Eagle Laminate Installation Instructions

 Installation Instructions/ Guidelines 11/2023 -1

READ ENTIRE INSTALLATION GUIDELINES BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH INSTALLATION. INSTALLATION NEEDS TO BE PERFORMED BY A LICENSED, PROFESSIONAL HARDWOOD FLOORING INSTALLER.

If you are reading a printed version of these installation instructions, please check if an updated version of Installation Instructions is available on our website: www.EagleLaminate.com

Installation Instructions for floating Eagle Laminate Floors

Please read the following instructions and disclosures completely before proceeding to installation. 

By installing Eagle LaminateFloors, you are agreeing to the following conditions and ascertaining that ALL installation requirements have been met. 

Handling of Product and Inspection prior to installation

Always transport and store Eagle Laminate Floors on a flat surface large enough to hold the full length and width of the boxes/palette. Do not stand the boxes on their edge. Do not expose the flooring to temperatures above 85-degree F or to temperatures below 65-degree F. In addition, do not expose the flooring to moisture conditions that are outside the range of 35%-65% humidity. Eagle Laminate should be stored in a contained environment and not be exposed to outside weather elements. DO NOT install in open or seasonal porches, saunas, rooms that are prone to flooding and homesor rooms which are not temperature controlled.

Long-term exposure to direct sunlight can potentially cause the laminate floor to fade or warp. Protect yourlaminate floor from exposure to direct sunlight via the use of window treatments or UV-tinting on windows.

Eagle Laminate should be acclimated in the room/rooms they are to be installed for approximately 48 hours. 

Please inspect the product properly for any visual variance. Any product questions or defects should be brought to the attention of your retailer/distributor immediately and installation should be stopped until the issue or question is resolved. The inspection of product should include but not be limited to color, quality, finish, locking system and aspects of flooring which can be judged visually.  Eagle Laminate floors will not accept responsibility for the installation of products with visible manufacturing defects. 

If the product is not acceptable, DO NOT PROCEED TO INSTALL. Please note installation means acceptance of Eagle Laminate Floors. Cartons opened for inspection should not be discarded and do not continue opening more than two additional cartons once you find a questionable variance in the flooring. 

Eagle Laminate flooring is installed as a floating floor and requires use of T-moldings in doorways 4 ft or less and in rooms 40 feet or larger in length or width. Floor movement must not be constrained by glue, nails, screws, hardware or other fixed obstructions.

Doorways less than 6' wide require T molding. A 1/4" perimeter must be maintained as an expansion gap, including where the door jams need to be undercut.

JOBSITE PREPARATION

The following are recommendations to prepare the jobsite for proper installation of Eagle Laminate Floors. 

Exterior grading should be complete with surface drainage offering a minimum slope of 3” in 10’ to send exterior water sources away from the structure where the flooring is to be installed inside. 

Interior preparation: A vapor/moisture barrier (also known as underlayment) of minimum 6 mil is required on cement subfloor. Eagle Laminate comes with its' own attached pad which serves to reduce sound. This pad is not meant as moisture barrier. Should you want to use additional underlayment for sound proofing, please call us to inquire acceptable options.

The jobsite is to be enclosed with a temperature range of 65–85-degree F and with relative humidity range of 35 - 65%. Required use temperatures are between 65–85-degree F for installation and during the life of the flooring. 

Do not install Eagle Laminate Floors in areas with temperature and relative humidity beyond or outside the ranges required above. We recommend that Eagle Laminate Floors should be one of the last jobs to be finished at your jobsite, to avoid any potential damage to the planks. 

Subfloor requirements: 

Subfloors must be dry (throughout the lifetime of the floors), free of debris and structurally sound to support the floor. The surface must be flat to a 3/16 “in a 10’ radius. The subfloor must not slope more than 1” in 12’. Any high areas must be ground down and low areas must be filled with a Portland cement floor patch.

Concrete subfloors must be fully cured for at least 90 days prior to Eagle Laminate Flooring being installed. Calcium Chloride test for moisture has maximum allowable limit of 6lbs per one thousand square feet in 24 hours MVER (Moisture Vapor Emission Rating) and pH tests for alkalinity should be withing a range of 7-9. A 6 mil polyfilm should be used as a moisture/vapor barrier between concrete and Eagle Laminate Floors. 

Wood subfloors should be tested for moisture not to exceed 11%. Wood subfloor must be secured every 6” along joists with nails/screws to avoid squeaking and movement. High spots should be sanded down using a safe technique and low spots filled with a leveling compound to provide a structurally sound wood subfloor. 

There should be no more than one layer of resilient tile, sheet vinyl or ceramic tile and should be well secured to structural subfloor. Any grout lines should be leveled with a cementitious leveling compound to ensure a smooth and flat surface with the allowable deflection of 3/16” in a 10’radius. 

Acceptable subfloor types: 

• Concrete, minimum compression strength of 3000psi 

• CDX underlayment grade plywood (minimum 5/8” thickness) 

• OSB (minimum ¾” or 23/32” thickness) /plywood 

• Existing resilient tile, sheet vinyl (one layer) or ceramic tile 

• Gypsum type toppers if they are structurally sound are considered suitable

Do not install Eagle Laminate Floors over any backed flooring which is not fully adhered to the subfloor. Eagle Laminate Floors should never be installed on carpet. Never install Eagle Laminate Floors over a below grade VCT (vinyl composition tile). 

Eagle Laminate Flooring Installation

To carry out the installation you will need: 

Pull iron, tapping block, saw, 3/8” spacers or different size spacers as per requirement, hammer, pencil, and a straight edge. Please make a point of using only approved accessories as they have been designed specifically for working with your floating floor. The planks should not be glued, nailed, or otherwise fixated to the sub-floor (e.g., door stopper etc.). 

The sub-floor must be absolutely level, dry, clean and firm (old, fixed carpet must be removed).  Difference in floor level of more than 3/16” must either be sanded down in a safe manner or filled with appropriate filling compound. 

Please comply with the installation instructions. No claims can be accepted in cases of faulty installation. 

BASIC INSTALLATION of Eagle Laminate Floors 

We recommend and require Eagle Laminate Floors to be installed using only the floating installation method. An expansion gap of 1/4” must be left between any walls, vertical structures, and existing floor coverings (around the perimeter of Eagle Laminate Floors). For areas larger than 2500 sq ft. use at least a 1/2" expansion gap. 

Always work out of multiple boxes to mix product/planks to achieve proper pattern repeat and color mix. A minimum of 3 boxes of product is recommended. Inspect each plank in good light for visual defects. If they show visual faults or damage, do not install them. It is the responsibility of the installer to ensure that the appearance of the finished floor meets the consumer’s expectations. Eagle Laminate Floors is an indoor product, to only be installed as floating floor. 

Eagle Laminate Floors will not be warranted when installed in locations or conditions not recommended for this product. 

Floating floor installations must be installed with an approved 6mil underlayment.  Underlayment should be butted side by side overlapping the seam area 6 to 8 inches and tape the seams with a clear plastic sealing tape. No underlayment thicker than 6mil plastic should be used. 

Remove the tongue on the side of the panels that face the wall. This is to ensure that the decorative surface of the Laminate Floors is well under the finished trim when installed. 

Use a utility knife to score through the tongue several times until it easily snaps off. Start in a corner by placing the first panel with its trimmed side facing the wall. 

Use space along each wall to maintain above mentioned expansion gap between the wall and the flooring. To attach the second panel, insert the end tongue of the panel into the end groove of the first panel at a 20-degree angle. Lower the panel flat to the floor. Line up the edges carefully. Continue connecting the first row until you reach the last full panel. Fit the last panel by rotating the panel 180 degrees with the pattern side upward, place it beside the row, and mark it. Saw off the excess plank. Attach as described above. You can begin the next row with the off-cut piece from the previous row to stagger the pattern. Pieces should be a minimum of 25cm (9”) long and joint offset should be at least 25cm (9”).

Start the second row by pushing the long side tongue of the panel into the long-side groove of the very first panel at about a 45-degree angle. When lowered, the plank will click into place. Attach the second panel of the new row on the long side as described above. Push this panel as close as possible to the previous row. To attach this second panel to the previous panel, lightly tap the end using the professional tapping block. Continue along in the same fashion. 

To fit the last row, lay a panel on top of the previous row. With the tongue to the wall, lay another panel upside down on the one to be measured and use it as a ruler. Don’t forget to allow room for 3/8" or 1/2” spacers (as per recommended perimeter expansion gap). Cut the panel and attach it into position. Door frames and heating vents also require expansion gap. First cut the panel to the correct length. Then place the cut panel next to its actual position and use a ruler to measure the areas to be cut out and mark them. Cut out the marked points allowing the necessary expansion distance on each side. Door frames can be trimmed by turning a panel upside down and using a saw to cut away the necessary height so that panels slide easily under the frames. 

Coordinating Transition Moldings 

Eagle Laminate floors have coordinating flush stair nose, T-moldings, reducers, End cap (Threshold) and quarter rounds available. 

Always have all necessary transition moldings on site prior to beginning installation. Make sure all transitions and moldings have been coordinated with planks that have similar color and graining. Set  them aside for use when a transition is necessary. 

We require any installation of this floor that is installed in the floating method to use a T-Molding once the installation has gone more than 35 feet in any single direction. Installations of the flooring beyond this distance must use a T-Molding to release stress from the floor and allow the floating installation to properly expand and contract. T-moldings are also required in narrow flooring areas 36” or less in width; floor areas interrupted by wall sections extending out of the wall, including cabinets; floor areas which are not rectangular; wall openings-with or without a door; L shaped rooms or otherwise not rectangular rooms will require T-moldings to split into rectangular sections. Failure to use appropriate T-moldings will void warranty coverage. 

If a doorframe must be shortened: 

Lay a panel next to the frame (with the pattern side facing downward). Cut into the doorframe with a backsaw. Then slide the panel under the frame with pattern side upwards. To finish off: 

Measure the exact width of the last panel row (keep into consideration the 3/8” – ½” space left for expansion gap). Lay a panel on the previous panel row. Then lay a second panel to be measured with the tongue to the wall and use as a straight edge and saw the panel along the markings. Fit the last panel carefully with the aid of the pull-iron. 

FINISHING MOLDINGS 

Reducer molding: is used to finish flooring when the adjoining surface is lower than the Eagle Laminate Floor.

T-molding is used to finish flooring when two level hard surfaces meet (usually in doorway). 

Flush Stair Nose: molding is used to finish flooring on landings or stair edges. Moldings need to be glued and fasteners down to the sub-floor for safety and stability. Color fill should be used to cover the fasteners. 

End Cap: molding is used to finish flooring at any vertical obstructions, such as a sliding glass door, French doors, fireplace hearth and can be used at carpet. 

Quarter round: molding is nailed directly into the baseboard. To finish the perimeter of the room, install quarter round molding using finishing nails. 

Use of plastic film or any other non-breathing device or cover is not recommended as it may inhibit proper circulation and increase the moisture near the flooring. Use rosin paper or Ram board type flooring protector if required to avoid damage by any other trade, if necessary (it is recommended to have the flooring installed at the end of your project). Do not use tape directly on the floor. If required, adhere tape to the trim, to be removed as soon as requirement is finished. Test the use of any tape prior to using it on the floor planks. 

To move heavy furniture or anything that can cause scratches or damage to the floor, it is recommended to use an appliance hand truck over hardboard runways. 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us through your local dealer or through our website @www.EagleLaminate.com.