What to Expect

Preinstallation:

• Your home or structure should be completely closed in.
• All wet trades should be completed.
• A/C, heating and ventilation should be up and running.
• Temperature and humidity should be at normal living conditions: 70-78 degrees Fahrenheit with 30-50 percent humidity at least six days prior to our wood arriving.
• Boxes, furniture and appliances should be removed from rooms where flooring is being installed.

Installation:

• Seal off work area with plastic
• There will be noise during installation.
• Finishing takes place about 2 weeks after installation.
• You can walk on the floor before sanding and finishing.

Sanding and Finishing:

• During this time there will be fumes, noise and dust.
• Dust from the sanding process may reach other areas of the house.
• Pilot lights must be turned off during this process for safety reasons.
• Keep pets away from the working area at all times.
• Communicate with your contractor to find out how long after finishing you must protect your floors, as well as when they will be able to handle foot traffic.
• Pictures and knick-knacks on shelving should all be removed prior to us arriving - Due to the nail guns, hammering and vibration that occurs items can bounce right off the walls.

What Not to Expect

• A perfectly flat surface. Each piece of flooring sands differently depending on its grain, so a perfectly flat surface is impossible.
• A zero-dust finish. During the finishing process some dust may fall onto the top finish right after it's applied.
• A one-color floor. Wood varies from piece to piece and as such won't always have the exact same color and grain.
• A floor immune to indentation. The floor will indent under high heel traffic.
• Immunity to cracks. Wood expands and contracts as it absorbs and releases moisture causing small imperfections as time goes on.
• These are natural characteristics in a real hardwood floor.

Proper Installation Setting:

• Structure must be closed in with all outside doors and windows in place.
• All concrete, masonry, framing members, drywall and other "wet" work should be thoroughly dry.
• Jobsite temperature and relative humidity levels must also be measured.
• Homeowner/contractor must maintain the temperature and relative humidity level (65-75°F and 35 to 55rh) to ensure maximum performance.
• Room temperature and humidity of installation area should be consistent with normal, year-round living conditions for at least a week before installation of wood flooring.
• A humidity range of 35%-55% should be maintained during acclimatization, installation, and at all times afterwards.
• These conditions must have been established at least five days prior to the delivery of the floor to the job-site and continue for the life of the floor.
• Subfloor must be thoroughly dry and level concrete slab, solid wood flooring or plywood. Tolerances for moisture and levelness can be determined by referring to the NWFA Hardwood Installations Guides.
• Warning: Humidity levels below the recommended levels will likely cause movement in the flooring, including gapping between pieces and possible cupping and checking in the face.

Acclimation and Humidity Levels:

• Structure must be closed in with all outside doors and windows in place.
• All concrete, masonry, framing members, drywall and other "wet" work should be thoroughly dry.
• Jobsite temperature and relative humidity levels should also be measured and maintained at recommended levels constantly throughout the whole process.
• Homeowner/contractor must maintain the temperature and relative humidity level (70-78°F and 35 to 55rh) to ensure maximum performance consistently.
• Room temperature and humidity of installation area should be consistent with normal, year-round living conditions for at least a week before installation of wood flooring.
• A humidity range of 35%-55% should be maintained during acclimatization, installation, and at all times afterwards.
• Subfloor must be thoroughly dry and level concrete slab, solid wood flooring or plywood. Tolerances for moisture and levelness can be determined by referring to the NWFA Hardwood Installations Guides.
• HVAC System: Never turn off the Heating Ventilation Air-conditioning or humidification (HVAC) system when you're away from your home/building. If you do, you may return to a floor that is cupped, or has a severe case of shrinking/gapping, splitting, checking and/or wear layer separation caused by shear.