I've been enjoying this current weather related work slowdown, but went in to do a measure, and swung by the warehouse just to check in. Our general manager, has been manning the warehouse while a replacement is found, and had a couple of the "advanced" apprentices working in a back corner. GM said, "we've been having failures of our glue down vinyl plank" . The shop uses Schonox SL, and Taylor Dynamic adhesive; Ive used both, and haven't had an issue. Floors were installed mostly over concrete, , 2 were over wood, with a subfloor of the usual 4x5 arctic birch UL. I asked them, if on the concrete installs, if the slab had been checked for moisture, were they properly mixing the skim coat, and if the proper amount of adhesive had been used, because I had looked at 3 jobs, one was over a slab below grade, 2 were over wood, and just didn't have enough adhesive.
They guys were working on a test section to see what could be causing the issues, although I had already gone over what I saw. So, I asked, are you mixing the Schonox SL to spec, using the correct sized trowel and allowing proper flash times, and then rolled the floor? " No, we want to do it just like its done on the jobs. " OK, so, lets check this slab real quick with my Tramex, then do half with properly mixed SL, and then use my trowel, just as a control group." Nope, they already had it in their minds, that the products were to blame.
Shop has 1 decent vinyl guy, but the rest are combo guys, very few of their own tools, They have 2 trowels, one for vinyl, carpet tiles, etc, one for patch. None had rollers, there is one in the tool room, but it doesn't leave often. Many have entered the trade, mostly installing floating vinyl plank, and don't really have a grasp of floor prep, or the use of adhesives in general. I was told a year ago that one of the things they wanted me to address, were those issues, but it hasnt happened. Its very frustrating, but it does give me great job security.
They guys were working on a test section to see what could be causing the issues, although I had already gone over what I saw. So, I asked, are you mixing the Schonox SL to spec, using the correct sized trowel and allowing proper flash times, and then rolled the floor? " No, we want to do it just like its done on the jobs. " OK, so, lets check this slab real quick with my Tramex, then do half with properly mixed SL, and then use my trowel, just as a control group." Nope, they already had it in their minds, that the products were to blame.
Shop has 1 decent vinyl guy, but the rest are combo guys, very few of their own tools, They have 2 trowels, one for vinyl, carpet tiles, etc, one for patch. None had rollers, there is one in the tool room, but it doesn't leave often. Many have entered the trade, mostly installing floating vinyl plank, and don't really have a grasp of floor prep, or the use of adhesives in general. I was told a year ago that one of the things they wanted me to address, were those issues, but it hasnt happened. Its very frustrating, but it does give me great job security.