Installation Guide

6
Wood Subfloors Continued
Subfloor panels should conform to U.S. Voluntary Product Standard PS1-07, Construction and
Industrial Plywood and/or US Voluntary PS 2-04 and/or Canadian performance standard CAN/CSA
0325.0-92 Construction Sheathing. Other CSA standards also apply.
Acceptable Panel Subfloors: Truss/joist spacing will determine the minimum acceptable
thickness of the panel subflooring. On truss/joist spacing of 16” o/c or less the industry standard for
single-panel subflooring is minimum 5/8”(19/32”, 15.1mm) CD Exposure 1 Plywood subfloor
panels,(CD exposure 1) or 23/32 OSB Exposure 1 subfloor panels, 4’x8’ sheets. On truss/joist spacing
of more than 16”, up to 19.2” (488mm) o/c, the standard is minimum ¾” (23/32”, 18.3mm) T&G CD
Exposure 1 Plywood subfloor panels, (Exposure 1) or nominal ¾” 23/32”, (18.3mm) OSB Exposure 1
subfloor panels, 4’x8’ sheets, glued and mechanically fastened. Truss/joist systems spaced over more
than 19.2” (488mm) o/c up to a maximum of 24” (610mm) require minimum 7/8” T&G CD Exposure
1 Plywood subfloor panels, (Exposure 1), or minimum 7/8” OSB Exposure 1 subfloor panels, 4’x8’
sheets glued and mechanically fastened – or two layers of subflooring or brace between the truss/joist
in accordance with the truss/joist manufacturer’s recommendations and with local building codes.
Some truss/joist systems cannot be cross-braced and still maintain stability.
For existing wood floors, install new flooring at right angles to the existing flooring. Do not glue,
staple, or nail down hardwood flooring over particle board. This subfloor needs to be
corrected/replaced prior to installation. Do not glue down new flooring over existing glue down
hardwood floors.
P reparing for Installation
Undercut all door casings 1/16" higher than the thickness of the flooring being installed. To do this,
use a scrap piece of flooring as a guide. Lay it on the substrate and cut the casing with a handsaw or
use a power jamb saw set at the correct height. Remove door thresholds and base moldings and replace
after flooring installation.
S tarting Installation
For aesthetic purposes, hardwood flooring is often laid parallel to the longest wall. However, the home
owner upon the advice of the professional installer should make the final decision which direction the
planks will run. Most professional installers will begin installation next to an outside wall, which is
usually the straightest wall and used as a reference point in establishing a straight working line. A good
way to establish a working line is to measure an equal distance from the wall at both ends and
snapping a chalk line. Measure distance from the wall at the width of the plank plus another ½" or
more for engineered flooring, ¾” or more for solid hardwood flooring for expansion space to establish
your working line. It is advisable to dry lay a few rows before using glue, to confirm your directional
layout decision and work. Adjustment of the working line may be necessary if the outside wall or
other working line reference is out of square. This can be done by scribe cutting the first row of planks
to match the wall and creating a straight working line.
Aspen Flooring prohibits the use of any adhesive tape on the flooring at any time during
installation or thereafter. This includes tapes that are specially made for wood flooring, such as
blue or green masking tapes. Such use of tape may void this Warranty and no claims will be
addressed in regards to defects in the finish as a result of the use of tape.