When considering engineered hardwood flooring there are only two options that make sense, glue-down or floating. Both flooring options have advantages and disadvantages, so it is important to take some time to get familiar with each. By taking some time to learn what these hardwood flooring types have to offer, you will know which of the two engineered hardwoods you want. The Benefits and Drawbacks of Glue Down FlooringGlue down hardwood flooring often sounds more like real solid Engineered flooring than floating floors do. Because of the way it is installed there is not a hollow sound when walking across the floor or a spongy feel, this is something that can be an issue with floating floors if they are not installed perfectly and with optimal conditions.

Benefits:

Glue down Engineered flooring also does not require a vapor barrier because the glue itself acts as the barrier. This can reduce the installation costs for this type of flooring a bit, though they are comparable to one another when your account for the cost of glue and increased labour costs.

Glue down flooring also shifts a bit less, and it can be used in surfaces that are not quite as level as what is required with floating floors.

Drawbacks:

Even though glue down Engineered flooring types come with quite a few benefits, they also take much longer to install than floating floors do.

They are more difficult to install and will come with higher labour costs if you have professionals put them in.

These floors are more difficult to remove if you decide you want to replace them down the road, and you will be working much harder to take off the adhered boards than you would with a simple click and lock type of floating floor.

The Benefits and Drawbacks of Floating Engineered Floors

Benefits:

Floating Engineered floors are easier to install than glue down floors and can be put into place faster. It is possible to install an entire room of this type of flooring in just a day or two for most people. That type of installation takes longer when putting in glue down flooring because it is a more intensive process overall.

Floating flooring is easier to tear up, if necessary, as well. It is affordable and often cheaper to put in in the end than glue down flooring is, even with the extra underlayment that is required. It is also important to realize that floating floors can go down over more types of underlayment.

If you are trying to install a floor over a surface that traditional glue-down flooring cannot attach to, you are better off going with a floating floor if you do not want to change your subfloor.Though there are considerable benefits to floating wood floors, there are some drawbacks as well.Drawbacks:

They shift more than glue down flooring does.

They require a separate underlayment that adds to installation time and cost. Floating Engineered flooring options require a more level surface or they sound hollow and less like real hardwoods too. This is another major consideration if you are planning on getting floating Engineered flooring.

How To Decide Between Glue-Down and Floating Engineered Floors?

After you have taken the time to consider the different engineered flooring options, it is time to decide whether you want to go with floating wood floors or the glue down variety. Each option is good for different reasons, but you need to decide which is more important to you.

• Engineered flooring can be installed below, equal or above ground level.
• Do not install in bathrooms, laundry, toilets or areas subject to regular moisture or water.
• In a new construction, Engineered flooring should be one of the last items installed.
• All work involving water or moisture plumbing, acoustic ceilings, wall lining etc, should be completed prior to Engineered flooring being installed. Heating and air systems should be fully operating maintaining a comfortable room temperature.
• Flooring should not be delivered until the building has been closed in and cement work, plastering, painting and other materials are completely dry. Concrete and plaster should be cured and at least sixty days old. Check basements and underfloor crawl space to be sure they are dry and well ventilated to avoid damage caused by moisture.
• Handle with care. Do not stand packs on their ends.
• Do not store directly on concrete or near outside walls. Cartons should be placed in the installation area.
• Extremes in humidity levels in the home must be prevented all year long. Engineered timber is a living product which reacts to humidity level variations. During summer, where the humidity level is usually at its highest point, the Engineered flooring is expected to expand as it absorbs moisture from the air. These variations must be dealt with adequate dehumidification. As for winter, when the heating system is working, the humidity level is lower. It is then recommended to use a humidifier to minimise the extreme effects of shrinkage.

When installing Engineered flooring, we recommend the following installation tools – Expansion wedges, a pulling iron and a tapping block. You will also require a jigsaw, pencil, hammer, tape measure, sharp knife and small hand tools associated with wood working.

Along with your Engineered flooring you will need underlay and enough trims to complete your floor. Colour matched or aluminium trims are available in a range of shapes, profiles and colours from your local Engineered flooring retailer.

7Oaks engineered flooring is a beautiful and unique product of nature, which is characterised by distinctive variations in grain and colour both within each board and from board to board. These natural variations in colour and grain are not flaws, but are a part of the natural beauty and uniqueness of engineered flooring. These inherent variations should be expected and serve to enhance the natural beauty and enduring charm. Engineered flooring is manufactured in accordance with accepted industry standards, which permit a defect tolerance not to exceed 5%. The defects may be of a manufacturing or natural type.

IT IS UNDERSTOOD THAT;

• The installer assumes all responsibility for final inspection of product quality. This inspection of each board should be carried out prior to installation. Carefully examine the flooring for colour, finish and quality before installing. Use reasonable selectivity and hold out or cut off pieces with glaring defects whatever the cause. All such inspections should be conducted in finished lighting conditions, particularly in areas that will be exposed to sources of natural light. If the flooring is not acceptable, contact your retailer immediately.
• Before beginning installation of any 7Oaks flooring products, the installer must determine that the environment of the job site and condition and type of the sub-floor involved are acceptable, ensuring that it meets or exceeds all requirements which are stipulated in the 7Oaks Engineered flooring installation instructions which follow.
• The retailer declines any responsibility for job failures resulting from or associated with inappropriate or improperly prepared sub-floor of job site environment deficiencies.
• Prior to installation, the installer/owner has final inspection responsibility as to grade, manufacture and factory finish. The installer must use reasonable selectivity and hold out or cut off pieces with deficiencies.
• The use of stain, filler or putty stick for the correction of defects during installation should be accepted as normal procedure.
• Should any individual piece be doubtful as to grade, manufacture or factory finish, the installer should not use the piece. Of course, replacement materials of boards not installed will be afforded in this instance by the retailer, provided the defect is considered as a genuine manufacture defect.
• When Engineered flooring is ordered, allow approximately 5%-10% for wastage and off-cuts, depending upon size or layout of the room or installation area. (Please note: diagonal installations may require additional wastage allowances.)
• Please note that 7Oaks engineered flooring must be installed in a regulated and liveable environment to prevent possible damage not covered by warranty. As such, Engineered flooring should not be installed more than 2 weeks prior to occupation of the home. The floor is designed to perform in an environmentally controlled structure. Warranty exclusions include, but are not limited to surface checking resulting from low humidity, cupping or doming of boards, or the presence of mildew or discolouration from extreme sub-floor moisture or poor cleaning/maintenance regimes.

• 7Oaks Engineered flooring can be installed as a ‘floating’ floor. That is, that the panels are joined together via a click joining system to each other and float over an approved underlay and damp proof.
• A successful installation will rely heavily on strict adherence to these instructions. The two most common causes of failure are uneven subfloors, and inadequate expansion to the perimeter of the floor.
• An uneven sub-floor may lead to movement of the flooring underfoot and within the joining system, resulting in excessive noise, which often sounds like ‘cracking’ or ‘creaking’.
• The first thing that you need is to ensure that the sub-floor or surface that the Engineered flooring is being installed over is level. Using a 3 m straightedge, the sub-floor level should not exceed 3mm over 3 lineal metres in any direction. Remember, uneven floors may lead to movement and noise, so it is necessary to assess the levelness and get it right. Timber floors can be sanded level and concrete floors or existing floor coverings can usually be levelled using a cement based self-levelling compound. Engineered flooring can not be installed over carpet or carpet underlay but can be installed over well bond vinyl, cork or ceramic tiles if sufficiently level.
• Before installing any floor, a moisture level measurement of the sub-floor is very important to know so that we can choose the correct installation procedure(s). If the moisture level is above 70% relative humidity as measured by an approved moisture meter that complies with the current Australian ATFA codes, you must first install a 200um minimum plastic moisture proof membrane or sheeting. Where the membrane edges meet, they must overlap by 300mm and the joins must be sealed using a waterproof tape. All walls and vertical fixtures must have the membrane turned up and then trimmed back to the appropriate level depending on skirting and/or beading to be installed.
• Door frames and architraves should be undercut prior to commencing installation using a scrap of flooring and a long flexible hand saw.
• Work out the trims to be installed as some trims are easier to install prior to the flooring.
• This will be dependent on the direction of the trim to the flooring and the type of trim to be installed.

GENERAL RULES

• Clean any adhesive residue from the flooring surface IMMEDIATELY. DO NOT wait until the end of the installation, since adhesive may dry and will be very difficult to remove without damaging the finish.
• Use blue painter’s tape to hold joints tightly together until adhesive cures.
  DO NOT USE MASKING TAPE.
• Avoid standing or putting weight on newly installed floors during installation.
• During installation, occasionally remove a piece of flooring from the subfloor and inspect the back for proper adhesive transfer. An adequate adhesive transfer is necessary to achieve proper bonding.
• Save a few boards in case board replacement or repair is necessary.

STEP ONE: STARTING THE LAYOUT

1. Installation parallel to the longest and straightest wall is recommended for best visual effects. Install floors perpendicular to flooring joists unless the subfloor has been reinforced to reduce any subfloor sagging.

2. In at least two places, at least 450mm from the corners of the starting walls, measure out equal distances and snap a chalk line. The measurements must be the sum of the width of the flooring plus an additional 15mm to allow for approx 10mm expansion space and the width of the tongue.

3. Measure the distance between the starting line along the full length of the wall to see if there are any places out of line. It may be necessary to trim board widths in order line the wall with its irregularities.

4. Install a starting strip (NO ADHESIVE, any straight wood material) along the inside edge of the chalk line, closest to the starting wall. This row MUST perfectly align with the starting chalk line.

5. When the row is completely straight, use finish nails or concrete nails to attach strip to the subfloor. This sacrificial row will minimize movement of the floor during the installation process and will be removed later on.

STEP TWO: SPREADING THE ADHESIVE

1. Follow all directions according to the adhesive manufacturer (Recommended: Sika T55J, Bostik EFA). Use a trowel recommended by the adhesive manufacturer to spread adhesive over an area that can be covered with flooring within 30-90 minutes. Work trowel at 45 degree angle in a circular motion.

STEP THREE: INSTALLING THE FLOOR

1. Install the first board along the chalk line, making sure the tongue side is tight against the strip.

2. Insert the next board into the adjoining tongue or groove and force the board tightly against the sacrificial row and first plank. When installing products wider than 3¼”, apply a bead of carpenter’s wood glue (PVA) to all the end grooves prior to installing into the adhesive. When installing pieces, engage the short end-joint first then slide together tightly to engage long joint tongue and groove. To avoid adhesive bleedthrough and memory pull-back, avoid sliding pieces through the adhesive as much as possible when placing them in position.

3. Once you have installed three or more boards in the first row, you can begin the installation of the second row.

4. Select a board for the second row that will allow at least 150mm of difference between the joints of the first row and second row. Continue installation, starting new rows once three or more boards have been installed for the preceding rows until the laid down adhesive has been covered.

5. Stagger joints a minimum 150mm in adjacent rows. Avoid alignment of joints in alternating rows which can create an undesirable H-shaped pattern.

6. Once the first section has been completed, inspect all joints closely, tightening all end and side gaps as needed.

7. Measure the final row and trim board lengths to fit along the final wall, maintaining 10mm expansion gap. Use blue painter’s tap to hold the final row in place.

8. Once the main area is complete, remove the sacrificial row, careful not to damage the adjoining boards. Complete installation in the same manner.

9. If required by adhesive manufacturer, roll floor with appropriate weight roller before adhesive cures.

10. If necessary, use weights to flatten boards with bows until adhesive cures in order to prevent hollow spots. Boards that cannot be flattened should be cut in length to reduce the bow or not used.

STEP FOUR: FINISHING

1. Remove all tape from the floor surface.
DO NOT let tape remain on flooring longer than 24 hours.

2. Inspect the floor for any gaps, chips and adhesive residue while removing the tape. Remove all residue, touch up chips and fill with appropriate filler if necessary. Use coloured latex filler for factory finished floors.

3. Install or reinstall all mouldings, nailing to wall, not the floor. Add shoe base if necessary.

4. Vacuum or sweep floor thoroughly.

5. Use only cleaners formulated for pre-finished hardwood floors. NEVER WET MOP OR SPRAY CLEANER DIRECTLY ON FLOOR.

6. Wait 24 hours before moving furniture (do not drag) and allowing heavy foot traffic.

7. If floor is to be covered for temporary protection, use a breathable material such as, cardboard. NEVER cover with plastic.

STEP ONE: PREPARING THE FLOOR

1. Substrate must be flat.

Due to the nature of a floating floor, the substrate the floor is installed over must be flat within a certain threshold (commonly 3mm beneath a 3m straight edge). Once a floating floor is installed it acts like one giant entity. Any parts of the subfloor that are not level will contribute to an uneven floorboard this may result in a hollow, tinny sound and could also potentially squeak.

2. For concrete subfloors, follow all testing requirements for moisture prior to installation. Install a 6-mil polyfilm vapour barrier with joints overlapping 200mm. Fasten seams every 450-600m with clear waterproof packing tape. Run outside edges of polyfilm up perimeter of each wall 100mm. Trim excess after flooring installation is complete. DO NOT use vapour barrier over wood subfloors, use moisture retardant. Alternatively you may use an (NCC) approved underlay, including polyethylene foam with included moisture barrier.

3. Install recommended underlayment parallel to the starting wall in the same direction flooring will be installed. Butt edges but DO NOT OVERLAP JOINTS. Leave a 10mm space between pad and all walls and permanent vertical fixtures. Tape all joints using a waterproof tape with NO wrinkles.

STEP TWO: STARTING THE LAYOUT

1. Installation parallel to the longest and straightest wall is recommended for best visual effects. Install floors perpendicular to flooring joists unless the subfloor has been reinforced to reduce any subfloor sagging.

2. In at least two places, at least  450mm from the corners of the starting walls, measure out equal distances and snap a chalk line. The measurements must be the sum of the width of the flooring plus an additional 15mm to allow for 10mm expansion space and the width of the tongue.

3. Measure the distance between the starting line along the full length of the wall to see if there are any places out of line. It may be necessary to trim board widths in order line the wall with its irregularities.

4. OPTIONAL: Install a row (NO ADHESIVE) along the inside edge of the chalk line, closest to the starting wall. Make sure row is in perfect alignment with the chalk line and use wedges to hold the flooring in place on the ends.

STEP THREE: INSTALLING THE FLOOR

1. Select the longest boards available. Lay the boards out along the length of the room, making certain the final board in the row is at least 300mm in length. If not, trim the first board to allow the last board to be longer.

2. Begin installation with the tongue facing away from the starting wall. Groove should be facing the starting wall or strip row. The short end groove should be facing the end wall. Align the first board with the starting line.

3. Select the next board. Place a 3mm continuous bead of glue (PVA) in the inside bottom edge of the short end groove. DO NOT apply glue to the long side groove yet. Carefully interlock the joint of the second board to the first board, keeping the long side aligned with the starting line.

4. Remove any excess glue from the floor surface with a towel dampened (not wet) with warm soapy water. DO NOT LET GLUE DRY ON SURFACE. Use 3M blue painter’s tape (NOT MASKING TAPE) to temporarily hold the flooring in place and joints together. Use wedges or spacers along the side and end walls (ends only if sacrificial row was used) to maintain alignment with the starting line. Continue until first row is complete.

5. Measure and cut to length the final board in the first row, allowing 10mm expansion gap between the end of the board and end wall. Select a longer board so that the remaining piece of the board can be used to start the next or later rows. Apply glue in the groove and install.

6. If the cut off “waste” piece from the first row, last piece was 450mm or longer, use it to start the second row. Stagger adjacent row joints at least 150mm.

7. Apply a continuous bead of glue along the inside bottom edge of the end groove and side groove. Carefully align the tongue and grooves together and tighten with a tapping block until all joints are snug. Remove any excess glue and temporarily hold joints together with blue tape. Cut and install the final board of the row.

8. Continue until the first few rows are complete. At this point, you want to be certain the floor installation is in perfect alignment to ensure the remainder of the installation goes smoothly. Any variance will worsen as the flooring proceeds further into the room. This is a good time to inspect the floor, before the glue has fully set. Adjust the floor as needed before proceeding.

9. Continue to install the floor as above. Use blue tape to hold joints together and wedges to hold the end joints in place. DO NOT walk on the finished floor during installation since the glue has not fully set. DO NOT roll the floor either.

10. Finish the final row, cutting boards to fit and maintain the 10mm expansion gap.

11. If starting strip/sacrificial row was used, remove and replace with a row of materials, glued same as above.

STEP FOUR: FINISHING

1. Remove all tape from the floor surface.

2. Inspect floor for any gaps, chips and adhesive residue while removing tape. Remove all residue, touch up chips and fill with appropriate filler if necessary. Use coloured latex filler for factory finished floors.

3. Install or reinstall all mouldings, nailing to wall, not the floor. Add shoe base if necessary.

4. Vacuum or sweep floor thoroughly and use only cleaners formulated for pre-finished hardwood. NEVER WET MOP OR SPRAY CLEANER DIRECTLY ON FLOOR.

5. Wait 24 hours before moving furniture (do not drag) and allowing heavy foot traffic.

6. If floor is to be covered for temporary protection, use a breathable material. NEVER cover with plastic.

7OAKS ENGINEERED FLOORS ARE APPROVED FOR USE OVER HYDRONIC (NOT ELECTRIC) RADIANT HEAT

1. When installing 7Oaks timber flooring over radiant heat, floating installation is recommended. Glue down installation over radiant heat is acceptable with the exception of certain species.

2. Follow all guidelines for subfloor preparation prior to installation. Plywood with vapour barrier is recommended for all applications (glue or float) over radiant heat.

SPECIAL CARE FOR RADIANT HEAT

• Ensure flooring is approved for use over radiant heat.
• Use adhesives specially formulated for use over radiant heat.
• NEVER penetrate heating elements when installing floors over radiant heat.
• Always check subfloors for moisture. Subfloors must have proper moisture tests performed.
• For hydronic radiant heat, a pressure test must be performed and documented by a qualified plumber or radiant heat installer prior to flooring installation.
• An outside thermostat should be installed to prevent changes in moisture content due to temperature.
• DO expect seasonal shrinkage and expansion with changes in temperature and humidity.

IMPORTANT!

With radiant heating, it is EXTREMELY important to maintain humidity at 35-55% and never fall below 35%.

Temperature MUST NOT EXCEED 22°. A humidifier and/or dehumidifier may be needed to maintain humidity at desired levels.

Turning Radiant Heat OFF/ON

• Radiant heating system should be run at 2/3 of maximum output for at least 2 weeks before installation to allow any remaining moisture to dissipate.
• Three to five days prior to installation, reduce heating system to 18°C so adhesive does not cure excessively or too fast.
• Two days AFTER installation, gradually raise temperature to desired level over the next week.
• SURFACE TEMPERATURE SHOULD NEVER EXCEED 22°C.
• MAINTAIN RELATIVE HUMIDITY AT 35-55%.

1. Concrete with two layers of plywood interlocking covered with moisture barrier.

2. Subfloor directly nailed to floor joist with radiant heat system. The plywood is screwed into place on the floor joist which the radiant heating system is installed. Vapour barrier is between the floor and subfloor.

3. Subfloor over sleepers between radiant heat tubing.

Additional Installation Guidelines:
Please follow the guidelines below for each type of installation in addition to the instructions that follow. Glue Down

• DO NOT glue down any flooring DIRECTLY TO EXPOSED RADIANT HEAT PIPING.
• DO NOT DIRECTLY GLUE DOWN ANY WOOD FLOORING OVER BRITTLE LIGHTWEIGHT CONCRETE.
• ONLY USE RECOMMENDED GLUES:

1. SikaBond T55

2. Botik Ultra Set

3. Other Bostik or Sika adhesives for engineered flooring approved for use over radiant heat.

Floating

• Only use glues recommended for floating over radiant heat.
• Use recommended underlayment. Underlayment must be resistant to temperatures above 30°C.