Installing Your Schafer Floor

A guide to prep and installation.

Technical Info for Pros

Schafer flooring is precision-engineered from nature’s best hardwoods to last a lifetime. Which means it takes the same dedication to care and precision to install your Schafer flooring. With the right installation, your ultra-wide flooring will stay beautiful for decades.

This is your quick guide to preparing your home for your new hardwoods, as well as how to install and care for your Schafer flooring.

If you’re a professional, check out the technical info below to get all the details about installing Schafer Floors.

Questions? Don’t hesitate to contact us at 800-785-4893.

Installation in a Nutshell

Three main steps to a beautiful Schafer floor.

Get the House Ready

For at least a full week ahead of installation, your home should be at normal living conditions: about 60–80°F and 35–60% humidity.

Prep the Foundation

Your installer or general contractor will make sure the subfloor is flat, clean, and dry. It’s quite possibly the most important step for a quiet, smooth floor.

Install and Protect the Floor

Schafer planks are installed through a special flooring adhesive and flooring fasteners. After letting everything dry and cure, your floor is finished.

Installation Dos and Don’ts

Before

  • Turn on your HVAC at least a week before installation and keep it running,

  • Clear the rooms of any furniture, rugs, and even items on the walls.

  • Finish work like drywalling, painting or new concrete in other areas.

  • Make a plan to clear the area for the day(s) of the installation and a day after.

  • If your flooring has been delivered, leave it in the boxes so it doesn’t warp.

During

  • Prep your subfloor by sanding high spots, filling low spots, and vacuuming thoroughly.

  • Open enough flooring boxes to arrange the first rows (called racking) for the best layout.

  • Glue each board, set it in place, and then add flooring fasteners for extra hold.

  • As you go, wipe up extra glue, keep the tongue and grooves clean, and check alignment.

  • Wrap up, check the entire space, and review what happens next.

After

For the first 24-48 hours:

  • Continue to keep your climate steady.

  • Avoid moving or rolling heavy items like furniture over the flooring.

  • Do not sand.

For the first 30 days:

  • Keep your home about 60–80°F and 35–60% humidity.

  • Use entry mats and felt pads under furniture.

  • Clean with a neutral hardwood cleaner, not steam or vinegar.

Special Situations

What to do with radiant heat, basements, and concrete.

Radiant Heat

Our engineered floors are built to be installed over radiant heat without warping or cupping. Just make sure to bring temperatures up gradually and keep the room at the proper temperature and humidity. Install data loggers to be able to check temperature and humidity periodically.

Basements and Concrete

Concrete subfloors come with their own requirements (see the technical info below for all the details), such as temperature and dew point. When correctly installed, Schafer Floors performed excellently in basements and over concrete.

Technical Info for Pros

    • HVAC must be operational and running for at least 7 days prior to installation.

    • Maintain 60–80°F temperature and 35–60% RH.

    • Basement/crawl space: dry, encapsulated, ≥55°F, RH ≤65%.

    • The building envelope must be 100% weather tight.

    • No major moisture events (concrete pours, excavation, leaks, groundwater issues) may occur after flooring is stored or installed.

    • Do NOT acclimate.

    • Store in tight bundles, wrapped in vapor barrier, in dry conditioned space until installation.

    • Flooring is designed to be installed immediately—unbundling allows warping/cupping.

    • Only unbundle, sort, and rack out when installation is taking place. 

    • Must be clean, flat, dry, level, sound, porous.

    • Moisture content ≤10% (≤8% in desert climates). Measure and record with a calibrated meter.

    • Flatness: ≤1/8" over 8 ft radius.

    • Level: ±1/8" tolerance across rooms; transitions required if tolerance not met.

    • Properly fastened: no squeaks or deflections.  Recommend plywood be screwed down even if already nailed.

    • Preparation: Sand with buffer + 36-grit to expose fresh wood fibers. Vacuum thoroughly before install.

    • Do not nail through self-leveling compounds.

    • Must be clean, flat, dry, level, porous.

    • Porosity test: water should absorb in ≤30 seconds.

    • Grind 100% of the surface to remove contaminants.

    • Flatness: ≤1/8" over 8 ft radius.

    • Surface temp: 55–85°F; dew point ≥12°F below ambient.

    • Gypcrete: must be cured, sanded to remove weak particles, cleaned, and vacuumed before installation.

    • Flooring should be one of the last installations on site.

    • Immediately before install, rack boards for best layout. Cull or trim bowed/defective boards. Do not leave racked boards uninstalled.

    • Once installed, boards are accepted as-is (aesthetic/grade warranty does not apply).

      Nail + Glue Method:

    • Adhesive: Bona QUANTUM® or Bona QUANTUM Flow.

    • Apply adhesive in serpentine pattern, plus a straight line 1" from each board end.

    • Do not allow adhesive on tongues/grooves.

    • Limit to max two rows at a time.

    • Fasteners: L-style cleats every 5–6", 1–3" from board ends, ≥1.5" long where required.

    • Cleats are supplemental to adhesive, not a replacement.

  • If over radiant heat or arid environment:

    • Install two data loggers: One per zone installed via manufacturers recommendations

    • Maintain records for warranty and quality assurance.

    • Follow Bona adhesive cure guidelines (temperature + time).

    • Do not sand for at least 24 hours after installation.

    • Maintain a controlled environment year-round (60–80°F, 35–60% RH).

    • Expect natural variation in color, grain, and cut (plainsawn, riftsawn, quartersawn).

    • Stagger end joints properly.

    • Do not fill gaps along edges on prefinished flooring.

    • Wide planks require extra attention to flatness and moisture stability.