue and groove to interlock the adjoining boards on the floor. Start installing the floor in one corner (preferably parallel to the longest wall) following the direction the light falls. Install the floor from left to right.

Always insert the tongue into the groove, not the other way around.

UNDERLAYMENT: Unroll underlayment, 1 strip at a time, wall to wall. Run up the wall around the perimeter of the room, trim after floor has been installed. Over concrete slabs, a vapor barrier must be installed.

STRING LINE: Choose the longest wall that will be parallel to the plank floor. Tap a nail 1/2 from the wall at each end of the room.

String a line between the nails 3/4 above floor level. Use this string as a guide-line for the first row of planks. The 1/2 space from the wall allows room for expansion.SHUFFLE FLOORING PLANKS

FOR BEST VISUAL MIX.

Mix planks from various cartons to maintain natural color and pattern variation.

FIRST ROW: Facing the guide-line, place the first plank at the left-hand end, tongue side facing wall, starting 1/2 off the wall. It is recommended to remove the tongue from all planks lining the starting wall. Use 1/2 spacers at the end and along the wall (2 to a plank) while keeping the planks aligned with the string.

Spacers keep planks from shifting when subsequent rows are added. Lock the narrow side of the next plank using a tapping block and a hammer. Place block flat on floor, and tap gently until the ends of the two planks are firmly joined, with them joint completely closed up. Continue this process until you reach the end wall. Cut the last plank to fit allowing for a " perimeter expansion space on all sides.

NEVER TAP DIRECTLY ON THE SIDE OF THE BOARD AND ALWAYS USE A TAPPING

BLOCK.

NEXT ROWS: If the cut-off piece from the previous row is more than 10 long it can be used to start the next row as long as end-joints between adjacent rows are always staggered by at least 10.

a) Position the long side of the plank to be installed at an angle of 20-30 to the plank already installed. Move the plank to be fitted slightly up and down at the same time as exerting forward pressure.

b) To connect the sides, use a number of smaller taps on the short edge with the tapping block, until the planks lock together completely.

c) In some cases, such as under a door frame, the planks cannot be rotated into one another. In these situations, the planks can be fitted horizontally by tapping on the edges using the tapping block. A floor pullbar might be needed for tight spaces and in this case, it is recommended to use a piece of cork underlayment between the pullbar and the plank to protect its surface.

In order to cut around pipes, use a drill bit with a diameter similar to the diameter of the pipe + " for expansion.

LAST ROWS: Usually the last row will require all planks be cut lengthwise. Measure each plank at several places along the length to ensure a proper fit. Remember to allow a " expansion space along the wall side. Use floor pull bar and mallet, again protecting the surface of the floor using a piece of cork underlayment.

FINISH: One of the major benefits of using the glueless interlocking system is that after installation you can immediately walk on the floor. Remove all spacer blocks.

Trim the extended underlayment and polyethylene sheeting. Never attach skirting board to the floor itself, but allow space for the floor to expand and contract beneath it. In order to fill in the expansion gap around pipes and any other areas not covered by trim, use a flexible caulk.