Brazilian Cherry Jatoba Installation Instructions

Known for its remarkable hardness, or 2820 on the Janka hardness scale, Brazilian cherry wood, or jatoba, makes for flooring that is durable and strong. Realize that this does not mean the wood is indestructible. You still need to provide ongoing care and maintenance after installation to ensure the wood lasts. Your jatoba flooring options include laminate or engineered floorboards, or prefinished solid jatoba of varying grades. In addition to the wood itself, you will need an underlayment to secure it to. For the best possible results when installing, hire a certified hardwood flooring specialist.

Prefinished 3/4 inch Brazilian cherry flooring
3/4 inch plywood underlayment
Black roofing paper
Rubber mallet
Cleat gun delivering 90 lbs. per square inch pressure
16 gauge cleats, 2 inches

Instructions

- 1
  Make sure you can live with the characteristics of the Brazilian cherry wood before proceeding with installation. Note that the original color of Brazilian jatoba can darken dramatically over time and with ultraviolet light exposure.
- 2
  Arrange the individual pieces in advance of installation according to how they will fit on the floor. Make adjustments now, because you will not be able to swap them out once installed.
- 3
  Install the underlayment as a guard against floorboard squeaking.
- 4
  Place the boards onto the underlayment in the configuration that you had planned. Make sure the slats are perpendicular to the joists. Tap the flooring with a rubber mallet to lock the pieces into position.
- 5
  Use the cleat gun to secure a cleat into each piece to hold it firmly in place, about every 8 inches. Place the cleat through the tongue and on every joist underneath.

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