Puzzle Floor Installation

To print these instructions, click on the PDF icon. You’ll need Adobe Reader to open and print the document. If you do not have Adobe Reader on your computer, download your free copy here.

Step by Step Instructions for
Denali and Niagara Nail Down Application

The following instructions and diagrams demonstrate how easy it is to install a Denali or Niagara Puzzle Floor. If you have basic handyman skills and are comfortable working with a table saw, this can be a DIY project.

Starting with an empty room and a solid, clean, flat subfloor, an average size room of 200 square feet will require 4 to 6 hours to complete.

Step 1

Assemble the tools and materials you’ll need for the installation.

Tools Required

• Safety glasses and Ear protection
• Measuring tape (preferably 25 ft)
• Non-marring rubber mallet
• Pencil
• Tri square
• Table saw (to cut border pieces)
• Jigsaw if intricate cuts are required
• 1” Putty knife
• Chalk line
• Flooring Nailer suitable for fasteners selected
• Air compressor (if using air assisted Nailer)
• 10” Sliding compound miter saw
• Nail set
• Undercut or Jam Saw
• Moisture meter

Materials Required

• Puzzle Floor pieces
• 6-7d headless finish nails
• Moisture Barrier
• Flooring nails or staples

Note that tools can be rented at your local Lowe’s, Home Depot or Tool Rental store. Check your local Yellow Pages under RENTAL for a location nearest you.

Pre-Installation Procedures

1. Clear room of all furniture and tools. Remove baseboards and number them in sequence
   (on the back) to simplify reinstallation. Sweep or vacuum sub-floor.
2. Make sure the sub-floor is clean and dry (free from oil, old glue, wax, dust, etc.) vacuum thoroughly.
3. If you have high and low spots, sand the high areas and build up the low spots in a manner appropriate to your installation method below:
   - for nail down applications build up low spots using 15lb builders felt and or plywood
   - for glue down applications use plywood, self leveling grout(concrete subfloor) or you may use an additional thickness of Bostik’s Best adhesive
4. Use a moisture meter to check the moisture content of the subfloor and the Puzzle Floor.
   The wood subfloor must not exceed 12% moisture. The difference between the moisture content of the wood subfloor and the Puzzle Floor pieces must not exceed 4%.
5. The room where the Puzzle Floor is to be installed should have a consistent room temperature of 60 to 750 F (15 to 240 C) and humidity of 35 to 55% for 14 days prior, during installation and until occupied to allow for proper acclimation. Ideally all other “wet” work will have been completed prior to installing the floor. This would include plaster, drywall, and painting.
   

Note: 15 lb builders felt or (tarpaper) acts as a moisture vapor retarder and may be used to reduce movement caused by changes in subfloor moisture. This is especially helpful when installing over crawl spaces which may be subjected to widely ranging humidity levels. Simply staple the builders felt down over the subfloor providing a 6” overlap on all joints.

Recommended subfloor specifications for nail down application

Preferred: 3/4”(19mm) CDX grade plywood
Minimum: 5/8” (16mm) CDX grade plywood, or 3/4” OSB PS2 rated underlayment

Make sure subfloor is dry and well fastened (nailed or screwed every 6” along each joist)

If a plywood top layer is to be installed over an existing subfloor, ensure that the top layer is well fastened to the old subfloor. It is recommended to screw or nail on a 6” x 6” grid.

 

Installation

IMPORTANT: Read the entire step-by-step instructions before proceeding.

 

Refer to the drawings at the end of this document for a visual representation of how to install your new Denali or Niagara Puzzle Floor.

1. Using a pencil and tape measure, place a mark on the floor 24” from the starting wall at each end of the wall. Using the marks as a reference point, use a chalk line and snap a straight line parallel to the longest wall (or parallel to the direction in which you intend to install your floor if it will not align with the longest wall of the room). (See fig 1.3)
2. Using the supplied jig which came with your order - rip enough Puzzle Floor pieces to provide a “starter” strip along the starting wall (see Fig 1.1)
3. Locate the mid point along the starting wall. Mark with a pencil. This will be the starting point for laying the first piece of flooring (see Fig 1.3). DO NOT NAIL THE FIRST PIECE AT THIS TIME.
4. Assemble (‘dry fit’) 2 rows of flooring including the starting row as well as a second row and tape the joints together using blue or green painters masking tape leaving a 1/2”
   expansion gap between the flooring and the wall. With joints taped together the flooring assembly can be moved slightly if required to obtain proper alignment. (see Fig 2.1)

TIP: When trimming the end pieces a 5 degree angle on the miter saw will allow the ends of the Denali or Niagara Puzzle FloorTM to be trimmed square. See figure 1.2


5. Referencing the chalk line verify that the Puzzle pieces are in alignment by measuring perpendicular to the chalk line to the nearest points along the assembled Puzzle Pieces. Check this measurement at several points while verifying that the 1/2” expansion gap is being maintained. (See Fig 2.1)
6. Face nail the starter strip along the edge closest the wall approximately every 6 inches.
7. The second row can now be nailed using the flooring nailer. Take caution not to drive too hard and moving the flooring out of alignment. Adjust if necessary.
8. Continue installing your floor working across the width of the room. Take caution to check the alignment of each piece as it is installed keeping butt joints tight and the pattern (either Denali or Niagara) in the proper position. It is also recommended to work from several boxes of flooring at the same time to ensure a good mixture of naturally occurring grain patterns and color variations. (See fig 3.1)
9. Finish the room with the left over portion of the starter strip. As you get to the opposite side of the room there will not be sufficient space to operate the nailer. Face nailing will be required. It is helpful to use Bostik Best Adhesive under the final strip to help it stay in place and reduce the amount of face nailing required. We recommend using adhesive in areas such as door openings, top of stairs, etc. to provide solid contact with the subfloor.

Enjoy your new Puzzle Floor. To clean use only cleaning products recommended for hardwood floors. Do not use water, waxes, or cleaning products meant for vinyl, ceramic or other surfaces.