Columbia Hardwood Floor Installation


3/8" Solid Hardwood

3/8" Solid Hardwood Flooring may be installed over wood sub-floors using staples or flooring cleats. When installing 3/8" solid wood planks or strips by nailing or stapling it is necessary to use the proper type of flooring stapler or nailer made for the thickness of the hardwood flooring that is being installed.

Recommended Pneumatic Floor Stapler or Nailer
When stapling, an 18 gauge, 1 1/4" staple or longer. When nailing an 18 gauge 1 ¼" to 1 3/8" cleat is recommended.

Note: The appropriate adapter for the thickness of the wood on some
flooring staplers must be used.

Step 1

You must staple or nail 1" to 2" from the ends and every 4" to 6" along the edges. This will help insure a satisfactory installation. It is recommended to set the compressor PSI at 80 to 85lbs. initially and adjust as necessary to keep the staples from going through or breaking the tongues. Improper stapling techniques can cause squeaks in the floor.

Adjustments may be necessary to provide adequate penetration of the nail or staple into the nail bed. You want it flush in the nail pocket. Use a scrap piece of flooring material to set tools properly before installation.


Complete Specs PDF File. 6 pages. English only.

Staple or Nail Down Instructions

STAPLE OR NAIL DOWN INSTALLATIONS

Note: Engineered wood flooring products that are 5/16" thick are not approved for staple or nail down installation. The recommended method of installation is direct glue down only.

Engineered hardwood floors may be installed over wood sub-floors using staples or flooring cleats, with the exception of Luan, Parquet or Masonite. When installing engineered wood planks or strips by nailing or stapling it is necessary to use the proper type of flooring stapler or nailer made for the thickness of the engineered wood flooring that is being installed.

Note: In addition to the ground cover in the crawlspace, a 6-mil polyethylene layer or a 15lb felt or rosin paper must be installed over the subfloor prior to the installation of the engineered wood flooring in order to reduce squeaks and noises created by the opposing floors.

Installing 6-mil Polyethylene
Install the polyethylene parallel to the direction of the flooring and allow a 3" overhang at the perimeter. Make sure each run of polyethylene overlaps the previous run by 6" or more.

Complete Specs PDF File. 8 pages. English only.

Intuition Uniclic®

Starting Off - The First Three Rows

Row One:

Plank 1 should begin in the left hand corner of the room. Spacing around
the wall perimeter of ½" can be maintained by using the Columbia
Flooring wedges. The planks are laid with the tongue side facing the wall,
which enables you to best work with the Columbia Engineered Clic
system. The first row starts with as full a length board as possible;
working from left to right will be required when installing engineered
hardwood clic. Slide the end groove of the board being installed into the
end tongue of the board you previously installed. Place each plank firmly
against the Columbia Fitting Wedges.

After setting the first row and making sure you are against a firm starting
point, lay out three to four rows before starting to install. (Figure 3)
Plank 2 end tongue is connected to the end groove of Plank 1. Lay the
rest, plank after plank, in this manner until you have completed the first
row. Cut the last plank accordingly. Please ensure that this first row is
straight using the Columbia wedges to maintain proper ½"expansion
space from the wall.

Row Two: A starter piece cut to a length accordingly is suggested to
begin the second row. The leftover piece from the first should be
considered for this starter piece to minimize waste. Align this plank and
lock the side into place against the first plank in row 1. The next plank is
aligned with the end joint first into the previous plank. The side of plank is
then tapped lightly against the previously laid row. Continue laying in this
way across the entire row, Remove the fitting wedge and press in the row
of planks with a light pressure on the long side. The planks lock into each
other. The square edge tapping block is needed to aid in the connection
of the locking system on the long side. The planks are now laid row after
row in this sequence.


Complete Specs PDF File. 2 pages. English only.