About a month ago, I had my upstairs done with engineered hardwood. About a week later, it started separating. The guys came back out and fixed it, but now it's starting to happen again. (See photos). A couple of years ago I had my landing done in the same wood (different installer), and it separated like this and then completely buckled up. They had to glue it down. What gives?
Floor Separating
- Thread starter khq0660
- Start date
Help Support Flooring Forum - DIY & Professional:
Nick
In Remembrance
if the house wasn't acclimated first .. the wood won't ..
I wonder if they floated a T&G and didn't glue the planks together. Does the floor have a standard tongue and groove or a locking edge?
I've actually seen that High, every bedroom in the house was floated and not glued, no locking mechanism.
I brought it up because a guy called me and described his problem. He was a DIYer and his were ordinary T&G, not locking type. So many are done these days with locks, some guys don't know what a T&G is.
From the photos, the amount of movement in those photos seems impossible with an engineered floor.
To khq0660, see if you can "kick" the planks together with your feet.
Do you have a scrap piece to show us a photo of the locking edges of the planks?
From the photos, the amount of movement in those photos seems impossible with an engineered floor.
To khq0660, see if you can "kick" the planks together with your feet.
Do you have a scrap piece to show us a photo of the locking edges of the planks?
I don't know what all they did. They just had me leave the flooring sitting in the house for a few days is all that I'm aware of. I can't kick it back into place, though when they fixed this problem for me last time, I did see one of their guys kicking some boards back into place. Are the sides of tongue in groove floating floors usually glued? Is there any way to salvage this?
Photo is a bit unsharp, but it does look like plain old T&G. If it is, the T&G should have been glued together as per the manufactures method, stapled to the floor or fully glued.
I wonder if they glued the edges and it didn't hold, or if they didn't bother to glue them at all. If they didn't use glue at all, I don't know if I should try to get them to redo the whole floor with glue or just the spots separating right now. The separation was more widespread throughout the floor before I got them to come back and fix it the first time. Wish me luck. It isn't always easy to get people to come back and fix work that is already paid for. Thanks for the help.
Most boxes have the installation instructions either on the box or on a slip of paper inside the box.
It would help knowing the product's name and who the manufacturer is. Not all products are glued the same.
It would help knowing the product's name and who the manufacturer is. Not all products are glued the same.
Triangulo Maduro Chestnut engineered 3/8 x 3. 1/4. Here are the links to the installation guides on their website.
http://www.triangulo.us/wp-content/downloads/00_en_instalation_guideline_2019.pdf
http://www.triangulo.us/wp-content/downloads/00_en_spec_sheet_installation_2019.pdf
http://www.triangulo.us/wp-content/downloads/00_en_instalation_guideline_2019.pdf
http://www.triangulo.us/wp-content/downloads/00_en_spec_sheet_installation_2019.pdf
If the guys that installed this floor didn't glue the boards together, they need a job sweeping floors instead of installing/ruining products. Lock together floors have instructions and so do tongue and groove products. The guys can't read and they don't care.
Instructions says the floor needs a proper underlayment material (I assume that was done) and to use PVA adhesive (wood glue) Something like Titebond II
I didn't see what the gluing procedure was in the floating method instructions.
Some want a bead of a specific size in the top side of the groove. When you flip the board back over to install it, the glue can drip down onto the tongue and the lower lip of the groove.
Ive seen older planks that were installed buy skip gluing. Glue 6 inches, then skip a foot and glue another 6 inches. ....etc etc.
Most products have a manufacturers website that can offer tech help.
The installers may have "fixed" their installation by somehow tapping the boards back together. That wasn't a fix. They owe you. The floor should to be disassembled, then reinstalled, gluing each board as the manufacturer says.
Instructions says the floor needs a proper underlayment material (I assume that was done) and to use PVA adhesive (wood glue) Something like Titebond II
I didn't see what the gluing procedure was in the floating method instructions.
Some want a bead of a specific size in the top side of the groove. When you flip the board back over to install it, the glue can drip down onto the tongue and the lower lip of the groove.
Ive seen older planks that were installed buy skip gluing. Glue 6 inches, then skip a foot and glue another 6 inches. ....etc etc.
Most products have a manufacturers website that can offer tech help.
The installers may have "fixed" their installation by somehow tapping the boards back together. That wasn't a fix. They owe you. The floor should to be disassembled, then reinstalled, gluing each board as the manufacturer says.
Thanks for the help. I don't know if they used underlayment material. I didn't watch what they were doing. I don't know if they glued it or not either. I'm not sure how to tell if they glued it and not sure what they will admit. What a pain in the neck this is going to be.
Not sure what state your in but in states like AZ and CA they have a contractors board that protects consumers from hack contractors. Then theres always the AG's office.
Nick
In Remembrance
Lift a piece of base board, or 1/4 rnd.. You should be able to see if there is a underlayment there ..
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Your right, don't try to inspect it your self, pulling any trim won't void any warranty cept the trim part. 
On page 4 of the installation guideline you will find the floating installation part where it explains how to apply the T&G adhesive. I would call the manufacturer and or the company that sold it to you and request an inspection by a certified inspector. It is your right and should be free. If they decline or give you the run around you can hire your own either way. You can find a flooring inspector here: https://www.nicfi.org/
I would just call the people and ask them straight up if they used T&G adhesive. Perhaps if they did they didn't use enough.
On page 4 of the installation guideline you will find the floating installation part where it explains how to apply the T&G adhesive. I would call the manufacturer and or the company that sold it to you and request an inspection by a certified inspector. It is your right and should be free. If they decline or give you the run around you can hire your own either way. You can find a flooring inspector here: https://www.nicfi.org/I would just call the people and ask them straight up if they used T&G adhesive. Perhaps if they did they didn't use enough.
