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Homeowner's Handbook to Real Wood Floors
Installation Guidelines (Solid Hardwood Floors)
Arimar Solid Hardwood Flooring Installation Instructions
Inspect Material for defects SUBFLOOR:
1. 5/8” minimum thickness, preferred 3/4” or thicker plywood installed with long edges at a right angle to the 16” on center floor joists and staggered so that the end joints in adjacent panels break over different joists. Nail at each bearing with 6d threaded or 8d common nails spaced 10” on center along intermediate joists.
2. 1” x 4” to 6” wide, square edge, 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. Face-nail each board solidly at every bearing on the joists with two nails (7d threaded or 8d common).
3. 23/32” minimum O.S.B. on 19.2-inch maximum center floor joists with system properly nailed or minimum 7/8” subfloor with 24” on center floor joists or trusses.
4. Baseboards should be installed so that their lower edge is slightly above the level of the finished floor, but not nailed into the finished floor.
5. Basement and crawl spaces must be dry and ventilated when plank or strip flooring is to be installed over them. In crawl spaces a vapor barrier should be provided. Follow local building codes or black vapor barrier must be provided below subfloor on the ground. (6 mil. black)
6. Plank or Strip flooring is not to be installed below grade.
7. All subfloors, new construction or existing should be checked for moisture using a moisture meter. In general wood or plywood subfloors should not exceed 14% moisture content, or 4% moisture content difference between 2 1/4”wood flooring and subfloor, or 2% moisture content difference with plank floor. Check with your local distributor for your geographical variances.
8. Subfloor should be flat or made to be flat to 3/16” in a 8’ft. radius.
9. Particle board of any thickness is NOT ALLOWED!
10. Adequate and proper nailing as well as soundness of the subfloor should be ascertained. Foreign material shall be removed from the subfloor surface and swept clean.
11. The clean subfloor shall be covered wall to wall with 15lb. asphalt saturated felt, Aquabar®B, Moisture Mat. Lap the edges of this felt 4” when positioning it. Double the felt around heat ducts that may be in the floor.
GENERAL INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
1. Acclimation Instructions: The “acclimation period” is the time which the hardwood floor is left in the environment in which it is going to be used. This acclimation period can vary greatly depending on the starting moisture content of the wood, the species and size of the planks. The greater the mass the longer it may take to acclimate; wider material will take longer than narrower material and factory finished wood will take longer to acclimate than unfinished wood. To properly acclimate the wood flooring to the interior conditions of the building, the flooring needs to be removed from its boxes and cross stacked to allow airflow around the planks. The installer must document the moisture content of the flooring or the sub-floor before beginning the work. The planks need to be acclimated to within 2% – 3% difference from the subfloor as per NWFA guidelines for plank flooring. Once the flooring has reached the EMC, equilibrium moisture content) required, the floor is ready for installation. It is the responsibility of the professional installer to ensure that the wood has been properly acclimate and bring to the attention of their client any abnormalities or a possible issue that may occur during or after installation.
2. Flooring should be laid at right angles to the floor joists and if possible in the direction of the longest dimension in the room.
3. Begin laying the flooring in a room corner with the groove of the flooring facing the wall. Provided not less than 3/4” expansion space or what will be covered by the baseboard and trim specified for the job.
4. End joints should be staggered to achieve the best appearance in the finished floor (Min. 6”).
5. Nailing should be scheduled with the first run and last run of flooring to be faced nailed then countersunk, face nails should be placed in face of wood in grain to match filler/putty. 2 1/4” wide material should be nailed or stapled every 8” to 10”. Plank should be nailed or stapled every 6” to 8”. Also nailing is required within 2” to 3“ of the end joints.
6. 3/4” plank and strip are pre-finished wood flooring products. Be sure to check nail gun faceplate to ensure it will not damage the surface finish. (See fig. 1)
7. Both 3/4” plank and strip have a U.V. cured, Alpha Alumina polyurethane finish.
8. To avoid dimensional change and movement in hardwood flooring the Relative Humidity should be maintained year round at 35%-55% Relative Humidity. Exotic wood species require special attention as to acclimation, nailing and/or sanding. Note
- Wood flooring not recommended for wet areas, full baths or shower rooms.
- Do not sand any subfloor that may contain asbestos or lead.
- Do not install over radiant heated floors.
- Do not install any product with visible defects.
- ALL crawl spaces must have 6mil. Black Polyethylene covering surface of crawlspace or follow local building codes.
- On or above grade only.
- For special applications such as glue to concrete call distributor or manufacturer. (No full spread applications)
Arimar International Corp. 6800 N.W. 36 Avenue Miami, FL 33147 Toll-Free: 1(888) 694-5195 info@arimarwood.com PDF FILE: Installation Guide Solid Hardwood Floors
Installation Guidelines (Engineered Hardwood Floors)
Arimar Engineered Flooring Installation Instructions
Arimar International Installation Instructions
Floor Art Installation Warranty
Engineered Hardwood Flooring Explained
Engineered Hardwood Flooring Explained
As opposed to a traditional solid timber floor, our engineered hardwood flooring utilizes cutting-edge technology to create a great looking, multi-layered, low maintenance floor that will last a lifetime.
The top layer of an Arimar floor is made from a species of your choice with a huge selection of colors and finishes to choose from. Our Collections include carefully selected, legally harvested wood from western Europe, Australia, South East Asia and Brazil. Once sourced, this wood is hand graded for quality, tone, pattern and form. The next step in the process is surface treatment with a tough protective anti-scratch coating to ensure optimum durability.
In the center of our floor is Arimar’s scientifically developed Hevea Core which is constructed from a tree known for its strength, Hevea Brasiliensis. Our core technology uses multiple staves of Hevea in a scientifically formulated pattern to create a highly stable core that is less likely to expand, contract or move when exposed to moisture, humidity and temperature. This is the key to ensuring our engineered wood flooring out performs all other construction formats, lasts a lifetime and makes a great option for every room in the house.
The final foundation layer acts as a balancing agent and contributes to the durability and stability of the floor. We source the medium density hardwood needed for the base from renewable plantations in Indonesia.
Finishes & Techniques
Our craftsmen work by hand using both age-old techniques and cutting-edge technologies to create a visually stunning result that is unique to your home.
Carefully controlled and hand-checked processes ensure a high-quality finish that will last a lifetime.
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Benefits of Hevea Core
Benefits of Hevea Core
Hevea Brasiliensis is a plantation hardwood timber that shares the same high density and strength as White Oak which is native to the US. It is therefore an excellent, environmentally sound substitute for Oak and other slow growing hardwood species.
We use Hevea Brasiliensis to create the core of our flooring because it provides greater dimensional stability and can withstand external pressure (such as temperature, moisture and air) to change. This ensures that the all-important core in our multi-layer engineered floors is stronger and more reliable than other species which are found in cheaper products.
In the center of our floor is Arimar’s scientifically developed Hevea Core which is constructed from a tree known for its strength, Hevea Brasiliensis. Our core technology uses multiple staves of Hevea in a scientifically formulated pattern to create a highly stable core that is less likely to expand, contract or move when exposed to moisture, humidity and temperature. This is the key to ensuring our engineered wood flooring out performs all other construction formats, lasts a lifetime and makes a great option for every room in the house.
The final foundation layer acts as a balancing agent and contributes to the durability and stability of the floor. We source the medium density hardwood needed for the base from renewable plantations in Indonesia.
Sustainability | Environmentally Friendly
Environmentally Friendly
We believe that every company has a duty to be environmentally responsible and we take this responsibility very seriously. All our materials are sourced from sustainabily managed forests and meet stringent global environmental standards.
Wood, if sourced correctly, is one of the most renewable resources in the world. Other kinds of man made floors are produced in factories which requires huge amounts of energy and the emission of more greenhouse gases.
We use wood that is planted for the production of natural rubber as the base for our products. This means the tree is neither removed from the forest nor cut down for timber. It is only felled when it has to be replaced towards the end of its natural productive life. In fact around 70% of every board we produce as finished flooring is from plantation sourced wood.
For the precious hardwood that is used for the face, we take every care to ensure that we purchase only legally sourced timber.
You may therefore walk on your beautiful floor with absolute confidence that you have made the right choice for both you and our planet.
We use timber more efficiently and with less impact on the environment than a traditional timber floor.
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