moderna® Prefinished Glueless Hardwood Collection
Solid Wood & Engineered Wood Flooring

FAQ’s

Always follow the manufacturer's recommendations for the proper installation, maintenance and care of your wood floor. Get that information from your wood floor installer/retailer. If you have further questions, contact your installer/retailer prior to installation.

1. What is the warranty?

BHK provides the original purchaser of its moderna® Prefinished Solid & Engineered Hardwood Glueless Flooring with a residential Limited Lifetime Structural Integrity Warranty covering manufacturing defects caused by improper milling, grading and/or finishing. BHK also provides the original purchaser of its moderna® Prefinished Solid & Engineered Hardwood Glueless Flooring with a residential Limited 25 Year Surface Finish Warranty. The factory applied UV cured aluminum oxide surfaces on BHK moderna® Solid & Engineered Hardwood Glueless Flooring are warranted by BHK not to wear through or separate from flooring for 25 years from the date of purchase.

For further details, please view the BHK IMCW-Guide for Solid Wood and Engineered Wood .

2. What are the ideal ambient conditions to install BHK moderna® Hardwood Flooring?

Understand the FACTS ON RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND WOOD. Wood is a natural material and will expand and contract as humidity levels change. Establish and maintain standard environment conditions of 65-72° F (18-22° C) and 45-55% relative air humidity in the room prior to installation, during installation, and after installation. Your real wood floor will maintain a flat, tight appearance as long as you maintain these environmental conditions year round.

For further details, please view the BHK IMCW-Guide for Solid Wood and Engineered Wood .

3. Where can this floor be installed? When they say above grade, below grade, etc., what does that mean?

Above grade is the portion of a building that is above ground level. On Grade is the portion of a building that is on ground level and below grade is the portion of a building that is below ground level.

moderna® Engineered Hardwood Glueless Floors are approved for installation for above grade, on grade and below grade levels. BHK does not recommend moderna® Engineered Hardwood Glueless Flooring in damp areas such as bathrooms, saunas or outdoor applications.

moderna® Solid Hardwood Glueless Floors are approved for installation for above and on grade levels. BHK does not recommend moderna® Solid Hardwood Glueless Flooring in damp areas such as bathrooms, saunas or outdoor applications.

For further details, please view the BHK IMCW-Guide for Solid Wood and Engineered Wood .

4. What subfloors are suitable for BHK’s moderna® Hardwood Collection?

You can install your BHK moderna® hardwood flooring, both solid and engineered, over most common subfloors such as concrete, plywood, particleboard, wood floors. In general, the subfloor must be dry, clean, flat, and firm. Make sure that you always use BHK’s moisture barrier and sound deadening underlayment underneath your BHK moderna® wood floor.

See suitability chart in the BHK IMCW-Guide for Solid Wood and Engineered Wood .

5. Can BHK moderna® Hardwood Flooring be used over radiant heating systems?

moderna® Engineered Hardwood Glueless Flooring can be installed over a hydronic radiant heated subfloor (water filled tubes running through concrete or sleepers.) In order to ensure that buckling, twisting, de-lamination, warping, and cupping do not occur, never change the temperature of a subfloor radiant heat system by more than 2°F (1°C) per day when switching the system on and off. Prior to installation of moderna® Engineered Hardwood Glueless Flooring, the hydronic radiant heat system must have been tested and in operation for at least three (3) weeks. The surface temperature of the subfloor must never exceed 82°F (27°C). Proper relative humidity levels must be maintained consistently at all times throughout the year. Use humidifiers and/or dehumidifiers as necessary to maintain the recommended humidity level.
Check with the hydronic heating system manufacturer/contractor prior to installation.

moderna® Solid Hardwood Glueless Flooring can not be installed over a hydronic radiant heated subfloor!

6. Should flooring be acclimated prior to installation?

Deliver flooring to the job site at least 48 hours prior to installation. Place the cartons in the room where it will be installed. Allow flooring to acclimatize in its original unopened packaging for 48 hours in the area where it will be installed. Do not open cartons until ready to begin installation. Place cartons in the middle of the room, never against an outside wall or in a corner. The installation area should have a consistent room temperature of 65-72°F (18°- 22°C) with a constant relative humidity level of 45-55% existing for a minimum of five (5) days before installation of any BHK moderna® Hardwood Flooring begins.

For further details, please view the BHK IMCW-Guide for Solid Wood and Engineered Wood .

7. Can BHK moderna® Hardwood Flooring be nailed or glued down?

moderna® Hardwood Glueless Flooring is a floating floor system that utilizes an innovative tongue angroove joinery system whereby flooring planks “click” together without the use of glue or nails!
You can disassemble and reinstall your moderna® Solid & Engineered Hardwood Glueless Flooring up to two (2) times. This system allows for a 50% faster installation when compared with traditional glued flooring installations. Since no glue is used, it is also much easier and cleaner to install. If you want to glue the flooring, check with the manufacturer of the adhesive prior to installation. Also, understand that the warranty DOES NOT COVER this type of installation and nailing or gluing the floor down will void the warranty.

8. What is the necessary expansion space when installing the hardwood flooring?

Wood is the primary component of moderna® Solid & Engineered Hardwood Flooring. Since almost all wood products react to varying degrees in humidity, this flooring product must be allowed to expand in all directions. This expansion can be up to 3/32” (2.4mm) per yard (914mm). To facilitate this, an expansion gap of 1/2” (12.7mm) must be provided at all sides of the floor. A gap must also be provided around pipes or at thresholds.

The greater the surface area covered, the greater the required space for expansion. The floor must be able to expand or contract in ALL directions. A space of 5/16” - 13/32” or 1/4” for every 10’ (8mm-10.5mm or 6.5mm for every 3050mm), must be allowed for at all walls, at thresholds or when installing flooring around pipes. Use doorways as additional expansion gaps. These gaps will be covered with molding attached to the base floor upon completion of the installation. Remember, for installation in large rooms, transition moldings must be used for every 33’ (10m) or in doorways. Matching moldings are available, except for stair nose moldings.

9. Can BHK’s moderna® Hardwood Flooring Collection be refinished?

Yes. The surface of both SOLID & ENGINEERED has the same refinishing capabilities as a solid product!

10. Color and Grain Variations?

Hardwood flooring is a product of nature with beauty characterized by distinctive color, grain patterns, and/or texture variations. These are natural variations and are not considered flaws. Rather, they are a part of the natural beauty and unique features of hardwood flooring. You should expect to see these variations in grain, color, and texture and understand that they enhance the beautiful natural looks of the flooring. The described variations are not considered defects. No warranty shall apply to such variations. In addition, this warranty will not apply to natural color changes, which occur in wood over time.

11. Maintenance & Care?

• Periodically clean your floor with BHK’s moderna® Floor Cleaner.
  Ask your retailer/installer for details.
• Alternatively, periodically clean your floor with a hardwood flooring cleaner especially designed for lacquered wood floors diluted in water. Follow cleaner instructions but first try cleaning a small area in a less prominent area.
• Make sure that the gloss level of the flooring and the cleaner correspond.
• Only use a WELL WRUNG OUT CLOTH. ALWAYS WIPE THE FLOOR DRY IMMEDIATELY until no moisture is visible on the floor. If you do not wipe it dry, the cleaning product has virtually no effect.
• DO NOT saturate the floor with water! Wipe up excess water or spills immediately with a dry clean cloth.
• DO NOT use soap-based detergents, oil soaps or “one step” clean and shine products.
• DO NOT use steel wood, abrasive cleanser, or scouring powder. These will scratch the floor.
• Do NOT use any steam cleaning machines.
• Use a broom or vacuum cleaner with an adapter brush for regular cleaning.
  DO NOT USE A VACUUM WITH BEATER BARS.