Comprehensive Guide to 

Hardwood Floor Installation

Navigate the complexities of laying your engineered hardwood flooring with our detailed step-by-step guide. Whether you're opting for glue down, staple down, or a floating floor approach, we've got you covered. Plus, special notes for those considering radiant floor installations for a warm and cozy finish!

Installation Guides
Tongue & Groove
Click & Lock

Comprehensive Guide to 

Hardwood Floor Installation

Navigate the complexities of laying your engineered hardwood flooring with our detailed step-by-step guide. Whether you're opting for glue down, staple down, or a floating floor approach, we've got you covered. Plus, special notes for those considering radiant floor installations for a warm and cozy finish!

Tongue & Groove Flooring Installation Guide

  • Before You Begin

  • Tools You'll Need

  • Site Prep

  • Sub Floor Prep

  • Final Prep

Inspection: Before installation, carefully inspect all materials. Wood is natural, so expect color variations and unique grain patterns. 

 

If you find defects, don't install that piece. Once installed, warranties won't cover visibly defective materials.

  • Cleaning tools: Broom/vacuum and hardwood cleaner

  • Measuring tools: Chalk line, tape measure, square

  • Cutting tools: Hand/electric jam saw, miter saw, table saw, utility knife

  • Safety equipment: Safety glasses

  • Other tools: Tapping block, straight edge, pry bar

  • For gluing: Urethane wood flooring adhesive, towels, trowel

  • For stapling: 18 gauge, 1 1/4" staple (or longer) and a power nailer. 

  • Be careful! Incorrect power nailer usage can damage the flooring.

  • Acclimatization: Store the wood in the installation room for 48 hours prior to help it adjust to room conditions.

  • Construction: If building a new property, install the hardwood floor last. Ensure any water-involved tasks are completed and dried well in advance.

  • Temperature & Humidity: Keep room temperature between 60-80°F and humidity between 35%-65% for at least 5 days before installation.

  • Responsibility: Ensure the job site and sub-floor conditions are suitable for wood floor installation. Any issues arising from improper site conditions are the responsibility of the installer/owner.

For Concrete Sub-Floors:

  • Newly Poured Concrete: Wait 60 days before covering with wood.

  • Lightweight Concrete: Suitable only for floating installation methods. Test its suitability by scraping its surface (if it powders easily, only use the floating method).

  • Concrete Condition: It should be dry, smooth, and defect-free. Remove paint, oil, wax, etc., mechanically (no solvent-based strippers). Ensure there's a strong bond between the adhesive and concrete.

For Wood Sub-Floors:

  • Securing: Use ring shank nails or screws to ensure it's well fastened and sound.

  • Condition: The wood must be dry (less than 13% moisture) and free of paint, oil, wax, etc. Add an additional layer if the sub-floor is less than 3/4" thick. Do not use particleboard for staple or glue-down methods.

  • Existing Wood Flooring: If installing over it, lay the new wood at right angles to the old.

Sub-Floor Moisture Check:

  • Regularly check for moisture, especially in areas prone to dampness.

  • Test the sub-floor using a calcium chloride test or Tramex moisture meter. If moisture levels are too high, allow the sub-floor to dry or use a moisture barrier.

  • Remember: A well-prepared foundation ensures a beautiful and lasting floor. Always consult the manufacturer's guidelines for the best results.

Remove all moldings and wall-base and undercut all door casings with a hand or power jam saw using a scrap piece of flooring as a guide.

RACKING THE FLOOR

Whether your choose to install the floor with glue, nails, or staples start by using random length planks from the carton or by cutting four to five planks in random lengths, differing by at least 6”. As you continue working across the floor be sure to maintain the 6” minimum between end joints on all adjacent rows. 

 

Never waste material; use the left over pieces from the fill cuts to start the next row or to complete a row. Note: When installing a pre-finished wood floor be sure to blend the wood from several cartons to ensure a good grain and shading mixture through out the installation.

INSTALLATION METHODS

  • Glue Down

  • Staple Down

  • Floating Floor

  • Radiant Floor

GLUE DOWN INSTALLATION GUIDELINES

There are two ways to install when gluing down engineered hardwood flooring (wet lay meaning to lay directly into wet adhesive and dry-lay method meaning to allow the adhesive to flash or to tack up.) 

 

Caution: Whether you choose to install using the dry or wet method follow all guidelines set by the adhesive manufacturer. By not adhering to the guidelines you can void your flooring warranties.

WET LAY METHOD

  • STEP 1:

There are two ways to install when gluing down engineered hardwood flooring (wet lay meaning to lay directly into wet adhesive and dry-lay method meaning to allow the adhesive to flash or to tack up.) 

 

Caution: Whether you choose to install using the dry or wet method follow all guidelines set by the adhesive manufacturer. By not adhering to the guidelines you can void your flooring warranties.

Your engineered hardwood floors may be installed over wood sub-floors using staples. 

When installing your engineered wood planks or strips by stapling, it is necessary to use the proper type of flooring staples for your engineered wood floors.

 

Before installation of the engineered flooring begins, install a 6-mil polyethylene layer over the sub-floor. This will retard moisture from below and may help prevent squeaks. Keep in mind there is no complete moisture barrier system for staple or nail down installations. 

 

Note: 15lb roofing felt or resin paper may be substituted for the polyethylene and installed as below.

RECOMMENDED STAPLERS

When installing a 5" wide product, an 18 gauge, 1 1/4" staple or longer, with a power stapler is recommended

  • STEP 1:

You must staple 1”-2” from the ends and every 6”-8” along the edges. This will help insure a satisfactory installation. It is best to set the compressor PSI at 80-85lbs. to keep the staples from going through or breaking the tongues. Improper stapling techniques can cause squeaks in the floor.

 

Note: Adjustments may be necessary to provide adequate penetration of the staple into the nail bed. You want it flush in the nail pocket. Use a scrap piece of flooring material to set tools properly before installation.

Subfloor Preparation

  • Subfloor preparation is more critical for a floating engineered floor than for a staple or glue down application, the floor must be flat to 1/8 inch in 10 feet. If the floor requires correction the high areas can be ground down and the low areas may be filled by floating latex fortified Portland leveling compound. The leveling compound must be allowed to dry according to the manufacturers instructions before the floor is installed over it. The use of sand or extra padding to fill low areas is not acceptable.

Underlayment

  • Floating installation of your engineered hardwood flooring requires the use of suitable 2 in 1 underlayment padding. Underlayment requirements are very critical in a floating installation.

Expansion Space

  • An expansion space of at least 3/8 inch must be maintained around the perimeter of the room, all pipes, counters, cabinets, fireplace hearths, doorframes and any other fixed vertical objects in the room.

Glue and Glue Placement

  • The recommended glue for floating installation is Tongue and Groove engineered flooring glue. Glue placement is very important. The glue must be placed along the topside of the groove the full length of the grooved side and end. This can be accomplished by inverting the plank and applying a bead of glue (3/32”) to the topside of the groove (side of the groove nearest the face of the plank), when the plank is turned back over the glue will run down the back of the groove giving total coverage. Apply only a 3/32-inch bead of glue, if the groove is filled with glue it will be difficult to close the seam not allowing a tight fit.

Getting Started

  • Spacers must be used to establish the minimum 3/8” ” expansion space from the walls. These three rows must be straight, square and in rack because they establish the alignment of the rest of the floor. After putting these three rows together allow the glue to set (15 to 45 minutes) before proceeding with the installation. With the tongue facing out the planks can be tapped together with a tapping block on the tongue to make a snug fit. After installing 8 or 10 rows of flooring stand back and check for crowning or heaving due to tension strapping or any damage caused by improper tapping.

Clean AS YOU Go

  • If any glue squeezes out of the seam between the planks allow it to dry for 10 to 15 minutes and then lightly scrape it away with a plastic scraper or putty knife, any glue left may be cleaned with a damp cloth or other method recommended by the adhesive manufacturer. Do not allow the glue to dry on the face of the flooring; it will be very difficult to clean off.

RACKING THE FLOOR

Your 1/2" Engineered Hardwood Flooring (with the exception of Brazilian Cherry (Jatoba) and Maple), can be installed over radiant heating system on the ground floor, second floor, or in the basement by following the instructions below. As there is a wide array of systems on the market, each with its own features, it is recommended that you consult your radiant flooring dealer to ensure your installation method is the right one. 

 

Wood floors can be successfully installed on radiant floors, provided you know how the latter work and how they may interact with flooring. Preparing the subfloor for concrete slabs with a radiant system is the same as for slabs without such a system. Follow the instructions in the Glue-down or Floating Installation section. 

 

Preparing the subfloor for a beam and joist floor with a radiant system is the same as for a conventional system. Follow the instructions in the Nail Installation section. 

 

With this type of system, it is important to ensure that fasteners are not so long that they penetrate and damage the heating elements.

Precautions and recommendations:

Heat the installation site for 5 to 6 days before board delivery, regardless of the season, to remove residual moisture in the subfloor. 

 

Ensure that ambient humidity and temperature are the same as when the area is occupied. The radiant floor surface must never be warmer than 85°F (29.44°C) during installation or while the floor is in use.

 

 To minimize sudden fluctuations in ambient humidity and temperature that could impact wood moisture levels, it is recommended that you install 3 thermostats. The first is to monitor the temperature of the under-floor radiant system, the second is to monitor room temperature, and the third is to monitor temperature outside the room. 

 

This combination allows rooms to warm gradually in relation to outside temperatures. Use caution when turning the radiant systems on and off at the beginning or end of the seasons. Gradually increasing thethermostat temperature over a one week period will help to minimize any undue stress on the hardwood floorboards