Harris Wood Floor Installation


Engineered Floating Installations. 3" & 5" Width

Pre-Installation Planning (Requirements)

Interior walls should be complete of all “wet trade” work, and should be thoroughly dry prior to installation. The relative humidity must be between 35-55% before installation can begin, and should remain at this level year round. Flooring installed or exposed to conditions outside the recommended levels will react inconsistent with normal expectations, and void the manufacturing warranty.

The heating and cooling system must be installed and maintaining a minimum 60°F for at least 14 days prior to installation. All doors and windows must be installed. All water drainage must direct away from the foundation, with all gutter and downspouts in place. Basements and crawl spaces must be dry and well ventilated.
Adequate ventilation, and 6-8 mil black polyethylene film is essential to divert moisture away from the framework, subfloor and flooring. Check for moisture (see requirements).

Do not use flooring planks or stair nosing strips to build stair treads. Stair nosing pieces are designed to transition the floor to a down-step or set of stairs, not for individual stair construction. The use of putty to fill small gaps should be considered normal in wood floor installation.

Complete Specs PDF file. 4 pages. English only.

Engineered Glue Down & Stapled Installations

TOOLS: Suggested tools and accessories:

For 3/8” Products

Nailer: Primatech (Fig. 3.) – model 500 1 1/4” black or gray base plate. Staple Gun: Stanley Bostitch (Fig. 4)S3297–LHF 3/8” engineered wood flooring tool, 80 - 85lb air pressure appx. Staples: SB97-1G. 1” staples.

For 1/2” Products

Nailer: Primatech – model 500 1 1/2” cleats – blue base plate or Stanley Mark 3 with 1 1/2 inch staples or other stapler with 1 1/4” to 1 1/2” inch staples or other staple guns with 1 1/4” minimum staple. Power nailer model200 using 1 1/4” cleats.
Power saw, hammer, chalk line.

New wood type subfloors should also be checked for moisture using a moisture meter. In general wood or plywood subfloors should not exceed 14% moisture content, or 4% moisture content difference between hardwood flooring and subfloor. Check with your local distributor for your geographical variances.

Subfloor: Installer should check nailing schedule of subfloor.

Construction: 5/8” minimum thickness preferred 3/4” or thicker exterior plywood installed with long edges at right angle to 16” center joists and staggered so that the end joists in adjacent panels will break over different joists. Nail at each bearing with 6d threaded and 8d common nails spaced 6” on-center along all outer bearing edges and 10” on-center along immediate joists. 1” X 4” to 6” wide, square-edged kiln dried coniferous lumber, laid diagonally over 16” on-center wood joists. The end of boards are to be cut parallel to the center of the joist for solid bearing. Face nail each board solidly at every bearing on the joists with two nails.

Particle board not recommended. 3/4” thick OSB on 19.2” or less center joist, approved subfloor (dry). Baseboards should be installed so that their lower edge is slightly above the level of the finished floor, but not nailed into the floor.

Complete Specs PDF file. 1 page. English only.

Longstrip Distinctions Floating, Glue Down, Stapled

General Subfloor Requirements

All subfloors must be flat to 3/16” per 8’ radius. If subfloor prep is required, “high spots” should be sanded or ground down and “low spots” should be filled and leveled with a quality portland based leveling compound. Do not sand
surfaces such as vinyl or synthetic tiles that may contain asbestos.

Subfloor Requirements (Floating Installations)

Longstrip can be floated over any structurally sound, flat, dry (Refer to Subfloor Moisture Requirements below to determine allowable limits), subfloor.
Subfloor Requirements (Glue Down and Staple Down Installations)
Concrete subfloors: (Glue Down Installations) All concrete must be a minimum of 3000 p.s.i. If concrete is less than 3000 p.s.i. it is required that the flooring be installed using the floating method. Concrete must be free of all foreign materials such as wax, paint, oil. These may be mechanically removed, never use solvent based strippers.

Note: Never install Longstrip below grade using the glue down installation method.

Complete Specs PDF file. 5 pages. English only.

Solid 3/4" Hardwood

Installer should ensure subfloor is nailed properly.

Construction:

• 5/8” minimum thickness, preferred 3/4” or thicker exterior plywood installed with long edges at right angle to floor joists and staggered so that end joints in adjacent panels break over different joists. Nail at each bearing with 6d threaded or 8d common nails spaced 6” on-center along all outer bearing edges and 10” on-center along intermediate joists.
• 1” x 4” to 6” wide, square-edged, kiln-dried coniferous lumber, laid diagonally over 16” on-center wooden joists: the ends of all boards are to be cut parallel to the center of the joist for solid bearing. Face nail each board solidly at every bearing on the joists with two nails (7d threaded or 8d common).
• 3/4 inch min. O.S.B. on 19.2 inch center or less floor joists system properly nailed.
• Baseboards should be installed so that their lower edge is slightly above the level of the finished floor, but not nailed into the floor.

Check basement and crawl spaces: these must be dry and ventilated when strip flooring is to be installed over them. In crawl spaces a vapor barrier should be provided. Vapor barrier must be provided below subfloor on ground (6 or 8 mil. poly).

3/4” solid flooring is not recommended to be installed below grade. New wood type subfloors should also be checked for moisture using a moisture meter. In general wood or plywood subfloors should not exceed 14% moisture content, or 4% moisture content difference between wood flooring and subfloor.

Complete Specs PDF file. 1 page. English only.

Springloc Installation

Complete Specs PDF file. 1 page. English only.