EarthWerks
brings the freshness of nature indoors for a year round natural effect. Each
one of our collections is quite unique, offering our customers an eye catching
surface that brings a special look.
Add
elegance and sparkle to any decor with our EarthWerks Luxury Vinyl Collection
or experience the timeless look captured by our EarthWerks Hardwood. Find the
perfect complement for a beautiful room, whether its the elegant look of
granite or the pure natural beauty of stone found in the mountains of Southern
Italy.
Strength, performance, luxury and style are built into
all of the flooring products you will find under the EarthWerks™ brand name. We
have looked all over the globe to find floor
coverings that will provide you with lasting beauty at affordable prices.
Every EarthWerks™ product has been designed to give you the feel of its natural
counterpart. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then
hardwood flooring, metal and natural stone tiles have never been more
complimented.
Installation
Instructions, Care and Maintenance Guide
&
Warranty Information for Engineered Woods
Tools
Needed For Installation
• Electric Power Saw,
Circular or Jigsaw
• Wooden or plastic spacer
wedges
• Chalk line
• Broom
• Hammer
• Adhesive and Adhesive
Remover
• Handsaw
• Trowel
• Tape measure
• Moisture Testing
Equipment
• Pull bar
• 3M 2090 Blue Masking
Tape or Equivalent
• Tapping block
We thank you very much for
selecting EarthWerks™ Hardwood Flooring. We sincerely hope your new environment
will bring you the warmth,
comfort, and beauty that
only genuine wood can provide. We make every effort to ensure that the finest
hardwoods are used to create our wood
planks, that the natural
characteristics of the wood are preserved, and that our Aluminum Oxide Urethane
finish provides the protection needed to
help preserve the look of
your EarthWerks Hardwood Flooring for years of admiration and enjoyment.
For glue down
installations, use Capitol UW 600, Mapei UB 990 or equivalent flooring
adhesive. (See your distributor for adhesive recommendations.)
Follow manufacturer’s
guidelines and tool recommendations when using adhesive.
For nail-down or
staple-down installations, use the proper nailer. See Nail-down or Staple-Down
Installation.
For floating installations
use White wood glue (PVAC).
CAUTION: By not
using the proper tools, “puckering” may result on the face of the plank.
EarthWerks is not responsible for problems
caused by
the use of improper tools. See your distributor for tool recommendations and
use.
Note:
Never strike the plank edges directly with a hammer – always use a wooden block
to protect the edges of the boards.
INSTALLATION
INSTRUCTIONS
IMPORTANT
In order to preserve the
natural beauty of your new wood flooring, it is important to read all of the
following installation and maintenance
instructions, prior to
installation. Please note: Complying with the following installation and
maintenance instructions will ensure the full benefit of
your
EarthWerks Hardwood Flooring Warranty. With hardwood flooring’s natural
beauty come normal variations in color, tone and grain. Therefore,
we cannot warrant against
color variations within a floor, or variations between samples and the
installed floor.
• Installers: Please
review with your customers the information under the section:
“Installers–Advise Your Customers of the Following.”
• It is the responsibility
of the installer to determine, prior to installation, that the job-site
environment and subfloors meet or exceed all applicable
standards and
recommendations of the construction and materials industries. These
instructions recommend that the construction and subfloor
be dry, clean, stiff and
flat. The manufacturer declines any responsibility for job failure resulting
from, or associated with sub-surface or job-site
environmental
deficiencies.
• Do not open the flooring
material packaging until you are ready to start the installation. Both room and
flooring material must be properly
acclimated to temperature
and humidity conditions prior to proceeding with installation.
• Install out of several
cartons simultaneously to achieve proper color and shade mix.
Installer/Owner
Responsibility
EarthWerks Hardwood Floors
are manufactured in accordance with accepted industry standards, which permit a
natural or manufacturing defect
tolerance, not to exceed
5%.
• Your ordered flooring
should include an additional 5% square footage in material to the actual square
footage of the area to be installed to allow
for needed for cutting and
grading .
• Prior to installation,
the installer must inspect all flooring material and assumes all responsibility
for final inspection of product quality. Carefully
examine flooring for
color, manufacturing, finish and quality before installing. The installer must
use reasonable selectivity and separate out or
cut off pieces with
defects, whatever the cause. If material is not acceptable, do not install it,
and contact the seller immediately.
2
INSTALLERS
- ADVISE YOUR CUSTOMER OF THE FOLLOWING
SEASONS: HEATING AND
NON-HEATING
Hardwood flooring product
dimensions are slightly affected by varying levels of humidity within your
installation area. Use care to control
humidity levels within the
40%–60% range. In addition, we recommend the following:
• Heating Season (Dry) - A
humidifier is recommended to prevent excessive shrinkage in wood floors due to
low humidity levels.
Wood stoves and electric
heat, in particular, tend to create very dry conditions.
• Non-Heating Season
(Humid, Wet) - Proper humidity levels can be maintained by use of an air
conditioner, dehumidifier, or by turning on
your heating system
periodically during the summer months. Avoid excessive exposure to water from
tracking during periods of inclement
weather. Do not obstruct
in any way the expansion joint around the perimeter of your floor.
FLOOR REPAIR
Minor damage can be
repaired with a touch-up kit or filler. Major damage will require board
replacement, which should be performed by a
professional wood flooring
installer.
PRE-INSTALLATION
PROCEDURES
ACCLIMATING THE HARDWOOD
FLOORING
HVAC systems should be
fully operational at least 14 days prior to flooring installation, maintaining
a consistent room temperature between
60°–75° Fahrenheit and
relative humidity between 40%–60%. This not only stabilizes the building’s
interior environment, but also is essential when
acclimating hardwood
flooring to the job site.
Hardwood flooring should
be handled and unloaded with care and stored within the environmentally controlled
site. Flooring stored upon
“on-grade” concrete floors
should be elevated at least four inches to allow air circulation under cartons.
Leave hardwood flooring in closed cartons
during acclimation period.
Typical applications require at least a 48-hour acclimation period.
ROOM PREPARATION
Remove existing
baseboards, quarter rounds and thresholds. Undercut doorjambs, using a piece of
flooring material as a guide. Door frames and
other wooden elements
should be sawed off at the bottom to ensure proper fit and expansion tolerances
of the installed wood flooring.
PRE-INSTALLATION
INSPECTION
It is the responsibility
of the installer to inspect each board for visible defects prior to installing
the board. Any board with visible defects will be
replaced at no cost. If
a defective board is installed, EarthWerks will not pay cost of labor for
repair or replacement of defect.
SUBFLOOR TYPE
EarthWerks Hardwood
Flooring can be installed over the following properly prepared subfloors:
• Concrete: On,
above or below grade installations are acceptable. Must be clean, dry and
smooth within 3/16” over 10’.
• Terrazzo: Should
be lightly sanded and cleaned with mineral spirits prior to spreading the
adhesive. Allow the mineral spirits to dry prior to
spreading the adhesive.
• Ceramic Tile: Tiles
must be securely fastened to the subfloor. Surface should be roughed up with a
sander or grinder and cleaned to remove
all dust. If grout lines
are too deep they need to be filled.
• Wood Type Subfloors: Includes
plywood, OSB and underlayment particleboard and tongue and groove boards. Must
be smooth and dry.
Squeaks and popping areas
should be screwed down prior to spreading adhesive.
• Vinyl: Includes
sheet and vinyl tile. Vinyl must be securely fastened to the subfloor with full
spread adhesive. Loose laid or perimeter glued
sheet vinyl must be
removed. De-gloss flooring as necessary to create a good adhesive bond using an
abrasive pad. Do not sand sub-surfaces
such as vinyl or synthetic
tiles that may contain asbestos.
SUBFLOOR PREPARATION
Subfloor must be:
• Clean and free of wax,
paint, oil, and debris. Scrape smooth and sweep prior to installation.
• Flat to 3/16” – per 10’
radius. If subfloor prep work is required, “hills” should be sanded down and
“valleys” filled with an underlayment patch,
developed by a reputable
manufacturer for use with hardwood flooring.
• Structurally sound prior
to installation. Screw down loose areas to reduce squeaking, and replace water
damaged or delaminated sub-flooring or
underlayments.
Testing For Moisture
Content
All concrete subfloors
must be tested for moisture content. Several tests are outlined below. These
tests do not guarantee a dry concrete slab year
round. With that in mind,
a moisture barrier using a minimum of 6-mil poly film should have been
established between the ground and concrete.
• 3% Phenolphthalein in
Anhydrous Alcohol Solution. Do not apply solution directly to concrete surface.
First, chip 1/4” deep into concrete test
area and apply several
drops of the solution. If any change in color is observed, further testing is
required.
• Tramex Concrete Moisture
Encounter Meter. Moisture readings obtained should not exceed 4.5 on the upper
scale.
• Calcium Chloride.
Moisture emission should not exceed 3 lbs/1,000 square feet during a 24-hour
period with this test. One test must be performed
every 250 square feet. Per
industry standards, 0-3 lbs is dry, over 3 lbs requires moisture barrier (see
below), and over 7 lbs is too wet.
INSTALLATION
INSTRUCTIONS CONT.
3
PRE-INSTALLATION
PROCEDURES CONT.
Moisture Barrier System
If the above tests reveal
moisture levels greater than 3 lbs and less than 7 lbs, install sheet vinyl
(PVC) directly to concrete slab. Follow instructions
from sheet vinyl
manufacturer, using a premium grade alkaline resistant adhesive and full spread
application system to bond vinyl to subfloor.
SET UP
• In order to have
sufficient material on hand, calculate area and add 5% more flooring material
to allow for cutting waste and for minor natural
or manufacturing defects.
• Work out of several
cartons at the same time to insure color and shade mix.
LAYOUT
• Layout should be
designed to save labor and materials, as well as to enhance the appearance of
the floor. Lay the floor so that the end joints are
staggered at least 8
inches. Staggered or irregular joints mean less material waste and a better
overall appearance.
• Plan the layout so that
the last row of flooring (which usually needs to be cut lengthwise) is not too
narrow. In some cases, it may be necessary
to cut the first row as
well as the last row.
• Allow 3/8” expansion
space along all walls. Flooring should be laid at right angle to the floor
joist and, if possible, in the directions of the longest
dimension of the room.
INSTALLATION
OVER RADIANT HEAT (FLOATING INSTALLATION ONLY)
HEATING SYSTEM
• Maximum allowable
temperature is 80° Fahrenheit.
• System must be fully
operating at normal temperature for a minimum of 21 days prior to floor
installation.
• The heating system must
be turned off 24 hours prior to installation and must remain off for 24 hours
after installation.
SUBFLOOR
Note: Only the
pre-installation and structural warranties of EarthWerks Hardwood Flooring are
valid over Radiant Heat, as we cannot control
the specifications stated
above.
• The subfloor should be
completely dry. Moisture on a dry weight basis must not exceed 1.5% for
concrete, 0.3% or less for gypsum and 6–8% for
wood subfloors.
• A vapor barrier should
be installed on all concrete, stone or mineral subfloors.
• Starting 2 days after
completion of installation, gradually increase the temperature over a 7-day
period to normal operating level. Never allow
the floor surface
temperature to exceed 80° Fahrenheit.
• Maintain recommended
interior humidity levels at all times, if necessary, by means of humidifiers.
• Room temperature should
not vary more than 15° Fahrenheit season to season. Maintain 35–55% humidity in
radiant heated rooms.
• Heating pipes must be
covered with 1” of concrete or be a minimum of 1/8” below bottom of plywood
subfloor.
• Under plywood subfloors,
heat transfer plates or insulation must be in place.
Important
Note: Maple wood and Beech wood flooring expand and contract more than other
wood types.
There is
a great risk of gaps occurring especially when installed over radiant heating
systems. Such gaps are
not
manufacturing defects. Take the above into consideration when choosing a wood
type to be installed
over
radiant heat.
GLUE-DOWN
INSTALLATION
GLUING THE PLANKS (Figure
1.1)
• To determine a straight
first starting row, snap a chalk line the width of a few boards plus 3/8”
expansion space from the
wall. To keep first rows straight and in place, nail a straight 1”x 2” or
1” x 4” holding board on
the chalk line.
• Make another snap line
at a comfortable working distance from the holding board (about
24”).
• Spread adhesive in first
working area. Do not spread more adhesive than can be covered within
20 minutes.
• When the first section
is complete, strike another parallel chalk line from the last row installed,
spread the adhesive and
complete the section.
• Repeat section by
section until the job is finished. Remove the starting board, spread adhesive
and complete the area from
the starting board to the wall.
• To fit the last piece,
lay it upside-down with the tongue edge parallel to the tongue edge of
the piece next to it, the
short end butting up against the wall. Mark the cutting line on the
back of the board and cut
it to the correct width (save the cut off piece for the second row).
Turn it over, fit and glue
it in place.
Figure 1.1
INSTALLATION
INSTRUCTIONS CONT.
4
PRE-INSTALLATION
PROCEDURES CONT.
FLOATING
INSTALLATION
INSTALL UNDERLAYMENTS
Install 6-mil Polyethylene
vapor barrier over entire flooring surface. Overlap sheets of Polyethylene 16”
and tape edges creating an airtight
seal. Using 1/8” foam
padding, roll out one roll at a time over vapor barrier being careful not to
poke holes or otherwise damage material during
installation. Run padding
up walls 1” to 1.5” and secure in place with tape. Join padding sections with tape.
Tape down any additional loose edges.
A “2-in-1” foam padding
/moisture barrier may be substituted for Polyethylene.
INSTALLING THE FLOOR
Boards are installed left
to right with the groove side facing the wall. A stair-step pattern will be
repeated throughout installation. Stagger the
ends of the boards a
minimum of 8 inches. Leave a minimum 3/8” expansion around all vertical objects
such as walls, poles, and stairs. If starting
wall is uneven, trace the
contour of wall, using a scriber, onto first row of planks and cut to size.
APPLICATION OF ADHESIVE
To secure the wood floor
in a floating application, the boards must be bonded with adhesive in the
tongue and groove. We recommend waterproof
PVAC glue.
The glue must be applied
in a continuous 1/8” bead on the top of the tongue on both the long and short
edges.
GLUING AND TAPING
Dry fit first row using
stair-step pattern. Number each plank in the order of installation. When you
reach the last plank in first row, turn plank
180° so tongue is flush
against tongue of previous plank. Mark the plank and cut to length. Dry fit
final plank of row.
Begin dry fitting second
row, starting with (if possible) left over piece from previous row. Be sure to
stagger end of boards at least 8” to achieve effective
staggered pattern.
Floating installation is
completed by gluing and taping flooring profiles together. Separate first two
rows noting installation order. Apply a thin
bead of glue to the top of
the tongue on the side and end of the board. Repeat process with subsequent
planks. Press each board firmly together,
tapping profiles lightly
with a block and hammer if necessary.
Clean excess glue from
between boards with a damp cloth. Tape each board together at side and end
seams using 3-M Blue Tape. Often the last
row will not end with a
full plank. When this happens, place a full row of planks on top of the last
row installed. Insert a 3/8” spacer against wall,
and using a full width
plank, trace distance from wall onto final row. Cut planks for final row to
designated width. Apply glue and fit into place.
Tape may be removed within
one hour. Allow 12 hours before placing furniture on floors and 24 hours before
introducing heavy objects or
full traffic.
Note: Do
not install cabinets or walls on top of floating floors.
NAIL-DOWN
OR STAPLE-DOWN INSTALLATION
SUBFLOOR PREPARATION
Remove all dirt and rough
areas by thoroughly cleaning, sanding and leveling. Note: Particle board is not
a suitable subfloor for nail-down or
staple-down installation.
The clean subfloor should be covered wall-to-wall with 15 lb. resin paper
(roofing felt), overlapping 4” along the edges.
Installation
To determine a straight
first starting row, snap a chalk line the width of a few boards plus 3/8”
expansion space from the wall. To keep first rows
straight and in place,
nail a straight 1 x 2 or 1 x 4 holding board on the chalk line.
For nailer or stapler, use
correct shoe based on thickness of flooring. Use pneumatic staplers with
correct shoe base for the thickness of the
product. (Powernail® Model
200 Pneumatic Powernailer.) Set the compressor pressure to recommended PSI and
adjust accordingly using a “practice”
board. Check for surface
and tongue damage before proceeding with installation. Manual Model 250
Powernailer can also be used.
Begin installation with
several rows at a time, tightening boards as necessary to reduce gaps before
fastening. Nail/staple each board placing
fasteners every 6”–8” and
3” from the ends. The last 1–2 rows will need to be face nailed where clearance
does not allow blind nailing with stapler or
brad nailer. Brad nail or
face nail on tongue side. Rip the final row to fit and face nail. If the final
row is less than 1” width, it should be edge-glued
to the previous row,
before installation. The two joined rows can be face nailed as one board.
Go back to the starting
wall, remove the starting block and complete final rows using 6d nails, counter
sunk and filled.
ALL
INSTALLATIONS: COMPLETING THE JOB
• Remove spacer wedges.
• Cover all expansion gaps
along walls and vertical protrusions with baseboard, quarter round or other
suitable moldings.
• Clean, sweep and vacuum
installed flooring before use.
• Use of stain, filler or
putty stick for defect correction during installation should be accepted as
normal procedure.
INSTALLATION
INSTRUCTIONS CONT.
5
PREVENTIVE
MAINTENANCE
To ensure the full benefit
of warranties and to extend the beauty of your new hardwood floor, we recommend
the
following preventive
maintenance steps:
• Use floor mats at all
entrances to help keep dirt and moisture from being tracked in (Figure 2.1).
Area rugs are
recommended in high
traffic areas and at sinks. Mats and area rugs should be slip resistant with
backing that will
not discolor the floor.
• To help guard against
scratches and dents, install felt floor protectors under furniture legs and
equipment
(Figure 2.2).
• Use soft rubber castors
for rolling furniture (Figure 2.2).
• Do not wear high heel
shoes or shoes that need repair while walking on your hardwood floor. Some
types of high
heel shoes can severely
damage the surface of any floor covering.
• Maintain a healthy
humidity range at 40%–60%, which could require either a humidifier or a
dehumidifier.
Certain regions within
North America have extreme changes in humidity levels that can affect all wood floors.
• For cleaning, use a
hardwood floor cleaner specified for pre-finished polyurethane coated hardwood
floors.
We recommend a damp mop
system that does not allow any loose liquid to touch the floor. Hardwood floor
cleaner
is available at most local
hardware stores. Never use wax!
Contact your dealer for
recommended maintenance and floor care products for polyurethane finished
hardwood flooring.
REGULAR
MAINTENANCE
• Do not let sand, dirt
and grit build up on your floors.
• Dust, sweep and vacuum
floors regularly (Figure 2.3)
• For cleaning, use a
hardwood floor cleaner specified for pre-finished polyurethane coated hardwood
floors.
We recommend a damp mop
Figure 2.2
CARE AND
MAINTENANCE GUIDE
Figure 2.1
Figure 2.3
RESIDENTIAL
WARRANTIES
EXCLUSIVE WARRANTY
EarthWerks Hardwood
Flooring is produced from the finest raw materials and manufactured with the
highest quality control standards. EarthWerks Hardwood
Flooring is produced
according to strict manufacturing and environmental standards. Our confidence in
this product is reflected by the extension of this full
residential warranty to
the original purchaser of EarthWerks Hardwood Flooring.
PRE-INSTALLATION WARRANTY
EarthWerks warrants that
this product is free of defects and exceeds the industry standards. You and/or
your installer should carefully inspect each plank before
installation. Any uncut
planks that appear to have defects should not be installed, and quantities over
the 5% defect tolerance can be returned to the original place
of purchase for replacement
at no cost to you. Wood is a natural product, containing natural variations in
color, tone and grain. We do not warrant against natural
variations in color within
the floor or variations between samples and the installed floor.
LIFETIME STRUCTURAL WARRANTY
Each EarthWerks Hardwood
Flooring plank is engineered using the most advanced flooring technology
available. We guarantee that this product is free from
defects in lamination and
milling, and will remain free of these defects for as long as you own your
residence. In the unlikely event of delamination, warping, or
cupping of the product
because of manufacturing defects, EarthWerks will replace or repair the
defective flooring pieces at no cost to you.
FINISH WARRANTY
EarthWerks Hardwood
Flooring is protected with an Aluminum Oxide Urethane finish. We warrant that
there will be no wear-through of the finish for the
amount of years indicated.
Your specific product finish warranty life will appear on the carton, our
website or other product literature. This warranty applies only to
residential installations,
provided the recommended installation and maintenance procedures are followed.
ADHESIVE BOND WARRANTY
We guarantee that our
floors will bond to the subfloor for the life of the flooring provided the
installation and application are in full compliance with EarthWerks
installation instructions
and the adhesive manufacturer’s application instructions. These warranties are
exclusive to the original purchaser of EarthWerks Hardwood
Flooring products and may
not be assigned or transferred. This is a residential warranty only and
exclusions include damages arising from subflooring, plumbing
breakage or leakage and
similar catastrophes, and failures arising as a result of hydrostatic pressure.
In the event that there is
a claim against this warranty, EarthWerks Hardwood Flooring will pay for one
replacement of the portion of the installation that is
defective. This includes
all reasonable materials and labor.
ENVIRONMENTAL WARRANTY
All components of
EarthWerks flooring are chosen for their responsible environmental impact. All
glue used to manufacture EarthWerks Hardwood Flooring
product does not have
harmful levels of gas emissions. The finish does not release any harmful
solvents, formaldehyde or heavy metals.
6
EXCLUSIONS TO WARRANTY
The following will void
this warranty:
• Improper Installation.
Instructions must be followed including the requirement that the subfloor must
be dry before installation.
• Improper Maintenance.
Maintenance instructions must be followed and in particular the floor cannot be
wet mopped.
• Extreme Conditions. The
humidity level in the home must be in the 40%–60% range throughout the year
using air conditioners, humidifiers or
dehumidifiers as
appropriate.
• Abuse or Misuse. This
warranty does not cover damage caused by stiletto heels, heavy furniture or
equipment, pet claws, pet urine, pebbles or
sand or other items that
may scratch, indent or damage the floor.
• Water Damage. This
warranty does not cover damage caused by moisture penetration through the
subfloor, flooding, leaking plumbing,
overflowing sinks or
similar water damage.
• Insect Infestation. This
warranty does not cover any insect infestation after the product has left the
factory.
• Downgraded Product. It
does not apply to any products designated or sold as B-grade or Cabin grade,
which is sold “as is”.
EarthWerks Hardwood
Flooring excludes and will not pay consequential or incidental damages under
this warranty. Repair, refinish or replacement
of flooring material is the
sole remedy. This warranty does not include the cost of labor if the flooring
is installed by other than professional installers.
There are no other
warranties, including merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose,
expressed or implied other than those listed within this
warranty. This warranty
will not be deemed to have failed its essential purpose while EarthWerks
Hardwood Flooring is willing to repair or replace
defective goods. Some
states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential
damages and therefore, this exclusion may not apply.
This warranty gives you
specific legal rights, which may vary from state to state.
Warranty
Service
To obtain
service under this warranty contact your dealer.
