Concrete Sub floors:

• Must be flat to within 3/16” of a straight edge in a 10’ radius and without any abrupt height differences. “Hills” should be ground down flat and valleys should be filled with a self-leveling cement compound such as Ardex K-15 Portland Leveling Compound OR EQUAL. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use. Avoid leveling large areas of concrete with thin layers of leveling compound due to the inherent weakness of the bond.
• Must be at least 60 days old and dry. Do not install on concrete unless YOU ARE SURE it stays dry year-round. All concrete should be tested for moisture and be below 3.5 moisture content as measured by a Tramex Commercial Concrete Moisture Meter. Other concrete testing methods may be used, see Other Concrete Testing Methods.
• Must have a density of at least 90 lbs./cu. in.
• Must be free from excessive alkaline, as in gluedown installations you may risk bond failure with the mastic used. On all glue down installations first test for pH and if excessive, neutralize using an acid wash and recheck before installation. Follow the specific instructions of the mastic manufacturer in testing for and correcting high pH subfloors.
• Old concrete subfloors should first be roughed up with a sander in order to improve the bond between the subfloor & the mastic – please follow the mastic manufacturer’s specific instructions.
• It is highly recommended, that if gluing down on concrete, (even if you believe it is dry), which is on or below grade, to install Sheet Vinyl first and then glue the wood flooring on top of the vinyl, as this provides an effective permanent moisture barrier. Another alternative to sheet vinyl is to use the Bostik or Franklin Moisture Barrier Systems and they provide warranties to you.
• Remember, a concrete slab on/below grade that measures dry today may become moist in the future due to rising groundwater. Installing a moisture barrier now may be viewed as an insurance policy against concrete becoming wet in the future. This will lead to subsequent floor failure. Value Wood Flooring is not responsible for site related moisture issues.

Equalizing your solid wood flooring

Solid Wood Floors, both unfinished and pre-finished, MUST be equalized properly before installation. Please follow these recommendations for equalizing:

Background to equalizing Solid Wood Flooring

Wood is a natural porous material, which continues to breathe even after installation and finishing. Wood has a cellular structure, and much like a sponge, expands as it picks up moisture and shrinks when it gives moisture off. It is this movement which can cause cracks, separation, cupping, swelling and lifting of your wood floor. All wood will eventually acclimate itself to its surroundings.

This is known as reaching the equilibrium point. The exact equilibrium point to be reached by all wood elements on a job site can be accurately predicted by taking relative humidity and temperature readings at the site and then use the chart below to find the expected equilibrium moisture content. The numbers in the middle of the chart are the equilibrium, moisture content point that all wood elements will reach.

Equilibrium Moisture Content

Relative Humidity (%)
Temp	5	10	15	20	25	30	35	40	45	50	55	60	65	70	75	80	85	90	95	98
30 F	1.4	2.6	3.7	4.6	5.5	6.3	7.1	7.9	8.7	9.5	10.4	11.3	12.4	13.5	14.9	16.5	18.5	21.0	24.3	26.9
40 F	1.4	2.6	3.7	4.6	5.5	6.3	7.1	7.9	8.7	9.5	10.4	11.3	12.4	13.5	14.9	16.5	18.5	21.0	24.3	26.9
50 F	1.4	2.6	3.6	4.6	5.5	6.3	7.1	7.9	8.7	9.5	10.3	11.2	12.3	13.4	14.8	16.4	18.4	20.9	24.3	26.9
60 F	1.3	2.5	3.6	4.6	5.4	6.2	7.0	7.8	8.6	9.4	10.2	11.1	12.1	13.3	14.6	16.2	18.2	20.7	24.1	26.8
70 F	1.6	2.5	3.5	4.5	5.4	6.2	6.9	7.7	8.5	9.2	10.1	11.0	12.0	13.1	14.4	16.0	17.9	20.5	23.9	26.6
80 F	1.3	2.4	3.5	4.4	5.3	6.1	6.8	7.6	8.3	9.1	9.9	10.8	11.7	12.9	14.2	15.7	17.7	20.2	23.6	26.0
90 F	1.2	2.3	3.4	4.3	5.1	5.9	6.7	7.4	8.1	8.9	9.7	10.5	11.5	12.6	13.9	15.4	17.3	19.8	23.3	26.0
100 F	1.2	2.3	3.3	4.2	5.0	5.8	6.5	7.2	7.9	8.7	9.5	10.3	11.2	12.3	13.6	15.1	17.0	19.5	22.9	25.6

From US Dept of Agriculture "Wood Handbook as an Engineering Material"

Wood flooring in service is usually exposed to both long-term (seasonal), and short-term (daily), changes in relative humidity and temperature. Thus, wood is virtually always undergoing slight changes in moisture content even after installation. Different parts of the country have varying equilibrium points. And each area may vary greatly season to season. So a given equilibrium point in June may be different from one in December on the same site. In addition, a wide range of equilibrium points can be experienced between job sites in the same locale, determined by individual heating/cooling systems and/or specific site variables such as being next to a lake, etc.

The practical objective of equalizing your solid wood floor to the individual job site levels, prior to installation, is to minimize the amount of subsequent movement after installation. With no one equilibrium moisture content right for all situations, only your installer, with their critical knowledge of local conditions, used in conjunction with proper testing and planning, can establish the proper equilibrium point at which to install your solid wood flooring.

As manufacturers, we produce our solid wood flooring to industry standards of 6 - 9% moisture content. However, this may not be low/high enough for your installation. Therefore, it is imperative your iinstaller follows these recommendations for equalizing solid wood flooring. Value Wood Flooring shall not be responsible for any shrinkage/swelling or other movement of the floor after installation as Value Wood Flooring does not control any of the job-site variables - only the installer and end user do so.

Recommendations for equalizing Solid Wood Flooring:

Proper method to equalize solid wood flooring — your installer should:

1. Establish the job-site specific target equilibrium point the flooring should be installed at by taking into account all of the following variables:
   • existing relative humidity and temperature
   • planned or existing heating/cooling systems
   • planned or existing dehumidifying or humidifying systems
   • measure other existing wood elements to see what equilibrium point they have reached
   • projected seasonal variations at the site and estimated average equilibrium point
2. Moisture meter the flooring upon job site arrival
3. If the flooring is too high in moisture content for the job-site, it must be allowed to dry out and shrink prior to installation. If it is too low, it must be allowed to pick up moisture. This can be accomplished by removing the flooring from its packaging and completely spreading out all of the individual pieces to allow good air circulation around them, until such time as they fully equalize to the moisture content desired.

Tip — To speed up the equalizing process you can build piles of flooring by criss-crossing the pieces in an open stack and using fans to force air over/through the stack. Periodically take reading of the moisture content of the flooring as you monitor its movement towards the desired equilibrium point. By using a two-pin type moisture meter with insulated pins you can take reading at both the surface and the core of the wood flooring. This will enable you to tell the direction the moisture content in the flooring is moving, how quickly it is moving there and when it has reached the desired equilibrium point. Once the flooring has reached the target equilibrium point it is now ready to be installed.

Staple/Naildown Installation Instructions

Tools Required:

• Tape measure
• Tapping block (trimmed piece of flooring)
• Pencil
• Pry bar
• Chalk line
• Wood or plastic spacers (3/8")
• Crosscut power saw
• Hammer
• 3M Blue Tape
• Air stapler/nailer
  • For 3/4" Strip/Plank — Bostich 1/2" x 1-1/2" staples
  • For 5/8" Strip/Plank — ???
  • For 3/8 ThinStrip — ???
• Air compressor

Acceptable Subfloor types

• Plywood (at least 1/2" thick)
• OSB (at least 3/4" thick)
• Existing wood floor

Starting your installation

Make sure subfloor is tested for moisture first and is properly prepared. Since wood expands with any increase in moisture content, always leave at least a 3/8" expansion space between flooring and all walls and any other permanent vertical objects, (such as pipes and cabinets). This space will be covered up once you reapply base moldings around the room. Use wood or plastic spacers during installation to maintain this 3/8" expansion space.

When laying flooring, stagger end joints from row to row by at least 8". When cutting the last plank in a row to fit, you can use the cut-off end to begin the next row. If cut-off end is 8" in length or less, discard it and instead cut a new plank at a random length and use it to start the next row. Always begin each row from the same side of the room.

Work from several open boxes of flooring and “dry lay” the floor before permanently laying the floor. (But never open more than a few boxes in advance) This will allow you to select the varying grains & colors and to arrange them in a harmonious pattern. It also allows you the opportunity to select out very dark/light pieces for use in hidden areas in order to create a more uniform floor. Remember, it is the installers’ responsibility to set the expectations of what the finished floor will look like with the end user first and then to cull out pieces that do not meet those expectations.

To draw planks together, always use a tapping block, (a short piece of flooring), and hammer, as tapping the flooring itself will result in edge damage. When near a wall, you can use a pry bar to pry close the side and end joints. Take care not to damage edge of flooring.

Begin installation next to an outside wall. This is usually the straightest and best reference for establishing a straight working line. Establish this lline by measuring an equal distance from the wall at both ends and snapping a chalk line. The distance you measure from the wall should be the width of a plank plus about 3/8" for expansion space. You may need to scribe cut the first row of planks to match the wall in order to make a straight working line if the wall is out of straight. You may want to dry lay a few rows, (no nails), before starting installation to confirm your layout decision and working line.

Staple/Nail Down Recommendations

We recommend nailing or stapling on 8" centers along edge and then nailing a maximum of 3" in from the end of every piece.

Caution: When first starting to nail the flooring down and after nailing down a small section of approx. 25 sqft, please make sure that this initial test section of flooring, once nailed to the subfloor, is firmly affixed. In particular, please check to make sure that the groove side of each piece, being held down only by the tongue of the adjacent piece, does not rock up and down if weight is placed on it and then removed. If the groove side does exhibit up/down movement STOP!!! Call Value Wood Flooring immediately at 856-764-2501.

This movement will not sand out nor can this up & down movement be corrected later on! It will be necessary to glue this floor down in addition to nailing it in order to correct this condition, which is caused by a too loose tongue and groove. Loosely milled flooring may be nailed and installed in beads of a non-hardening construction adhesive such as “a Liquid Nails caulking type” laid on 8" centers or the flooring may be laid with a full mastic spread in addition to nailing.

It is the installers responsibility to ascertain whether this "too loose of a T & G" condition exists in the flooring prior to installation. If the flooring is found to have a “too loose T & G condition” Value Wood Flooring will, upon notification from the installer prior to installation, correct the problem as follows. At Value Wood Flooring’s option, Value Wood Flooring will either replace the flooring, refund the purchase cost of the flooring, or compensate the installer for the extra cost of the adhesive/mastic now necessary to insure a good installation. Value Wood Flooring shall not be responsible for replacing any flooring in excess of the 25 sqft nailed down as the test section and then found to have excessive up and down movement.

After Installation

If you decide to cover the floor (to allow the other construction trades to continue working), in order to protect the floors prior to final cleanup and turnover to the owner, use rosin paper to cover the floors and only use 3M Blue Tape to hold the rosin paper to the floor. Do NOT USE plastic film or other non breathing type coverings as this can cause the floor to become damaged from humidity buildups. Also, only use the 3M Blue Tape as this tape is designed for use on finishes and other tapes may pull and damage the finish when removing it.

Remove expansion spacers and reinstall base and/or quarter round moldings to cover the expansion space.

It is suggested that you buff the floor with lambs wool pads in order to “pull any splinters”, remove any residues and handprints/foot prints, etc.

Install any transition pieces that may be needed (reducer, T-moldings, nosing, etc.).

Dust mop or vacuum your floor to remove any dirt or debris.

Nailing Tips For Exotic Woods:

Splitting Tongues - Nailing dense or brittle exotic woods - Sometimes, in order to stop splitting the tongue in these dense woods, it is necessary to adjust the angle or height of entry of the nail. This can be accomplished, through trial and error experimentation, by simply attaching some duct tape to the nailer’s faceplate to change the angle or height of the nail’s entry. If excessive tongue breakage occurs during nailing, the above adjustments to the nailer will reduce the frequency of the problem.

Nailing extremely hard exotic woods - All our woods, with the exception of ebony, (which usually has to be pre-drilled before nailing), can be nailed with conventional power or air nailers/staplers. In the case of air guns, it may be necessary to increase the pressure to get the nails to fully set.

Loose Tongue and Groove - Due to the extreme hardness of many of the exotic woods we must run the T & G tolerances a little looser than domestic woods in order to make pieces, which may be a bit warped or twisted, installable. Please make sure in the initial stages of installation, before proceeding too far, that the floor, after nailing, is sufficiently affixed and without up and down movement. Should the T & G fit not be acceptable and there is movement after nailing, then the floor will have to be nailed and glued. Using a non-hardening construction adhesive such as Liquid Nails which comes in caulking tubes, the floor may be nailed after it is laid in beads of adhesive placed on top of the subfloor, run on 6 - 8" centers at a right angle to the direction of the floor. This will stop any subsequent movement.

When face nailing any pieces and then subsequently filling the nail holes, make sure you mix the fill color to the color the wood will change to and not the color of the freshly sanded floor!Gluedown Installation Instructions

Tools Required:

• Tape measure
• Tapping block (trimmed piece of flooring)
• Pencil
• Pry bar
• Chalk line
• Wood or plastic spacers (3/8")
• Crosscut power saw
• Hammer
• 3M Blue Tape
• Flooring adhesive: Bostik® Best & Franklin® 811 Urethane Adhesive/Mastic (Note: Use only urethane adhesives – DO NOT USE water based mastics as they will cause this floor to fail)
• Sika System
• On concrete slabs, which are on/below grade, we strongly recommend installing Sheet Vinyl first and then installing the wood floor on the vinyl or using the Bostik or Franklin Moisture Barrier Systems.
• Trowel per flooring adhesive manufacturer’s recommendations.

Acceptable Subfloor types

• Plywood (at least 1/2" thick)
• OSB (at least 3/4" thick)
• Existing wood floor
• Underlayment grade particleboard
• Concrete slab
• Ceramic tile
• Resilient tile & sheet vinyl

Glue Down Installation

Make sure subfloor is tested for moisture content first and is properly prepared.

On concrete subfloors, which are on or below grade (ground level), always assume the worst and even if they measure dry, we now recommend taking the following installation steps to ensure a trouble-free installation. The cost of the precaution is little when compared to costs to rip out and replace a floor which has failed due to high moisture from the subfloor.

Method #1: We recommend installing a sheet vinyl floor first and then gluing down our wood floor over the sheet vinyl. Follow the vinyl manufacturers’ recommendations. An example is provided here: Sheet Vinyl Installation Instructions.

Method #2: Both Franklin and Bostik now offer Moisture Barrier Systems on which they provide a warranty that moisture will not pass through and damage your wood flooring. For Information:

Bostik Moisture Barrier System

Franklin Moisture Barrier System

Flooring adhesive: Bostik® Best & Franklin® 811 Urethane Adhesive/Mastic

(Note: Use only urethane adhesives – DO NOT USE water based mastics)

Use only the above listed flooring adhesives. DO NOT use water based adhesives! Follow adhesive instructions for proper trowel size and adhesive set time before beginning installation of flooring.

Once the spread adhesive has setup sufficiently per adhesive manufacturers instructions, lay the first row of flooring with groove facing the wall, and continue laying flooring. Always check your working lines to be sure the floor is still aligned. Use tapping block to fit planks together, but be careful not to let installed floor move on the wet adhesive while you are working.

When first section is finished, continue to spread adhesive and lay flooring section by section until installation is complete. Use a damp cloth to immediately remove any adhesive that gets on flooring surface. Warning – DO NOT allow adhesives to dry on the finished flooring as it is very difficult to remove it once dried without damaging the flooring. For info on an adhesive remover: Bostik's Ultimate Urethane Adhesive Remover. Remember to stagger end joints from row to row.

Always leave at least a 3/8" expansion space between flooring and all walls and vertical objects (such as pipes and cabinets). Use wood or plastic spacers during installation to maintain this expansion space.

Walk each section of flooring in order to make sure it is well bonded to the subfloor within the adhesive working time. Flooring planks on the perimeter of the room may require weight on them until adhesive cures enough to hold them down.

Installation Instructions

Step 1 - Preparing All Existing Wood Trim

Carefully remove any baseboards, doorway thresholds, or shoe moldings, as they can be re-used once the floor has been installed. Door casings and other vertical trim, which runs to the floor, should be undercut to avoid difficult scribing. A piece of flooring can act as a saw guide. Thoroughly sweep and vacuum all debris from the subfloor.

Step 2 - Establishing the Starter Row

First decide which direction the flooring is to be run. Then you need to layout the starting line for the first row of flooring by snapping a straight chalk line. This is the most important row, as the rest of the floor will be built off of this line so make sure it is straight and square to the room.

Step 3 - Installing the Starter Row

Start with the groove side of the flooring facing the wall and the groove on the end also facing the adjacent wall in a corner of the room. Using the longest pieces possible, so as to minimize the number of end joints in the starter row, lay the first row “dry” to the previously snapped chalk line to reveal any irregularities in the starting wall. If the starting wall is irregular, not straight, or is out of square, then scribe the first row of planks to match the variation. As the first row of planks establishes the basis for building the rest of the floor, it is very important that the first row is square, straight and true. Allow for at least ½" expansion space at all walls and other fixed objects.

Firmly set ½" temporary shims every 12" between the initial row of flooring and the walls. Make sure to shim firmly every end joint in the starter row by using a shim to span the joint so it firmly shims both pieces of flooring away from the wall. This will eliminate individual pieces of flooring in the first row from moving later on when installing subsequent rows. The shims then must be left in place throughout the installation to avoid movement of the flooring during installation. After first spreading mastic according to the mastic manufacturer instructions, install the first row, checking for a tight end fit between boards. Immediately start the second row. When fitting this row be careful to make sure you do not knock the starting row out of straight. Occasionally, you will run into pieces of flooring which are slightly bowed or out of flat. When racking out the flooring before installing by nailing or mastic, these pieces will become apparent and before using they should be set aside, crosscut and then used for either the starter or ending pieces in a row.

Step 4 - Installing Subsequent Rows

After spreading mastic out as necessary on the subfloor with the proper trowel, start each new row with the cut-off end of the previous row, making sure the ends joints of flooring are staggered at least 6" from the end joints of neighboring rows. Use a softwood “knocking block” or section of flooring against the tongue of the piece being fitted to gently tap the flooring in place, tight against adjacent pieces. Never tap against the groove side of the flooring as this may damage the surface of the flooring. Check all seams for a tight fit and move on to the next row.

Step 5 - Installing the Last Row

Usually, the last row does not allow a full width board. Scribe the last row to accommodate any irregularities in the wall, leaving a ½" expansion joint. Pull the last row tight with a prybar and shim if necessary to hold it in place.

Step 6 - Remove All the Shims

Remove all the temporary shims and apply moldings/trim to the wall to cover the expansion space. Never attach the trim to both the flooring and the walls.

After Installation

If you decide to cover the floor (to allow the other construction trades to continue working), in order to protect the floors prior to final cleanup and turnover to the owner, use rosin paper to cover the floors and only use 3M Blue Tape to hold the rosin paper to the floor. Do NOT USE plastic film or other non breathing type coverings as this can cause the floor to become damaged from humidity buildups. Also, only use the 3M Blue Tape as this tape is designed for use on finishes and other tapes may pull and damage the finish when removing it.

Remove expansion spacers and reinstall base and/or quarter round moldings to cover the expansion space.

It is suggested that you buff the floor with lambs wool pads in order to “pull any splinters”, remove any residues and handprints/foot prints, etc.

Install any transition pieces that may be needed (reducer, T-moldings, nosing, etc.).

Do not allow foot traffic or heavy furniture on floor for 24 hours.

Dust mop or vacuum your floor to remove any dirt or debris.

 

Floating Installation Instructions

Tools Required:

• Tape measure
• Tapping block (trimmed piece of flooring)
• Pencil
• Pry bar
• Chalk line
• Wood or plastic spacers (3/8")
• Crosscut power saw
• Hammer
• 3M Blue Tape
• 6-mil polyfilm (if not using foam or cork underlayment)
• Foam Underlayment or Cork Underlayment
• Franklin Titebond 2 PVAC glue
• Duct tape

Acceptable Subfloor types

• Plywood (at least 1/2" thick)
• Underlayment grade particleboard
• OSB (at least 3/4" thick)
• Concrete slab
• Existing wood floor
• Cork
• Ceramic tile
• Resilient tile & sheet vinyl

Starting Installation

Make sure subfloor is tested for moisture content first and is properly prepared.

Sound / Cushion / Moisture Barrier Underlayment

Moisture Only:

Lay an underlayment of polyfilm: If below or on grade, first lay a 6-mil polyfilm with seams overlapped 8". Fasten seams every 18-24" with duct tape. Run the outside edges of film up perimeter of each wall 4” (trim after flooring installation is complete.)

Moisture / Sound / Cushion:

Option #1 - Laying foam:

Lay Foam Underlayment by butting edges, not overlapping. Tape full length of the seam.

Option #2 - Laying cork:

Lay Cork Underlayment

Installing the floor:

Start first row with groove toward wall. Glue end joints of first row by applying a small but continuous bead of Franklin Titebond 2 PVAC glue to bottom side of the side groove. Always leave at least a 3/8" expansion space between flooring and all walls and vertical objects such as pipes and cabinets). Use wood or plastic spacers during installation to maintain this expansion space. Lay subsequent rows of flooring by applying glue to side and end joints and fitting planks together with a tapping block. Remember to stagger end joints from row to row.

Clean up any adhesive that is on the face of the floor by using a damp rag – DO NOT allow adhesive to dry on the flooring face as it is difficult to remove without damaging the flooring face.

After Installation

If you decide to cover the floor (to allow the other construction trades to continue working), in order to protect the floors prior to final cleanup and turnover to the owner, use rosin paper to cover the floors and only use 3M Blue Tape to hold the rosin paper to the floor. Do NOT USE plastic film or other non breathing type coverings as this can cause the floor to become damaged from humidity buildups. Also, only use the 3M Blue Tape as this tape is designed for use on finishes and other tapes may pull and damage the finish when removing it.

Remove expansion spacers and reinstall base and/or quarter round moldings to cover the expansion space.

It is suggested that you buff the floor with lambs wool pads in order to “pull any splinters”, remove any residues and handprints/foot prints, etc.

Install any transition pieces that may be needed (reducer, T-moldings, nosing, etc.).

Dust mop or vacuum your floor to remove any dirt or debris.

Finishing Recommendations

For site finishing in the field of our Un-finished Solid Wood Flooring

Background

Many of our wood species have certain oils and chemical compounds, which can react adversely with certain types of finishes and either inhibit drying and/or dramatically change the color of the wood/finish. Moreover, there is constant change being made by all the finish manufacturers in their product formulations to comply with new environmental regulations. This makes it impossible for Value Wood Flooring to keep abreast of how these developments might affect each of the woods we offer. Therefore, it is imperative that you first test the finish you propose to use on samples of the wood prior to installation.

Testing

When choosing your floor, your selection should be made from flooring samples, which have been pre-finished by your installer using their finish of choice. This way, by working from samples pre-finished with the same finish you will be using on the job site, you can be assured of obtaining the same look as the customer expects, as well as avoid any finish compatibility problems. If the above finish tests have not been performed to date, please STOP and with your installer’s assistance and recommendations, choose a finish for your floor now and test it.

Choosing a Finish

Your finish choices will fall into one of the two following types:

A penetrating oil with or without wax
This type of finish is used primarily in commercial settings, as it requires a regular maintenance program. As most of our woods are exceedingly hard they do not need a protective film finish, which under commercial use eventually scratches and then requires re-sanding and refinishing to renew. For commercial applications, especially on dark woods where scratches show up lighter and in great contrast, a penetrating oil allows any wear spots to be simply re-oiled and buffed as part of the regular maintenance program already in place in commercial locations. This finish imparts a deep, rich, if somewhat flat, look to the wood. To build up additional sheen, wax is sometimes used which in turn requires periodic buffing to maintain.

A surface film finish

This is a finish coating that sits on top of the wood forming a protective film. A surface film finish is the treatment of choice for residential use, as it requires little maintenance in low traffic conditions. Film finishes are available in a variety of sheens from matte to satin to gloss.

There are three types of film finishes:

• Water Based Urethanes – These are the latest finishes out, are quick drying and are being formulated with increasing durability. They tend to inhibit the color change certain woods undergo over time so they are a good choice should you wish to inhibit this change. Water based finishes tend to leave the woods lighter in color and looking somewhat washed out. For those who prefer the richer look an oil based finish provides, a penetrating oil/stain may be applied first and then the floor can be top coated with water based urethane. Please refer to your finish manufacturer for their specific recommendations. Here are several we recommend.
  • Bona Kemi offers a system that allows for their oil based sealer to be used first and then top coated with water based finishes.
    Bona Kemi can be reached at 800-872-5515 – www.bonakemi.com
  • Berger Seidel offers a system especially formulated for exotic woods.
    Berger Seidel can be reached at 800-979-9272
  • Basic Coatings offers several water based systems.
    They can be reached at 800-441-1934 – www.basiccoatings.com
• Oil Based Urethanes – These are the old standby type of floor finishes now being phased out due to environmental concerns. However, they have proven durability and impart a rich look to imported woods.
• Acid Cure and Moisture Cure Urethanes – These are two part formulations which include the “Swedish” type finishes and moisture cure urethanes, and are among the most durable of all the finishes. They are, however, quite odiferous when applying.

Once again, after having made your finish choice, please test your finish choice on actual samples of the wood to insure compatibility prior to use on the floor itself.

Finish Compatibility Issues with Exotic Woods:

In general, water based finishes adhere well to all our woods while oil based finishes may experience drying and/or color change problems when used on some of our woods. To date, we have experienced some finish compatibility problems when using certain oil based finishes on the following woods:

• Ebonies (all types)
• Rosewoods (all types except Caribbean and Patagonian Rosewood)
• Teak
• Walnut, Brazilian and Patagonian
• Walnut, African (mansonia)
• Wenge

The above list is provided as a service by Value Wood Flooring. It was derived from feedback from several of our customers who, when using certain finishes, experienced compatibility problems in the past. However, Value Wood Flooring shall not be held liable for any finish complications on any of our woods, as it is the installer’s responsibility to adequately test the compatibility of the proposed finish they will be using on actual samples of the flooring prior to installation. There are simply too many different finishes, (and changes being made to existing finishes), on the market today for Value Wood Flooring to keep current with them all.

Exotic Wood Finishing Tips:

Always test first!!!!!!!!!

All the woods listed above have experienced some drying issues when finished with certain oil based finishes – use extreme caution and thoroughly test first!!!! We list a few of our most popular species below and recount installer feedback on finish issues.

• Brazilian & Patagonian Walnut – has caused more finish problems than all the other species combined. This species has a number of alkalines in its chemical makeup which interfere with drying, adhesion and staining. While some oil finishes will dry on this wood, most will not. Also, some neutral oil finishes have reacted with these alkalines and turned red when used with this wood. Water based finishes are the safest bet.
• Australian Cypress – there are some finish adhesion issues on the knots. Please check the finish you are using first on some hand samples and, once dry, try scratching the finish off the knots. If the finish fails try another finish. Value Wood Flooring has researched several finishes and offers specific recommendations in our Special Australian Cypress Instructions below.
• Brazilian Cherry – to date, all finishes seem to work on Brazilian Cherry.
  Of special note: occasionally, certain trees have a high content of a white silica/sap, which is almost imperceptible to the eye in the freshly milled flooring, before finishing. This silica/sap shows up as faint spots – almost as if drops of skim milk had dried on the wood, once the wood is finished and then, as Brazilian Cherry darkens over time, these white spots, which do not darken, become more prominent against the now darker wood. Also, when finished with some oil based finishes, the finish may not harden fully above these spots, while with water based finishes it does fully cure. There have been many instances when using Brazilian Cherry where several, (to dozens), of boards in a floor may contain these spots, which we stress are in the wood itself and not in the finish, even though it may look that way at first. The only way to avoid them is to visually spot them before installing and not use the boards with them. Once installed and then found objectionable, the individual pieces would have to be be replaced. Many installers/ finishers, the first time they run into this issue, think that by resanding the floor and recoating, that these spots will disappear but this is not the case as the “white spots” are through the entire thickness of the wood and cannot be sanded out. As this is a natural feature of the wood and is not visible when the wood is freshly milled, it is not considered a defect in solid unfinished wood. In prefinished products, it is possible to spot at least the stronger in color white spots once the finish is applied and these are graded out at the mill. However, the installer should still look for those spots not graded out and not install pieces with these spots.
• Santos Mahogany – to date, all finishes seem to work on Santos. However, we have had some recent reports that Santos adversely affects the way the flattening agents in some oil based Satin finishes settle – leaving a blotchy finish. Also, in the summer, when you open the packs of flooring, many times there will be spots of oil which have bled out of the flooring when it got heated. This oil, to date as far as we know, has not adversely affected any oil or water based finishes.
• Southern Chestnut – to date all finishes seem to work on Southern Chestnut. Peculiar to this species, some trees have large silica spots which show up as circles or half circles of slightly lighter colored material. We attempt to cut most of these out of color clear grade but allow them in the lower grades. When finished, the lighter contrast remains. It is a feature of this wood and if objectionable, care should be taken when installing this wood to select out any pieces exhibiting these spots and cut them out prior to installing as they will not “sand” out.

Product Links

Underlayment:

Foam Underlayment - Typical foam underlayment for Floating Floor Installations

Moisture Barrier Systems for wet subfloors / & all concrete subfloors on/below grade:

1. Sheet Vinyl Installation Instructions - for a sheet vinyl moisture barrier
2. Bostik Moisture Barrier System
3. Franklin Moisture Barrier System

Approved Mastics/Adhesives/Glues

1. Bostik® Best - approved mastic
2. Franklin® 811 Urethane Adhesive/Mastic - approved mastic

Bostik mastic remover info

Mastic remover instructions

Franklin Titebond 2 PVAC glue - T & G Glues for Floating Floor Installations

Moisture Meter & Tests for Concrete

Tramex Commercial Concrete Moisture Meter - concrete moisture meter info

Taylor Tools Concrete Moisture Test Kits

Moisturetestkit.com Concrete Moisture Test Kits

Concrete Moisture Test Instructions