Customer Resources

Customer Manual Overview

This Customer Manual provides general information for Turman Hardwood Flooring customers, installers, contractors, and retailers. It is intended to help organize key guidance related to installation, acclimation, troubleshooting, and warranty information.

What This Manual Covers

• Installation Recommendations: General installation guidance, installer/owner responsibility, storage and handling, tools, subfloors, vapor retardant, expansion space, layout, and fastening.
• Acclimation: Current guidance on jobsite readiness, moisture testing, storage conditions, air circulation, and determining when flooring has reached an appropriate moisture condition for installation.
• Troubleshooting: Information about seasonal movement, humidity controls, cracks and separations, cupping, crowning, and moisture-related movement.
• Warranty Information: Customer-facing warranty information, installer/contractor/owner responsibility, waste factor, limited warranty terms, exclusions, and grade exclusions.

Additional Support

For additional support, contact your Turman Hardwood Flooring sales representative or click here to use our contact form. Select “Other Inquiry,” check “Customer Service,” and describe how we can help.

Additional Industry Resource

Installers and customers may also refer to the National Wood Flooring Association at https://nwfa.org/ for current industry guidance and technical resources.

Important

IMPORTANT: The following general instructions are provided as a convenience to the installer, but all flooring should be installed in accordance with NWFA/NOFMA standards.

Installer / Owner Responsibility

It is the responsibility of the installer/owner to make final inspection of the product prior to installation. The installer/owner must use reasonable selectivity and hold out or cut off pieces with glaring defects, whatever the cause. Five percent (5%) must be added to actual square footage needed as allowance for cutting waste and mismanufacture.

Should an individual piece be doubtful as to grade or manufacture, the installer/owner should not use the piece of flooring.

If the installer/owner does, Turman Hardwood Flooring’s liability is limited to replacing the defective material above the 5% allowable defect limit (not the labor cost involved).

Storage and Handling

Store all flooring in a dry place. Be sure not to deliver until jobsite is fully enclosed and dry. Flooring should not be exposed to high humidity or moisture.

Do not truck or unload flooring in rain, snow, or other excessively humid conditions. Cover it with a tarpaulin or vinyl if the atmosphere is foggy or damp. Also protect flooring from excessive heat.

When job conditions are correct, deliver flooring and break up into small lots and store in rooms where it will be installed.

Allow at least three days for flooring to become acclimated to the jobsite.

Tools

You will find the following tools helpful, if not necessary, for proper installation:

• Table saw or circular saw
• Chalk line
• Tape measure
• Hammer
• Drill with 1/16″ drill bit
• Nail set
• Jamb saw or handsaw

A good quality power nailer in proper working condition will greatly speed installation.

Subfloors

Subfloors should be prepared in accordance with the standards published in great detail by NWFA, of which Turman Hardwood Flooring is a member. In general, the following rules are especially noteworthy.

3/4″ flooring is meant for nail down installation only. It is to have a board (1×4 min.) or plywood (1/2″ min.) subfloor over wooden joists. Do not nail over particle board or similar products.

Acceptable subfloors include:

• 5/8″ minimum thickness (CD EXPOSURE 1) plywood
• 23/32″ OSB
• Solid boards 3/4″ thick and not more than 6″ wide

Subflooring boards should be kiln dried to less than 15% moisture content and nailed at a 45° angle to the floor joist. The subfloor shall be flat, tight, sound, and dry.

If it is a concrete subfloor, it will be necessary to add an approved wooden nailing surface as described in Association literature prior to installing the floor.

Installation

Installation should be done in accordance with approved practices as outlined in NWFA publication on 3/4″ nail down installations. In general, the following rules are especially noteworthy:

Preparation

• Be sure and remove any existing base, shoe, or other moldings which may be present. Undercut any existing door casings as required with jamb saw or handsaw.

Direction and Layout

• Nail all flooring at right angles to joists.
• Be sure and rack the floor so as to space end joints properly so that no two joints are within 6″ of joints on adjoining rows.

Expansion Space

• Be sure and leave 3/4″ expansion joint around edge of room for seasonal expansion and contraction.

Vapor Retardant

• Always put down an approved vapor retardant such as #15 asphalt paper between the subfloors and flooring to be installed.

Fastening

• Use proper spacing of nails. Have at least two nails per board. Space nails every 10″ – 12″. Do not place any nails within 4″ of the end of a board. Position as many nails as possible in floor joists.
• Ensure that the nail gun or stapler being used is fitted with the proper foot or shoe that does not damage the edges of the flooring.
• Hand nail on top the first two rows of boards after laying your chalk line out from your starting wall. Predrill holes and remember to countersink the 8d and 10d hardened nails you use to nail these rows.
• Be sure to lay first course groove side to starting wall.

Current Guidance and Resources

The following information is provided as general guidance and is not a substitute for the current NWFA Installation Guidelines, project-specific site evaluation, or the professional judgment of a qualified installer. For additional resources, contact your Turman Hardwood Flooring sales representative or use our Contact Form. Installers and customers may also refer to the National Wood Flooring Association at https://nwfa.org/ for current industry guidance.

Why Acclimation Matters

Wood flooring is a natural material that absorbs and releases moisture as temperature and relative humidity change. Proper acclimation helps the flooring reach a moisture condition appropriate for the environment where it will be installed.

Acclimation Is Condition-Based

Acclimation should not be treated as a fixed number of days. The correct acclimation period depends on the actual jobsite conditions, the moisture content of the flooring, the moisture content of the subfloor, the width of the flooring, and the expected conditions of the building after occupancy.

Jobsite Readiness Before Delivery

Before Turman Hardwood Flooring is delivered or installed, the jobsite should be:

• Fully enclosed
• Dry
• Maintained at normal expected living conditions
• Supported by heating, cooling, humidification, or dehumidification systems as needed to maintain stable interior conditions
• Free of wet work that has not been completed and dried, including drywall, plaster, painting, tile work, and grouting

Conditions That Can Cause Problems

Flooring should not be delivered to a jobsite with excessive moisture, uncontrolled humidity, or unfinished construction conditions that do not represent the environment the floor will experience after installation. Acclimating flooring to the wrong conditions can create problems after installation, including expansion, shrinkage, cupping, gapping, or other moisture-related movement.

Moisture Testing and Documentation

Before installation begins, the installer should measure and document:

• Temperature and relative humidity of the jobsite
• Moisture content of the wood flooring
• Moisture content of the subfloor

For wood subfloors, the flooring and subfloor moisture relationship should be within the appropriate range for the flooring width and installation conditions. Concrete subfloors require moisture testing according to the applicable installation method, adhesive system, and industry guidelines.

Storage and Air Circulation

Once the jobsite is ready, flooring should be stored in the rooms where it will be installed or in conditions that closely match the expected in-use environment. The flooring should be handled in a way that allows air circulation around the material. Acclimation is complete only when the flooring has reached an appropriate moisture content for the expected service environment and the subfloor conditions are suitable for installation.

Installer Responsibility

Turman Hardwood Flooring recommends that installers follow current National Wood Flooring Association guidelines, use proper moisture testing equipment, and document all jobsite and flooring readings before installation. For additional guidance, contact Turman Hardwood Flooring or refer to the National Wood Flooring Association for current technical resources.

How to Spot and Avoid Trouble with Your Hardwood Floors

In a comfortable home, with slight humidity variations through the seasons, wood flooring responds by expanding and contracting. These changes may be noticeable. During warm, humid weather, wood expands.

During dry weather, wood contracts. This seasonal movement is a normal characteristic of wood flooring and it never stops regardless of the age of the wood. One of the best ways to ensure that wood flooring will give the performance homeowners expect is to install humidity controls and ensure that they are functioning before the flooring is installed.

Working with Humidity Controls

A homeowner who chooses hardwood flooring is making an investment in a floor that will last 40 years or more, and he or she should protect that investment by installing humidity controls. Humidity controls help the floor maintain a beautiful, trouble-free appearance.

Cracks and Separations Between Boards

Nearly every floor endures some separation between boards. In winter, when homes are heated and the air is dry, wood flooring gives up some of its moisture and therefore shrinks. When that happens, thin cracks appear between the boards. This is normal, and homeowners should be forewarned of this.

It is acceptable, and customers should not be calling the installers at the first sign of cracks. Once the indoor heat goes off in the spring, and the indoor environment regains moisture, most of these cracks will close up.

Cracks in the winter, in the drier months, may easily develop to the thickness of a dime (1/32″) for solid 2-1/4″ wide strip oak floors. Floors with light stained woods and naturally light woods, like maple, tend to show cracks more than darker, wood-tone finished floors.

Homeowners should add moisture to the air during dry periods. It is their choice:

• Live with the cracks and wait until spring.
• Add humidity by opening the dishwasher after a rinse cycle.
• Switch off the bathroom fan.
• Hang laundry to dry in the basement near the furnace.
• Better yet, install a humidifier in the furnace or an exterior air vent for the furnace burner.

Cupping and Crowning

“Cupping” and “Crowning” are common complaints that develop with high humidity. Both problems occur across the width of the flooring material.

Cupping

Cupping is when the edges of a board are high and its center is lower. It can occur after water spills onto the floor and is absorbed by the wood, but high humidity is more often the cause. If the wood expands significantly, compression set can result as boards are crushed together, deforming the boards at the edges.

Moisture Imbalance

Cupping is caused by a moisture imbalance through the thickness of the wood. The wood is wetter on the bottom of the board than on the top. The moisture imbalance can be proven by taking moisture meter readings at different pin depths.

First Repair Step

The first step in repairing a cupped floor is to identify and eliminate the moisture source.

Support

For support, click here to use our contact form. Select “Other Inquiry,” check “Customer Service,” and describe how we can help.

Warranty Information

The following information and related documents are included with each box of Turman Hardwood Flooring to help ensure the best performance of our product. Although job site preparation and installation are solely the responsibility of the contractor/installer or homeowner, we feel it is necessary to mention a few of the most critical issues that could cause or contribute to future problems.

It is also necessary for the homeowner to understand the characteristics of solid wood flooring in order to maintain an acceptable environment that will prolong the beauty and soundness of their investment for years to come.

Installer/Contractor/Owner Responsibility

Turman Hardwood Flooring maintains that all flooring products are shipped in good usable condition and should arrive at the job site in the same condition. Therefore, all flooring products should be inspected upon delivery and prior to installation for defects, grade, color, proper moisture content and/or any other concerns related to product integrity. Never install any flooring if there is any question as to acceptability. Installation of the flooring constitutes acceptance as received.

Note: It is not the intent of Turman Hardwood Flooring to fully educate anyone as a flooring installer; however, as an active member of the National Wood Flooring Association, we do have access to information that provides in-depth recommendations as related to the characteristics of wood flooring, job site conditions, moisture control (MC), proper acclimation of hardwood flooring and installation guidelines. This information is available upon request for your convenience.

Additional information may be obtained from the NWFA at www.NWFA.org.

Waste Factor

When calculating the footage needed for a specific job, it is recommended that 5% be added to the total needed. This should compensate for any material that is deemed unusable for whatever reason. Any piece of flooring that is questionable due to grade, color, milling defects, or damage whatsoever should be laid aside. Do Not Install! If the amount of unusable flooring were to exceed 5%, Turman Hardwood Flooring shall replace or reimburse the purchaser for the amount of the defective footage above 5%.

No adjustments will be made for any flooring that has been installed that had obvious defects prior to installation.

Limited Warranty

Turman Hardwood Flooring hereby warrants, to the original buyer only, that the products are free of manufacturing defects within the five percent (5%) limit and will not wear through the top finish for a period of twenty (20) years after the date of shipment by Turman Hardwood Flooring or any respective distributors thereof.

Warranty Exclusions

This Warranty does not cover damage caused in whole or in part by:

• casualty
• abuse
• wear and tear
• cracks, cupping or buckling due to contraction or expansion
• use for which the products are not designed
• faulty construction of the building
• incorrect installation of the product
• settlement of the building walls
• failure to adhere to seller specifications and standards set by the National Wood Flooring Association
• separation of the concrete slab
• excessive moisture from humidity
• spillage
• migration through the slab, subfloor or walls
• color changes or fading in areas with excessive sunlight or where scatter rugs are in place
• any other sources, or acts of God

This Warranty is contingent upon seller’s receipt of notice, in writing, from buyer, of the product defect prior to the expiration of the warranty period.

It is also contingent upon evidence that products were properly installed and not subject to any of the above-mentioned conditions.

Grade Exclusions

This limited warranty does not apply to Appalachian Character Grade, Utility Grade, or any other downgraded or discounted items. All other warranties are hereby disclaimed, expressed or implied. None of the manufacturer’s agents has the authority to add to or change these warranties in any way.