Installation instructions must be followed for the warranty to be valid.

Owner and/or installer will take full responsibility for all products installed. Industry standards allow for a 5% allowance in grade, in each box. If you do not like the look of the piece, do not install it. This 5% is not valid under product warranty.

Tools Required:
Tape measure, pencil, circular saw, jigsaw, chalk line, nail punch, hammer, power nail with 2" hardwood flooring cleats (approx. 160 nails per 20 sq. ft). Also 2" finishing nails, felt paper and power drill.

Material Acclimatization:
Open boxes and allow the wood to acclimatize to the ambient temperature of the room. The wood must be given 48 - 72 hours at approx. 23°C (72°F) and a relative humidity of 45% before installation.

Floor Preparation - SubFloor:
Vintage Hardwood Flooring recommends that all Vintage Prefinished Hardwood Flooring be installed with a minimum 5/8" A.P.A. approved, C.S.P./D.F.P.- C.O.F.I. stamped, plywood, minimum 23/32 O.S.B. Underlay Grade PS2-92 rated, or 5/8" tongue and groove boards. However, consult your hardwood flooring dealer for recommendations for your specific subfloor applications. Any failure of Vintage Prefinished relating to subfloor materials is not the responsibility of Vintage Hardwood Flooring and is not covered under the warranty. The use of particleboard as a subfloor will automatically void the warranty. DO NOT install Vintage Hardwood Floor below grade, always install above the soil line of your home. DO NOT install Vintage Hardwood Floor over concrete unless an acceptable plywood subfloor has been built over firmly anchored sleepers and a dehumidifier is in place to continuously remove excess humidity from the room. Sweep and vacuum the floor. Ensure that old carpet, oils, foreign particles, protruding nails, carpet glue, etc. are removed. Make sure that the subfloor is level, clean, dry and securely fastened. Repair and/or replace any sections that are unsound or damaged. Remove baseboard molding and under cut all casing and doorjambs by a minimum of 3/4". You may choose to save your moldings and reinstall them later.

Step #1 - Starting Plan & Position Direction
All flooring strips must be installed perpendicular (right angle), to the floor joists (Fig. #1). It is recommended that you start your rows on the longest, straightest wall. Lay the felt paper parallel to joist with a 4" overlap, and flush to the wall. Measure out from each wall end 3" (for 2-1/4" plank), 3-3/4" (for 3" plank), 4" (for 3-1/4" plank), 4-3/4" (for 4" plank). Stretch chalk line from both ends and mark the floor; this will be your start line for the first row. The 3/4" extra will allow for the expansion and contraction of the floor. This gap will be covered up later by your baseboard and quarter round.

Step #2 - First Row
Always work from at least 5-6 different boxes at one time. Use the longest piece available for the first row; this will ensure the straightest possible line for your floor. Lay the first row (Fig. #2) with the tongue edge flush to your chalk line. Always lay out 6-7 rows of product before installing them as to mix lengths and shades of boards, and to ensure that the end joints are not aligned to the preceding row. Pre-drill holes 1/2" from the groove side, 8-10" apart on the face of the first row. Nail through the holes with 2" finishing nails; use a nail punch to counter sink the nail. Pre-drill and blind nail (Fig. #3) on a 45° angle through the tongue on 6-8" centers. Use a nail punch to set the nails without damaging the edges of the strips.

Step #3 - Second Row
Start the second row by using the cut piece from the first row. Interlock the boards tightly on the sides and ends. Always offset the end joints by 6-8". Blind nail the second row on a 45° angle at 8-10" centers. Always place a nail 2" from the end of each board. Proceed with the next row as you have done with this row. Once there is sufficient clearance to use a power nailer, complete the remainder of the rows with the power nailer.

Step #4
Power Nailer Application (Fig.#4) continue across the room laying out and selecting pieces so that the end joints will never line up from row to row. Always tap boards gently together to ensure a tight fit for all strips. Proceed by nailing on 8-10" centers.

Step #5
The last two rows will require you to follow the same procedure as the first couple of rows. This is required because as you get closer to the wall, you will run out of room for hammering the power nailer. Once this happens, start by blind nailing (Fig. #3) on a 45° angle through the tongue on 6-8" centers. The last row will require you to leave a 3/4" space from the wall. This last row will require you to drill and face nail every 8-10". After all flooring has been laid, you may fill in the nail holes with wood filler to match your floor.

Installing Over A Crawl Space:
You may install over a crawl space providing care has been taken to cover all areas of exposed earth with 6 mil C.G.S.B. polyethylene. You must also ensure that sufficient cross ventilation exists so that no moisture will accumulate.

Installing Over Radiant Heat:
You may choose to install over radiant heat, however, Vintage Hardwood Flooring Inc. will not warranty any solid 3/4" products over radiant heat. Refer to our Crafted Engineered Flooring section for radiant heat applications.

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