Hardwood flooring is a beautiful and unique product of nature, which is characterized by distinctive variations in grain and colors. These natural variations in color and grain are not flaws but are a part of the natural beauty and uniqueness of hardwood flooring. These inherent variations should be expected and serve to enhance the natural beauty and enduring charm. Our floorings are manufactured in accordance with accepted industry standards, which permit a defect tolerance not to exceed 5%. The defects may be of a manufacturing or natural type.

Before we head to the installation... Things you need to know...

Job site Inspection& Acclimation

• This type of real wood flooring can be installed below, equal or above ground level. Do not install in a bathroom.

• In a new construction, hardwood flooring should be one of the last items installed. All work involving water or moisture (plumbing, acoustical ceilings, dry wall taping, etc.) should be completed prior to wood flooring being installed. Heating and air systems should be fully operating maintaining a consistent room temperature at 16°C to 27°C (60-80° F) and a constant relative humidity of 40% to 55%.

• Flooring should not be delivered until the building has been closed in and cement work, plastering, painting and other materials are completely dry. Concrete and plaster should be cured and at least 60 days old. Check basements and under-floor crawl space to be sure that they are dry and well ventilated to avoid damage caused by moisture.

• Handle with care. Do not stand on ends. Store our flooring in a dry place being sure to provide at least a four-inch air space under and around cartons.

• Do not store directly on concrete or near outside walls. Cartons should be placed in the installation area.

• The humidity level of the house must be maintained between 40 % and 55 % all year long. Wood is a living product which reacts to humidity level variations. During summer, where the humidity level is at its highest point, the wood has a natural expansion and absorbs the humidity, these variations must be dealt with adequate dehumidification. As for winter, when the heating system is working, the humidity level is lower. It is then recommended to use a humidifier to minimise the extreme effects of shrinkage.

Subfloor conditions

• Clean- Scraped or sanded, swept, free of wax, grease, paint, oil and other debris.

• Horizontal/ Flat- Maximum tolerance of 5mm over 3m(3/16'' over 10') or 3mm over 2m(1/8'' over6')

• Sand high areas or joints. If the floor is glued, fill the fill low areas with a latex additive cement surfacing product with a minimum resistance to compression of 20 000 kPa.

• Concrete Slabs (regardless of existing floor covering): Use an approved calibrated concrete Moisture Meter as a preliminary measurement for moisture. Concrete subfloors must be finished at least 30 days before performing a test. Acceptable verification methods: Perform a polyfilm test. Tape down 2’ x 2’ polyfilm squares (a clear garbage bag or plastic drop cloth will do) in several places on the floor. Wait 24-48 hours, and then check for the appearance of condensation on the inside of the bag or plastic for a darkening on the concrete subfloor. Either occurrence signals the likely presence of excess moisture, which needs other measures with the concrete moisture meter Tramex. The measure must not climb over 4,5 on the superior graduation. The floor can be glued directly on concrete with a compression resistance of at least 20 000 kPa (3 000 lb/in2).

• Wood Substrates: Test the moisture of the wood substrate using a calibrated moisture meter approved for testing wood moisture according to the meter manufacturer. The reading should not exceed 12%, or read more than a 4% difference than moisture content of products being installed.

Radiant Subfloor heating

NOTE: Always make sure that the selected product is recommended for this type of installation. Some species are not compatible and cannot be installed on this type of subfloor; Jatoba, Maple, Kempas, Ironwood, Ipé, Asian Mahogany are some species that are not suitable for Radiant heating. Please ensure that the species you have chosen is suitable.

• The heating system must be functional and working for at least 7 days prior to the floor installation.

 

• Stop the heating and let the floor cool down to ambient temperature for 3 or 4 hours before starting the floor installation.

• Immediately start the radiant heating system after the installation. The temperature of the finished surface cannot go over 27 °C (80 °F) at all times for the duration of the flooring’s life span.

 

• Radiant heating systems usually procure a dry heat which can lower the ambient humidity level. It could be necessary to use a humidifier to maintain a recommended level of 40 % to 55 % and prevent any damage to the floor.

 

• Flooring installed on a radiant heating system must be glued at each end, in order to reduce the shrinkage in length. Apply a layer of recommended wood glue on the grooved side before inserting the strip.