INSTALLATION: EcoWood LongStrip (Edge-Glue) Floating Bamboo
INSTALLER AND OWNER RESPONSIBILITY
- Inspect ALL materials carefully BEFORE installation. Warranties & Claims DO NOT cover materials with visible defects once they are installed. It is the responsibility of the installer to determine if the job site subfloor and job site conditions are environmentally and structurally acceptable for bamboo flooring installation. We can’t accept any responsibility for job failure resulting from and associated with sub-surface or job-site environment, climate, and deficiencies.
- The installer and home owner has the final responsibility to inspect the condition of the products including quality, finish, and whether it is the correct product ordered (type, quantity, color, grain, size). Do not install if the flooring is unacceptable. Use good judgment and reasonable selectivity. Hold out or cut off pieces with visible defects, whatever the cause. Flooring with obvious defects or imperfections should be trimmed and used in hidden places or discarded. We will not, in any case, be liable for installer’s lack of judgment, quality of installation, labor, installation, or associated costs. Should any boards be unacceptable and need to be returned, exchanged or replaced for any reason, contact your supplier immediately. Once installed, the floor is considered as having been accepted by the owner and installer.
- Bamboo flooring is a product of nature and therefore, it is neither perfect nor identical in grains or color. Defects in the flooring can occur in the manufacturing process or naturally as a characteristic of the bamboo. Our products are manufactured in accordance with accepted industry standards which permit defects for up to 5%. Order 5% additional material above actual square footage of the installation to allow grading and cutting of the wood.
- The use of color coordinated wood floor putty to cover small cracks and gaps should be considered normal in bamboo flooring installations.
JOBSITE CONDITIONS & PRE-INSTALLATION PLANNING (Requirements)
- The building must be structurally completed and enclosed. All outside doors and windows must be in place and have latching mechanisms. All concrete, masonry, plastering, drywall, and paint must also be completed, allowing adequate drying time as to not raise moisture content within the building. All texturing and painting primer coats should be completed.
- HVAC systems must be fully operated at least 14 days prior to flooring installation, maintaining a consistent room temperature between 60-75°F and relative humidity between 45-55% and should remain at this level year round. This is not only stabilizes the building’s interior and environment, but also is essential when acclimating bamboo flooring to the job site. Bamboo is a hygroscopic material that expands and contracts depending on the relative humidity level of the environment. Flooring must be stored in a climate controlled area, which is equal to the environment it will be installed 5-7 days prior to the installation, but DO NOT OPEN the carton until you are ready to install.
- Exterior grading, directing drainage away from the structure, as well as gutters and down-spouts should also be completed. Floors may be installed on, above, or below grade level and are not recommended in full bathrooms.
- It is essential that basements and crawl spaces are well ventilated and dry. Crawl spaces must be a minimum of 24” from the ground to underside of joists. A vapor barrier must be established in crawl spaces using 6 mil polyethylene film with joists overlapped and taped.
- During the final pre-installation inspection, Subfloor must be checked for moisture content using the appropriate metering device for the wood and concrete.
Tips
- Work out of several different cartons at the same time to obtain the best distribution of color, grain and shade mixture.
- Undercut door casings to avoid difficult scribe cuts, and remove any existing wall base, shoe molding, quarter round or doorway threshold. These items can be replaced after installation, but should be replaced in such a way to allow at least 1/2” room for expansion. See NWFA Installation Guideline for details.
Subfloor Preparation:
All subfloor must be;
- Clean, free of wax, paint, oil, plaster, debris, etc. All previous or existing glues or adhesives must be removed before installation. #3 1/2 grit open coat paper may need to be used to grind a concrete subfloor. This will loosen any dirt, loose concrete or contaminates. Sweep or vacuum thoroughly.
- Flat to 3/16” per 8’ radius or 1/8” per 6’ radius. If subfloor prep work is required, “hills” should be sanded down and the “valleys” filled with an underlayment patch. Subfloor irregularities and undulations may cause any bamboo flooring installation to develop hollow spots between the flooring and subfloor. These hollow spots are NOT the result of any bamboo flooring manufacturing defect and are NOT covered by the warranty.
- Structurally sound and properly secured with nails or screws every 6” along joists to reduce the possibility of squeaking after installation. Nail or screw any loose areas that squeak or reveal movement and replace any damaged Subfloor or underlayments.
- Dry and should be covered, wall-to-wall, with 15lb asphalt saturated felt. Lap edges of this felt 4” when positioning it. Double the felt around heat ducts in the floor. It is essential that basements and crawl spaces are well ventilated and dry. Crawl spaces must be a minimum of 24” from the ground to underside of joists. A vapor barrier must be established in crawl spaces using 6 mil polyethylene film with joists overlapped and taped. ALL Subfloor must be tested for moisture. See below for an appropriate moisture testing.
- Do not install over radiant heat system.
FLOATING INSTALLAION (Edge-glue Floating)
LongStrip can be floated over structurally sound, flat, dry subfloor,
except for radiant heat floors.
Recommended Glue : Titebond (Franklin International 800-669-4583)
Recommended Underlayment :
Signature 2-in-1 Duo (888-647-4600)
Floormuffler (856-662-1981)
Quiet Walk® (888-379-9695)
- Install appropriate foam underlayment. (Follow manufacture’s instructions.)
- Flooring should be installed parallel to the longest wall for the best visual effects.
- Establish and align the first row with the groove side of the board facing the wall, starting in the left corner of the room Insert spacers every 12” to ensure 1/2” expansion is maintained around the perimeter of the installation. Increase this space proportionally in floors over 24’. Increase additional 1/4” expansion for each additional 12’. (If the starter wall is not square, it is recommended that the first row of boards to be scribed to the starter wall.)
- Install first two rows by applying a thin bead of quality moisture resistant wood glue. Apply a bead of floating floor glue to upper inside of grooves on board with 8” long sections with 12” between each 8” section. When the plank is turned back over, the glue will run down the back of the groove to create total coverage (if the groove is totally filled with glue, it could hinder the closing of the seams because of excessive glue squeezing out thus not allowing a tight fit). Full glue every end joint.
- Press each board firmly together and lightly use a hammer and tapping block if necessary. Check for a tight fit on sides and ends. Immediately clean excess glue from between boards with a damp cloth.
- DO NOT TAP too hard as the edges could crash into each other and peak out. Bamboo is a fiber, and tapping with excessive force could cause the edges to splinter.
- Start each subsequent row with cut off end of last board from previous row. The cut off piece must be longer than 12”. Beginning at left, stagger end joints by minimum 6” (8” preferred).
- Continue with the next rows by setting the cut-off board from the previous row. Remember to allow for expansion. Gap and shim accordingly.
- Trim the last board to fit, leaving enough room to place a 1/4” spacer. Expansion space should be covered with an appropriate molding. Always attach the trip to the wall of vertical object and never to the boards.
- Often the last row will not end with a full plank. When this happens, scribe row. Place a full row of planks on top of the last row installed. Insert a 1/2” spacer against wall, and using a full width plank, trace distance from wall onto final row. Cut planks for final row to designated width.
- Allow at least 24 hours before placing the furniture and allowing full traffic.
Acceptable subfloors
- 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.
- 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 joists for solid bearing.
- 3/4” inch minimum O.S.B. on 19.2” center floor joists system properly nailed. When joist space is greater than 19.2”, flooring may exhibit minimum performance. Adequate and proper nailing as well as soundness of the subfloor should be ascertained.
- Concrete sub-floors must be at least 90 days old, clean, level, sound and of sufficient compression strength (3000 lbs. P.S.I.) being sure that the surface is not slick. Sections not level such as waviness, trowel marks, etc. is to be eliminated by grinding or the use of a leveling compound.
- Appropriate moisture test must be done completed prior to installation – Always document your readings.
Wood subfloors
Check the moisture content of both the subfloor and the bamboo flooring with a quality calibrated pin moisture. Wood subfloor must not exceed 12% moisture content, or 3% moisture content difference between bamboo flooring and subfloor. If Subfloor exceeds this amount, the source of the moisture needs to be located and eliminated before installation.
Concrete Subfloors
Testing with Moisture Meter:
All concrete sub-floors can also be tested using a Delmhorst moisture meter, Tramex Concrete Encounter or Wagner Concrete meter. (Check floor in several areas). Test at each outside wall and 1-5 times in center area depending on the size of room for residential, and at each outside wall and every 6’ in center area for commercial.
Testing without Moisture Meter:
Polyfilm : One test per 200 sqf. (Minimum 2 tests per jobsite)
Completely tape down 2’x2’ polyfilm squares and leave them for 48 hours. Check for condensation under the plastic. Condensation indicates slab has moisture. Noticeable color changes indicate moisture.
Phenolphthalein : One test per 200 sqf. (minimum 2 tests per jobsite)
Chip small section of concrete off floor and apply 3% Phenolphthalein in alcohol solution (available at most druggists) in the area. Red color indicates moisture. ALWAYS chip concrete as this protects against the possibility that a concrete sealer was applied. Keep phenolphthalein out of direct sunlight. Average shelf life of Phenolphthalein is 6 months. If any of these tests indicate moisture is present in the slab, the calcium chloride test should be run.
Calcium Chloride Test : One test per 1,000 sqf. for 24 hours. See details for NWFA Moisture Testing Procedures.
If calcium chloride test resulted more than 3 lbs, or moisture is present, DO NOT install, find the source of moisture and correct it.
NAILDOWN INSTALLTION
Tools & Materials:
Hammer, Power saw, Chalk line, Flooring nails, Tape measure, 15 lbs. asphalt felt, Flooring cleaner, Moisture meter.
* 15 lbs. asphalt felt is not considered a moisture barrier. Use of extra moisture barrier (6 mil polyethylene film minimum) may be required if necessary.
Recommended Nail :
Powernail (800-323-1653)
Model 200, 1-1/2”, 20 gage, 85 PSI, U1 PAD with 1 SHIMS.
Model 50P, 1-1/2”, 18 gage, 85 PSI, .200 PAD with 1 SHIM.
- Install flooring perpendicular to the joist in the direction of the longest dimension of the room.
- Cover Subfloor wall to wall with 15 lbs. saturated felt, butting the edges.
- Measure 8” off the wall at each of the room and snap a chalk line from one side to the other.
- Establish the first row of boards to the chalk line (groove facing the starter wall) using the tapping block.
- When first row is aligned, top nail (pre-drill to prevent splits) and blind nail the first row 2” from each end and on 6-8” intervals. If the cut off from the end of the first row is longer than 12”, it may be used to start the second row. Note : Any top nails should be countersunk and filled with matching putty.
- Continue installing subsequent rows by first installing the short side of the boards then the ling side using the tapping block. As clearance allows begin fastening adjacent rows, fastening each board 2” from each end board end and on 6-8” intervals.
- Cut last row to size, allowing for 1/2” expansion and top nail.
GLUE-DOWN INSTALLATION
Tools & Materials: Hammer, Power saw, Chalk line, Adhesive and Trowel.
Adhesive : (Failure to use adhesives that is not mentioned here and to follow its adhesive manufacturer’s instruction will void warranty.)
Bostik’s Best Adhesive or BSTurethane by Bostik Findley (800-523-6530)
Moisture sealer - Bostik MVP (Moisture Vapor Protection)
DriTac 7500, 7600 (800-394-9310)
Moisture Sealer – DriTac MCS 7000 Concrete Moisture Control System
Franklin 811 or Franklin 821 (800-669-4583)
Moisture sealer – Franklin Titebond 531 Epoxy Moisture Control System
* Using moisture sealer along with the adhesive is always recommended.
Suggested Trowels: (Consult with adhesive manufacture to confirm the trowel size.)
| Bostik 3/16”x5/32” V Notch or 1/4”x1/8” Square Notch |  |
DriTac 3/16”x3/16”x3/16” Square Notch |
 |
| Franklin 3/16”x3/16”x3/16” Square Notch |  |
* Always Follow the adhesive manufacture’s instructions.
- Snap chalk line approximately 8” from the starter wall. This will be the last to be installed. Temporarily nail a straight edge on the chalk line and spread enough adhesive to install the first row. It is important to use the trowel at a 45 degree angle to get the proper spread of adhesive applied to the Subfloor.
- Place the first row of boards in the adhesive tongue side facing away from the straight edge. Always work with the tongue side facing away from straight edge. Never slide the planks through the adhesive. Use a tapping block to fit planks snuff together at the ends. Always work from left to right so the tapping is done on the tongue end.
- If the cut off piece from the first row is longer than 12” it may be used to start the second row.
- Once the first row is secure, spread 2-1/2” to 3 feet of adhesive the lengths of the room, this amount will allow you to easily reach across the adhesive to work. Continue installing sequential rows by slightly elevating the tongue end of the board and placing it as close to the adjoining boards as possible, gently lay the flooring in the adhesive and using the glue down tapping block, tap the end of the boards together then from the tongue end of the board begin tapping the side together. Always stagger the end joints of adjacent rows a minimum of 8-10”.
- When you’ve reached the far wall, cut the boards to fit allowing for 1/2” expansion and install using the pull tool.
- Once the remainder of the floor has been installed go back and remove the straight edge, spread adhesive in the open area and install the last row of flooring.
See Warranty & Maintenance for more information.
For more general installation instructions, see NWFA Installation Guideline
for more details. www.nwfa.org (800-422-4556)