A Beautiful Floor, Inc

At Scandian we realize our business has a direct ecological and economic impact on the environment. Therefore, we have designed and implemented policies and programs demonstrating our commitment to the environment.

Ecological Environment:

Respect for the natural environment through sustained forest management is at the core of our values and business philosophy. Wood is a renewable resource that needs to be handled with care and consideration for the continued supply and enjoyment of future generations.

Sustained forest management can be achieved with selective harvesting which begins with an assessment of all trees in a given area to determine which will be chosen for removal. Only mature, fully-grown native species are harvested. The removal of these trees provides ideal growing conditions for those remaining by allowing more light, nutrients, and water to reach them. Once the harvest is complete, the process is finished with an inventory of the forest being taken to assist with future harvest cycles.

Scandian Industries’ commitment to ecologically minded business is practiced on all of our properties. The Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Natural Resources (IBAMA) closely monitors sustained forest management practices to ensure that Brazil's forests are replenished and capable of supporting wildlife for future generations.

 Economic Environment:

At Scandian our most valued economic resources are our employees and their families. As such, the company has taken serious steps to protect this precious commodity by providing onsite family medical and dental health care and by employing safety engineers whose sole responsibility is to ensure the safety of our workers.

We believe in the benefits of exercise as preventative medicine and encourage our people to be involved in athletics and other physical activities. Each factory has recreational areas where our employees and their families can participate in athletic and leisure activities geared toward better physical and mental health.

The company also supports involvement in competitive sports by sponsoring several factory soccer teams and a marathon team. We are proud to say our soccer teams lead the divisions in which they play, and one of our runners finished 3rd in the 2004 Sao Silvestre; Brazil's largest Marathon race. Scandian employees are winners, whether at work or at play.

As active members of our local community, we serve on development boards in Brazil and make contributions to support better infrastructure development and educational opportunities for the entire community.

Advantages of Scandian Industries:

• Over 30 years of manufacturing experience producing the highest quality wood products.
• Global reputation for consistent product quality, service, and respect for our client's deadlines.
• Commitment to sustained forest management.
• Knowledge and experience working with suppliers and vendors to honor schedule commitments.
• Ability and knowledge to locate species-specific raw materials, and the experience to deal with the difficulties of the rainy season.
• Reliable distribution and logistic channels with highly trained professional staff who coordinate and advise status of orders.
• Linear management structure where information flows freely to maximize the speed and accuracy of decisions.
• Consistent investments in machinery, technology and people.
• Commitment of the board of directors for the continued development and expansion of our company and product lines.
• Exceptional product quality and customer service.

Engineered Wood Flooring with thick sawn top wear layer

Engineered wood flooring has unique characteristics in relation to regular solid wood floors.

The main difference is how the flooring is constructed by using two components. These two components consist of the ‘core layer’ and the ‘face veneer’. The core layer is constructed of multiple layers of exotic hardwood species. These layers are placed in a cross-hatch configuration. This essentially balances out the natural tendency that wood products have to expand or contract in relation to changes in humidity.

Once the extremely stable core layer is produced the face veneer is added. This veneer is dry sawn in a similar method to solid wood flooring. By sawing the woods in similar ways the finished product looks identical to solid flooring once installed.

Scandian’s engineered hardwood flooring gives you the best of both worlds. You get the identical look of solid flooring, while using less raw materials and therefore being more environmentally responsible. At the same time you get a product that is more stable than solids and is less likely to suffer from seasonal gapping and humidity changes.

 Installation Instruction for Scandian Wood Floors Prefinished 3/4 Solid Wood Flooring

Scandian Wood Floors recommends only the use of qualified hardwood flooring professionals for installation of our solid wood products. Solid flooring can be installed on or above grade using the nail down method on appropriate sub flooring.

Installer/Owner Responsibility

It is the responsibility of the owner/installer to inspect the flooring. It is the owner/installer’s responsibility to ensure the jobsite conditions plus the jobsite sub floors are environmentally and structurally acceptable before installation is started.

Prior to installation, the owner and or installer is responsible for the final inspection of materials and is encouraged to report any deficiencies in grade, manufacture and finish directly to the seller. Should an individual piece be questionable or not meet standards, it should not be used. Materials installed with visible defects will not be covered by the warranty.

The owner and or installer is responsible for ensuring that the proper installation conditions and appropriate sub floors meet or exceed all industry standards. Proper installation can be effected by moisture content of flooring, moisture content of job site, acclimation of flooring to local site conditions, preparation of job site, preparation of sub floor, and flooring layout. The sub floor must be clean, flat, dry and structurally sound.

We recommend ordering 5% above the actual square footage requirements to allow for cutting and grading of material.

Proper Site Conditions and Handling

• The building must be complete and enclosed. It is essential that masonry, dry wall, paint and all other “wet” jobs be given enough time to thoroughly dry as this will effect the moisture content of the job site.
• The exterior grading should be complete with all gutters, downspouts and drainage directed away from the building. The crawl space must have adequate cross ventilation (1.5% of the on grade total sq ft) and a vapor barrier of 6-8 mil polyethylene film (covering 100% of the crawl space), joints overlapped and tapped. There must also be a minimum of 24” from the ground to the underside of the joists.
• Permanent HVAC systems must be working and in operation 2 weeks before installation to stabilize the interior environment and to acclimate the flooring. The HVAC must also be in operation during and after the installation to insure a stable environment. Ideal conditions are a temperature between 60-75 degrees Fahrenheit and relative humidity between 35-55%.
• Solid wood flooring must be installed on or above grade level, and should not be installed in full bathrooms or other wet rooms.
• Take special care when unloading hardwood flooring at the job site. Store the hardwood flooring in a safe dry place making sure to provide a 4” air space under cartons that are stored upon “on-grade” concrete floors. Flooring should be stored in small lots in the rooms where the installation will take place and allowed to properly acclimate to the job environment.
• Flooring should be allowed to acclimate for 3 days or longer until conditions meet minimum installations requirements for moisture content for the region where being installed.
• Moisture content should be checked with the appropriate device to ensure proper installation conditions. Moisture content of wood sub floor should not exceed 12% and the moisture content of the wood should be within 4% of the sub floor for strip flooring. The difference between the wood and wood sub floor should be no more than 2% when installing plank flooring.

Sub floor information

Sub floor Types and Requirements

Preferred Plywood Wood Sub floor: Use 4’x 8’ sheets of 3/4 CDX grade Plywood underlayment or 3/4” OSB underlayment with joist spacing 16” on center or 19.2 on with floor truss system. If joists are spaced over 16” on center or floor truss system over 19.2” on center, an additional layer of 3/8” CDX laid diagonal or perpendicular with 1/8” spacing will be required between sheets of underlay.

Minimum Plywood Sub flooring Requirements: 4’x 8” sheets of 5/8” CDX grade underlayment with a maximum 16” on center joist construction. If joist system is spaced over 16” on center an additional layer of 1/2” CDX Plywood underlayment, laid diagonal or perpendicular, will be required.
* Minimum specified materials at maximum span and spacing may result in movement, gaps, and noises.

Solid Board Sub flooring: Should be 3/4”x 5 1/2” Group 1 dense softwoods, No.2 Common, Kiln dried less than 15% MC.

Concrete: Scandian Wood Floors 3/4” Solid Prefinished Hardwood Flooring can be laid on concrete provided an appropriate sub floor and moisture barriers are laid over concrete. Planks cannot be nailed direct into concrete, glued to concrete, or a combination of nailed and glued direct to concrete.

• Make sure concrete is flat, dry, structurally sound and clean.
• Test concrete for moisture using one of the following methods:

Calcium chloride test: Follow test manufacturer’s directions performing 1 test for each 250 s/f. Moisture transfer should not exceed 3 lbs per 1000 s/f.

Moisture meter: Test each outside wall and 4-5 times in other areas of room. If meter does not indicate a quantified number for moisture but indicates the presence of moisture, perform Calcium Chloride test.

• Floor should be flat to within 3/16” in 10’ or 1/8” in 6’.
• Substrate should be flattened to tolerance.
• Always use a moisture barrier when installing over concrete.

Sub floor installed over concrete can be floated, glued down, or nailed down. Follow guidelines published by National Wood Floor Association, www.nwfa.org

Additional Sub floor notes

Sub floor surface should be clean, level, structurally sound, and dry. Scandian Wood Floors will not be responsible for any product failure due to poor sub floor conditions or materials. Unsound or damaged sections should be repaired or replaced.

Sub- floor surface should be scraped, cleaned and made smooth prior to installation. The surface should also be clean and other debris.

Sub floor must be level within 3/16” over 10’ or within 1/8” over 6 feet. High areas should be sanded level, and low areas can be lifted to level by using shims or layers of builders felt between wood and sub flooring.

It is very important to nail or screw any area of sub floor that squeaks. Scandian recommends the use of nails or screws every 6 inches along joists to ensure soundness of floor when complete.

Do not install Scandian Solid Wood Floors over particleboard, wafer board, pressed wood or fiberboard, as this will automatically void the warranty.

Do not install over radiant heated floors.

Sub Floor Inspection and Room Preparation

• Sub floor must be completely dry. If installing over new concrete slab, allow 60 days or more to dry thoroughly.
• Sub floor must be clean and free other debris.
• If installing on plywood sub floor, the moisture content difference between engineered wood floor and plywood should not be more than 4% or 3% for planks 5” or wider.
• If installing over existing vinyl floor, make sure vinyl is secured to the sub floor and that underlying sub floor meets sub floor conditions.
• Screw down all creaking and loose sub flooring.
• Sand flat all seams in plywood or OSB sub floors.
• Remove doors and existing baseboards, quarter rounds and thresholds. Undercut doorjambs using a piece of flooring as a guide.
• Door frames and other wooden obstacles should be sawed off at the bottom to allow enough room for the planks to slide under.
• Test for moisture content of concrete slab using methods mentioned above.

Installation Tips

• Evaluate job-site and sub floor condition to ensure proper installation environment.
• Read the product instructions packed in the cartons.
• The completed floor is only as good as the sub floor, and the installer.
• All solid wood expands across the grain- allow ¾” expansion space around all vertical obstructions.
• Do not use solid products below grade or in damp, humid situations.
• Nail all solid plank products, as they cannot be glued down, and nail each row of solid strips/planks at proper intervals.
• Flooring is manufactured on high-speed equipment. Should a piece be doubtful due to manufacturing, do not install it! Cut it for the wall line or put it in a closet. Ask yourself “would I use this piece in my own home?”
• Make sure all exterior door thresholds are properly sealed with the recommended silicon.
• All flooring strips and planks should be installed perpendicular (right angle) to the floor joists, or on a diagonal for any single layer sub floor. It is recommended that you start your rows on the longest, straightest wall or in the middle of the installation for areas over 20’ – 25’.
• Parallel installation is not recommended due to the potential of sagging. However, if required 3/4“solid boards can be laid parallel with the floor joists provided the sub floor is reinforced with an additional layer of a minimum 3/8” CDX plywood underlayment or cross brace between joists with a 2”x 6” (or wider boards) every 16” minimum.
• Take the time to install a test board to ensure all equipment and nailing techniques are correct prior to beginning installation. Check for surface and tongue damage caused by air pressure settings and/or techniques, make adjustments accordingly, and then remove board.

Asbestos Warning

Do not sand existing resilient tile, sheet flooring, backing, or felt linings as these products may contain asbestos fibers that are not easily identified. The inhalation of Asbestos dust can cause Asbestosis or other serious bodily harm. Check with local, state, and federal laws for handling hazardous material before attempting the removal of these floors.

Wood Dust

Sawing, sanding and/or machining wood products can produce wood dust, which can cause a flammable or explosive hazard. Wood dust may also lead to lung, upper respiratory tract, eye, and or skin irritation, and some species of wood may cause dermatitis and or allergic respiratory effects. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified wood dust as a nasal carcinogen in humans. The National Toxicology Program (NTP) has also classified wood dust as a known human carcinogen.

• Avoid dust contact with ignition source.
• Sweep or vacuum dust for recovery or disposal.
• Avoid prolonged or repeated breathing wood dust in air.
• Approved respirators may be needed depending upon dust conditions.
• Avoid dust contact with eyes and skin. Wear Gloves and safety glasses when handling and machining the product.
• First Aid: If inhaled, remove to fresh air. If irritation persists, contact a physician.

Tools and Accessories

• Broom
• Drill with 1/16” Bit
• Tape Measure
• Hammer
• Ear Plugs and Glasses
• Chalk and Chalk Line
• Nail Set
• Hand Saw or Jamb Saw
• Rubber Mallet
• Pencil
• Felt or Rosin Paper
• Galvanized finish nails
• Moisture Meter
• Hardwood Cleaner
• Mechanical Fastener and appropriate fasteners

Installation of Wood Flooring

• Place 15 lb felt that meets ASTM Standard D4869 or a building paper with an equivalent permeance parallel to the joist over entire wood sub floor. Over lap seams by 4”.
• As a general rule work from at least 5-6 different cartons of product at one time to properly match color, grade, and length. Laying out 6-8 rows of product before installing will allow you to mix board lengths and shades, and it will help to ensure end joints are properly aligned to the preceding row.
• Start rows on the longest, straightest wall. Snap a working line parallel to the starting wall allowing 3/4“ expansion space between the starting wall and the edge of the first plank run. A 3/4“expansion space must be left around the perimeter and at all vertical obstructions. NOTE: If area to be installed is over 20’ – 25’ wide the installation should start in the middle of the area.
• Starting with the longest piece available, lay the first row with tongue edge flush to your chalk line and groove side facing the starting wall.
• Top nail along the edge of the starter row so the nail will be covered by the molding when installed and blind nail the first row (tongue side) at 45-degree angle (hand nail if necessary), using galvanized 4d or 6d finishing nails. Pre-drilling of top nails will reduce splitting, and counter sinking blind nails will ensure flush engagement of groove. It is recommended to space nails every 8”-10” hitting the joists whenever possible and 2”-3” from each end. Every plank must have at least 2 fasteners.
• Add each additional row of flooring, watching the pattern repeat and off setting or staggering the end joints at least 6 inches between adjacent rows.
• Each seceding row should be counter sunk and blind nailed with the nailing machine or done by hand. Blind nail through the tongue every 8” using 2” barbed flooring cleat, a galvanized 2” 4d or 6d finishing nail, or 2” staples with 1/2“ crown.
• At finishing wall and other vertical obstructions, it may be necessary to blind nail by hand until top nailing is required.

Completing the Job