Installing Preverco Hardwood Flooring
Solid hardwood is a natural living material, which reacts to changes of relative humidity. It absorbs and releases moisture before and after it is installed, depending on the variations in the environment. Hardwood expands in summer and shrinks in winter. To prevent excessive expansion or shrinkage of your hardwood floor, it is recommended to maintain the relative humidity level in your home, office, chalet, cottage, etc. (location of wood installed), at the appropriate humidity level for your area (between 37% and 50% approximately) throughout the year.
The Hardwood Flooring Store supplies you with specially designed cartons that have been stored in a heated and well ventilated warehouse. It is important not to transport your wood under raining and/or damp conditions, nor should you store it in a non-heated or poorly ventilated area beyond values indicated above.
Preverco solid hardwood floors cannot be installed in a basement or below grade.
To ensure that your solid hardwood floor is installed properly, Preverco recommends that you follow the installation instructions whether you install it yourself or hire an authorized professional installation company.
- Preverco cannot be held responsible for the poor quality of the installation.
- If you decide to hire an installer who will install your solid hardwood floor without your supervision, it is your responsibility to ensure the practical judgment of the installer. The installer should use reasonable selectivity in assessing the quality of the wood, the appearance , and arranging the boards according to the natural color variations of the species selected. Preverco cannot be held responsible for any error due to the installer’s bad judgment.
- It is the owner’s responsibility to ensure that the wood delivered is the wood that has been ordered and chosen.
- The installer and/or the owner should select boards appropriately and, either discard, relocate in hidden places or cut out pieces with defects, if any, when required.
- Installer: please take the time to carefully read over our detailed installation instructions as they could be different from other solid products.
- A 5% material waste allowance should be included within your total square footage to allow for material defects. The use of wood putty, filler, or stain might be required during the installation process and is considered an industry standard.
- If at any time you feel that in any way our Preverco product is not to standard in reference to appearance, width, color, sheen, milling, tongue or groove placement, STOP installation and contact immediately the Hardwood Flooring Store for assistance .
TOOLS AND MATERIAL REQUIRED
- Hardwood flooring nails or cleats (we strongly recommend the use of cleats vs staples to achieve maximum results when installing hardwood floors.
- Compound miter, chop saw, or jamb saw
- Wax paper, felt underlay
- Moisture meter •Hardwood floor nailer (with rubber mallet) (manual or air-assisted)
- Chisel
- Electric drill and bits
- Claw hammer and nail punch
- Mesuring tape
- Chalk line
- Finishing nails
- Wood putty
PREPARATION
- Before you begin, make sure that plastering and concrete work is completely dry. The heating system must be fully operational and the house normally heated for at least five days at 72° F (22° C) and relative humidity set between 37% and 50%, prior to delivery of flooring. Please note that concrete must be cured for a minimum of 30 days, prior to installation and meet the concrete relative humidity recommendations.
- It is strongly recommended that flooring climatize at house temperature for at least 48 hours at the recommended relative humidity level in the room it is to be installed in (between 37% and 50%).
SUB FLOOR REQUIREMENTS (INCLUDING O.S.B.)
- 3/4” (19 mm) solid strip and plank are for nail-down installation only. It requires a plywood or O.S.B. sub floor over joists. Do not nail over particleboard or products of a similar nature as you will void your warranty. If you already have a particleboard sub floor, you must install a minimum of 5/8” (1.6 cm) thick plywood or O.S.B. sub floor before installing your hardwood floor. In order for your warranty to be valid, it requires the following guidelines:
- If floor joints are at 12 in (30.48 cm) or 16 in (40.6 cm) intervals use a minimum of 5/8” (1.6 cm) sub floor — CDX plywood or a minimum 3/4'’ (19mm) stamped OSB underlayment.
- 5/8” (1.6 cm) CDX plywood can be used for up to 16” (40.64 cm) centers.
- If floors joints are at 19 in (48.26 cm) intervals, 3/4” (19 mm) CDX plywood or approved / 3/4'’ (19mm) stamped O.S.B. should be used.
NOTE: O.S.B. and plywood subfloors can only be used at 90 degrees to the joists.
Using an approved moisture meter, measure the moisture content (M.C.) in the sub floor (plywood); it should be between 6% and 12%. If the moisture content exceeds 12%, turn up the heat and open the basement windows 1/2” (1.25 cm) to let dry air in or use a dehumidifier to reach the right humidity level. If the moisture content is higher than the recommended level, the use of a dehumidifier is standard procedure and works well. If the moisture content is below the recommended level, use a humidifier.
Also, measure the moisture content (M.C.) of the hardwood to be installed. For hardwood under 3” width, the sub floor and the hardwood must be under a 4% maximum difference. For hardwood over 3” width, the sub floor and the hardwood must be under a 2% maximum difference.
- For a remodeling project, remove baseboards, quarter rounds, and doorjambs.
- Screw the sub floor securely to avoid squeaking and install a layer of felt floor paper. Wax floor paper is also approved.
- Using a jamb saw, cut the bottom of the doorframes 3/4” (19 mm) in order to slide a hardwood strip / plank beneath the doorframe.
- Before you begin, it is important to check the working condition of the hardwood nailer to prevent damage to the strips / planks. Follow the manufacturers’ recommendations for the correct air pressure. Try a few hammering tests on a piece of scrap wood to determine the power required to properly drive / set the cleats.
- Use 2” (5.08 cm) cleats for 3/4” (19 mm) thick hardwood. Refer to the Preverco Fastener Schedule for further details.
- It is highly recommended that your hardwood floor be installed at a 90° angle to your joists or diagonally for maximum support when using a plywood sub floor.
- It is recommended to install your hardwood flooring under natural light conditions. Natural light will enable you to see the nuances of the grain/color of your hardwood floor. As a result, you can arrange boards easily to create a harmonious decor.
- Determine your starting location. In most cases, you will start your installation from an outside wall. This is generally the longest and straightest wall within the room. However, if you must use finishing moldings (reducer or stair nosing), in most cases it is best to start installing your floor from the molding and work your way towards the facing wall. It is often easier and more elegant to rip a board along a wall than in the doorway and easier to arrange the first planks.
- When installing your prefinished hardwood floor, be careful not to let any heavy object fall on your floor (tools, boards, etc.) as this could damage the wood. •Clean bottom of shoes / work boots.
Please see our many flooring options and discounts that we currently have going one.
Ash Sky Nuance 4"1/4 for $6.49/sq/ft
Old World Herringbone $8.99 sq/ft
Preverco Maple Sandstone $4.19 sq/ft
Preverco Red Oak Komodo $5.75 sq/ft
Or visit our Liquidation or Premium showrooms for many more options
