TRUE SHIPLAP VINYL HARDWOOD WALL PLANKS FAQ’S

Q: What makes From The Forest Wall Planks innovative/ better than our competitors? A: 1. Engineered with an HDF core for durability so your wall will last a lifetime! 2. Engineered with "Wall Flex," an HDF core and completed with a front and back face veneer that is finished with WearMax - making the planks both DURABLE & FLEXIBLE 3. Environmentally Friendly 4. Engineered with a SHIPLAP EDGE to achieve the desired “nickel gap” aesthetic and to ensure that even if the seasons change the planks will not move! 5. Proudly MADE IN THE USA - Central Wisconsin by From The Forest

Q: What is HDF? A: Also referred to as , a high-density (HDF) is a type of engineered product. It's made from wood fiber extracted from chips and pulped wood waste. HDF is similar but much harder and denser than or medium density fiberboard (MDF).

Q: What is veneer? A: Wall veneer is a thin decorative covering of fine wood applied to the front face and the back face of our environmentally friendly HDF core.

Q: What is the average length of Wall planks? A: Wallplanks come in lengths anywhere between 46"-47" with over 80% of the boards in a carton being the full 47" length.

Q: What is the radius the boards can flex? A: Wall Plank boards have a built-in feature called "Wall Flex" that helps each board to contour to slightly out of flat walls. The product is not designed to flex around or over architecturally contoured or curved walls.

Q: What smoke and flaming rating are Wall planks? A: Our Wallplanks are rated Class C for surface burning characteristics of building materials. This means the flame spread index tested at 200 and smoke developed index tested at 150.

Q: What is the maximum heat the Wall planks adhesive will withstand? A: Wallplanks have been tested at temperatures of 140 degrees and the adhesive has stayed intact.

Q: Can I hang mirrors and artwork on the Wall planks? A: Wallplanks are not load bearing. Wall Décor like mirrors, pictures, shelves can be mounted by drilling through the Wallplanks provided the underlying wall provides sufficient support (i.e. wall studs). Use proper hardware to install any wall décor.

Q: How do I remove excess adhesive on the Wall Plank? A: To remove excess adhesive from the Wall Plank simply use goo gone!

Q: Why do some of my Wall planks look like they have the same pattern? A: On most Wallplank sku's there can be some pattern repeating in about every 16th board. This is because laminate is am printed product

Q: Are additional reinforcements (ie: nails) required when installing Wall planks? A: No, additional reinforcements are not required when installing Wallplanks as long as the installation instructions are followed. We have 100% confidence in the strength of our Vaccubond adhesive. If you elect to use nails as added protection when adhering your Wallplanks to the wall, any nails that come in contact with a stud would be more secure than nails that do not come in contact with a stud.

Q: How do I replace a board on my wall? A: 1. Starting with an end of row plank, remove the wall planks up to the one that needs to be replaced 2. Remove the bad plank 3. Trim off the profile of the boards before replacing 4. Use either gorilla glue or planks back in place

Q: Are Wall planks removable? A: Wallplanks are meant to be a permanent update to your walls. If you choose to remove the Wallplanks they could leave some damage to the wall underneath and/or cause paint chipping. The damage that is caused is not substantial and can be repaired easily with skim coating or spackle.

Q: How do I remove Wall planks? A: To remove Wallplanks you will need a putty knife or scraping tool, a heating device such as a hair dryer or heat gun, sand , cloth, water and TSP. Step 1: Use the heating tool on high heat while using the putty knife to slowly remove the plank from the wall. The heat will soften the adhesive and the putty knife will help scrape behind it to remove it. Do not move too quickly when removing otherwise the plank may snap. *please note that the plank may cause some damage to the underlying wall and cause the paint to chip due to the strength of the adhesive. Step 2: Use the putty knife to remove any excessive adhesive from the wall. The heating tool may also be helpful during this step Step 3: Use the sandpaper to smooth any damaged surface/ chipped paint Step 4: Clean the wall with TSP and allow to dry completely

Q: Why are my Wall planks not sticking to the wall? A: We are 100% confident in the strength of the VacuuBond adhesive and have not had any issues to date that have not been related to pre-installation sub wall preparation or failure to use a J-roller. Below is a list of a few reasons why this could be happening:

1. If a J-Roller was not used immediately after installing every plank on the wall, the adhesive did not get the opportunity to adhere to the sub-wall. VacuuBond adhesive is time and pressure sensitive industrial strength adhesive and a J-Roller is a very crucial step during the installation process. 2. If the sub-wall is not cleaned with TSP prior to your installation, there could be dirt, dust, grease or grime that is making it difficult for the adhesive to adhere to the wall. 3. If the sub-wall is not completely dry prior to your installation, the adhesive will not adhere properly to the wall. 4. If the sub wall that you applied your Wallplanks to has a heavy texture, the planks may not adhere well. Surfaces with a heavy texture must either be sanded, or skim coated and primed prior to installation to avoid adhesion issues. If you are installing on , or unfinished drywall, those surfaces should have been primed prior to installation. 5. If the sub wall that you applied your Wallplanks to is not structurally sound, the adhesive may not adhere well. 6. If permanent HVAC is not maintained between 60 degrees and 75 degrees with a relative humidity between 30-55% for a minimum of 14 days prior to installation as well as during installation to insure proper adhesion.

Solutions: 1. Secure the planks that are released by using a finishing nail and a bit of filler putty or a furniture marker to blend in over the nails. Finishing nails should only be used for wood sub walls. 2. Secure the planks using another commercially available adhesive such as Liquid Nails, or Gorilla Glue to adhere the planks where they have released. Make sure to apply pressure for a good amount of time so the adhesive can properly bond

Q: How do I calculate square footage of my wall? A: Take the base of your wall times the height of your wall to get total square feet.

Q: How do I calculate square footage for a triangular area? A: Measure the length of the base of the triangle and the height of the triangle. To calculate the area of the triangle use the formula: (base x height) / 2. Multiply the base by the height and then divide it by 2.

Q: Can Wall planks be installed in bathrooms? A: Yes, Wallplanks can be installed in a full bathroom. Additional nail down may be required.

Q: Can Wall planks be installed inside shower walls? A: No, Wallplanks should not be installed inside shower walls. Wallplanks are made with HDF and are not waterproof.

Q: Can Wall planks be installed as kitchen backsplash? A: The white paintable planks should not be installed as a backsplash but any Vinyl wallplanks that are not paintable would make a perfect backsplash!

Q: Can Wall planks be installed on ceilings? A: Wallplanks can be installed on ceilings. Follow the installation instructions that are shipped with the product. Step 11 is for ceilings and indicates to use 18 gauge finish nails every 16" on both sides of the plank to further secure the planks to the ceilings.

Q: Can Wall planks be installed on fireplace walls? A: Follow local code. As long as the immediate surrounding of the fireplace opening is nonflammable Wallplanks can be installed on the sides of that, around and above.

Q: Can Wall planks be installed in elevators? A: Yes Wall planks can be installed inside an elevator. As long as the elevator surface is flat, clean, and structurally sound. Be sure to follow the Wall Plank installation instructions. The elevator needs to follow proper code in order to pass inspection.

Q: Will the planks hold up in high humid locations like lake communities without warping or changing? A: Wall planks are made with HDF and are designed for interior installations only. For best long-term performance permanent HVAC should be on and maintained with a relative humidity to the home or business between 30-55% for a minimum of 14 days prior to installation as well as during and after installation. If you suspect a change in humidity, allow ¼” expansion space for every 10’ of the wall on all sides. Additional nail down may be required for high humid locations.

Q: What kind of textured walls will Wall planks adhere to? A: It is recommended that all walls be tested with a sample prior to full installation. Heavy textured walls like knockdown or popcorn walls will require a skim coat application or sanding and scraping prior to installing Wall planks. Plywood and unfinished dry walls will require a coat of basic paint primer applied and dried first before installing Wall planks. All other textured walls like crows feet, orange peel, smooth or swirl will not require additional prep work.

Q: Can Wall planks be installed on a cement or concrete surface? A: Yes, Wall planks can be installed on cement, a cinder block, or on a concrete surface. First you will need to either apply a coat of paint or primer sealer, or you can skim coat the wall, or sand and scrape the textured wall. Next make sure the surface is clean and dry. Once the surface is dry you can start installing Wall planks according to the instructions.

Q: Can Wall planks be installed over paneling? A: Yes, Wallplanks will adhere to paneling. Wall planks will adhere to a clean, dry and structurally sound surface. It is recommended that all walls be tested with a sample prior to full installation.

Q: Sub walls are to be flat, dry, structurally sound and clean prior to installing Wallplanks. Define dry? A: Moisture content of the sub-wall that is plywood or drywall should not exceed 11% using a pin-style meter. If the sub wall is concrete or cinder block it should be dry using an ASTM 1869-89 Calcium Chloride test with the moisture content not exceeding 2.0 lbs.

Q: Can Wall planks be installed on ceramic tile? A: Wall planks can be installed on clean and smooth ceramic tile. Waxy, wet, dusty and dirty surfaces are the only surfaces that would cause adhesion issues.

Q: Can Wall planks be installed over wallpaper? A: Clean, Smooth, well-adhered wallpaper: This can be a base for Wall planks. The installer must make sure the wallpaper is clean and firmly bonded to the wall before applying the wallplanks to the wallpaper.

Embossed wallpaper: The adhesive on the back of the wallplanks is 1/32" thick. If the embossing on the wallpaper raises out more than that it is possible that the Wall planks adhesion will be interrupted every time it goes over the embossing. This could result in less than a firm bond. The installer will need to test bond strength with several Wall planks to ensure adhesive bond strength to the embossed wallpaper before proceeding with the entire installation. If bond strength is not sufficient, the wallpaper will have to be removed prior to installing the wall planks.

Textured wallpaper: should be removed and the base wall cleaned with trisodium phosphate ( TSP) before installing Wall planks. To remove wallpaper there are steamers or wallpaper removal solutions available. These items plus the TSP cleaner are available in hardware stores or home centers.

Q: Can Wall planks be installed over a mirrored surface? A: Yes Wall planks can be installed over a mirrored surface as long as the mirror is cleaned prior to installation and a J-roller is used when applying the Wallplanks.

Q: What tools do I need for installing Wall planks? A: To install Wallplanks you will need a J-roller, TSP (trisodium phosphate) for cleaning sub wall, tape measure, 4' level, a straight edge, and a pencil. Possible cutting tools include utility knife, hand saw, jig saw, or miter saw.

Q: How long does it take to install Wall planks? A: The length of time it takes to install Wall planks depends on how big your wall is. A small accent wall would take no more than a few hours to complete. For larger walls, you could make a fun weekend project out of this!

Q: How do I install Wall planks if my wall is uneven? A: To install Wall planks on an uneven surface you need to trace the uneven ceiling and or floor and rip cut your Wallplanks to fit the uneven surface.

Q: How do I cut Wall planks to fit around an obstruction like a light switch, outlet, or vent? A: Measure and trace the obstruction with a straight edge and pencil on the planks before removing the paper liner from the glue. Cut the traced obstruction space on the planks using a jig, hand or scroll saw. Place the cut Wallplanks over the obstruction to ensure a proper fit. Remove the release paper and install. Don't forget to use the J-roller.

Q: How do I stagger the Wall planks? A: See our image below on how to stagger the Wallplanks. The rule of thumb is 12" minimum offset. The goal is to not repeat or line up offset lines for at least every 3-4 rows. Try to avoid having boards that are shorter than 12" in your pattern.

Q: How can I install Wall planks in a chevron pattern? A: To install Wall planks in a chevron pattern, simply cut each plank at the required angle for your installation and match the planks up.

Q: How can I install Wall planks in a herringbone pattern? A: When installing Wall planks in a herringbone pattern, you need to evaluate where the shiplap edge should be cut and removed. You can remove the shiplap edge using a jig, hand or scroll saw. Cuts are generally made at a 45 degree angle . Once you have your starting point, continue to add boards to the wall working your way outward. Once you finally get to the corners, you can use your scrap pieces.