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Chateau Collection - Installation Instructions

Bosen Hardwood


CHATEAU COLLECTION ENGINEERED PLANK FLOORING


Responsibility of Owner and Installer
Installation is the responsibility of the Owner and Installer. Beautiful hardwood floors are a product of nature and therefore, not perfect. Our wood floors 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. This guide should be carefully followed in order to ensure proper installation of your new CHATEAU Collection floor. Only a qualified professional hardwood floor installer should perform the installation. Prior to installation, the Installer/Owner should perform a final inspection of the grade, manufacturing and factory finish of the purchased products. The Installer must use reasonable selectivity and hold out or cut off pieces with defects, whatever the cause. BOSEN HARDWOOD shall not accept responsibility for the installation of flooring with visible defects. Before installing CHATEAU Collection floors, the Installer and Owner should ascertain that the jobsite and sub floor meet all necessary requirements of CHATEAU Collection's Installation as outlined in the instructions. The CHATEAU Collection's Limited Warranty does not cover flooring failures resulting from poor jobsite and/or sub floor conditions.
Installation Tools needed
Generally the tools needed for installation are: Handsaw or power saw, hammer, crowbar or pull bar, tape measure, pencil, chalk line, wood or plastic spacers, tapping block, adhesive trowel, carpenter's square, urethane hardwood plank adhesive. Bostik's Best is the recommended adhesive for CHATEAU Collection's product warranty.

Pre-installation and Jobsite Requirements
All work involving water or moisture should be completed prior to the installation of hardwood flooring. In fact, for any new construction or remodeling project, hardwood flooring should be one of the last items installed. The jobsite should be monitored for consistent, normal room temperature between 60 F and 70 F and relative humidity in the range of 35% to 50%. Store CHATEAU Collection hardwood flooring at the installation area for minimum of 48 hours prior to installation to allow flooring to adjust to room temperature and humidity (acclimating). Do not unwrap clear plastic until you are ready to install. The wood floors must not be stored directly on concrete or near outside walls. Do not install CHATEAU Collection hardwood flooring in areas subject to moisture, such as but not limited to, bathrooms, saunas or laundry rooms. CHATEAU Collection hardwood flooring should only be used for interior, residential on grade, above grade and below grade.

Moisture Barrier
Moisture Barrier system: If moisture is present, inexpensive sheet vinyl (PVC) may be installed. Use a premium grade, alkaline resistant adhesive and a full spread application system to properly bond the vinyl to the subfloor. Follow the sheet vinyl manufacturer instructions for installation procedures. A patch test may be required as an adhesion test. Install several small areas (3' x 3') and allow the vinyl to set for 72 hours. Remove the vinyl, if the backing remains attached to the concrete, the subfloor should be acceptable for sheet vinyl installation. If you have any questions regarding installation or the handling of moisture problems, please contact the manufacturer/distributor/retailer from whom the goods were purchased.

Subfloors
The quality and preparation of the subfloor is important in installing your CHATEAU Collection hardwood floors. The following are acceptable subfloor types: Plywood, concrete, existing vinyl floor covering. The subfloor must be structurally sound, clean and free of all debris, wax, grease, paint, sealers, old adhesives and other substances which may impair proper installation, level and flat to 3/16” per 10' or 1/8” in 6' radius, dry and will remain dry all year round. Subfloor moisture content must not exceed 2.5% for concrete or 13% for wood or ply wood. A commercial moisture meter may be utilized for testing subfloor moisture as well.
WOOD
Wood subfloor must be:
  • Dry and well secured.
  • Nailed down or screwed down every 6 inches along the joist to avoid squeaking.
  • Leave adequate gap around perimeter.
  • Leveled by sanding down high spots and filling in low spots with an underlayment patch as necessary.
CONCRETE
CHATEAU Collection floor can be glued directly to a concrete subfloor if the subfloor meets all requirements. Do not use a concrete sealer nor install over one. The concrete must be high compressive strength. All concrete subfloors must pass moisture content test. Visual checks are not reliable. Acceptable test methods include:
  • Calcium Chloride test. The maximum moisture transfer must not exceed 3 lbs. /1000 square feet with this test.
  • Tramex concrete moisture encounter meter. Moisture reading should not exceed 4.5 on the upper scale.
  • Relative Humidity probe test with a maximum reading of 75%.
A “DRY” SLAB, AS DEFINED BY THESE TESTS CAN BE WET AT OTHER TIMES OF THE YEAR. THESE TESTS DO NOT GUARANTEE A DRY SLAB. ALL CONCRETE SLABS SHOULD HAVE A MINIMUM OF 6-MIL POLY FILM MOISTURE BARRIERS BETWEEN THE GROUND AND THE CONCRETE.
Concrete subfloor must be:
  • Fully cured for at least 60 to 90 days.
  • Installed properly with minimum 6-mil Polyfilm between concrete and ground.
  • Dry all year round. Do not install over concrete if you are not sure it will remain dry.
  • Tested for moisture by using moisture meter.
VINYL
Sheet vinyl must be:
  1. Well bonded to the floor.
  2. In good condition.
  3. Clean and level, no debris.
  4. Do not install over vinyl tiles.
Preparing for installation
Undercut or notch-out door casings to fit flooring underneath by placing a piece of flooring on the subfloor as a height guide for sawing. Remove door thresholds and base moldings and replace after flooring installation. Always leave at least ½” expansion space between flooring and all walls and vertical objects. Use a hammer and tapping block and tap against the tongue to pull planks together. Never tap against the groove of the plank. When near a wall, use a crow or pull bar to close end joints. Be careful not to damage flooring edge.
Starting installation
For aesthetical purposes, wood flooring is often laid to the longest wall. However, owner, upon the advice of the professional installer, should make the final decision which direction the planks will run. Most professional installers will begin installation next to an outside wall, which is usually the straightest wall and used as a reference point in establishing a straight working line. A good way to establish a working line is to measure an equal distance from the wall at both ends and snapping a chalk line. Measure distance from the wall at the width of the plank plus another ½” for expansion space for establishing your working line. It is advisable to dry lay a few rows before actually using glue to confirm your directional layout decision and working line. Adjustment of the working line may be necessary if the outside wall or other working line reference is out of square. This can be done by scribe cutting the first row of planks to match the wall and creating a straight working line.
Glue Down Installation
Bostiks Best is the recommended adhesive for CHATEAU Collection hardwood floors. Follow instructions provided by Bostik's Best. Instructions from Bostik's can be obtained directly from adhesive manufacturer or by visiting their website at http://www.bostikfindley-us.com/PDF/hardwood/bestds1.PDF
If you choose not to use the recommended adhesive and select another it must be moisture cured urethane or polymer adhesive specifically manufactured for hardwood plank installation. Follow the instructions for that adhesive carefully.
Nail / Staple Installation
Plank Nail Down
Subfloor preferred is a CDX plywood underlayment or at a minimum, 5/8” CDX plywood. (Particle board is not an acceptable underlayment). In the case of either nail (cleat) or staple, a 1 ½” length is recommended with the spacing every 4” – 6” along the length of the board and 1” from the end. Follow the manufacturer's recommended air pressure on either stapler or nailer. It is also recommended to glue the butt ends of the boards to insure a proper and firm joint. Nail or staple down installations may be successful over existing vinyl providing:
  • That the subfloor is properly attached to the joists.
  • That the penetration by either method is not significantly lessened.
Parquet Nail Down
The 28” x 28” parquet panels can be nailed down however urethane or polymer adhesive must be used in addition to the nails. Failure to use glue will result in expansion problems with the flooring. Follow the instructions provided by the adhesive manufacturer for details.
Finishing the Job
Remove expansion spacers. Reinstall base and/or quarter round moldings to cover the expansion space. Install transitions pieces such as reducer strips and T-moldings as needed. Do not allow any foot traffic or heavy furniture for at least 24 hours.
Clean and remove all dirt and debris on floor by dust mopping. Follow floor care and maintenance guide to ensure longevity and lasting beauty of your new CHATEAU Collection hardwood floor.
Note: For general information on wood flooring, refer to National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) (www.woodfloors.org)
Manufactured and Warranted by Bosen Hardwood
4/15/08
 
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