Inlay Design

PRE-INSTALLATION:

OWNER / INSTALLER RESPONSIBILITY

The owner is advised to be at home during installation for consultation and direction. The owner and installer must discuss installation and layout to maximize satisfaction. If this is not possible, consultation must be done prior to installation. Installers should be familiar with installation guidelines from the North American Laminate Floor Association (nalfa.com). The owner/installer assumes all responsibility for product quality of the completed installation.

PERFORM PRE-INSTALL INSPECTION. For claims purposes, you are allowed to open up to 3 boxes for product inspection. DO NOT OPEN ALL THE BOXES. Opening all the boxes constitutes your acceptance of the product. Inspect all the planks in these three boxes carefully. Examine flooring for color, finish, and quality. If you discover that products are defective, or if material is questionable, you should contact the retailer. If you are satisfied, proceed with installation.

Prior to installation, rack up planks from several boxes to ensure uniform distribution of colors, shade, and character in the installed flooring. Purchase flooring to be installed in one large area at the same time. Product purchased at a later time than the first purchase may vary beyond your expectations. Accessories, trims, and moldings are manufactured to coordinate with the varied appearances of the floor planks. Any exact matches are coincidental. Non-matching accessories are not defective products.

This product is manufactured according to strict quality standards. In the event that defects are discovered in the field, industry standards permit a defect tolerance not to exceed 5%. An additional 5% (10% for diagonal installations) should be factored in for cutting wastage and grading allowances. During installation, inspect the planks continuously. Defects that can be seen from a standing position should be cut off or held out. Installing defective planks implies acceptance. Squeaking and clicking noises are the result of interactions among flooring, joists, and subfloors when they move. Limiting the movement of the flooring system usually eliminates most of these noises. Sometimes it is impossible to eliminate them completely, and minor squeaking and clicking noises are to be accepted as normal flooring phenomena.

RADIANT HEATED SUBFLOOR

This product can be installed over a radiant heated subfloor if the heating element is installed into a wood or concrete subfloor. Operating surface temperature must be less than 84°F. Decrease temperature to 60°F for one week before installation in increments of 10°F per hour. Increase temperature gradually after installation in increments of 10°F per hour.

JOB SITE REQUIREMENTS:

The flooring is a durable floor covering, not intended as structural material. The flooring requires a clean, dry, secure subfloor that meets building codes.

The following requirements are not intended to supersede federal, state, or local building codes, but as with many other interior finish products, may require modifying existing structural components for successful installation. Owner assumes responsibility for compliance with all building codes.

The flooring is suitable for use in climate-controlled environments (35%–65% RH and 60–85°F) for indoor installations only and should not be installed in rooms with floor drains or sump pumps. The flooring can be installed above grade, on grade, or below grade.

A moisture test is strongly recommended to determine if high moisture exists in the subfloor. When using a calcium chloride moisture test for concrete subfloors (ASTM F1869), values must be ≤5 lbs/1000 ft²/24 hr, or ≤80% RH with an in-situ probe (ASTM F2170). Moisture readings of wood subfloors must be within acceptable industry standards.

Acceptable job site conditions, including relative humidity and subfloor moisture conditions, must be maintained throughout the lifetime of the flooring.

The flooring is installed as a floating floor and requires the use of T-moldings in doorways 4 ft (1.22 m) or less and in rooms 60 feet or larger in length or width. Floor movement must not be constrained by glue, nails, screws, hardware, or other fixed obstructions.

This product must be installed in accordance with these installation instructions.

SITE AND MATERIAL PREPARATION:

A.) Remove carpet and padding. Also remove any wood flooring installed on concrete. Do not remove products unless they are asbestos-free.

B.) Undercut door frames and wall base. Slide the flooring at least ½" underneath the door frame and wall base. Also leave a concealed 3/8" minimum expansion under each.

C.) Remove bumps or peaks in the subfloor and fill depressions with floor leveling compound to ensure no more than 3/16" unevenness per 10-foot span.

D.) Acclimate unopened product before installation. If there is no time for acclimation, there should be no more than a difference of 25°F and 20% relative humidity between the stock/transportation environment of the flooring and the final installation environment.

E.) Clean debris from subfloor before installation.

F.) For maximum performance, it is recommended to install EssentiaLAY Premium Underlayment appropriate for the flooring. Follow the installation instructions carefully, sealing all edges with sealing tape and repairing all rips and perforations in the underlayment vapor barrier prior to flooring installation. Other than a 6 mil vapor barrier, an additional underlayment is not recommended for use with EssentiaLAY Premium Underlayment.

FLOORING INSTALLATION

1.) Inspect each plank. Floor should be installed blending planks from several cartons at the same time to ensure good color and shade mixture throughout the installation.

2.) For the first row along straight walls, remove the tongue on all long side joints and on the short side of the first plank only.

3.) For uneven walls, trace contour on the tongue side of plank and cut.

4.) Assemble the first row with tongue side toward the wall. Insert the end tongue into the end groove and rotate downward to assemble. Keep the planks aligned and the joints closed.

5.) Two spacers thick side to thick side = 3/8".

6.) Provide a 3/8" space for expansion on all sides. First piece must be at least 8" long. Start new rows with pieces trimmed from the previous row. Ensure at least a 6" end joint offset.

7.) At a slight angle, insert the tongue of plank 2 into the groove of plank 1 until the edges meet, then rotate down until the joints lock.

8.) Join the short end of the plank first. There will be a gap on the long side joints when planks are rotated down.

9.) Raise the outside of the plank upward approximately 1". Maintain this angle as you push the plank in until the edges meet. Rotate downward until the joint locks. Repeat these steps to complete installation. Installation Tip: Place a carton of planks across the end of the row being installed to keep installed planks in place.

10.) Alternate Tap Method: Align the tongues into grooves on both long and short sides. Install the long sides first by placing a tapping block no closer than 8" from either end and tap lightly along the long side until the joint is closed tightly. Then tap the end using the tapping block into a locked position. Uneven tapping or excessive force may damage the joint.

11.) Ensure a 3/8" gap remains between floor and wall for expansion.

12.) For the last row, align the plank to be used on top of the second-to-last row. Using a full-width plank as a spacer, trace the wall contour and cut.

13.) For the last row, install the long side tongue into the groO\/e with the end joint aligned. Using a pull bar and hammer, work evenly along the length of the plank and lightly tap the joint closed.

14.) After tapping the long side joint dosed, tap the short side closed, using a tapping block or a pull bar.

INSTALLATION UNDER DOORWAY FRAMES

15.) Slide plank under pre-cut door frame.

16.) Tap the long side joint closed first, then the end joint.

INSTALLATION AROUND FIXED OBJECTS (SUCH AS PIPES)

17.) Allow a 3/8" expansion space around pipes and other fixed objects.

FINISHING THE INSTALLATION

18.) Remove all spacers.

CARE AND CLEANING

Place felt floor protectors under legs of movable furniture. Chair casters should be rubber, not plastic, and used with a smooth rolling chair mat. Place walk-off mats at entrances.

Dust mop as the primary cleaning method. Occasionally wet mop with water only, using a well-wrung mop. Do not pour liquid directly on the floor or use an excessively wet mop that leaves standing moisture.

If needed, use:

1 cup of vinegar per gallon of water, or
1/3 cup of non-sudsing ammonia per gallon of water.

Do not use detergents, abrasive cleaners, soaps, waxes, or polishes. Use proper hard surface vacuum tools. Do not use rotating beater bars, floor scrubbers, steamers, jet mops, or similar products. Wipe up spills promptly and do not allow moisture to remain on the floor longer than specified in the product warranty.

WARRANTY: Lifetime Residential

Manufacturer warrants to the original purchaser that for the duration of the stated warranty from the date of purchase:

The flooring will be free from delamination.
The surface wear layer will not wear through, stain, or fade from non-direct sunlight or artificial light.
The product will resist moisture for up to 72 hours from mopping and everyday household spills.

This limited warranty applies to the original purchaser only and is not transferable. The warranty does not cover wear or damage caused by improper installation, negligence, cleaning, care, or maintenance contrary to the manufacturer’s instructions.

WARNING

Drilling, sawing, sanding, or machining may expose you to wood dust.
State of California: Cancer and reproductive harm. Avoid inhaling wood dust.