Installation of Coconut Flooring
Before you Begin:Consult the coconut flooring manufacturer for recommended installation method, suitable tools, adhesive and finishes and gather all your tools and equipment before begiinig a DIY instyallation. And finally let the coconut flooring planks lie in the room where they are going to be laid for 72 hours prior to installation to allow the wood to acclimatize to the humidity in the room.
On a Concrete Subfloor - floating installationFirst clean the concrete and make sure it is free of debris and smooth. Then use a moisture testing kit to make sure the concrete is dry. If the concrete is wet then apply a waterproof mastic with a trowel or place a vinyl sheet over the concrete and attach with an adhesive.
Put down an underlay then start to lay down the coconut flooring planks along the back wall. Use spacers along the wall and at the ends. Make sure the groove is facing the wall and the groove is showing ready to connect with the next line of coconut plank flooring. If one plank does not fit fill the whole length then measure the gap and use a jig saw to cut a piece of coconut plank to fit the gap. Use a pry bar to get the end piece in place. If the remaining cut piece of coconut flooring is longer than 8 inches use it to start the next line of coconut flooring. Remember to apply a line of non-VOC or low-VOC adhesive to the groove of the previous line of flooring so that the tongue and groove or snap lock stays together. Put spacers at the ends of the new line and when you have finished the second line use a rubber mallet to knock the rows of coconut flooring tightly together.
Continue until you get to the last row of flooring. Measure the width and if it is narrower than the coconut flooring plank then measure the width and cut the planks using a jig saw. If after installing the final line of flooring the door won't open or shut properly then take it off the hinges and saw off a few millimeters from the bottom of the door so it has clearance. Allow the adhesive to dry for 48 hours before moving furniture in the room. Also remove the spacers.
On a Concrete Subfloor - Glue down installation installationFollow the same procedures as decribed above only you cannot glue the coconut flooring to an underlayment. You must glue the flooring directly to a concrete subfloor. For this reason it is vitally important that you test that the concrete subfloor is dry and if it isn't use a waterproof mastic. You cannot use a sheet of vinyl again because the coconut flooring must be glued directly to the concrete.
Go to page 2 to read about plywood subfloor installations
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