Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - Tarkett Wood Floors & Installation Project

I'm considering flooring the top floor of my home with Tarkett USA5011 (Merbau Natural) but I have a couple of questions:

1) What is Tarkett's reputation like?

2) I cannot find USA5011 on their web site, but the Home Depot sell it, does this mean it may be discontinued? (I would like to possibly do the bottom floor of this place in a year or two, and don't want to be in a situation where I cannot find the same species/finish from the same manufacturer in 2 years time).

3) I've never installed a wood floor before, so I'm looking at the floating type of installation on plywood subfloors. Everything seems relatively straight forward from the manufacturer's instructions except for one thing -- what's the best way to measure surface "flatness"? i.e., the requirements are no more than 3/16" per 8ft radius.. I can't think of a good way to determine this other than find an 8 foot level and drag it across the floor...

4) Do multiple small rectangles in a small area pose a problem for such an installation? For example, my foyer area has a half bath on one side, a closet on the other, and a "T" shaped floor area in the middle of that. Probably no more than about 180 sqft.

5) Are "seams" or alternating plank directions generally considered bad style? Specifically I'm thinking about whether to try to avoid visible transitions from one room to another (as stated earlier, I want to floor the entire top storey, about 1000sqft). Is this a reasonable goal or am I making things extremely difficult for myself?

6) Any handy tricks/tips for the installation? One thing I was wondering is what's the best application method for glue on the tongue/groove ends? Brush?

1.) It's not what it once was, from installer feed back I'm hearing.

2.) It is labelled exclusively for Home Depot(private labelled), and may be, just maybe is just like another line in Tarkett's wood flooring lines.

3.) An 8' section of "STRAIGHT" PVC pipe. A straight 1x4. A string line pulled tight across the surface at all kinds of angles, lifting it to be sure it is not riding on a high spot. A lazer level. I use a 10 ft. aluminum 1x5, called a screed. Found at ceramic tile distributors.

4.) I do a room at a time, all the time. It won't be a problem unless you kick the edge of the last board during the wait, and booger it up. I alway insert an unfastened sacrificial board place across a finishing point for the day.

5.) Go with the flow! transitions are yucky, but some manufactures require one at all doorways less then 4' and sometimes greater, as the two areas need to float independently from one another or it will split and the join. It works well if the boards run through the doorway instead of with it. The stagger of the boards, add strength. It all depends if it is a glued T&G(your going to need strap clamps) or a glueless rotating installation.

6.) Most T&G glues have an applicator tip that fits perfectlu into the groove
YOUR GOING TO NEED A FULL SET OF STRAP CLAMPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! do not even think about trying it with just "blue tape". You'll be sorry.
You need a strap clamp, no less then every 3 feet across the floor.

Can that floor even be floated?? Some floors are gluedown only. Some are staple and glue but not float. Do the specifications that came with the flooring state it can be floated, or are you going on what the Home Depot guy said?? :thumbdn: Never believe a word they tell you in the flooring department!!!

What are strap clamps and how are they used?

The specifications for the long planks say they can be floated.

When laminate floors were glued T&G, strap clamps are how you kept it tight and gap free.


Have you ever seen a master craftsman, glue wood pieces together and not clamp them and expect it to stay glued for very long?


<img src="http://www.craintools.com/laminate_tools/laminate_main.jpg"/>

Cool, I'll get some of those -- what's the little red tool next to it?

HD have a 20% sale on all flooring products this week, meaning the flooring I want is $5.58/sqft. Seems like a good deal after some quick scouting around online distributors.

Those are Crain Tools; adjustable wall spacers for uneven walls. The Crain laminate kits, have 4 straps with extensions, those red "L" spaces that are gauged 1/4 on on end and 5/16 on the other and 4 of those adjustable spacers.


www.craintools.com