Installation Guidelines

READ ENTIRE INSTALLATION GUIDELINES BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH INSTALLATION. ALL WORK SHOULD BE PERFORMED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE NWFA (National Wood Flooring Association) INSTALLATION GUIDELINES. INSTALLATION NEEDS TO BE PERFORMED BY A LICENSED, PROFESSIONAL HARDWOOD FLOORING INSTALLER.

Please check our website at www.sonomawoodfloors.com for any updates to this installation instructions. If a version more recent than Rev6 is present, you must use that in place of these instructions. 

INSTALLER/OWNER RESPONSIBILITY

Hardwood flooring is a beautiful and unique product of nature. Therefore, it is not always uniform or ‘perfect.’ Hardwood is characterized by distinctive variations in grain and color. 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. Sonoma Wood Floors are European oak engineered hardwood floors, 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.

• The installer/owner assumes all responsibility for final inspection of product quality. This inspection of all flooring should be done before installation. Carefully examine flooring for color, finish, and quality under suitable lighting conditions before installing it. If any material is not acceptable, do not install any part of the flooring and contact the seller immediately. Once installed, you and the installer own the floor. The manufacturer's liability is limited to material, not installation, or labor related costs.

• Prior to installation of any engineered wood flooring product, the installer/owner must determine that the job site environment and the sub surfaces involved meet or exceed all applicable standards and recommendations of the construction and materials industries. These instructions recommend that the construction and subfloor be dry, stiff, and flat. The manufacturer declines any responsibility for job failure resulting from or associated with subsurface or job site environment deficiencies.

• NOTE: Sonoma Wood Floors makes no warranty or guarantee of the quality of the chosen installer's work or of a particular installation performed by them. Sonoma Wood Floors disclaims all liability for any errors, or improprieties in the installation of its products by an installer. When flooring is ordered, 5% - 8% must be added to the actual square footage needed to allow for cutting and grading. This is in addition to the 5% defect allowance mentioned above. Should an individual piece be doubtful as to grade, manufacture or factory finish, the installer should not use the piece. 
• Please note that Sonoma Wood Floors Coastal collection 9.5”wide and Reserve collection 10.25”wide are Glue down only. 
  Sonoma Mission collection and Builders Advantage collection can be installed glue down, nailed down with glue assist or floating with tongue and groove glue (more detailed instructions are being updated. Please contact info@SonomaWoodFloors.com in the meanwhile if you have questions or follow NWFA engineered hardwood flooring instructions for compatible flooring)
   

“INSTALLATION IMPLIES ACCEPTANCE”

PRE-INSTALLATION PROCEDURES

SUGGESTED TOOLS AND ACCESSORIES

• Broom (Soft Bristle)
• Tape Measure
• Table Saw. Jig Saw, Miter Saw
• Thickness Specific Flooring Nailer and fasteners (consult the flooring nailer manufacturer for proper faster length) – please note that the Sonoma Wood Floors is a Glued down floor. Reference to Nailer and fastener is for moldings only.
• Urethane adhesive (i.e. Bostik’s for glue down)
• Urethane Adhesive Remover ( if and as needed)
• Blue Painters Tape (Important- Test an area first. DO NOT LEAVE THE BLUE TAPE ON THE FLOORING FOR LONGER THAN 24 HOURS)
• Hammer
• Quality Hardwood Flooring Cleaner (Test are area first)
• Finished or screw type nails (for moldings)
• Chalk line & Chalk 
• Band saw /undercut jamb saw
• Moisture Meter (Wood and Concrete)
• Nail Set
• 6' Straight Edge (For checking flatness of floor)

STORAGE AND HANDLING

• Deliver the materials to an environmentally controlled site.
• Flooring should not be delivered until the building has been closed in with windows and doors in place, and until cement work, plastering, and all other "wet" work is completed and dry.
• Handle and unload flooring material with care. Flooring products should be stored in the rooms in which they are expected to perform. DO NOT STORE IN THE GARAGE.
• Materials must be allowed to acclimate for as long as necessary to meet minimum installation requirements for moisture content. (a minimum of 72 hrs.). Do not open the boxes till the day of installation. Only open the boxes that are being installed that day.
• Moisture content of wood sub-floor must not exceed 12% on a reliable wood moisture meter, or read more than a difference of 3%, (2% for planks 5” and wider) in moisture level of flooring being installed. Failure to properly acclimate may result in buckling or gapping of the wood planks.
• Store in a dry place (installation area) being sure to provide at least a four-inch air space under and around cartons. Not near an outside wall. 
• Concrete should be at least 60 days old. 
  
   

JOB SITE INSPECTION

• The building should be closed in with all outside doors and windows in place.
• All concrete, masonry, framing members, dry wall, paint and other "wet” work should be thoroughly dry.
• The wall coverings should be in place and the painting completed except for the final coat on the base molding. (When possible, delay installation of base molding until flooring installation is complete.)
• Sub-floor must be checked for moisture content using the appropriate testing method.
• All gutters and downspouts should be in place.
• Basements and crawl spaces must be dry and well ventilated. (Crawl space must be a minimum of 24" (609.6 mm) from the ground to underside of joists. A ground cover of 10 mil black polyethylene film is essential as a vapor barrier with joints lapped six inches and taped. The crawl space should have perimeter venting to a minimum of 1.5% of the crawl space square footage. These vents should be properly located to foster cross ventilation).
• Permanent air conditioning and heating systems should be in place and operational.
• The installation site is required to have a consistent room temperature of 60-75 degrees F and humidity of 35-55% prior to, during and after installation for a proper living environment.
• HVAC Systems should be in place and working 10 days before installation.
   

Engineered wood flooring may be installed on any grade level, using proper moisture barrier protection. 

SUB-FLOOR REQUIREMENTS

Sub-Floors Must Be:

• Clean: Scrape, broom clean, and smooth; Free of wax, paint, oil or debris.
• Level/Flat: Within 3/16" in 10' and/or 1/8" in 6'.  Sand high areas or joints, per industry specs. Low spots may be raised flat using a cementitious underlayment material. Consult manufacturer’s guidelines prior to application.
• Structurally Sound: Nail or screw any loose areas that squeak. Replace any water-damaged, swollen, or delaminated sub-flooring or underlayment as they are unable to properly hold fasteners. Avoid any sub-floor with excessive vertical movement unless they have been properly stiffened prior to the installation of the wood flooring.
• Dry: Check moisture content of sub-floor. The moisture content of wood sub-floor must not exceed 12% on a reliable wood moisture meter or read more than a difference of 3% (2% for planks 5” and wider) in moisture level of flooring being installed.

Recommended Sub-Floor Surfaces:

Preferred: 3/4" (19 mm) CDX Grade Plywood and (23/32) OSB rated Underlayment

Wood Sub-Floors & Wood Structural Panel Sub-Floors

• Plywood: Must be minimum APA grade rated sheathing or CDX. 
• Oriented Strand Board (OSB): Must be PS2 rated installed sealed side down. Do not install over particleboard, wafer-board, pressed wood, or fiber board.
• Make sure the existing floor or sub-floor is dry and well nailed or screwed down every 6" along each joist to avoid squeaking or popping before the floor is installed.
• Measure moisture content of both sub-floor and wood flooring to determine proper moisture content. Remember each wood species has its own specific gravity, so adjust your moisture meter accordingly.
•  Optimum performance of hardwood flooring products occurs when there is no vertical movement of the sub-floor. The minimum sub-floor recommendations described above are for 16" 0/C joist spacing. Install flooring perpendicular to the floor joists when possible. Installations should not be made parallel to the floor joists unless the sub-floor has been properly stiffened. Stiffening may require the addition of a second layer of sub-flooring material to bring the overall thickness to a min. 1-1/8” 
• Applicable standards and recommendations of the construction and materials industries must be met or exceeded.

Concrete Slabs

• The concrete must be of high compressive strength, min. of 3000 psi. For lightweight concrete, consult the adhesive manufacturer’s specs for bonding to light weight concrete. 
• All concrete sub-floors must be tested for moisture content. Visual checks are not reliable. Acceptable test methods for sub-floor moisture content include:
• A 3% Phenolphthalein in Anhydrous alcohol solution test: Chip the concrete at least 1/4" deep (do not apply directly to the concrete surface) and apply several drops of the solution to the chipped area. If any color change occurs, further testing is required. 
• Calcium Chloride test: The maximum moisture transfer must not exceed 3 lbs. / 1 (MM) square feet with this test.
• Tramex Concrete Moisture Encounter Meter test: Moisture readings should not exceed 4.5 on the upper scale.
• NOTE: Test several areas, especially near exterior walls and walls containing plumbing. 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 a 6-mil poly film moisture barrier between the ground and the concrete.

Resilient Tile & Resilient Sheet Vinyl

• Make sure the vinyl or tile is well bonded to the entire sub-floor. Do not install over more than one layer, which does not exceed 1/8" in thickness over a suitable sub-floor.
• Always consult individual products guidelines and specifications before proceeding with any installation.

All Installation Types

Before Getting Started, Consider These Tips:

• Remove any existing base, shoe mold or doorway thresholds. Replace after installing the flooring.
• Undercut door casings. All door casings should be undercut to avoid difficult scribe cuts.
• Flooring should be installed from 3-5 cartons at the same time to ensure a good overall color and shade mixture.
• Be attentive to staggering the ends of boards at least 6", in adjacent rows. This will help ensure a more favorable overall appearance of the floor. Avoid unsightly H joints

• Large spans in areas of high humidity may require the addition of internal or field expansion. This can be accomplished by using spacers, such as small washers, every 10-20 rows inserted above the tongue and removed after several adjoining rows have been fastened.
• Remember; if in doubt about any product related to placement, characteristics, color, grain, or any other concern or question regarding installation, contact your supplier before installing!

INSTALLATION PROCEDURES – Glue down only

GLUE-DOWN METHOD

Much of the information related to Nail-Down installations applies to Glue-Down as well. Therefore, please make certain to read all the previous instructions, before starting your glue-down installation.

Surface Preparation

• Install over clean concrete or plywood.
• Remove 100% of any contaminates that may interfere with proper adhesion to substrate including sealers, adhesive residue, carpet backing, curing compounds, “paint overspray” and any other contaminate.
• Dust should be vacuumed up completely.
• Low areas are the most common concern for any glue down installation. Variation in flatness should not exceed 3/16” in 10’ and or 1/8” in 6’. If your surface exceeds this tolerance, see Sub-Floors (Level/Flat) page 2.
• Glue Down Installation Tips: Install with Urethane Adhesive (See Tools and Equipment Needed).

Adhesive Transfer

• Hollow spots can be eliminated if there is a 90% plus adhesive transfer to the back of the flooring.
• If proper adhesive transfer is not being achieved, stop the installation immediately, and check adhesive manufacturer’s recommendations and/or flatness of the concrete slab.
• Installation of a Starter Strip: A starter strip gives you something firm to push against. Tack Strip or strapping and masonry nails (concrete) work well. Without it, the boards would open up and move around every time you pushed against them or tapped them with a block and mallet.
• Spread Adhesive: Following the directions of the adhesive manufacturer spread the adhesive and install the flooring immediately. Avoid working “on” the floor.
• Temporarily Tape the Flooring in Place: After a few rows are installed, tape them together with 3M removable blue tape as required. Tape will keep flooring joints tight while adhesive cures.
• Clean Up: As you install your flooring, immediately clean up any excessive glue or adhesive smudges by wiping with a urethane adhesive remover or per directions. Cured adhesive is very difficult to remove & often degrades the floorings finish.

Step 1: Establish A Starting Point

Installation parallel to the longest wall is recommended for best visual effects, however, the floor should be installed perpendicular to the flooring joists unless sub-floor has been reinforced to reduce sub-floor sagging.

• Find the appropriate sub-floor from sub-floor requirements section in these installation guidelines.
• Measure the width of 2 planks of the product being installed.
• Allow for 1/2" expansion, or the actual thickness of the product being installed. Add the planks width + expansion. (Remember the expansion gap needs to be around the entire floors perimeter.)
• Using this measurement, in at least two places, measure out equal distance from the starting wall and 12"-18" from the corners and snap a chalk fine.

Step 2: Installing First Rows 

• Use the longest, straightest boards available for the first two rows. 
• Remove the tongue from the planks to use in the row against the wall. The cut edge will be installed facing toward the starting wall. 
• Spread adhesive (using adhesive manufacturers recommended trowel), from the chalk fine to the starting wall. 
• Align groove edge of first row of planks on chalk fine and press firmly into the adhesive. 
• For the next row interlock the groove edge into the tongue of the previously installed planks, pressing into adhesive. The edge where you removed the tongue should be racing the starting wall. 
• Make sure there are no gaps inside or end joints. Use blue painters’ tape to tape the 2 rows of planks together. 
• Pre-drill nail holes 1/2" from back edge closest to the wall, 2" from each end, and at 10" intervals, secure to the floor with nails. 
• Countersink nails: avoid bruising the wood by using a nail set to drive the nails the last 1/4". (On a wood sub-floor, you may be able to use a pneumatic finish nailer). This will stop any movement of the 1st two rows (on concrete you may have to temporarily shim between the planks and wall). It is critical that the 1st two rows of planks be secured straight and tight with no gapping.

Step 3: Racking the Floor

• "Dry" lay flooring to cover approximately 2/3 of the width of room. Begin dry laying approximately 3ft from the edge of the previously installed rows. Be attentive to staggering the ends of boards at least 6", in adjacent rows. This will help ensure a more favorable overall appearance of the floor. Avoid unsightly H joints (Do Not Repeat end joint within 6” for 5 Rows)
• Flooring should be installed from 3-5 cartons at the same time to ensure a good overall color and shade mixture.
• Visually inspect flooring, setting aside boards that need to have natural character flaws cut out. Use these boards for starting and finishing the row after objectionable characteristics have been removed.

Step 4: Installing the Floor

• Spread a 2-3 ft. width of adhesive from the starter rows towards the finishing wall, (spread only enough adhesive that can be covered with the flooring before it starts to skin over).
• For the next rows, interlock the tongue edge into the groove of the previously installed planks, pressing firmly into adhesive. Do not slide in the adhesive. Push planks tightly together to eliminate gaps inside and end joints (lightly tapping with an appropriate block if necessary).
• Repeat until all adhesive is covered with flooring.
• Immediately clean any adhesive from the planks.
• Use blue painters tape every 2-3 ft. to secure this section together and avoid movement/gapping.
• Continue using this method through the balance of the installation.
• The last row may be fastened in the same manner as the 1st row.
• Consult adhesive manufacturer’s guidelines for curing/dry time and foot traffic limitations.
• Once the adhesive is cured you may gently remove the blue painter’s tape.

Step 5: Completing the Job

• Clean the floor with the recommended wood flooring cleaner.
• Install any transition pieces that may be needed, such as Reducer Strips, T-Moldings, or Thresholds. The products are available pre-finished to blend with your flooring. 

TRIM AND MOLDINGS

Reducer Strip: 

A teardrop shaped molding used around fireplaces, doorways, as a room divider, or as a transition between wood floors and adjacent floor coverings that are thinner. Fasten down with adhesive and or nails.

Stair Nosing: 

A molding undercut for use as a stair landings trim, elevated floor perimeters, and stair steps. Fasten down firmly with adhesive and nails or screws. Pre-drill nail holes to prevent splitting.

Threshold:

A molding undercut for use against sliding door tracks, fireplaces, carpet, ceramic tile, or existing thresholds to allow for expansion space and to provide a smooth transition in height difference. Fasten to sub-floor with adhesive and/or nails through the heel. Pre-drill nail holes to prevent splitting. Always leave expansion beneath the undercut.

Quarter Round: 

A molding used to cover expansion space next to baseboards, case goods, and stair steps. Pre-drill and nail to the baseboard, not into the floor.

T-Molding:

A molding used as a transition piece from one flooring to another, or to gain expansion space. Fasten at the heel in the center of the molding. Leave expansion beneath the undercut on both sides.

Install:

• Fill all nail holes with matching color putty.
• Install all base and/or quarter round moldings to cover expansion space. Nail moldings into the wall, not the floor. Properly set and fill all nail holes.
• Inspect the floor, filling all minor gaps with the appropriate blended color filler.
• If the floor is to be covered, use breathable material such as cardboard. Cover the entire floor. 
• Do not cover it with plastic.

POST-INSTALLATION

CARE AND MAINTENANCE

Regular Maintenance: 

Dust mop, lightly sweep, or vacuum flooring to remove surface dust and or debris. When necessary, use a high-quality hardwood flooring cleaner, misting sparingly, mop the floor with a clean terry cloth or microfiber bonneted mop to properly clean and maintain the finish. Do not use solvent-based cleaners.

Preventive Maintenance: 

As with any floor covering, proper care and maintenance will help to keep a new floor looking its best. Here are some tips to help:

• Never wet mop or clean your floor with water. Water can dull the finish and permanently damage the floor.
• Use outside door mats at the entrances to keep dirt and moisture from being tracked in. Inside you may want to add area rugs to further prevent dirt and moisture from being tracked onto your floor. Don't use rubber, foam back or plastic mats as they may discolor the floor. To prevent slippage of area rugs, use an approved latex rug underlay from a reputable manufacturer.
• Normal exposure to any lighting source will bring about changes in the color of any floor. The aging/oxidation process causes your floor to darken.
• Sweep or vacuum your floor as often as required to remove loose dirt or grit before it can scratch the surface of the floor. Pet nails can also cause surface scratches and should be kept trimmed.
• Wipe up spills as soon as possible before they get sticky or dry.
• Use felt floor protectors on the feet of furniture. This should help avoid scratches and gouging.
• Avoid using wheels or casters on furniture; they may damage your flooring.
• A humidifier is recommended to prevent excessive shrinkage in floors due to low humidity levels. Wood stoves and electric heat tend to create very dry conditions. Excessive humidity can also adversely affect your floor. A humidity level of 35% to 55% is required.
• In damp conditions proper humidity levels can be maintained with an air conditioner or dehumidifier, or by periodically turning on your heating system.
• Some types of high heel shoes may cause indentations and related damage to floors due to the extremely high compressive force they generate. Claims will not be accepted for damages which arise from such exposure.

FLOOR DARKENING OR NATURAL COLOR CHANGE

Normal exposure to any lighting source will bring about changes in any hardwood floor due to the natural aging/oxidation process. Over time, this process will cause your flooring to take on a deeper, richer, and darker look. For the first 6 to 8 months, rugs and other furnishings that screen or block the flooring from natural or room lighting should be moved occasionally. This will minimize any appearance of discoloration under these objects. This is not a product defect and is not covered by any warranty.