CSLB C-15 Flooring and Floor Covering (Trade Exam) — All Questions
10 questions
Before testing wood flooring with a meter, what does one solid-wood manufacturer say to do?
- a.Warm the meter for an hour
- b.Wet the boards to activate the pins
- c.Test the top board of each carton
- d.Set the meter for the wood species✓
The instructions say the moisture meter should be adjusted to the species of wood being installed. Wetting boards would falsify the reading. Testing only top boards is not a representative sample. Warming the meter is not a stated step.Manufacturer solid hardwood installation instructions
How many subfloor moisture readings does one engineered-wood manufacturer require?
- a.One per subfloor panel
- b.At least 20 per 1,000 ft², averaged✓
- c.At least 40 per 1,000 ft², minimum value used
- d.At least 5 per room
The engineered-wood manufacturer requires a minimum of 20 readings per 1,000 square feet, averaged. Five per room and one per panel are not its rule. Forty per 1,000 square feet is the solid-wood manufacturer's board sample, and averaging, not the minimum, is used.Manufacturer engineered wood installation instructions
A single-layer subfloor panel is less than 3/4 inch thick. What does one solid-wood manufacturer require?
- a.Glue-down installation in place of nailing
- b.An added cross layer, at least 1/2 inch thick✓
- c.Nothing, if the joists are 16 inches apart
- d.A layer of 15-pound felt
The instructions say to add another single cross layer, at least 1/2 inch thick, when the subfloor is a single layer under 3/4 inch. Joist spacing does not waive it. Solid wood may not be glued down. Felt reduces squeaks but adds no strength.Manufacturer solid hardwood installation instructions
When subfloor panels are installed under solid wood, what spacing does one solid-wood manufacturer require between them?
- a.About 1/2 inch
- b.About 3/4 inch
- c.Tight, with no gap
- d.About 1/8 inch✓
The instructions call for 1/8-inch expansion space between subfloor panels. Butting them tight leaves no room for movement. Half an inch and 3/4 inch are perimeter figures for other materials, far too large between panels.Manufacturer solid hardwood installation instructions
What does one solid-wood manufacturer say 15-pound felt paper under the flooring helps reduce?
- a.Sunlight ambering
- b.Seasonal gapping
- c.Subfloor deflection
- d.Squeaks✓
The instructions say to install 15-pound felt paper to help reduce squeaks. Gapping is controlled by humidity, deflection by the structure, and ambering by light exposure, not by felt.Manufacturer solid hardwood installation instructions
The federal wood flooring specification sets which end-joint rule?
- a.No rule, as long as joints are tight
- b.One board between joints; 2 in. in adjacent rows
- c.End joints aligned every fourth row
- d.Two boards between joints; 6 in. in adjacent rows✓
The specification requires at least two boards between end joints in the same plane and at least 6 inches between end joints in adjacent boards. One board and 2 inches are too close. Aligned joints every fourth row create a ladder pattern. The specification does state a rule.UFGS 09 64 29 §3.2
At what angle does one solid-wood manufacturer blind nail through the tongues?
- a.90 degrees
- b.45 degrees✓
- c.15 degrees
- d.60 degrees
The instructions say to blind nail at a 45-degree angle through the tongues. Ninety degrees is face nailing straight down. Fifteen and sixty degrees are not the stated angle.Manufacturer solid hardwood installation instructions
Under the federal wood flooring specification, how are floor areas the drum sander cannot reach finished?
- a.With the drum sander held at an angle
- b.Left unsanded under the base
- c.With an edger or by hand✓
- d.With a chemical stripper
The specification says to finish edges not reached by the sander with an edger or by hand methods. Tilting the drum gouges the floor. Unsanded edges would not take finish evenly. Chemical strippers are not the specified method.UFGS 09 64 29 §3.3
What coverage per gallon does one waterborne floor-finish data sheet call for?
- a.1,000 to 1,200 square feet
- b.Spread as thin as possible
- c.200 to 250 square feet
- d.500 to 600 square feet✓
The data sheet requires the recommended coverage of 500 to 600 square feet per gallon and says not to spread too thin. Two hundred to 250 square feet is a sheet vinyl adhesive rate. One thousand or more spreads it too thin, which the sheet forbids.Manufacturer finish technical data sheet (waterborne)
A homeowner calls about gaps between boards in winter. How does one solid-wood manufacturer treat seasonal gapping?
- a.Not a defect; humidify the home✓
- b.A sign the floor was not nailed
- c.A defect requiring board replacement
- d.A finish failure requiring a recoat
The manufacturer states seasonal gapping is not considered a manufacturing defect and recommends humidifiers during low-humidity periods. Replacing boards treats a normal movement as a defect. Nailing does not prevent seasonal shrinkage. The finish does not cause gaps between boards.Manufacturer solid hardwood installation instructions