FIVE Common Mistakes in Flooring to Avoid
The 5 biggest mistakes that you can make in timber flooring.
1 Not using a system for putting the floor down.
Adhesives are used to install timber floors. If an adhesive is used it is supplied in two components: being a moisture barrier and an adhesive. To cut corners some installers will use a moisture barrier from one company and an adhesive from another. This saves time and money but voids the warranty on the adhesive. If it fails due to stress exerted by some unexpected event like a flood then you have no warranty. Adhesives and moisture barriers should be compatible as part of a system.
2 Using a fast drying moisture barrier without knowing what the barrier is doing.
Fast drying moisture barriers almost always require a two coat application over two days to achieve a reasonable level of moisture barrier. Slow drying high build plastic moisture barriers are an effective protection under the floor.
3 Gunning glue squiggles under boards where a trowel is specified.
The is quite common practice. It saves adhesive but weakens the bond under the boards by a considerable amount. A full bed of adhesive generally achieves a 60% bond under the floor but a squiggle of adhesive drops this down to the 20-30% range. Bond strength is reduced greatly. It also builds a space under the floor that can cause huge issues. If the floor is flooded due to a burst pipe [leaking dishwasher] then water can pool in this area causing ongoing issues due to swelling, deterioration of the boards and hygiene issues. Some adhesives are designed for glue strips and gun application but these are rare. If the glue is designed for trowel application then this is how it must be used.
4 Using unstable timbers.
Unstable timbers may be timbers that are not correctly dried, not acclimatized to site or are cut to a dimension ratio that creates a requirement for a very specific method of installation that for one reason or another is not advised to the customer. Timber should be suitable for purpose and this requires attention to the air dry kiln dry process, the site conditions and knowledge regarding the correct installation technique. Movement in the 6 different manners that timber can move in following installation are indications of potential stability questions. While some movement is normal and should be anticipated in Australian conditions of hot and cold and the major humidity swings that follow the climate, movement that reverses suggest that the timber is performing to specification whereas movement that does not reverse may point to an issue of a lesser or greater nature. Major movement that does not reverse [such as excessive shrinkage] is a problem that requires attention.
5 Using poor finishes
Finishes fall into three categories. Light duty, medium duty and commercial. Most finishes are designed for light wear and tear. Most flooring contractors will use either a medium duty or commercial grade finish. Technology in floor coatings has changed considerably over the years. Today, in addition to the older style solvent based finishes, Swedish finishes and mono oil products, we now have commercial waterborne products and hard wax oil blends which offer much higher levels of wear.
Check out the commercial water borne products and the hard wax oil Polyx products for a better floor finish that performs much better.
1 Not using a system for putting the floor down.
Adhesives are used to install timber floors. If an adhesive is used it is supplied in two components: being a moisture barrier and an adhesive. To cut corners some installers will use a moisture barrier from one company and an adhesive from another. This saves time and money but voids the warranty on the adhesive. If it fails due to stress exerted by some unexpected event like a flood then you have no warranty. Adhesives and moisture barriers should be compatible as part of a system.
2 Using a fast drying moisture barrier without knowing what the barrier is doing.
Fast drying moisture barriers almost always require a two coat application over two days to achieve a reasonable level of moisture barrier. Slow drying high build plastic moisture barriers are an effective protection under the floor.
3 Gunning glue squiggles under boards where a trowel is specified.
The is quite common practice. It saves adhesive but weakens the bond under the boards by a considerable amount. A full bed of adhesive generally achieves a 60% bond under the floor but a squiggle of adhesive drops this down to the 20-30% range. Bond strength is reduced greatly. It also builds a space under the floor that can cause huge issues. If the floor is flooded due to a burst pipe [leaking dishwasher] then water can pool in this area causing ongoing issues due to swelling, deterioration of the boards and hygiene issues. Some adhesives are designed for glue strips and gun application but these are rare. If the glue is designed for trowel application then this is how it must be used.
4 Using unstable timbers.
Unstable timbers may be timbers that are not correctly dried, not acclimatized to site or are cut to a dimension ratio that creates a requirement for a very specific method of installation that for one reason or another is not advised to the customer. Timber should be suitable for purpose and this requires attention to the air dry kiln dry process, the site conditions and knowledge regarding the correct installation technique. Movement in the 6 different manners that timber can move in following installation are indications of potential stability questions. While some movement is normal and should be anticipated in Australian conditions of hot and cold and the major humidity swings that follow the climate, movement that reverses suggest that the timber is performing to specification whereas movement that does not reverse may point to an issue of a lesser or greater nature. Major movement that does not reverse [such as excessive shrinkage] is a problem that requires attention.
5 Using poor finishes
Finishes fall into three categories. Light duty, medium duty and commercial. Most finishes are designed for light wear and tear. Most flooring contractors will use either a medium duty or commercial grade finish. Technology in floor coatings has changed considerably over the years. Today, in addition to the older style solvent based finishes, Swedish finishes and mono oil products, we now have commercial waterborne products and hard wax oil blends which offer much higher levels of wear.
Check out the commercial water borne products and the hard wax oil Polyx products for a better floor finish that performs much better.
