Engineered Bamboo Installation Instructions

OWNER/INSTALLER RESPONSIBILITY

The owner/Installer assumes all responsibility for final inspection of product quality. Inspection of all flooring should be done prior to installation. If material is not acceptable, contact the seller immediately.  Prior to installation, the owner/installer must determine that the job-site environment and the sub-surfaces involved meet or exceed all applicable standards. The manufacturer declines any responsibility for product failure resulting, or associated with, subfloor and substrates or job-site environmental deficiencies.

TOOLS AND ACCESSORIES

Tape Measure	Pencil	3M® 2080 Blue Tape	Tapping Block	Hand, Table, Circular, or Band Saw
Pry Bar or Pull bar	Hammer	Spacing Wedges	Rubber Mallet	Safety Equipment (Goggles and Mask)
Carpenter’s Square	Utility Knife	Chalk Line	Calibrated Moisture Meter
For Glue-Down installation, you’ll also need
Flooring adhesive - urethane based such as Bostik® Best			Damp and Dry Towels
Trowel, per flooring adhesive manufacturer’s recommendations			Adhesive remover

         
PREPARATION

Job Site – Your flooring should be one of the last items installed in any new construction or remodel project.  All work involving water or moisture should be completed before flooring installation.   Permanent HVAC should be on and operational and maintained between 65-75 ° F & relative humidity should be 35%-55% for a minimum of 7 days prior to delivery, as well as during and after installation.

Storage and Handling – Store flooring in the rooms where they are to be installed, leave boxes closed to allow flooring to acclimate.  Do not store directly on concrete or near outside walls.  Flooring should be acclimated until its moisture content is within 3% of the moisture content of the subfloor (Use a calibrated moisture meter to determine).   This takes at least 3 days and often longer in dry climates.

Sub Floor

Acceptable subfloor types:

• CDX plywood-at least 5/8” thick for joist spacing up to 16”, min3/4"thick for joist spacing greater than 16” on center (19.2” max)
• OSB – at least 3/4" thick, PS 2-92 rated or PS 1-95 rated
• Concrete slab – glue down only
• Existing wood flooring – must be smooth, level, well-adhered and unfinished (if gluing new flooring)
• Resilient tile and sheet vinyl – glue down only; vinyl must be new and non-urethane coated

All subfloors must be dry and remain dry year-round, structurally sound, clean and level within 3/16” per 10’ radius. Moisture content of wood subfloors must not exceed 12% and concrete must not exceed 3 lbs. per 1000 feet per 24 hours using a Calcium Chloride Test (test method ASTM 1869-89).  For glue down installations, subfloor must be free of wax, grease, paint, old adhesives, etc., which can be removed by sanding.    Concrete subfloors must be fully cured, at least 60 days old, and should have min 6-mil polyfilm between concrete and ground. Resilient tile and sheet vinyl must be well bonded to sub floor, in good condition, clean and level.

Radiant Heat - Prefinished engineered bamboo flooring is suitable for installation over many radiant heating systems when the surface temperature of installed flooring never exceeds 85°F.  Radiant heating systems create “dry” heat, therefore it is essential that the relative humidity in the installation environment is maintained between 40% and 60%.  The maximum difference in moisture content between the  subfloor and the flooring material should never exceed 3%.  The owner/installer assumes sole responsibility for ensuring that the job site has environmental conditions/controls suitable for installation of bamboo flooring over the chosen radiant heating system.  The radiant heat system needs to be in operation at least 7 days prior to installation, shut off 4 hours prior to installation, and then returned to operation once the installation is complete.  Please refer to the Radiant Panel Association for more information.

INSTALLATION

• Make sure subfloor is tested for moisture content first and is properly prepared. 
• Since Bamboo, like wood, expands with any increase in moisture content, always leave at least a 1/2” expansion space between flooring and all walls and any other permanent vertical objects, (such as pipes and cabinets). This space will be covered up once you reapply base moldings around the room. Use wood or plastic spacing wedges along all walls and other fixed objects during installation to maintain this 1/2” expansion space. 
• No area of connected flooring can span greater than 30 feet in width or 60 feet in length. For larger spans, install T-moldings or other transition pieces that allow the flooring to expand and contract.
• Measure the room carefully in order to calculate the width of the last row. If the last row is less than 1.5” wide, cut 1.5 “off the width of the first row to ensure the stability of the floor.
• Work from several open boxes of flooring and “dry lay” a portion of the floor before permanently installing it. This will allow you to select the varying grains & colors and to arrange them in a harmonious pattern. The actual floor may differ in grain and color from the samples used in selecting the product. This is not a product defect. It is the installers’ responsibility to work with the end user to determine the expectations of what the actual finished floor will look like.

All Methods

1. Remove any existing base, shoe mold or doorway thresholds.
2. Saw off the bottoms of doorjambs and trim so that the flooring can be slipped under. To do this, use a scrap piece of flooring as a guide and with a handsaw cut off the jamb and trim.
3. Install moisture barrier system and/or underlayment if necessary, determined by the grade and type of subfloor and the installation method used.
4. Establish a straight working line by choosing a starting wall and measuring out from the wall at both ends the width of a panel (including the tongue) plus ½” and snapping a chalk line.
5. Lay out the first row end to end with the grove toward the wall.  Align the tongue of the panels with your straight working line.  Remember to allow for 1/2“expansion spaces at both ends when measuring and cutting the last piece in a row.  You may need to scribe cut the first row of planks to match the wall and maintain your 1/2” expansion space, as most walls are not straight.  Take the time to measure every foot to ensure your expansion space is adequate and equal throughout the whole length of the wall and use spacing wedges along all walls to help maintain expansion space
6. Make sure the starting row is straight and drawn tight. To draw planks together, always use a tapping block or pull bar, as tapping the flooring itself will result in edge damage. Never apply pressure to the groove edge of the flooring – only use the tapping block against the tongue. After gluing with one of the approved adhesives (or Liquid Nails® LN-901), set weight on top of them and allow them to set securely before installing additional rows.
7. Start remaining rows with partial planks that are at least 8” long.  Stagger end joints from row to row by at least 8” for maximum stability.
8. To install the last row you will need to measure the space you have left between the wall and the edge of the new floor.  Subtract 1/2" for expansion and use this number for the width to cut your planks.  Install and secure in the same manner as you did the first row, scribe cutting to match the wall and maintain expansion space.

Floating Floor Installation

• This floor does not have to be nailed or glued down as long as all seams are straight and drawn tight and there at least a 1/2” expansion space between flooring and all walls and any other permanent vertical objects, (such as pipes and cabinets). The distance to the walls can be adjusted when three rows are complete.

Glue Down Installation

• Make sure subfloor is tested for moisture content first and is properly prepared.
• On concrete subfloors that are on or below grade (ground level), always assume the worst. Even if they measure dry, we recommend taking one of the following two installation steps to ensure a trouble-free installation:  
    Method #1: Install a sheet vinyl floor first and then glue down your floor over the sheet vinyl. Follow the vinyl manufacturer’s installation recommendations.
    Method #2: Taylor® and Bostik® offer Moisture Barrier Systems on which they provide a warranty that moisture will not pass through and damage your flooring. Follow manufacturer’s recommendations for application/installation.
  Remember a concrete slab on/below grade that measures dry today may become moist in the future due to rising groundwater. Installing a moisture barrier now may be viewed as an insurance policy against concrete becoming wet in the future; this will lead to subsequent floor failure. The manufacturer is not responsible for related moisture issues.
• Carefully review the adhesive manufacturer’s instructions for proper trowel size, minimum temperature, adhesive set time and open times before beginning installation of flooring.
• Spread adhesive and allow to setup sufficiently per adhesive manufacturer’s instructions before securing the floor.
• Use tapping block or pull bar to fit planks together, but be careful not to let installed floor move on wet adhesive while you are working.
• After the first row is set securely, continue to spread adhesive and lay flooring section by section until installation is complete.
• Use a damp cloth to IMMEDIATELY REMOVE ANY ADHESIVE FROM THE FLOORING SURFACE. If adhesive cannot be completely removed with a damp cloth, use the manufacturer’s recommended adhesive remover. Never let flooring adhesive dry completely on the finished surface.  The manufacturer is not responsible for finish damage that might be caused by adhesive that has been allowed to dry completely.
• Use 3M® 2080 Blue Tape to hold any pieces which might have side bow and need to be held straight & tight until the adhesive sets. Do not allow tape to remain on floor longer than 30 minutes and remove tape prior to cleaning floor with a cleaner or solvent. Do not apply tape to flooring that has been previously wiped with a solvent.
• Within the adhesive working time, walk each section of flooring in order to make sure it is well bonded to the subfloor. Flooring planks on the perimeter of the room may require weight on them until the adhesive cures enough to hold them down.

After Installation: Remove expansion spacers and install or reinstall base and/or quarter round moldings to cover the expansion space by nailing to the wall, not the floor.  Install any transition pieces that may be needed (reducers, T-moldings, nosing, etc.).  If using the glue-down installation method, do not allow foot traffic or heavy furniture on floor for 24 hours.

CARE AND MAINTENANCE - The floor should be cleaned by using a vacuum-cleaner or broom.  If required, wipe with a damp-dry (well squeezed) cloth.  Avoid using large amounts of water.  Use an approved bamboo floor cleaner or similar when desired and according to directions.  Spillage must be dried immediately.  Rugs at entrance areas will help protect against sand and dirt.  Felt pads should be attached to furniture legs to avoid marking.  As with all natural products, exposure to the sun and ultra-violet rays can cause bamboo to become discolored.