Bruce Hardwood Floor Installation


Listed below are links that lead to individual pages detailing different types of installation specifications with Bruce hardwood floor products.

1/4", 5/16", 3/8", and 1/2" Engineered Products

RECOMMENDED ADHESIVES: Armstrong® ProConnect™ Professional Hardwood
Flooring Adhesive, Armstrong 57 Urethane Adhesive or Armstrong EverLAST™
Premium Urethane Adhesive
RECOMMENDED ADHESIVE REMOVER: Armstrong Adhesive Cleaner
RECOMMENDED CLEANER: Armstrong Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner
RECOMMENDED UNDERLAYMENT (Floating installation system only):
PolyFoam Underlayment, Armstrong Quiet Comfort™ or Armstrong Quiet
Comfort Premium Underlayment
RECOMMENDED WOOD GLUE (Floating installation and joint gluing): Armstrong
99™ Hardwood & Laminate Flooring Adhesive

Do not staple down products that exceed 5 inches in width or Pecan, Maple, WearMaster, Newcastle, Northshore, Hillden or Hickory products. Do not use floating system for Balance Strip or any self-adhesive products.

Complete Specs PDF file. 10 pages. English, French & Spanish

3/4" Solid Plank or Strip Floors. Nailed or Stapled

Subfloor Conditions

• CLEAN – Subfloor must be free of wax, paint, oil, sealers, adhesives and other debris.
• LEVEL/FLAT – Within 3/16" in 10 feet and/or 1/8" in six feet. Sand high areas or joints. Flatten low spots with a maximum 6 layers of 15# builders felt, plywood or shims (not leveling compounds).
• DRY – Check and document moisture content of the subfloor with the appropriate moisture test. Install moisture retardant materials if needed or desired. (See plank installation note.) Moisture retardant materials must meet minimum perm standards of 3 > 50 ASTM D4869-88, Type I or F.S. UU-B-790a, Type I, Grade D, Style 1a. Most asphalt saturated papers, #15 felt or Grade D kraft paper meet this perm rating. Common brown kraft builder paper and red rosin generally do not qualify as vapor retarders. Concrete subfloors must be a minimum of 30 days old before testing begins.
• STRUCTURALLY SOUND – Nail or screw any areas that are loose or squeak. Wood panels should exhibit an adequate fastening pattern, glued/screwed or nailed as system requires, using an acceptable nailing pattern. Typical: 6" along bearing edges and 12" along intermediate supports. Flatten any swollen edges as necessary. Replace any water-damaged, swollen or delaminated subflooring or underlayments.

NOTE: Avoid subfloors with excessive vertical movement. Optimum performance of hardwood floor covering products occurs when there is little horizontal or vertical movement of the subfloor. If the subfloor has excessive vertical movement (deflection) before installation of the flooring, it is likely it will do so after installation of the flooring is complete.

Complete Specs PDF file. 7 pages. English, French & Spanish

5/16" Solid Hardwood. Glued Direct or Stapled

Concrete Moisture Tests

NOTE: Test several areas, especially near exterior walls and walls containing plumbing. All concrete subfloors should be tested, and results documented, for moisture content. Visual checks may not be reliable. Acceptable test methods for
subfloor moisture content include:

• A 3% Phenolphthalein in Anhydrous Alcohol Solution: 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.
• Tramex Concrete Moisture Encounter Meter (Figure 3): Moisture readings should not exceed 4.5 on the upper scale. (Figure 3 shows an unacceptable reading of over 4.5)
• Polyfilm Test: Apply 3′ × 3′ (1 m x 1 m) pieces of polyethylene film to the
subfloor and leave in place for 24 hours. Assure all edges are completely sealed with water resistant tape. Darkened concrete or condensation on film indicates presence of moisture and requires additional measurements with the Tramex Meter, Calcium Chloride or Rh test.
• Use the longest, straightest boards available for the first two rows. The first row of the hardwood flooring should be installed with the edge of the groove lined up on the chalk line. The tongue should be facing the starting wall. The first row must be aligned and seated in the adhesive as all additional rows will be pushed back to this original row. Remove the tongue to allow for expansion space, if necessary, on the row adjoining the wall.
• When installing pieces, engage the end-joint first, as close to the side (long) tongue and groove as possible, then slide together tightly to engage the side (long) joint tongue and groove. To avoid adhesive bleed-through and memory pull-back, avoid sliding pieces through the adhesive as much as possible when placing them in
position.

Complete Specs PDF file. 10 pages. English, French & Spanish

Lock and Fold Installations

Installing First Row (Floating Installations)

• Select a board to begin installation of the first row using the longest boards available.
• Starting from the LEFT with the tongue facing the wall (Figure 7), carefully place the first board in place (Figure 8). Use wedges or 1/2″ (13 mm) scrap (Figure 9) along the wall to hold plank in place while allowing the required expansion space.
• Align the next piece by overlapping the end of the first board so that the joint is tight when the board lays flat (Figure 10). Some slight adjustment of the board may be necessary to assure a tight fit.
• Again, place wedges or 1/2″ (13 mm) scrap as necessary to restrain movement and maintain expansion zone.
• Continue in this manner until the first row is complete.
• Cut the final board to length allowing the necessary expansion zone.
• Place wedges to restrain movement and maintain expansion zone.
• A 1/2” expansion space is required throughout the insallation. Do not attach or pinch the flooring to the subfloor at any point of the installation including glueing, nailing, or by any other methods.
• If the wall is not straight, scribe the first board as necessary to maintain alignment.

General Information for Glue-Down Installations

• Maximum adhesive working times: Urethane adhesive – 60 minutes; Armstrong
ProConnect Professional Hardwood Flooring Adhesive – 60 minutes.When not in use, keep the adhesive container tightly closed to prevent thickening. Thickening will cause difficulty in spreading the adhesive.
• Open times and curing times of ALL adhesives vary dependent upon subfloor porosity, air movement, humidity and room temperature. Urethane adhesive has a shortened working time in high humidity environments, whereas the working time for ProConnect and polymeric resin adhesives will be lengthened. In areas of low humidity, open time will be longer with urethane adhesives and shorter with ProConnect.Adjust the amount of adhesive spread on the subfloor accordingly. The adhesive should not be applied if subfloor or room temperature is below 60°F (16°C). WORKING TIME WILL VARY DEPENDING ON JOB SITE CONDITIONS.

Complete Specs PDF file. 9 pages. English, French & Spanish

3/4" Engineered Plank

Complete the Installation (All Installation Methods)

• Remove all tape and clean the floor with the recommended hardwood flooring cleaner.
• Trim all underlayment (floating only) and install or re-install any transition pieces, reducer strips, T-moldings, thresholds, bases and/or quarter round moldings that may be needed. These products are available prefinished to blend with your flooring (see below). Nail moldings into the wall, not the floor.
• Inspect the floor, filling all minor gaps with the appropriate blended filler.
• If the floor is to be covered, use a breathable material such as cardboard. Do not cover with plastic.
• Leave warranty and floor care information with the owner. Advise them of the product name and code number of the flooring they purchased.
• To prevent surface damage, avoid rolling heavy furniture and appliances on the floor. Use plywood, hardboard or appliance lifts if necessary. Use protective castors/castor cups or felt pads on the legs of furniture to prevent damage
to the flooring.

Complete Specs PDF file. 11 pages. English, French & Spanish