Hardwood Flooring Medallion and Inlay Installation
Tools and Materials Required:
- Router
- Routing
bit (one supplied)
- Template. double sided tape (supplied for most medallions)
- A pencil, ruler
- Flooring adhesive
- Dry Vac
- Latex gloves (supplied)
Included with every Czar Floors medallion you will find a convenient package consisting of the Router Bit, latex gloves for working with adhesive, Double-sided pre-cut foam tape for attaching the template to the floor.
Estimated work time:
1 hour
Prerequirements:
Please read all the General requirements for wood floor parquet installation first. Make sure that all the conditions for environment, subfloor and materials are met before attempting to install the medallion.
Note: Prior to installation, keep the medallion in the climate controlled environment, flat, in horizontal position to avoid possible warping. Acclimate the medallion for at least 24 hr. in the room where it will be installed. Keep the medallion in the original plastic wrap prior to installation.
Humidity and Winter season warning: Please keep the humidity level in the house within acceptable range of 40 to 60%. Dry in-house air is typical for a cold season. This is the primary cause for wood warping, gaps and cracking in the inlays and is not covered by warranty. Use either HVAC build-in or portable humidifier to maintain the environment. Inlay are more sensitive to the moisture fluctuations than regular plank hardwood floors due to the combination of different wood species with different hygroscopic properties. Simple electronic Hygrometer can be purchased from Radio Shack for approximately $20 to monitor the environment.
General information
Wood floor medallions are installed by cutting the floor to the required shape and size, down to the subfloor. The medallion is glued-down into the opening. The floor can be new or existing, prefinished or unfinished.
Round medallions typically installed using jig method(also called pivot arm) or template where supplied.
Rectangular medallions and the medallions with the straight lines are installed using guide cutting method. With the square medallions, some installers prefer to glue the medallion first and then install the flooring around it.
Odd shaped, oval inlays are installed using provided installation templates.
Unfinished floor installation is preferred. The medallion and the floor are sanded and finished together on-site. This process offers a better fit of the inlay and the rest of the floor. Gaps can be patched with the wood patty. Sanding of the entire floor insures that the floor and inlays are at the same height and seamless transition.
Prefinished floor installation requires the medallion to be already finished and to be the same thickness as the rest of the floor. Inlay installation can be done any other time after the floor is installed. However, it is less forgiving for the gaps and scratches during the installation.
Czar Floors Preglued hardwood medallions can be unfinished or prefinished. 3/4" thick medallions are constructed using 5/8" solid wood, glued to the 1/8" hi-quality plywood backer. Other sizes: 5/8", 3/8" and 1/2" thick medallions are solid wood, without backer.
Larger, over 70 in. medallions can be supplied in segments to be assembled on-site. Segments typically provided mesh mounted and face-taped to allow installer to adjust segments fit on-site.
Step #1
Choose the location where your medallion will be placed. On the sub floor draw the lines to locate the center of the medallion. Have the customer approve the placement. Use Jig method to cut a circular hole in the floor or use a template for other shapes. Jig is especially useful in large size medallions installations and prefinished floor installations where attaching a template to the floor may present a chance of damaging the floor finish. For the template method, line up the installation template
so the template lines are aligned with the lines that you
have drawn on the sub floor. Then trace around the inside
of the template so that the shape of the medallion is drawn
on the sub floor. Remove the template and set aside. Use a stud finder to find spots where the router may hit fasteners, and mark those spots. On picture, the parquet tiles are not installed in the area where medallion will be installed. (Blue masking tape is used to hold the parquet tiles from moving during the glue curing period.) |
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Step #2
If installing in prefinished or existing floor - skip this step.
Install flooring per manufacturer's instructions. Make sure the flooring overlaps the medallion shape you traced on the floor by approximate 1/2 to 1" and assure that none of the nails you use to install the floor come too close to the area where the medallion is to be installed. If the floor is unfinished, sand the floor in the area of the medallion to assure the template will sit flush to the newly installed flooring.
Step #3
Line up the template back to the center lines you traced and fasten the template to the floor. (2 sided tape works well or use small nails or staples). If nailing try to place the nails so they'll be between two boards, making the small holes easy to disguise. Make sure that the template covers the flooring you have installed.
Step #4
Equip your router with the bit and set the depth to route approximate 3/16" of the flooring at a pass. This will prevent overheating and failure of the routing bit. Drop the flush cutter down, making sure that it's bearing rides against the template edge. Route around the inside of the template clockwise until you have routed flush to the sub floor. Vacuum between the passes thoroughly. Remove the router template. |
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Vacuum and clean all the wood dust. Remove the moisture
barrier if any and carefully check the subfloor
for any protruding fasteners, setting any
you can find.
Also check the subfloor for evenness, and use hand-scraper to bring down any high spots
Medallions can be test fit into the hole that you routed and be very close to flush with the rest of the floor*. (You may attach a piece of tape underneath the medallion so it'll be easier to pull it back). Some also apply clear packing tape to the medallion and use a suction cap to lift the medallion.
Apply flooring adhesive into the hole that you routed and spread evenly.
Place the medallion in the opening and weight with something that is heavy and distributes the weight evenly. Bags of sand or concrete work well. Let the glue cure for the per the manufacturer's instructions. (At least 24 hours). Wipe excessive glue immediately. As you set the medallion in, be careful that the points in the pattern align exactly where you want them.
* Note: Larger medallions could warp slightly before installation
if they have not been kept in a humidity controlled environment or in transit. If this is the case you can use a circular saw to make relief cuts approximately 5/16" deep and spaced 2-3" apart on the back side of the medallion. When the medallion is weighted it should flatten out.
Step #6
If your floor and medallion are pre-finished you are done!
Care for our product the same as you normally would care
for a wood floor. Czar Floors recommends professional floor cleaning products such as Bona Pro |
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Cutting a round hole for the medallion using jig method (no template)
Round cut holes can be easily made using router jig method, often sold as accessory.
| Jig can be made from the piece of 1/2" x 48" x 8" plywood. Router is installed on one end of the jig using original base screws. Mark a line 2" inch from one end of the plywood. Preferably, using a forester bit if you have one, drill a 1/2" hole for the router bushing on this line in the center of the board width. (Simply use the router's removable baseplate as a template. The center hole need only be big enough for the size bit you use.) Predrill hole on another end with the distance to the outer cutting edge of the bit equal to the required hole radius. Drive a nail or screw through the hole to fix it in the center of the circle in the floor. Verify again to make sure that the size is set correctly. Now you can turn on the router, lower the bit and rotate the jig you made around the pivot, cutting the circle. Cut the circle in several passes of 1/8" to 1/4" deep. For inside cutting, move the router clockwise. Router bit can be any straight cut plunging type, preferably double flute. |
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Guide method for cutting the floor
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General Guidelines, Tips, and Safety:
- Always use your safety glasses, hearing and dust protection.
- Read and understand the instructions for both the machinery and cutters before starting to work.
- Use safety devices such as pushblocks and featherboards where appropriate.
- When using the router, pay particular attention to the condition of the collet. Frequently, bit breakage and poor performance can be directly attributed to a worn or damaged router collet.
- Always inspect a router bit before use. Check for chips in the carbide, frozen bearings, worn shaft, and be sure set screws and nuts are tight in bit assemblies.
- Always change bits or make adjustments with the router unplugged.
- Make sure the bit shaft is set at least 3/4” into the collet, but not bottomed out in the collet. The end of the shank should be about 1/16” up from the bottom of the collet.
- Two light passes cut more smoothly and easily than one heavy pass. Proper bit RPM is important, especially with larger, heavier bits. In general, burning of the wood or excessive vibration can be corrected with a slower rpm and a lighter cutting pass.
- Failure to follow all safety instructions and warnings can result in serious bodily injury.
- In no event shall we be liable for death, injuries to persons or property arising from use of our products.
