Installation Guide

Blind nail at a 45° angle through the tongues. It will be easier if holes are pre-drilled in the tongues. Nail 1” to 2” from the ends and every 4” to 6” along the
sides. It will be necessary to blind nail the next two rows. A brad nailer with 1” to 1-3/8” brads can also be used to blind nail and no pre-drilling is needed.
Continue the installation using an engineered wood flooring stapler, using recommended staples. Staple flooring 1” to 2” from ends and every 4” to 6” along
the edge tongues. See notes in floating section for end joint spacing and starting additional rows.
Recommended Pneumatic Floor Fastener
Staple 1” to 2” from the ends and every 4” to 6” along the tongue side of the engineered wood product to help insure a satisfactory installation. It is
recommended to initially set the compressor at 80 to 85 PSI and adjust the pressure as needed in order to properly set the fastener and prevent the fastener
from going through or breaking the tongues.
Improper stapling techniques can cause squeaks and/or surface dimpling of the floor. Adjustments may be necessary to provide adequate penetration of the
nail or staple into the nail pocket. Fasteners should be flush in the nail pocket and not beyond. Use a scrap piece of flooring material to set tools properly before
installation. Always use flooring installation tools with the factory designed floor plate attached to ensure proper fastener penetration angle.
Floating Installation Guidelines (Preparation)
Undercut Door Casings
Undercut all door casings 1/16” higher than the thickness of the flooring materials to be installed. Use a scrap piece of flooring as a guide. Lay the scrap on the
substrate and cut the casing with a handsaw or use a power jamb saw set at the correct height. Remove all moldings and wall base and undercut all door casings.
Underlayment
Use Performance Accessory Underlayment or equivalent with equal or better specifications. Underlayment
requirements are critical to a floating installation. Excessive pad compression or compaction is a common cause
of seam failure. Lay the underlayment on the floor with the moisture barrier facing up. The direction of the
underlayment should lie parallel to the direction of the floor being installed.
For the first row of flooring, the underlayment should be placed so that approximately 1” overlaps onto all
perpendicular walls. Place the following row next to the first row on top of the lower moisture barrier overlap.
Remove the adhesive strip and fold back the upper overlap on the second row. Make sure the underlayment
fits together tightly; don’t leave gaps. On the last row, place the underlayment 1” up the wall. To join rolls on
the short side of the underlayment, use a moisture resistant tape to connect the two pieces so water cannot
penetrate the underlayment.
Expansion Space
An expansion space equal to the plank thickness must be maintained around the perimeter of the room, all pipes, counters, cabinets, fireplace hearths,
doorframes and any other fixed vertical objects in the room. Doorway or archways 48 inches or less and rooms larger than a 26’ X 33’ are required to
have a T-Molding.
Anything 7 inches or larger in width should be installed using the glue assist. Use Performance Accessories Adhesives and Sealers or products that meet
or exceed manufacturer’s adhesive and sealer specifications as specified in Adhesive Selection section below. Use the trowel included with each pail of adhesive.
Change trowels with each fresh pail of adhesive to insure proper spread rate. Refer to container labels for specifics on trowel size, etc.
Glue and Glue Placement
The recommended glue for floating installation is Performance Accessory Tongue & Groove D3 Rated Floating Floor Glue. The glue must be placed on every plank
along the topside of the groove and bottom side of the tongue for the full length of the side and end. Apply only a 3/32” bead of glue. If the groove is filled with
glue, it will be difficult to close the seam, preventing a tight fit.
Gettting Started – Floating Floor
The installation begins with three rows of flooring glued together and held in place with low adhesion delicate surface painters tape with the groove side
facing the wall. Spacers must be used to establish the expansion space from the walls equal to the plank thickness. These three rows must be straight, square
and in rack because they establish the alignment of the rest of the floor. After putting these three rows together, allow the glue to set 15 to 45 minutes before
proceeding with the installation.
With the tongue facing out, the planks can be tapped together with a tapping block on the tongue to make a snug fit. After installing 8 or 10 rows of flooring,
stand back and check for crowning or heaving due to tension strapping or any damage caused by improper taping.
Row 1: It is necessary to work from right to left when installing tongue and groove engineered hardwood flooring. Plank 1 should be a full-length board, laid in
the right hand corner of the room. Lay the plank with the groove of the long side facing the wall. Use wood wedges to maintain spacing around the perimeter of
the room equal to the plank thickness. Place each plank firmly against the wood wedges. Slide the end tongue of the board to be installed into the end groove
of the board previously installed. After setting the first row and making sure you’re working against a firm starting point, lay out three to four rows before starting
to install. Lay the rest, plank after plank, in this manner until you have completed the first row. Cut the last plank accordingly. Ensure that this first row is straight
using the wedges to maintain proper expansion space from the wall. Planks may require scribing and cutting to fit wall curvature if present.
Row 2: When possible, use leftover plank from the first row to begin the second row to minimize waste. Initial layout of material will allow you to check your
end seams to ensure they are not too close. End joints on adjoining rows should be offset by no less than 6”. 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 in row 2. 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 Uniclic Tapping Block may be required to ensure a tight fit of all long-side joints. The planks are now laid row after row in this sequence.