Install Engineered Floating Hardwood Flooring

A. Finished-Project Specification

Quantity: one complete floating engineered hardwood floor covering the defined room area, with a straight starter row, fully engaged joints throughout the field, the specified end-joint stagger, a fitted doorway crossing per Chapter 16, installed transitions and perimeter trim, and a documented movement inspection confirming free perimeter expansion.

B. Installation Schedule

Item	Target Condition	Verification Method
Underlayment	Compatible product installed continuously where required, or documented as not required	Visual inspection and product record
Starter row	Straight along the reference line within the specified tolerance	Straightedge measurement
Joint engagement	Every long-side and end joint fully locked with no visible gap	Visual and tactile inspection during and after assembly
End-joint stagger	Meets or exceeds the manufacturer-specified minimum offset	Measurement at each row transition
Perimeter expansion	Manufacturer-specified gap maintained at every wall, column, pipe, and fixed object	Spacer placement check and measurement after spacer removal
Doorway fit	Flooring extends beneath undercut jamb and casing without visible gap or pinching	Visual inspection and door operation check
Movement condition	Completed floor moves freely at every perimeter and obstacle edge, with no fastening or trapping	Walk inspection and edge check

C. Material Takeoff

• Flooring: engineered hardwood planks sufficient for the room area plus the manufacturer's specified waste allowance, mixed from the required number of cartons.
• Underlayment: sufficient compatible underlayment to cover the full room area continuously where the system requires a separate layer.
• End-joint adhesive: sufficient quantity only where the specified locking system requires glue at end joints.
• Spacers: enough perimeter spacers to maintain consistent expansion space at every wall and fixed object during assembly.
• Transitions and trim: transition strips and perimeter trim matched to the flooring product and adjoining floor conditions, per Chapter 15.

D. Acceptance Standards

Check	Standard
Layout	Plank direction, reference line, and first- and last-row widths match the recorded layout plan
Joint quality	No open joints, damaged locking edges, or visible gaps anywhere in the field
Stagger	Every end joint meets the manufacturer's minimum offset from adjacent rows
Expansion	Measured gap at every perimeter and obstacle location matches the manufacturer's specification after spacer removal
Doorway fit	Flooring is not trapped or pinched beneath the jamb, and the door operates without binding on the new floor surface
Movement	The floor is confirmed free at every edge, with no fastener, adhesive, cabinet, or trim item restricting expansion
Documentation	Installation record complete with product, underlayment, layout, expansion, and inspection entries

E. Product Review and Readiness Confirmation

1. Review product construction, locking or glue-joint method, underlayment, moisture limits, radiant-heat compatibility, acclimation, and expansion. Record the exact locking method, required underlayment, and expansion space on the installation record.
2. Confirm substrate and environment readiness. Verify the Chapter 1 moisture and flatness findings remain current and that the room has held the required temperature and humidity range for the specified acclimation period.
3. Inspect boards for finish, tongue, groove, locking-profile, and dimensional defects. Set aside any board with a damaged locking edge, finish flaw, or out-of-tolerance dimension.
4. Mix material from approved cartons. Draw boards from multiple cartons throughout the installation to distribute color and grain variation evenly across the room.

F. Layout and Underlayment

1. Establish plank direction and reference line. Confirm the direction matches the approved plan and mark a chalk line square to the starting wall.
2. Calculate first- and last-row widths. Measure the room perpendicular to plank direction and adjust the starter-row width so the final row is not left narrower than the manufacturer's minimum usable width.
3. Install compatible underlayment where required. Roll or place the underlayment per the Chapter 5 procedure, maintaining flat, unwrinkled coverage and the specified seam treatment.
4. Place perimeter spacers. Set spacers at the reference wall and along both ends before placing the first board.

G. Starter Row and Field Assembly

1. Assemble the first row straight. Engage each board's end joint fully and confirm the row remains against the reference line and spacers along its full length.
2. Use end-joint adhesive only if the system requires it. Apply the specified adhesive at end joints only where the manufacturer's instructions call for it, and observe the stated open time.
3. Maintain specified end-joint stagger. Select the starting board length for each new row so every end joint falls at or beyond the required minimum offset from the joints in adjacent rows.
4. Assemble subsequent rows without damaging locking edges. Engage each long-side joint using the tapping block, striking only over solid backing and never directly on an unsupported edge.
5. Keep glue residue off the finish and remove it promptly where applicable. Wipe any adhesive squeeze-out from the finish surface before it cures.
6. Check alignment every few rows. Measure from the reference line at multiple points along each completed row to confirm the field remains square and straight.

H. Doorway and Obstacle Fitting

1. Fit around door jambs using Chapter 16. Undercut the jamb and casing per the Chapter 16 procedure before installing the flooring piece that crosses the doorway.
2. Maintain expansion around pipes, cabinets, islands, columns, and fixed objects. Cut each piece to clear the obstacle by the manufacturer-specified expansion distance, marking the cut before removing material.
3. Do not trap the floor beneath built-ins or partitions. Confirm the flooring field stops short of any fixed cabinet, partition, or built-in by the required expansion space rather than running the field beneath it.

I. Final Rows and Perimeter Completion

1. Rip and install the final row. Measure the remaining width at multiple points along the wall, rip the final row planks to that width, and install using the pull bar where a tapping block cannot be used against the wall.
2. Remove spacers after the installation is complete. Remove every spacer only after the entire field is assembled and confirmed straight.
3. Install transitions and perimeter trim without fastening into the floor field. Fasten transitions and trim to the wall, subfloor beyond the flooring edge, or track system per Chapter 15, never through the flooring planks themselves.

J. Movement Verification

1. Walk the floor and listen for movement, hollow spots, clicking, or binding. Walk the entire field methodically, noting any location with an unexpected sound or feel.
2. Confirm the floor can move at the perimeter. Visually and physically confirm the expansion gap remains open and unobstructed at every wall, column, pipe, and fixed-object location after trim installation.
3. Correct open joints, trapped edges, and damaged boards. Address every deficiency found during the walk inspection before proceeding to closeout.
4. Protect the floor and document installation conditions. Record the product, underlayment, layout, stagger, expansion measurements, and inspection results on the installation record.