BACK How To Install Linnea Woodloc Laminate Flooring Installation Instructions

Job Site Evaluation

Before installing a Linnea Woodloc floor, inspect the job site thoroughly.

In homes with crawl space or pier-beam foundations, foundation vents must provide cross-ventilation with no dead air space. Vents should be located throughout the foundation with opening area equal to 1 .5 % of the square-foot area within the crawl space (for example, a 1,000 sq. ft. crawl space must have 15 sq. ft. space of vents that remain open all year). If excessive moisture exists underneath the house, lay a 6 mil. black polyethylene film moisture barrier on the ground in the crawl space directly below the installation area. The plywood/particle board subfloor moisture content should be 6-10%. The concrete subfloor moisture content should be no more than 3lbs. If high moisture is present, determine its source and correct the problem The subfloor should not vary in level by more than 1/8" in an area of 8 ft. Check this by using the edge of a Linnea plank to find any high or low spots.

Preparation

Keep the boards in their packaging, only open the packs as you install them. Read the installation instructions thoroughly before you begin laying the floor. Kahrs Linnea is laid as a floating floor; i.e. the boards are joined together but not fixed to the subfloor.

The floor is designed for residential use.

The subfloor must be dry, flat, and rigid.

Plywood/Particle Board:

To prepare a plywood or particle-board subfloor for float-in installation, renail any loose area or areas with squeaks. Sand and/or plane any high spots; fill any low areas.

Concrete:

To prepare a concrete subfloor for installation, scrape any high spots and fill low areas with approved leveling compounds (extreme variations) or 15 lb Roofing or felt paper (minor variations only).

Other Subfloors:

If you choose to install a Linnea Woodloc floor over existing floors like vinyl and rubber tile, or old wood floors, be sure the floor is level. Re-attach loose tiles and sand or scrape (as appropriate) high spots. Fill low spots with roofing or felt paper. Door casings should be undercut or notched to avoid difficult scribe cuts. Sweep or vacuum thoroughly.

Installation

Underlayment:

Kahrs Combo-System Underlayment protects the floor from moisture and provides cushion between the subfloor and the wood floor.

Once the subfloor has been prepared in accordance with the requirements specified by the Kahrs Professional Installation Guide (KPIG) and swept clean, proceed as follows:

Lay out Kahrs Combo-System Underlayment so that the seams touch, but do not overlap seams. Completely seal all top surface seams, tears, and cuts with Kahrs approved 3M, 2 inch Scotch brand No. 396 Super Bond Film Tape . A sufficient quantity of Seam Tape is supplied with each roll of Kahrs Combo-System Underlayment.

 Use only Kahrs approved Seam Tape; this tape meets or exceeds Kahrs requirements for long adhesion life and vapor permeability. Non-approved tapes may not meet these requirements and their use may adversely affect warranty coverage.

Cover the entire floor area and run the underlayment up the walls approximately one and a half inches, this provides a secure enclosure for the flooring. After the floor is installed and before the installation of the baseboards, the excess underlayment should be trimmed to the height of the floor surface using a fine trimming blade.

If installing your Linnea Woodloc floor over Radiant Heat, please refer to Radiant Heat Installation on this site for more information.

Laying:

In long, narrow rooms lay the boards length-way. Leave an expansion gap of minimum ½ inch at walls and at any fixed objects.

FIRST: calculate how many boards will be required. If the last board is going to be shorter than 2 inches, saw down the first board in the row to create a longer last board.

In Woodloc, the "tongue" is considered to be the milling under the top veneer. The "groove" is actually the milled bottom edge that protrudes from the board. (see below)

tongue side groove side

Start in a corner and lay from left to right, with the tongue side towards the wall.

Insert the next board against the first at an angle and lay it flat on the floor. Continue this way for the whole first row. (see below)

Cut the last board in the first row to the correct length and start the next row with the piece left over. Insert shims.

Subsequent rows:
Again, beginning at the left, stagger end-joints by at least 12 inches. Holding the first board with the long seam at approx. 45° angle against the board ahead, gently press it forward into the tongue while at the same time laying it flat onto the floor. (see below)

          

Do the same with the next board but make sure that it ends approx. ¼ inch shy of the butt seam of the first board, leaving a gap to close. (see below)



Carefully tap the short seam together with the special Linnea Woodloc Tapping Block from Kahrs. Insert the projecting edge of the block under the right-side of the board and tap with hammer until gap at left edge closes.
(see below) 

The butt seam to be closed can be held in position by placing a piece of scrap board firmly over the center of the joint. (see below)

The end joint of the final board should be pulled into place with a Linnea Last Board Puller. Be careful to only tap against the milled edge and not hit the veneer. Also, remember to protect the wall.

When three board rows have been laid, the expansion gap and shims can be adjusted. Remember to always allow at least ½ inch for expansion. Use expansion shims every 12 in. along all walls. For rooms larger than 25 ft. wide, add 1/16 inch additional gap space for every additional 3 ft. The largest dimension for a Linnea Woodloc floor is 40 ft. wide by 120 ft. long. No exceptions.

Saw the last row of boards to a suitable width.

After Installation

Remove expansion shims and install pre-finished Linnea moldings and/or trim pieces to cover the expansion space. Some trim pieces may need to be installed before the floor is completed (i.e. in some doorway applications).

Maintenance

Clean the floor using a dry dust mop, or damp (lightly misted or well wrung out) sponge mop or cloth. Regularly use Kährs Wood Floor Cleaner for best results. Do not use oil soaps or water-emulsion, self-polishing waxes. NEVER wet-mop the floor. Place Kährs Steel-Shank or Peel & Stick floor Protectors to prevent damage from furniture legs. Please see your retailer for a detailed Linnea Floor Care Guide and Guarantee.

Board Replacement

Linnea Woodloc board replacement is accomplished by removing the moldings from the wall and doorway closest to the damaged board. Un-install flooring; replace damaged board, and re-install flooring and moldings. Since boards are not glued together, this is a fairly simple task.

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