THE BEST RESULT G Jason Spangler, Wagner Meters’ flooring division manager provides a com
Wood flooring is one of the hottest design trends right now. Interior designers and homeowners have rediscovered the warmth that hardwood brings to any room as the natural material brings a sense of balance and synergy.
Contractors have found that engineered hardwood flooring, can be simpler and more cost-efficient to install than traditional hardwood. Engineered wood floors provide amazing alternatives to other types of flooring material, but they are not free from potential challenges.
This article shares some best practices for installing engineered hardwood floors. The first best practice is thorough planning. Investing time upfront to plan your installation project is well worth it to avoid the Three Negative R’s of Construction: Repair, Revise, and Redo!
BEFORE GETTING STARTED Here are the eight critical questions you must research and answer to plan and budget for a successful engineered hardwood flooring installation.
1. What are the best engineered hardwood floors to lay over a concrete slab? Engineered hardwood products vary in depth. A thinner material can be more cost- effective and is advantageous if overall floor height is an issue. Premium grades have a thicker wear layer, which offers more opportunities to be sanded and refinished, extending the life of the engineered wood flooring.
2. What type of subfloor are you installing onto? You need to understand how to prepare the subfloor surface, this can vary quite a bit depending on the type. All surfaces should be scraped and cleaned until they’re free of any debris. Subfloors must also be dry, solid, and structurally intact.
Concrete subfloors should be as flat as possible in accordance with the manufacturer’s tolerances (around 3mm across a 3m area is a good industry standard). Concrete floors also need to be at the manufacturer’s specified relative humidity (RH) level to the flooring you’re installing. You can officially confirm and document the subfloor’s RH level in accordance with the ASTM F2170 standard for determining in situ RH in concrete slabs.
If you are installing over a wood subfloor, the moisture content percentage (MC%) must be measured and verified appropriately. The subfloor surface should be firmly secured with no loose material. If this can’t be achieved, it may be necessary to replace or overlay the existing subfloor surface.
3. Should you float, nail, staple, or glue your engineered hardwood? There are different factors that come into play when making this decision. It depends on the type of surface over which you are installing the floor. It also depends on the environment where you live. Is this a retrofit or new construction?
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You should install a floating engineered hardwood when you need flexibility. Installing a floating floor works well at any grade level and over most types of subfloor surfaces. A floating engineered wood flooring installation on concrete can be an excellent choice if your subfloor is below grade. It’s also a great option if you choose to incorporate a radiant heat system, but don’t forget the vapor retarder.
In contrast, gluing hardwood to concrete provides you with a very permanent solution. Gluing works well when you are installing engineered hardwood over a concrete subfloor, but be sure you clearly understand the manufacturer’s application instructions beforehand.
Plan to nail down the engineered hardwood flooring when you have a wood subfloor. As long as you use the correct pneumatic nail gun, this technique provides the installer with a simple and controlled approach to the installation.
4. What’s the best adhesive for your engineered wood flooring? Use the product recommended by the manufacturer. Different types of adhesives work best with
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