I bought Anderson Pacific Hemisphere flooring that I'm trying to install myself. Its a 9/16 thick, 3 ply longstrip product with a click-locking T & G glueless installation process. Installation instructions have been throughly followed, but I'm having trouble getting the lonstrips to click together. I'm using a tapping block and started with a small hammer (no way), went to a regular claw hammer (some success), and finally to a sledge hammer ( 10 wacks and it finally locks together). I'm wondering if I rubbed hard soap or butchers wax on the tounges that it might go together a little easier. Has anyone tried this and had success, or failure? Or does anyone have other tips on how to get this system to engage a little easier?
Thanks.

You really shouldnt have to beat the daylights out of the floor. On longsrtip and laminate I will engage the joint as much as possible by angling the peice in (i like to work these floors backwards, meaning the grrove towards the field) and then the last 15% or so I will slap the face of the board with a white rubber mallet with a pulling back motion and it usually will do the job.

Thanks for the reply. I like your idea about installing it "backwards" but I followed the instructions and started with the groove against the wall. I've been setting one end first, and angleing the rest of each piece in. I start to run into trouble at about the last third of each 7 foot long piece. I'll take a chance and try a littlte bar soap on the tounges to see if that helps. Thanks again.

As a followup, I'm finally getting the sections to more easily lock together. Dry bar soap on the tongues, and using a 2 X 4 instead of a tapping block made the difference.

Thanks.

NOTE TO SELF: Avoid installing Anderson Pacific Hemisphere flooring at all costs.