Springtree Flooring Installation Instruction Please read and review the installation instructions completely before proceeding with the actual installation. Floating Floor Installation/LAYOUT Once you install the prefinished flooring, the job is done. No sanding, no staining and no finishing are required.
Installer/Owner Responsibility
Installation procedures for Springtree bamboo flooring are identical to any hardwood flooring products. Any material installed with obvious defects will not be warranted. Bamboo flooring is natural material and therefore, not perfect nor identical in grain or color. Warranty does not cover variations in color or variations between samples and the installed floor. It is manufactured in accordance with accepted industry standards, which permit a defect tolerance not to exceed 5%. The defects may be a manufacturing or natural type. The installer assumes all responsibility for final inspection of product quality. The inspection of all flooring should be done prior to installation! Installer should inspect each plank for color, finish, size and quality BEFORE installation. Each box should be inspected for differences in color and staggered throughout the floor. Installer must use reasonable selectivity and hold out or cut off places with visible defects whatever the cause. Should an individual piece be doubtful or unacceptable, the installer should not use the piece. Any defects should be reported to Springtree Flooring immediately. You will receive an exchange or refund for the defective material only. The cost of labor will not be paid when a floor with visible defects has been installed.
Prior to installation of any flooring, the installer must determine that the job site environment and sub-surfaces involved meet or exceed all requirements as stated in the installation instructions. We cannot accept responsibility for job failure resulting from and associated with sub-surface or job-site environment deficiencies. The installer/owner has the final responsibility as to grade, jobsite environment, manufacture and finish. It is the responsibility of the installer/owner to determine if the job site subfloor and job site conditions are environmentally acceptable for the installation of Springtree bamboo flooring products. Springtree declines any responsibility for failure resulting from or connected with subfloor, sub-surface, or job site damage, or deficiencies after flooring has been installed.
Note: Springtree Flooring makes no warranty or guarantee of the quality of the chosen installer's work or of a particular installation performed by them. Springtree Flooring disclaims all liability for any errors or improprieties in the installation of its products by an installer.
Preparing: Springtree Flooring products has been inspected under strict quality control and have been carefully packed in cardboard boxes with plastic bags. They have been stored in a clean and humidity controlled warehouse. Once the job site conditions are satisfactory, have the flooring delivered. To maintain the proper moisture levels, do not unload truck in damp, rainy or wet weather. Once on the site,slowly unpack each box and take away the wrap. Allow the bamboo flooring to acclimate for 2-4 days before installation.
General Condition: Area to be installed, temperature and humidity must be brought to normal usage levels at least 2 days before installation and maintained at those levels after installation. Flooring should be allowed to acclimatize on site for as long as possible before installation.
Applications: Springtree flooring products can be easily installed in the same way as all other regular hardwood flooring, they may be nailed or glued down over wood sub floors, or glued directly to concrete sub floors on, or above grade. Installation should not be below grade level. Prefinished bamboo flooring is not recommended over radiant heat system. For below grade, we recommend our engineered floating bamboo flooring.
Sub floor: Subfloor surfaces must be clean, dry, smooth and free of dirt, wax, oil, paint, curing agents, and other contaminants that would interfere with adhesive bond. Existing resilient tile floors can be left in place. The bamboo planks may be installed over these existing floors. Wood sub floors must be sanded level prior to new installation. No type of particle board is acceptable. Concrete subfloors must have all cracks and holes filled with a cement-based patching material and must be tested for moisture prior to installation.
Temperature & Humidity: The relative humidity level within the installation location must be maintained at normal condition (i.e. 40%-60%) throughout the year. Bamboo is a living material which reacts to changes of relative humidity. In summer when the humidity is at its highest, it is absorbed by the bamboo which then expands. In the winter when the heating system is on the humidity level in the house is much lower. The bamboo releases its humidity and consequently contracts or shrinks. These variations can be minimized with proper ventilation and humidifying.
Floor new construction or remodeling, the heating system must be operational, and the house must been heated for a week at 22 C (71 F). Plastering and concrete work must be completely dry (60 to 90 days old). Moisture can not exceed 12%. The install and/or owner has the full responsibility for moisture testing to ensure that the wood subfloor and the concrete slab (when applicable) are within acceptable limits.
Nailed Down: Planks should be started square with the room and parallel to its longest dimension by positioning with a chalk line, leaving at least 1/2" expansion from the base plate or wall. Make sure that starter rows are firmly in place by wedging or face nailing. Once initial rows are secure, second and further courses should be blind nailed directly above tongue at a 45-50 degree angle to the face. Fasteners should be spaced at 10-12 inch intervals with a minimum of 2 fasteners per piece. Nails or cleats should not be placed closer than 6 inches from the end of planks to prevent splitting.
Glued Down: Where possible moisture conditions may exist now or in the future, use a moisture-resistant wood flooring adhesive like "Bostik's Best" or Franklin 811 Plus. Spread the adhesive using the trowel size recommended by the adhesive manufacturer. Planks should be started square with the room and parallel to its longest dimension by positioning with a chalk line, leaving a minimum of 1/4" expansion space from the base plate or wall. Make sure that starter rows are firmly in place by a wedge or spacer. Once initial rows are secure, use adhesive in a Wet-Lay or Walk-on-work method of installation. Remove spacers once the job is complete.
The flooring is normally laid parallel to the incoming daylight. In long, narrow rooms we recommend laying it lengthwise.
Allow a minimum of 1/2" for expansion space along all walls and fixed objects (e.g. doorframes, pipes, threaded joints, electrical installations etc.)
Cut wooden door jams and frames so that the floor can slide underneath with ease. Take a piece of the flooring as a guide for the saw, and cut the door jamb with a thin saw blade. If the doorframes are not shortened, then an expansion joint of at least 1/2" between flooring and any vertical elements is required.
Rooms with walls under 25' of length or 1,000 sq. ft. area can be laid in one piece without additional expansion space in the middle of the floor.
The greater the surface area, the greater the room for expansion required. For rooms larger than 1,000 sq. ft. or exceeding 25' in any direction the perimeter expansion space must be increased 1/16" for every additional 3'. Also, additional expansion joints must be added in the middle of the room or in appropriate doorways and archways. The expansion space should be covered with transition moldings (T-moldings).
Do not fill the expansion gaps.
INSTALL UNDERLAYMENTS
Install 6 mil Polyethylene vapor barrier over entire flooring surface. Overlap sheets of Polyethylene 16 inches and tape together creating an airtight seal. Using 1/8" foam padding, roll out one roll at a time over vapor barrier being careful not to poke holes or otherwise damage material during installation. Run padding up walls 1" to 1.5" and secure in place with tape. Join padding sections with tape strip. Tape down any additional loose edges. A "2-in-1" 3mm foam padding/moisture barrier may be substituted for Polyethylene.
INSTALL FIRST ROW
Layout first row with grooves facing the wall. A snap line may be used to keep the first row straight. For uneven walls, scribe the profile onto the first row and cut planks accordingly. Take care to maintain a minimum 1/2" distance to the walls using spacer wedges. Click together the short ends of each plank. The last piece in the first row is scribed and cut. Do not forget the expansion space at the end of the first row and secure with spacer wedges. It is very important that the first row is absolutely straight.
Make sure the starting wall is solid and secured to the subfloor. Any movement in the starting wall during flooring assembly may not allow the click joint to engage properly.
INSTALL SECOND ROW
Start the second row with a half length plank to stagger the joint for maximum strength. Place this short plank as close as possible to the tongue of the previous row. Click into place using the block and hammer.
Take full length plank. Place short and long end as close as possible to the tongue of the previous row. First click short end into place or alternatively, slide tongue into groove on short end. Then click long edge into place starting near the short joint. If there are any gaps along the long or short joints, keep tapping with the hammer and block until all planks are tightly together. If joints are tight together, the planks are properly locked.
For the last piece or row against a wall, use a pull bar instead of the tapping block for the long and short joint.
COMPLETING FLOOR
Flooring planks should be laid in an irregular manner: the leftover piece from one row is used at the beginning of the next row. Pay attention that the short joints are offset by at least 24". If necessary, shorten a starting plank accordingly. Continue to assemble each row by first clicking together the short end and then clicking the entire row.
Once the first three rows have been laid check to see that the perimeter expansion spaces are being maintained.
FINAL ROW
Fit in the last row by laying the plank exactly on top of the last row you have laid. Using a cut-off piece of the original width, transfer the run of the wall onto the panel as if using a template. Take the 1/2" minimum expansion space distance from the wall into account in the process.
The final element should be no narrower than 2". Please take this into account when calculating the width of the first row of boards.
Allow 2 hours before placing furniture on floors and 4 hours before introducing heavy objects or full traffic.
Note: Do not install cabinets or walls on top of floating floors
