Easiklip Floating Hardwood Floor Installation (With Floor Clips)
How to lay your Easiklip hardwood floor:
Easiklip solid wood flooring uses factory fitted clips that attach to the underside of each board to lock them together. When the Easiklip boards are clipped into position, expansion gaps are automatically set between individual boards thus allowing for the natural expansion and contraction of the floor. Silicone beads cushion the planks to reduce noise that results from normal contraction and expansion.
Watch this video for easy instructions:
On This Page
Common questions before you begin
Introduction to easiklip solid hardwood floating flooring
Preparations before you install an Easiklip floating wood floor
- Ensure proper moisture (humidity) levels in the installation location
- Acclimate flooring to the surrounding environment
- Inspect, level and prepare your subfloor
- Use a foam pad underlayment and vapor barrier
Tools and supplies for installation
How to install your floating hardwood floor from easiklip
Easiklip system components
How to lay the flooring
- Laying the boards
- Maximum installation width
- Doorways
- Completing the installation
- Extra considerations
- What about uninstalling?
With our unique clip system, there is no need for glue or nails. You'll only need a miter saw and/or Table Saw to cut any necessary boards to fit your exact room dimensions and some moulding to cover the expansion gap around the edge once your floor is installed.
You won't need to hire any professionals (or pay them) to come install your floor either.
Common Questions Before You Begin
What is a clip on floor?
Clip on floors generally use some form of clip or interlocking mechanism for fastening floor planks together during installation. These mechanisms could be built into the floor planks themselves, as is the case with some laminate flooring, or they could be seperate clips that are fitted to each plank during installation, as is the case with Easiklip flooring.
"Clip on floor" often bears the same meaning as "floating floor", which means that the flooring attaches only to itself and is not fixed to the subfloor with nails or glue.
Can I install floating hardwood over old hardwood?
In the case of Easiklip, yes you can!
First, you will want to make sure you existing floor is completely level and free of squeaks. You can nail down an existing areas that may be bouncy or even consider using a self-leveling compound to level the floor if needed. Next, you'll need to install a 2mm foam pad over your existing floor to cushion your new Easiklip floating hardwood. Lay your new Easiklip flooring, ensuring a proper expansion gap around the perimeter.
Can I install floating hardwood over tile?
In the case of Easiklip, yes you can!
First, you will want to make sure you existing floor is completely level. Consider using a self-leveling compound to level the floor if needed. Next, you'll need to install a 2mm foam pad over your existing floor to cushion your new Easiklip floating hardwood. In some cases, like in basements, you may also need a vapor barrier. Lay your new Easiklip flooring, ensuring a proper expansion gap around the perimeter.
How does a floating floor stay in place?
In the case of Easiklip, it's very heavy!
Easiklip solid white oak flooring weighs almost 3lbs for every square foot. For a typical project of 600-700 sq ft, that's over 3,000lbs! There's no need to worry. With the amount of friction the floor will have over your underlayment, it won't be sliding around any time soon.
Furthermore, Easiklip floor planks are built with interlocking tongue and groove components on all 4 sides so that planks cannot slide in any direction after installation.
All that said, your Easiklip solid wood floor will expand and contract as relative humidity levels fluctuate in the environment. This is an expected natural occurrence and affects all solid wood floors. The unique patented Easiklip aluminum clips that hold the floor together are sturdy enough to lock the entire floor together and allow expansion and contraction to occur without separating your rows of flooring.
Can I install solid hardwood over concrete?
In the case of Easiklip, yes you can!
Because Easiklip solid hardwood flooring floats, you can install it over concrete, like in basements, condos or slab homes. You will just need a 2mm foam pad underlayment to cushion your hardwood floor and in the case of basements or slab homes, a vapor barrier may be advisable as well.
Before installing, you will want to ensure that your slab is completely flat and free of debris. You can check out our in depth guide on installing hardwood over concrete for more tips.
Can I install solid hardwood over radiant heat systems?
In the case of Easiklip, yes you can!
Because Easiklip solid wood flooring floats, it can safely be installed over most radiant heat systems.
Before installing a radiant heat system, ensure that the maximum heating temperature will not exceed 32ºC/89ºF. Temperatures in excess of this limitation can cause damage to your flooring.
Can I install solid hardwood in bathrooms?
We generally do not recommend installing our solid hardwood flooring in wet areas that are prone to high humidity levels as these high levels of humidity can cause swelling and buckling of your flooring.
However, solid hardwood can be a great addition to your kitchen. Just make sure to dry up any large spills promptly as sitting water can wreak havock on your beautiful flooring. Also, refrain from wet mopping or strong cleaning agents. Instead, check out these helpful tips for how to clean your hardwood floor.
Introduction to Easiklip Solid Hardwood Floating Flooring
Easiklip is a hardwood floor with a unique patented clip fitting system. It differs from a typical tongue and groove solid timber flooring which would either be:
- Floated (gluing the tongue and groove joints together)
- Stuck down (glued to subfloor)
- Nailed down (to the subfloor or onto battens)
Easiklip is unique in that it uses specially designed clips to easily attach boards together making installation quick and simple.
Below, we set out a number of points which will need to be strictly followed in order to ensure years of trouble free enjoyment from your Easiklip floor.
Preparations before you install an Easiklip floating wood floor
It is important that your site conditions be suitable for installing Easiklip flooring. As with any solid timber flooring, the timber is a porous natural material. Thus, it takes in moisture and lets out moisture in accordance with its surroundings.
These conditions should be met before you lay your Easiklip floor:
- Ensure proper moisture (humidity) levels in the installation location
- Acclimate flooring to the surrounding environment
- Inspect, level and prepare your subfloor
- Use a foam pad underlayment and vapor barrier
Moisture Content (Humidity) In Surrounding Environment:
Recommended environmental humidity levels for solid hardwood flooring are between 40%-65% RH. If your home is regularly above or below this threshold, you may consider normalizing your environment to the recommended levels by installing a humidifier or dehumidifier. Your flooring isn't the only thing that will benefit from comfortable humidity levels. Learn more about comfortable humidity levels for your home.
Moisture content in the surrounding environment may be higher due to any number of the following reasons:
- The building is brand new and hasn't had sufficient time to fully dry out
- The building is old and has an inadequate Damp Proof Membrane (DPM) under the subfloor
- A recent renovation may have exposed the interior to rain or moisture
If the humidity level differs between the time of installation and the actual normal environment, the stability of the floor will be compromised. Therefore, it is imperative that the timbers be properly acclimated.
Acclimate flooring to the surrounding environment
The key to any successful installation of solid timber flooring is the acclimatization of the timber. Acclimatization is the process of letting the wood breathe so as to allow it to balance its internal moisture content to that of the surrounding environment and expand or contract as necessary. The longer the acclimatization period, the more problem-free the installation will be.
To acclimatize your Easiklip flooring:
- Place the boxes of Easiklip flooring horizontally in the location they will be installed in.
- Open each box and carefully cut through the protective layer of shrink-wrapping inside the boxes.
- Let sit at least 3 days. 4-5 days is ideal.
Again, we can't stress enough how much the success of your Easiklip installation will depend on the acclimatization of your flooring. If properly acclimated, the moisture level contained within the timber will match the surrounding environment for a more stable floor.
Inspect, level and prepare your subfloor
- Clean the surface: If there are any blobs of plaster or other debris on the floor, these should be cleaned and removed so that Easiklip may sit flat. Use a stiff bristle brush to sweep the entire subfloor to ensure no grit or dust particles remain.
- Ensure the surface is flat: As a guide, the surface variation should not exceed 4.5mm within a 3,000mm radius or a 3mm variation within a 2,400mm radius. Of your floor is not level, please consult our guide on how to level an unleveled floor.
- Protect from moisture: In the case of installations over concrete slab that are at or below grade, ensure that your Easiklip flooring will be protected from the potential for moisture entering into the underside of the boards from the subfloor. Concrete is also a porous material and it can wick up moisture from groundwater tables. For this, a vapor barrier and 2mm foam pad underlay needs to be laid over the subfloor to act as a barrier.
- We also strongly advise measuring your concrete's moisture content level to ensure it is below our required 3%.
Use a foam pad underlayment and vapor barrier
Regardless of subfloor material, all Easiklip hardwood flooring installations require a 2mm foam pad underlayment. This provides the flooring with a necessary cushion on which it can expand and contract silently and without damaging Easiklip components or your subfloor. It further helps smooth out any imperfections in your subfloor, making your floor more quiet and comfortable to walk on, and less prone to squeaks.
In the case of basement installations or ground-level (on grade) installations over slab, a vapor barrier should also be used. The vapor barrier can be a separate sheet of 6mil plastic or in some cases, you can find foam pad underlayment that is a single material with combined properties of being both a 2mm foam pad and a vapor barrier, such is the case with underlayment sold by Easiklip.
Tools and Supplies for Installation
- Miter Saw
- Table Saw
- Chalk Line or String
- 9/16" or 15mm spacer blocks
- Set square
- Pencil
- Tape measure
- Utility knife
- Moisture reader
- Foam underlayment (2mm thickness)
- Vapor barrier (for concrete subfloors)
- Dust mask
- Safety goggles
- Work gloves
- Knee Pads
- Ear protection
NOTE: Safety glasses, gloves and dust mask should be worn at all times.
How To Install Your Floating Hardwood Floor From Easiklip
Once the site conditions regarding environmental humidity, acclimatization and subfloor preparation have been met, the installation of Easiklip can commence.
The unique Easiklip Floating Hardwood system has a few unique components. Once you understand these, installing your hardwood will be a breeze.
Easiklip System Components
How to lay the flooring
- Laying the Boards
- Maximum Installation Width
- Doorways
- Completing the installation
- Extra considerations
- What about uninstalling?
Our clip design:
Each clip contains 3 silicone rubbers which are designed to set an automatic expansion gap between each row of flooring.
Our flooring design:
Our specially milled tongue and groove profile accommodates the glueless fitting of our unique patented aluminum clips. Here is what a cross cut section of a typical flooring board looks like:
The end of each plank features an upward-facing or downward-facing lip which serves as a guide to ensure that planks are installed completely flush with one another. This helps prevent any unsightly gaps that could arise from hasty installation if planks were not pushed snuggly together. Here is what the ends of each plank look like:
How to fit the clips to the flooring:
As shown in the video above, to fit the clips to the flooring:
- Locate the single orange silicone buffer and the two green silicone buffers
- Affix the clip on the groove-side of a flooring plank by positioning the two green buffers facing away from the plank, then rotate the clip to snap it to the floor plank
- To attach the next plank, simply insert the tongue of your next plank into the groove on a 45º angle and press down until flooring clicks into place
- That's it! You have connected two pieces of Easiklip flooring.
The spacing between clips:
Begin by fitting the first aluminum clip 4”-5” from the end of the plank. Planks that are 12”-28” in length require two clips. Planks that are between 31”-48” require 3 clips and planks between 50”-60” require 4 clips.
Laying the Boards:
And now, the most exciting part!
We'd like to point out that laying your hardwood floor, much like laying a carpet, should be the last addition for your project. At this point, any other building work, fixtures, painting or decorations should already be completed.
As a general rule, the Easiklip boards will be laid with the boards running lengthwise down the longest wall. Another popular option is to lay them perpendicular to the wall that has a window in it to make the room appear larger.
Follow these steps to know how to lay floating hardwood floors:
- Lay a row of your underlayment over the subfloor, leaving an upstand of 2-3 inches along each wall. You will trim this off when flooring is complete and you are ready to install your baseboards.
- Place 15mm spacer blocks along the length of each wall 7-12" apart.
- Before installing, check planks for defects such as chips and sheen differences under good light conditions. Check that the grooves in each plank are clean and free of debris. Damaged planks must be replaced before laying down the floor
- Walls may not be perfectly straight. If your wall is not perfectly straight and you allow for a consistent 15mm (9/16th”) expansion gap, your installation will not be straight and will not properly fit together. To test the straightness of your wall, install 15mm spacers on both ends of the wall, and run a string between the two points. In extreme cases, the planks may need to be scribed to follow the profile of the wall.
- Having decided which wall you will start against (likely the longest wall), attach necessary clips to the bottom of your first board. With the tongue facing the spacer blocks, place the board onto the underlayment in the right-hand corner of the room (as you look at the wall in front of you). The board should touch the 15mm spacer blocks and the clips should be facing you.
- Repeat step #5 with each subsequent board being laid from right to left and with the clips facing towards you. Each board should be pushed against the spacers and the tongue and groove on the short edge of each board should fit snugly into one another.
- Once you complete the first row, the last board will need to be crosscut to length, allowing for the 15mm expansion gap at the end of the row.
PRO TIP: Use the crosscut piece from the end of this row as your starter piece for the next row.
- Start the next row ensuring that you leave the 15mm expansion gap between the short edge of the new board and the wall. Ensure that all your joints are staggered by at least 6 inches between rows, like so:
- Once you arrive at the end of the second row, crosscut the last board to allow for a 15mm expansion gap between the end of the board and the wall. Again, this crosscut end piece may be used to start the next row or a later row.
Continue the process with all subsequent rows, always ensuring you leave a 15mm expansion gap between all walls and the edges of your Easiklip floor. Also, double check that your board lengths from row to row vary according to the instructions in step #5. This will ensure a stronger and more aesthetically pleasing floor.
After 6-10 rows have been laid, you may continue working (if preferable) by kneeling on the Easiklip that has been laid. Should you choose this method, you would continue laying boards from left to right, as you will be at 180 degrees from your original perspective.
Once you reach the last row, to allow for the same 15mm expansion gap, measure the required width of the row and rip each board to the required width using a table saw.
Maximum Installation Width
The width of all your rows combined, should not exceed 30 feet. When your floor plan requires more width, you will need to end the installation with a molding (such as a t-molding) and begin a new row after leaving an adequate expansion gap. Typically, the optimal spot for such a transition is in doorways or between rooms.
There is no limit to the maximum length of an installation.
Doorways
When doorways occur, the door frame should be crosscut horizontally at the height of Easiklip flooring (about 20mm) so the flooring can slide underneath the door frame. This ensures the adequate expansion gap around all extremities of the flooring. The underlayment can be cut off at the same height (20mm).
Completing the installation
With the Easiklip flooring now fully installed, double check that you have left a 15mm expansion gap around the entire perimeter of the floor. You can now remove any spacer blocks.
Fit your baseboards around the the perimeter to hide the expansion gap. If your baseboards are not thick enough to cover the entire 15mm expansion gap, one popular solution is to attach a shoe molding or quarter round molding to the bottom of the baseboard.
Extra considerations
No two installations are the same. Here are a few different situations and how to deal with them:
- Multiple rooms: When Easiklip is to be laid throughout a building involving a number of rooms linked by doorways, it may be advisable to consider the use of a "T" moulding to incorporate an expansion gap between rooms.
- Working around pipes: Check out this video for instructions on drilling holes in floor boards to fit around any pipes that protrude from your subfloor. Any holes can then be covered using a 2-piece pipe rosette. Ensure that the diameter of the holes you drill to accommodate any pipes are at least 7mm (1/4") wider than the pipes themselves to allow for the necessary expansion gap.
- Installing Easiklip Backwards: In almost every installation, there's a need to install flooring in the opposite direction from what is described above. Instead of laying the planks such that subsequent rows are installed tongue into groove, you will need to install groove over tongue. This is easy to do with Easiklip. Just watch this video to see how:
- Transitioning to other types of flooring: If you are transitioning from your Easiklip hardwood to another type of flooring, such as tile or carpet, we offer many types of reducer and transition moldings that can smooth the gap. Shop Easiklip moldings.
What about uninstalling?
There are many reasons you might need to uninstall hardwood flooring:
- You made a mistake during installation
- You want to prevent damage to your floors next time you renovate
- Your floor suffered significant damage and you want to repair it
- You are moving and you want to take your flooring with you to your new home
Thankfully, Easiklip is just as easy to uninstall as it is to install.
Simply remove any baseboards, then lift up the floorboards in the reverse order to how you installed them. Lift boards from left to right, row by row, and you'll find that they snap apart just as easily as they snapped together.
If you will be reinstalling your floor in the same location, we recommend that you number each board on the underside (with a jiffy marker or similar) so as to remember the order in which to reinstall them. This will save you having to re-cut any boards later.
If you're like us, you'll fall in love with your Easiklip floor pretty quickly. What's more, you'll have peace of mind knowing that you'll be able to keep this versatile and easily portable floor with you forever!
Have you got more questions?
Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page for lots of answers.
Other Links
