Material check It is of paramount importance to check your equipment as soon as it arrives. The points to check are: species, width, grade, color and luster. Your installer should be able to do this with you. If you suspect a problem, please notify the distributor or manufacturer immediately. Unless there is a defect not visible to the eye, the general rule is that an installed floor is an accepted floor. Humidity Ambient The installation of the wood floor is usually just after the joint pulling and painting steps. The next step is probably the installation of the kitchen. During the previous 2 steps, your floor generates a lot of humidity in your house, which often increases the ambient percentage. A floor installation should ideally be between 40 and 55% to ensure good performance throughout the year. Sub-floor A plywood sub-floor has its own moisture level which can be transmitted to the floor when the 2 materials come into contact. The percentage must not exceed 12%. Floor The wood floor should have an internal humidity between 6 and 9%. The gap between the sub-floor and the wood planks must not exceed 4%. Acclimatization Wood flooring is a living material that will continue to move throughout its life. It is important to let it rest in the rooms where it will be installed for a minimum of 72 hours so that it takes on the general atmosphere of the house. Arrange the floor boxes raised off the ground, away from exterior walls and please do not store the boxes in the garage or basement while awaiting installation, better to delay delivery. Visual sorting In regular wood grades, the slats you will receive will have been sorted for quality. The fact remains that it is possible that to your eye, some boards do not please you. There are as many kinds of patterns and colors as there are trees in the forest. We recommend that the home owner be on site during installation and visually sort the boards. The undersides of cabinets and in wardrobes are strategic places to put the boards you like less. Accessories You will need several accessories to install your flooring. The reversal strips (key, tongue) are used to join two grooves in order to reverse the direction of installation of the floor and thus allow the use of the equipment. The need is when entering a new room in the house. Wax paper is placed between the subfloor and the floor to help decrease moisture transfer between the 2 materials. It comes in a 400 sq. Ft. Roll. The ventilation grids (register, hatch) are an interesting element to consider for a very integrated look. The ones we suggest are recessed and removable. The essence and finish will be the same as the floor for a very subtle look. Regular dimensions are 4 “x 10” which represents the size of the duct. The contours of the wooden grill are larger. Landing noses are very often required with your floor whenever there is a stairwell or a change in level in the house. Remember to order it at the same time as your flooring and longer than required in order to make the cuts on site. We offer the square or round nose. The bearing nose is often essential to start the installation because it is on this that the first row will be supported. All these accessories are available with your order.
5 things to consider before and during the installation of your floor
by Kelly Rodrigue | Jun 15, 2021 | Floor | 0 comments