INSTALLATIONINSTRUCTIONSofChevronandHerringboneEngineeredHardwoodFlooring

www.ubwood.co.uk

TABLEOFCONTENTS

3•USINGTHEPRODUCT

3 •YOURRESPONSIBILITIES

4 •PRE-INSTALLATIONINSPECTION

5 •BASICTOOLSNEEDEDFORINSTALLATION

6 •HERRINGBONEPATTERNINSTALLATION

7 •CHEVRON(45°)PATTERNINSTALLATION

8 •MAINTENANCEPROCEDURES

3

USINGTHEPRODUCT

UniqueBespokeWoodhardwoodfloorsaredesignedtobeusedforawidevarietyofprojects,bothcommercialandresidential.Ourfloorscanbeinstalled:

• ongroundlevel• belowgroundlevel• abovegroundlevel• overavarietyofsub-flooring,suchasconcrete,plywood,OSBsub-floor,andothers• withfloorandradiantheatingsystems• inbathrooms,kitchensandlaundryrooms

Therearethreedifferentwaysourproductscanbeinstalled:glue-down,staple/nail-down,andfloatinginstallation.Thoughaself-installationispossible,it'snotrecommended.Makingmistakescanbecostlyanddifficulttofix.Nevertrytoglue-downUniqueBespokeWoodhardwoodfloorsonyourown,asprofessionalinstallationisanabsolutenecessity.

NOTE:Pleasetakethetimetoreadthroughthisinstallationguidebeforebeginning,improperinstallationislikelytovoidyourwarranties.

YOURRESPONSIBILITIES

WhenyoureceiveyourUniqueBespokeWoodmaterials,immediatelyinspectitfordefectsbeforeattemptinginstallation.ItisyourresponsibilitytofindtheseproblemsandcontactaUniqueBespokeWoodrepresentativerightaway.Theycanhelpyoufindreplacementmaterialsatnoextracharge,butonlyifyoureportthembeforeinstallation.Installedplanksareconsideredtohavebeenfoundacceptablebyboththepersoninstallingthewoodandtheownerofthewood.Thisistrueevenifyouweren'tpresentduringinstallation.Inthisinstance,anyextracostsofreplacementorrepairinginstalleddefectplanksarenottheresponsibilityofUniqueBespokeWood.Naturalvariationsinwoodgrainandcolouraretobeexpected,sowecan'tguaranteecompleteuniformitybetweenplanks.

Minordefects,suchassmallscratches,willlikelyneedtobecorrectedwithfiller,puttysticks,orstains.Theserepairproceduresarequickandeasytoperformandwillgetthefloorlookinggreat.

Amarginofon-sitecuttingwasteofabout5-7%forregularand12-13%forangleinstallationisrecommended.Thishelpsavoidcuttingwasteandgradingvarianceerrors.Pleasenotethatthiscuttingallowancemustbeaddedtoyourfloorsquare-footagebeforepurchase.

NOTE:Whenbuildinganewhomeorrenovatinganexistingone,trytoinstallyourhardwoodfloorlast.Thishelpskeepthefloorsafefromdamagecausedbyfoottrafficandconstruction.

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PRE-INSTALLATIONINSPECTION

Inspectthejob-siteanditssub-floorbeforeinstallationtoensurethatitisenvironmentallyandstructurallyacceptable.IfyourUniqueBespokeWoodwoodenfloorsaredamagedbyinstallationwithoutyoucheckingforpotentiallydamagingenvironments,nowarrantywillbeprovided.

Thissimplechecklistwillhelpyougaugewhetherornotyoursub-floorandjob-sitearesafe.Thesechecksmustbeperformedbytheinstallerandtheownerbeforeinstallation.

Pleasemeetthefollowingpre-installationrequirementsbeforeinstallingourwoodfloors:

• Asub-floormustbeproperlyinstalled,structurallysound,flat,dry,andclean.

• Thetemperatureatthejob-sitemustbemaintainedatroomtemperature(18-25degreesCelsiusor64-77degreesFahrenheit),witharelativehumidityof40-60%.Thistemperaturemustbemaintainedatleastfivedaysforradiator-heatedhomesandtwoweeksforfloor-heatedhomes.Dehumidifiersandhumidifiersaresuggestedforthistask.REMEMBER:Theserecommendationsshouldalsobemaintainedafterinstallation.

• Allbasementandcrawlspacesunderneaththesub-floorsmustbewellventilated,eitherthroughwindowsorvents.Concretesub-floorsmusthaveamoisturelevelnohigherthan2%whenthewoodshouldnotexceed12%.Useamoisturemetertotakereadingsinthreelocationsevery100m2(1075squarefeet).

• Anydeviationsinsub-floorlevelcannotbehigherthan2mm(0.08”)foreach2meters(78.74”)onthesubfloor.Testthesub-floorslevelanduseagrinderoredgertolowerhigherareasorself-levellingmaterialstobuildupthedipsinthefloor.

• Don'topenyourproductboxeswhenyoureceivethem,butstorethemintheareawheretheywillbeinstalledforaminimumof24hours.Thishelpsthematerialssettleaftershipping.Onlyopenthemwhenit'stimetoinstallthefloor.

• Ensurethatallfoundationsandconcreteslabsforbelow-gradeinstallationareleak-proof.Evenasmallamountofleakagecanresultinseverelydamagedflooring.

• Testthestrengthofyourconcretesub-floorbyscratchingitwithanail.Ifitcrumblesintopowder,itisnotstrongenoughforyourwoodenfloorandyouCANNOTinstallit.Thisisbecausethecompressionstrengthoftheconcreteistoolow.

CAUTION:Wooddustisaseriousdanger

Whenevercuttingorinstallinghardwoodfloors,pleaseweardustmasksandsafetygoggles.Wooddustcancausesevererespiratoryproblems,aswellaseyeandskinrashes.Infact,thewooddusthasbeenclassifiedasacarcinogenbytheInternationalAgencyforResearchonCancer.Flushingirritatedareaswithwaterfor15

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minutesshouldhelpreduceminorirritation,butmedicalattentionmaybenecessaryincasesofsevereirritation.

BASICTOOLSNEEDEDFORINSTALLATION

• 8-15mm(1/3”-1/2”)spacers

• Chalkline

• Duskmask

• Hammer

• Handorelectricsaw

• Hardwoodrepairkit(filler,puttystickorstain)

• Knockingblock

• Measuringtape

• Mitresaw

• Prybar

• Softrags

• Square

• Woodmoisturemeter

Staple/nail-downinstallationalsorequiresthefollowing:powerdrill,nailpunch,hardwoodnailerorstapler,andfinishingstaplesornails(forexample,35mmor1½”).Glue-downandfloatinginstallationalsorequires:ratchetfloorclamps,bluetape,andanotchedtowel,aswellasagluecleaner(forglue-downinstallation).

HERRINGBONEPATTERNINSTALLATION

Precisionisthekeywheninstallinghardwoodflooringinherringbonepatter.Onplywood,OSBsub-floorswerecommendtousestaple/nail-downinstallationmethod,onconcretesubfloors-glue-downinstallation.However,wehighlyrecommendtohireprofessionalsforthistypeofinstallation.

NOTE:Donotusefloatingfloorinstallationmethodforinstallinghardwoodfloorsinthispattern.

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Step1 –Priming(onlyonconcretesubfloor)

• Applyyourprimertothesub-floorwithbrushesyoufeelcomfortableusing.Waitabout4-5hoursfortheprimertodrybeforeproceeding.Inacaseofconfusion,readthemanufacturer'sinstructionsbeforepriming.

Step2 –Gettingstarted

• Determinethelayoutforthefloorandthedirectionthepatternwillrun.Typically,thepatternwillfollowthelengthoftheroom.• Stretchaguidestringalongtheroomscentreline.Startingatthenearestwallandfollowingthecentralguidestring,begininstallingthestripsaccordingtothechosenpattern–single,doubleortripleherringbone.• Useaperfectlysquareplywoodtemplate/backerboard,thatisevenorlargerinsizethanthelengthofflooringboardsbeinginstalledsothatitcanbeusedasatemplateandsupportforthefirstboards/rows

installed.Thetemplateshouldbescreweddowninadiamondshapefashionwithitsupperandlowerpointsalignedwiththecentreline.

• Itisadvisabletouseatemplateduringinstallationinlargerrooms.

Step3 –Installation

• Toobtainagoodfinalresultitisveryimportanttobepreciseintheinstallationofthefirstrowsofstrips.Thestripsarealwaysplacedintheadhesiveinfrontofthepreviousrowandpushedandrotatedintoplacealongthesideandendofeachstrip.• Theapexoftheherringbonepatternmustbeexactlyinlinewiththeguidestring.Oncethisareaofhardwoodflooringhasadheredsufficientlytothesub-floor(refertotheadhesivemanufacturers’instructions),itcanbeusedasatemplatefortheremainderofthefloor.•Checktheguidestringregularlyduringinstallation.

• Wheninstallinglastrows,cuttheboardsinthewaythatallowsanexpansiongapof8-15mm(1/3”-1/2”)againstthewall.Thesegapsarelatercoveredbyskirtingboardsandmouldings.

NOTE:Noheavyfurnitureoractivityshouldbeallowedonthefinishedparquetfloorforatleast24hoursifglue-downinstallationwereused.

CHEVRON(45°)PATTERNINSTALLATION

Precisionisthekeywheninstallinghardwoodflooringinchevronpattern.Onplywood,OSBsub-floorswerecommendtousestaple/nail-downinstallationmethod,onconcretesubfloors-glue-downinstallation.However,wehighlyrecommendtohireprofessionalsforthistypeofinstallation.

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NOTE:Donotusefloatingfloorinstallationmethodforinstallinghardwoodfloorsinthispattern.

Step1 –Priming(onlyonconcretesubfloor)

• Applyyourprimertothesub-floorwithbrushesyoufeelcomfortableusing.Waitabout4-5hoursfortheprimertodrybeforeproceeding.Inacaseofconfusion,readthemanufacturer'sinstructionsbeforepriming.

Step2 –Gettingstarted

• Determinethelayoutforthefloorandthedirectionthepatternwillrun.Typically,thepatternwillfollowthelengthoftheroom.• Stretchaguidestringalongtheroomcentreline.Startingatthenearestwallandfollowingthecentralguidestring,begininstallingthestrips.• Useaperfectlysquareplywoodtemplate/backerboard,thatisevenorlargerinsizethanthelengthofflooringboardsbeinginstalledsothatitcanbeusedasatemplateandsupportforthefirstboards/rowsinstalled.Thetemplateshouldbescreweddowninadiamondsha pe

fash ionwithitsupperandlowerpointsalignedwiththecentreline.

• Afterinstallingtheveryfirstboardsmeasurethewidthofarowandmarktheroomwithassistingparallellines.

Step3 –Installation

• Toobtainagoodfinalresultitisveryimportanttobepreciseintheinstallationofthefirstrowsofstrips.Thestripsarealwaysplacedintheadhesiveinfrontofthepreviousrowandpushedandrotatedintoplacealongthesideandendofeachstrip.• Thetopsideofchevronboardsmustbeexactlyinlinewiththeguidestring.Oncethisareaofhardwoodflooringhasadheredsufficientlytothesub-floor(refertotheadhesivemanufacturers’instructions),itcanbeusedasatemplatefortheremainderofthefloor.•Ourchevronboards,don’thavetongues,onlygrooves.Afterplacingeachboardapplygluedirectlyintothegrovesandinsertthetonguestrips.• Checktheguidestringregularlyduringinstallation.• Wheninstallinglastrows,cuttheboardsinthewaythatallowsanexpansiongapof8-15mm(1/3”-1/2”)againstthewall.Thesegapsarelatercoveredbyskirtingboardsandmouldings.

NOTE:Noheavyfurnitureoractivityshouldbeallowedonthefinishedparquetfloorforatleast24hoursifglue-downinstallationwereused.

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AFTERINSTALLATIONPROCEDURES

Completethesesimplestepsaftereachinstallationprocesstofinishyourfloor.

• Afteryoufinishlayingyourfloor,youcanremovethespacersandinstalltransitionpieces.

• Nailbaseboardandshoemouldingstothewallaroundtheedgeofyourfloor.

• Vacuumandwipewithspecialhardwoodfloorcleanerstogiveitabeautifulshine.Stayoffthefloorforatleast10-12hoursanddon'taddanyfurnituretoitssurfaceforafull24hours.

• Protectthefloorfromdamagebyplacingfeltpadsunderallfurniturelegs.

• Keeptheremainingplanksinstorageincaseofrepairs.

MAINTENANCEPROCEDURES

Maintenanceproceduresforhardwoodfloorsrequireafewsimpleprocessesthatarefullyoutlinedinour“UniqueBespokeWoodMaintenanceandRepairInstructions”guide.Please,readthroughthiscompletelyafteryouinstallyourfloortogetcleaning,maintenance,andrepairsuggestionsthatcanaddyearstoyourfloor'slife.