Lumber Liquidators

Recent Customer Projects

We love seeing how awesome our customer's projects have turned out. We're going to show a few off so everyone can see how amazing they look!

 

Bellawood Brazilian Cherry

 

Bellawood Brazilian Walnut

Builder's Pride Red Oak

Glacier Peak Poplar

Horizontal Carbonized Bamboo

Natural Hickory

Vintner's Reserve

Common Laminate & Floating Floor Problems with Corrections

We're here to help, and our fantastic Tech & Install team has delivered once again.  This article explains some problems that may be experienced and how to fix them with laminat & floating floors.

Common Laminate and floating floor problems with corrections
Job site related

- Peaking

- Buckling

- Gapping

- Mold and mildew

- Expanding HDF

- Chipped corners

Manufacture defect

-off register

Repairs

Peaking

Peaking refers to a situation in which the laminate floor boards push up against each other and result in high points at the joints. There are a number of reasons why this can happen. The most common cause of peaking is a lack of expansion space between the laminate floor and the walls around the perimeter of the installation, or a lack of expansion space between the laminate floor and laminate moldings. This situation can be easily remedied. Simply follow the peaking board’s perpendicular to the wall or molding, remove the necessary molding- if against the wall, remove the baseboard and cutout a section or enough of the laminate board that meets the wall or molding that will give the floor more space to expand. (Diagram 1 & 2) The peaking will not however dissipate immediately, it maybe necessary to place a weighted object on the peaking areas for a period of time.

Another reason for peaking could be due to the fact that the moldings in the doorways or around the perimeter of the room have been fixed/nailed to the floor, thus preventing the floor from expanding. Remember that a laminate floor is a floating floor and must not be fixed to the sub floor or moldings at any point as this will not allow the floor to expand and contract, as these floors naturally do.

Peaking can also arise due to the fact that a continuous area of flooring is too long in one direction without a center “T” molding expansion joint to relieve the pressure. This will generally happen in areas where the floor runs for over 27’ foot in any direction – this number differs per manufacturer.

Buckling or Warping

Buckling or warping is almost always as a result of moisture and/ or water damage. Laminate flooring is affected by water in a number of ways. High moisture content in the air can sometimes lead to buckling or warping. Excessive water on the surface of the floor can also lead to buckling or warping. For this reason, it is important never to wet mop a laminate floor. The most common cause of edge-warping or buckling is water or dampness rising from the subfloor in conjunction with the lack of a sufficient moisture barrier.

Buckling or warping can also be as a result of an inferior product construction. Laminate floor surfaces are laminated under extremely high pressure. For this reason, it is necessary to have a balancing layer on the bottom of the boards. This layer is made up of a rigid material that equalizes the pressure exerted form above.

Gapping

Gapping is not common with laminate flooring. Gapping is a situation in which the laminate flooring boards tend to pull away from one another resulting in gaps between the boards. This situation will occur if the temperature drops to a point way below what is considered normal (60°-80°). For this reason, it is very important to acclimatize your flooring to the room temperature and conditions of the room in which the laminate is to be installed, before installation.

Mold and Mildew

Issues concerning mold and mildew are gaining increased attention from both residential and commercial property owners as well as the public at large. In virtually all situations if there is a mold issue, there is an excessive moisture issue. In order to prevent, control, or eradicate mold and mildew, one must first identify, evaluate, and eliminate the source of excessive moisture.

Prior to removing an existing flooring or installing a new floor or repairing an existing laminate floor, if there are visible indications of mold or mildew or the presence of a strong musty odor in the area where flooring is to be removed or installed, the source of the problem should be identified and corrected.

Expanding High Density Fiber Board (HDF)

The core (middle section) of a laminate floor plank is made from HDF. Most laminate cores however are treated with water repellent chemicals. If your flooring is water damaged, your only remedy is to replace the affected boards.

Chipped Corners

Excessive chipping on corners can be as a result of any of the following:

a) Wrong methods of installation used. Use care when using a tapping block and mallets to install floating floors. Often poor installation can result in marks, indentations and chipping.

b) Cleaning the floor with a vacuum cleaner-beater bar attachment.

c) Poor handling

Off register a manufacturing defect

Off register is a situation in which the flooring pattern on one flooring board does not match up the pattern on the connecting board. Manufacturers do allow for a variance. This situation however almost never occurs, and in the event it does, just replace with extra materials on hand.

Repairs

Although very durable, it is normal to find minor scratches as result of daily wear and tear. Fortunately, this situation is easily remedied with the aid of a laminate floor repair kit, available at your local home centers. These kits may include acrylic or latex putty, wax pencils or crayons and are color coded to match the floor. Take a plank of flooring with you for color matching.

For more serious damage, it might be necessary to replace the damaged boards. The introduction of glueless laminate flooring has resulted in a floor that is both easy to install and repair. For this, you will need additional laminate flooring.

To replace boards that are situated close to walls or moldings, follow these steps:

1. Start by removing the baseboard or molding. Do this carefully so as not to damage the molding.

2. Remove the boards starting from the molding until the damaged board is accessible.

3. Replace the damaged board and then the rest of the boards you removed, by clicking them back in place.

4. Replace the molding.

The process of repairing a laminate floorboard closer to the center of the room is more detailed and time consuming. The process involves removing the damaged board utilizing a saw or router, then replacing the board utilizing a sufficient water resistant adhesive. Contact a professional installer or follow these steps.

1) Mark the damaged board 1-1/2” from ends and side. Drill 3/16” holes at corners of marked area.

2) Cut along lines between the drilled holes and remove the center section. Then cut remaining piece in the center on both sides and remove.

3) Prepare a replacement board by cutting and removing the factory tongue along the long and short end of the board. The figure below represents the two common types of locking systems available.

4) Apply a resinous (PVA) adhesive to the cut edges and replace the board by aligning the groove on the replacement board with the tongue of the abutting board, and snap back into place.

5) Make sure all edges are even on either side of the joints. Utilize a heavy object to apply pressure for at least 24 hours. Make sure the weight is evenly distributed across the new piece.

Prevention is better than cure. Place floor mats at door entrances in order to reduce the amount of sand tracked into the house. It is a good idea to place felt pads under furniture legs, as this will prevent scratching caused by dragging the furniture across the floor. Also, keep large pets' nails groomed.

 

Guidelines for Lumber Liquidators Facebook Page

We are very thankful to have so many amazing fans on our Facebook page with lots of active followers.  We know you are passionate about your homes and we are passionate about them looking their best.  Thank you for your participation and sharing your flooring pictures and your experiences.  In order to get the best information to you and to answer all those tricky installation questions, we do have some basic guidelines for posting on the Lumber Liquidators fan page.  If you’ve ever had a post deleted or removed, this may explain why.

The goal of the Lumber Liquidators Facebook page is to provide customers, would-be customers, and DIYers with information regarding products, sales, limited time deals, contests, and giveaways as well as answer basic questions. We want to hear from our fans so you can be the first to learn about upcoming sales, new products, and more. 

 1)      Keep content relevant to Lumber Liquidators, flooring, and installation

 2)      Keep the language clean - We do encourage comments, discussions, questions, and pictures, however, any comments containing inappropriate language or profanity will be removed.

 3)      Do not advertise your business - In order to answer as many questions as possible, we ask that you keep the content related to flooring and installation comments and questions. Some of you own flooring installation companies and we love to see pictures of jobs you have done (with the approval of the homeowner, of course) but if you’re posting, keep it along the lines of “Check out this awesome Brazilian cherry dining room we did” and not “Check out Joe’s Installation in Cincinnati, OH.  We’ll give you the best deal in town.” Another example would be “Doesn’t our new studio floor look amazing?” rather than “Come relax at MiMi’s Yoga Studio on 5^th & Broad”.

 4)      Be patient while waiting for a response - Please understand, to keep prices low for you, we do not have someone available to monitor our page 24 hours a day.  We do our best to respond in a timely manner, but especially weekends and holidays, it may take us a little extra time to get back to you.  We really do appreciate your patience because this helps us keep costs down.

 5)      Contact your local store for inventory of a specific product - Each store has different inventory.  If you have a question regarding whether or not a store has a certain product, we ask that you contact our Sales Team at 1-800-HARDWOOD.  We are not equipped to find stock and by the time we get to your question, quantities may have changed.

 6)      Contact our Customer Care and Tech & Install departments with any issues you may have – The Lumber Liquidators Facebook team are not experts in installation or solving product issues and we leave those issues to our specialists.  While we can answer basic questions regarding your floor, our Customer Care and Tech & Install teams are best equipped to help you with any issues that may arise.  Each installation has its own peculiarities of the site, product, and installation method.   We understand that it can be frustrating to not get a resolution immediately, but we ask that you give our Customer Care team time to follow the processes that are in place to evaluate an issue. 

Customer Care does their best to respond to emails within 24 hours and are available on the phones at 1-800-366-4204 Monday-Friday 8 am – 9 pm EST, Saturday 9 am – 7 pm EST, and Sunday 11 am – 7 pm EST. If you have already contacted Customer Care, please e-mail LLResponse@lumberliquidators.com to escalate your issue. 

We do want to help you, along with everyone who has questions about a new floor for their home.  With that said, once we pass information along to Customer Care, they are responsible for working with you.  At times, inspection of the flooring or material may be required and this process does take time.  We appreciate your patience during this while we’re trying to do the most thorough job of determining the cause of an issue.  If comments continue or if they become malicious or non-constructive, we do reserve the right to remove them. Our Facebook page is meant to be used as a way for people to get information about flooring, it is not set up for handling complaints.  As a last resort, if comments do not cease, we will block those who are not utilizing the Lumber Liquidators Facebook page in a way that is constructive.   For more information, please read below.

We’re so glad to have so many active and happy fans and hope that our little slice of Facebook continues to grow.  We do our best to provide you with the best floor for your needs at the best price.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

LLI has over 250 stores in 46 states and Canada in addition to offering flooring through catalog, telephone and internet sales.  With sales in excess of $620 million in 2010 we serviced over 400,000 customers in 2010 and almost 350,000 in 2009. 

Unlike other retailers, rather than refer customers to the manufacturer, LLI administers the manufacturer’s warranty.  In addition to responding to customer calls, emails and inquiries regarding order status, catalog requests, freight damage, service issues, etc., the Customer Care department investigates and reviews warranty challenges.  Since flooring is installed in our customers’ homes, the installed product cannot be brought back to the store for exchange.  Investigating and reviewing a warranty concerns takes time and may include sending sample boards and photographs to Customer Care as well as inspection by an independent inspector.  Accordingly, it may take time to determine the issue, the source of the issue and how to resolve the issue.  While LLI does warrant against manufacturing defects, often there are issues which are not manufacturing related stemming from installation errors and/or improper site conditions, both of which are not under LLI’s control.  Similarly, a new car buyer would not expect the car dealer to replace a car that was damaged because the buyer drove it on a beach or used the wrong oil causing damage.

LLI strives for superior customer satisfaction, however, we also remained focused on keeping  prices as low as possible.  Increasing prices in order to pay customers to stop disparaging LLI on the internet when LLI is not to blame for the damage to their floor would be a disservice to the 400,000 customers who properly install and maintain their floors.  

How do I acclimate my wood, cork or laminate floor?

Have we mentioned that you should acclimate?  Once, twice, maybe?  Well, here are a few recommendations when it comes to acclimating your new floor before you install it.

For best performance, wood flooring should be one of the last items installed. Heating and air conditioning systems should be fully operating and running at least 7 days before the installation. To prevent moisture related issues such as board edge cupping, all wet work involving water or moisture (plumbing, plaster /drywall ceilings or wall finishes, painting, etc.) should be finished with ample time allowed for complete drying prior to wood floor installation. New concrete should be cured and at least 60 to 90 days old.

To prevent moisture build-up, homes with crawl spaces must have vents for proper cross-ventilation.  Provide year-round air circulation with multiple vents. Venting allows damp areas to dry-out. Vents must be adequately spaced so that no dead air spaces remain. Under the home in the crawlspace use black 6-mil polyethylene sheet plastic as a moisture barrier. Completely Cover 100% of the surface of the ground to guard against excessive moisture. Overlap plastic seams 6” and duct tape

Cork Flooring Links

Store CORK  Flooring flat for a minimum of 48 hours, in open packaging, at room temperature (15°- 30°C / 60°-85°F and a maximum of 75% relative humidity) in the room in which they are to be installed.

Laminate Links 

Store Laminate Flooring flat for a minimum of 48 hours, in unopened packaging, at room temperature (15°- 30°C / 60°-85°F and a maximum of 75% relative humidity) in the room in which they are to be installed. For floors with radiant heating make sure to turn down your thermostat to 15°C / 60°F at least 1 week prior to installation (do not turn off heating if the temperature outside is below freezing). Maintain the temperature below 27°C / 80°F.

 Solid Wood Domestic and Exotic Links 

All wood products are affected by environmental conditions especially prefinished materials. Acclimate the new flooring in the areas to be installed to normal lived-in conditions while in the boxes. If products are protected in plastic open the ends of the boxes. Length of time is not the determining factor. The goal is to reach an equilibrium or moisture balance between the new flooring with its surroundings before installation. This balance could be achieved in as little as 1 to 5 days, or longer for some exotic species. For best performance, condition the flooring to consistent indoor temperatures of 60°-80° F and indoor humidity levels of 30% - 50%. Very dry or humid regions usually require extended conditioning. Recommended acclimation levels maintained even after the installation will minimize board movement, excessive squeaks and gaps. Proper jobsite conditions, acclimation and moisture testing the subfloor and new flooring and all work together for the success of the installation. This is the responsibility of those overseeing the project.

 

Moisture Test! Water & Wood Don't Mix

Approximately 85% of all installation failures are resulting from moisture problems. Therefore, the purpose of this post is to outline typical moisture testing, planning and procedures designed to help your installation be a successful one.

The installation of Lumber Liquidators, Inc.("LLI") wood flooring should not commence until conditions are determined to be "dry" according to industry moisture testing standards. Testing is to include, (a) the new wood flooring, (b) the wood subfloor or cement slab.

It is the responsibility of the professional flooring contractor or the Do-It-Yourselfer (DIY) to inspect and test jobsite moisture conditions prior to the commencement of any flooring system to ensure compliance with established hardwood industry standards. It is understood that moisture testing only establishes the existence of moisture at the time of testing and does not forecast future moisture issues. Installers would not be held responsible for moisture problems arising after the installation providing testing was conducted and normal moisture remediation was completed before installation. The point of moisture testing is to establish when the new flooring and substrate is actually ready for installation or the need to reschedule the work until conditions are acceptable.

Testing concrete

Common testing methods for moisture

THE CALCIUM CHLORIDE TEST

THE POLYFILM TEST

THE PHENOLPHTHALEIN TEST

Testing new wood flooring and subfloors

Moisture Meters: probe and pinless

Testing concrete
LLI does not recommend installation of any flooring system over a newly-installed concrete slab within 60 days of pour. Concrete slab drying time is affected by the type of construction, concrete formulation, location of the building and climatic/environmental conditions. Vapor barriers or under-slab membranes, while recommended, can increase slab-drying times, therefore accurate testing should not commence until after some 90 days of cure time. When conducting slab moisture testing, conduct tests in several areas regardless of the age of the slab. If the test(s) indicate a wet slab, document the results and delay installation of the flooring until corrected.
The use of an electronic concrete moisture meter to determine slab moisture emission is not reliable nor recommended. This is because electronic meters measure moisture content in the slab, usually in terms of an overall percentage and register moisture content only at 1% of the surface, while other meters register an average only in a vertical downward direction where placed. Metered moisture content values may indicate degree of saturation of a slab, but not the on-going emission rate that is occurring at the time.

The Following are several industry-recognized concrete slab moisture tests that provide quantitative measurements of moisture emission. All tests should be conducted at several different locations in a room--typically along exterior walls and walls with plumbing enclosures.

Common testing methods for moisture

THE CALCIUM CHLORIDE TEST: The calcium chloride test is one of the oldest and most legally recognized concrete moisture tests. This test has been used most often by flooring retailers and contractors. The cost can run about $50 or $60 per test. Depending on the kit purchased results can be acquired immediately, or sent away for documentation and reading. The calcium chloride test works by measuring changes in weight of anhydrous calcium chloride crystals.

Typical procedure: a small plastic dish of anhydrous calcium crystals is weighed to determine moisture content. 1st, after sanding or scarifying the cement surface (fig 1) the entire dish is weighed on a gram scale prior to placement and the weight, date and time the test was started must be recorded. The lid is then opened, and the dish of crystals is carefully set down on the concrete for 60 to 72 hours. The dish is enclosed within a 7-by-10-inch cover, which is then sealed with plastic tape to the concrete (fig 2). During this time, the only source of moisture being absorbed by the anhydrous crystals is what can evaporate out of the covered concrete surface area. A note of caution: Use care in lid dealing and removal of the dish, and weighing as exposure to atmosphere will dramatically effect the results.

At the end of the test, the dome is removed and the lid is placed back on the dish and sealed. Again the dish is weighed on the gram scale and the date and time are marked. The change in weight is multiplied by a constant and divided by hours to provide an estimated rate of evaporation, in pounds.

(fig1)
(fig2)

For example, water weighs 8.3 pounds per gallon. Pounds, is the equivalent weight of water that evaporates out of a 1,000-square foot surface area during 24 hours. If the test reports 8.3 pounds emission, then one-gallon of water is leaving a 1,000 square foot surface area in 24 hours. A conservative but generally recommended allowable amount of moisture emission as expressed by the calcium chloride test is 3.0 pounds per 1,000 square feet per 24 hours at the time of the installation of the flooring.

THE POLYFILM TEST: Several pieces of plastic film, 18”- 24” squares of are placed at key points on the cement, seal all four sides with silver duct tape. After 24 hours, the plastic film is removed and inspected for signs of condensation. If beads of water are found on the subfloor or the concrete appears darker this is a heads-up that further testing is necessary. If there is no indication of moisture under the plastic film, one can assume the installation may proceed. The reading is valid at 24 hours, but it's even better if the test can stay in place until 72 hours have passed. The plastic film test can also be "accelerated" by using a heat source such as a 40 to 60 watt light bulb safely placed 18” above the plastic.

PHENOLPHTHALEIN TEST: This moisture test uses a 3 percent phenolphthalein solution (fig1) in water-free ethyl alcohol. Dime sized holes,1/4-inch deep, are drilled in various areas of the slab, particularly around walls. Then two drops of the solution are applied into each of the drilled areas. If there's no color change in the solution, there should not be enough moisture and the alkalinity is not high enough to affect the installation. But if the phenolphthalein turns pink or dark red within five minutes and the pH is 9.0 or higher, further testing must be done with a more precise method. This should NOT be the only method used for testing moisture. Color of concrete surfaces: The "proper" color of concrete should be a light yellowish-grey (similar to limestone) not sugar white. In fact, a sugar-white surface usually means the concrete was improperly cured and can create a severe moisture problem later on (usually months later). This is due to the poor hydration of cement within the surface, creating a disproportionately high water to cement ratio...that appears white.
(fig1)
(fig2)

pH paper or litmus paper test:
Both the phenolphthalein and litmus paper tests measure the alkalinity of the surface of the concrete. Determining if cement is alkali free is important for glue down installations on concrete. Excess alkalinity(salts) can contribute to adhesive failure. Alkali can be visible as a white powder on the surface of the concrete. However, it is the excess salt contained within the concrete that can cause adhesive failure over time. This problem is magnified if moisture is present and passing through the concrete, as this condition will deposit the excess salt on the concrete surface. A simple pH test (fig2) will determine the presence of alkali on a slab surface. Apply a few drops of distilled water to a small thoroughly clean and scraped concrete surface area and apply a strip of pH paper to the wetted area. The paper will change color within 5 minutes. Compare the color change to the chart standard supplied with the paper to indicate the pH of degree of alkalinity. A pH range from 5 to 10 is acceptable. Corrective measures must be taken with any concrete slab that measures a pH reading above10.

Testing new wood flooring and subfloors

Moisture Meters: probe and pinless Probe or pin-type meters (fig1) are fast and easy to use. They come with different measurement indicators. The lower-cost units have L.E.D. display lights indicating different moisture levels; the better-quality units have analog or digital displays and provision for different species and wood temperatures.

The pinless meters (fig2) are also referred to as "non-destructive" because these don't leave small testing holes in the wood. Signal penetration for pinless meters is up to 1 inch for both hardwood and softwood. The meter can be moved across the surface to identify pockets of moisture in a wood block or plank. It is relatively unaffected by temperature. Rough surfaces have very little effect on the reading. Measurements can also be taken through coating, varnish or paint without damage to the surface.

One advantage of probe type meters is that those with insulated pins can measure moisture content at varying depths--you can tell whether the moisture content near the bottom of a board is higher than near the top.

Deciding which kind of moisture meter to buy is a matter of sorting through the features you think you will need, and how often you may use it, and then understanding the various features and benefits. It is important that the meter you choose offers the following:

• A clear analog or digital dial.
• A moisture content range from at least 6 percent to 30 percent.
• The necessary adjustment tables for various species; (some meters have a built in adjustment for this function)

(fig1)

(fig2)

Testing Wood Subfloors: Wood subfloors are actually easy to check for moisture content. Just test for moisture at several locations in the room and average the results (fig1). In most regions of the country, a "dry" wood subfloor that is ready to work has a moisture content of 12 percent or less, or down to about 7% in states with low (RH) relative humidity. If excessively high readings are obtained, installation should not proceed until the origin of the moisture is identified and moisture problems are remedied. During the winter, an overly moist subfloor can be dried out by running the heat for a few weeks. Air conditioning during the summer will do the same thing.
Before installation, the moisture content of the subfloor should be within 4% percentage points of the new flooring (fig2). If the moisture content between the new flooring and subflooring varies more than 4 percentage points or 2% for boards wider than 2 1/2” the flooring should not be installed.
fig1) 

(fig2)

Please direct inquiries to Lumber Liquidators Technical Department at 800-366-4204

Hey vets, come home and don't go anywhere else.

What Do I Need First? A Job Site Checklist!

Not entirely sure what is best for you?  What tools will you need?  Use this handy job site checklist before you get started to figure out some of those pesky questions you may not know the answer to.  It will be useful for your installer or your local Lumber Liquidators store even if you plan on installing yourself!

Download General Installation CheckList NWFA

How to Install Williamsburg Butcher Block

Looking for something unique for your kitchen and more affordable than granite? Have you considered butcher blocks?  Lumber Liquidators carries to types of butcher blocks, Maple and American Cherry.  It can give a great country or homey feel to a kitchen.

Here are steps from our Tech & Install team helping you with your Butcher Block Installation.

1.) Measure the depth of your cabinet, adding desired about of overhang.

2.) Cut Butcher Block panel to size

    - Cut Butcher Block panel to the width you want if desired width is less than 25 inches

    - Cut Butcher Block panel to the length you wan if desired length is less than purchased length

3.) Ease front edge of counter top

    - Select router bit for desired profile

    - Sand edge smooth

4.) Prepare cabinets to accept Butcher Block panel.

    - For open-top cabinets, install blocking across cabinet width, approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch from        top of cabinet

        - Pre-drill pilot holes through blocking and fasten to cabinet with wood screws

    - For solid-top cabinets, install furring strips across cabinet length

        - Bond strips to cabinet with construction adhesive/sealant

5.) Drill holes (1/4 to 1/2 inch diameter) through either blocking installed on open-top cabinets or top of solid-top cabinets.

6.) Apply bead of construction adhesive/sealant to either blocking or furring strips

7.) Position counter top on cabinet.

8.) Drill smaller diameter pilot hole into underside of counter top through larger holes previously drilled in blocking or top of cabinet.

    - Use caution not to drill through top of counter top

9.) Secure counter top to cabinet

    - Fit a wood screw with washer that is wider in diameter than holes in blocking or top of cabinet

    - Insert screw through hole and fasten to underside of counter top until cabinet fits snugly against        top of cabinet (Select screw length that will not penetrate counter top face)

10.) Finish your countertop as desired.

    - Treat with food-grade mineral oil for use as working food preparation surface.

    - Finish with other product approved for intended use.

 

 

Nail Down Installation and the Best Machines & Fasteners

There are many types of flooring out there.  If you plan on doing a nail down installation, it seems like there is the same number of cleats, nails, staples, and installation guns.  Hopefully, we can clear a little of it up for you.

Our Tech and Install Department has done a lot of leg work for us to come up with some very valuable resources regarding which products you should use.

As a quick overview, there are many companies that make Hardwood  nailing machines, few will have all the accessories, adaptor plates and styles of fasteners needed for the many types of floorings we carry.

 The POWERNAIL CO. is able to match up both the correct Nail machine and fasteners for a complete system for most wood floors.

 The MODELS  50P & 50M are excellent for the installation of both Engineered and Solids ranging in sizes from 3/8” to 5/8,-(especially the harder exotic woods).These models use a thin cleat nail –(size .050) as thick as a dime, ranging from 1” to 1-1/2” in length.

 The MODELS 200P & 250M are also designed for Engineered wood, sizes from 5/16” to 5/8”, (great for the Nail-down Bamboo products) sizes 1/2" to 5/8”. These models also use a thin cleat nail – (size.035) as thick as a paper match.

 These models are designed to minimize tongue fracture common with Wire gage staplers and protect board edges and the surface area. However, even when using a recommended nailer tongue fractures can still happen. Some brittle woods like 1/2" Australian Cypress work well gluing down with 100% urethane adhesives rather than nailing, especially for border work. Brittle woods do best with the thinner cleat type nails 18-20 ga.

Packaged in with these models will be the adaptor plates and shims necessary for your specified flooring size. Test a few boards for correct nail seating and verify that the board edge is damage free, make any adjustments.

Actually for some species of wood like Blood wood, Ebony, Teaks, Brazilian Rosewood and Brazilian Cherry, the "pre-drill and hand nailing" method may be needed to prevent wood damage. If using a nailing machine for harder exotics watch out for any surface dimpling or mushrooming. This condition can happen when nailing denser woods. The nail actually pushes the surface of the wood upward (resulting in a surface dimple) to receive the nail. If floor-nailing machines will not correctly nail the wood without dimpling the surface or fracturing the tongues, it is recommended to pre-drill and hand nail some species, just as a carpenter would when working around fine furniture or cabinetry. 

Many professional installers understand this and often charge slightly more for installation of these “iron woods” as the correct installation can take 2-3 times longer!

Additional resources can be found here:

Bamboo Nailing Recommendations

NAILERS/STAPLERS

NOFMA Nailing Schedule

 

Bellawood Customer Testimonial

Want to see what actual customers are saying about their fooring?

Then check this video out and find out why Terri is a fan of her Bellawood Brazilian Koa.

 

 

New Eco Friendly Underlayments

Here at Lumber Liquidators, we always are trying to come out with new and innovative products that are great for your home.  There are two new products that we have recently released that have so many great qualities about them.  First, they are green products.  Second, they are great for homes for people who are chemically sensitive.

Silicone Vapor Shield

This underlayment is  great alternative to some of the other products on the market today.  One of the best features of this product is that it protects the home environment by not relasing any toxic fumes after installation as some asphalt based products do.  Besides being good for you, it's good for the environment because it is 100% recylced and 100% recyclable.

It also doesn't fall apart underath the floor after intallation. As well, it protects hardwood flooring from moisturand helps planks slide easily for continuous moisture protection.

One of it's most unique features, however, is that it is the only underlayment paper that can be used over radiant heat. 

Definitely a product you should check into, and it can be found here for a great price.

Eco Silent Sound HD^TM

Some products really stand out, and Eco Silent is one of them.  It is made with 100% post consumer recycled granulated rubber tires and a high-density polyurethan foam.  Not only is it created with recycled product, it is also 100% recyclable.  This is a great "green" product for those looking to leave less of a carbon footprint.

It also reduces floor noise by providing excellent sound absiorption.  For those who worry about mold, it contains Ultra-Fresh^TM which is anti-microbial treatment to resist mold and mildew.

Eco Silent can be used with floating, glue down, and nail down wood, laminate, LVT and vinyl plank flooring.  It will also eliminate minor subfloor imperfections as well as provide cushioning under laminates. Plus, it can be used with radiant heat. 

Definitely a great product at a great value, and can be found here.

If you are planning on installing a new floor, make sure you consider what you put UNDER your floor as well.  It will help you have a better experience and can provide your family with a fantastic floor for years to come.