Bamboozled Again

[Ernesto]

Nail down over OSB upstairs with skip gluing T&G. Don't ask me why the installer did the skip gluing. A nice couple from Missor-uh, prospective buyers but needed an opinion of the gaps.
Uninstalled piece in garage @ 18% rh is a 32nd shorter in width than the man specs, installed upstairs within the rh range is 3 3/4 inches in width as per the man.
Installed glued down over concrete is 1/32 inch wider than spec but reading 10% MC, no gaps.


Its stained carbonized horizonital engineered solid.

Explain your concerns and opinions.

 

[zannej]

Ernesto, what is that Ligno scanner thingy? Does it check for level or something?

I was watching "Love It Or List It" earlier today and the designer said the flooring people refused to put the hardwood down over OSB because it had too much movement.

So, is it true that OSB is not a preferred subfloor? What is recommended for a subfloor under say vinyl plank, hardwood, or laminate?

 

[Jon]

So, is it true that OSB is not a preferred subfloor? What is recommended for a subfloor under say vinyl plank, hardwood, or laminate?

We have less trouble with vinyl planks here which have been laid on concrete or a concrete based smoothing compound. The glue doesn't seem to get "sucked" into a concrete product as compared to a "timber type" floor

 

[zannej]

What about floating click lock vinyl planks?

 

[Jon]

What about floating click lock vinyl planks?

Me know nutting about them

 

[highup]

Ernesto, what is that Ligno scanner thingy? Does it check for level or something?

I was watching "Love It Or List It" earlier today and the designer said the flooring people refused to put the hardwood down over OSB because it had too much movement.

So, is it true that OSB is not a preferred subfloor? What is recommended for a subfloor under say vinyl plank, hardwood, or laminate?

It measures the moisture content of the wood flooring and substrate.

 

[zannej]

Ohh. Ok. So, what range of moisture is ok and what is not ok?

 

[highup]

Uninstalled piece in garage @ 18% rh is a 32nd shorter in width than the man specs, installed upstairs within the rh range is 3 3/4 inches in width as per the man.
Installed glued down over concrete is 1/32 inch wider than spec but reading 10% MC, no gaps.

Came from LL?

Boxes of material were made at different times and the milling was slightly different?

 

[highup]

I just noticed you stated two different things about the wood....... 18% RH in the garage, and installed was 10% MC on the installed wood.
Regardless of the temp, that's about 3 1/2 MC in the garage if it's been there for a while.

I'm confused about the gluing you mention.................. I see balls. I see a gap with no balls.
Nailed and glued?

Humidity and temp in garage where the piece of wood you found was? Was it laying on the floor or up in the rafters?
Humidity and temp in upstairs where the wood gap is?
Humidity and temp where it's glued down on concrete?
Color of the house?
more info needed....... for this novice anyway.

 

[Ernesto]

I just noticed you stated two different things about the wood....... 18% RH in the garage, and installed was 10% MC on the installed wood.
Regardless of the temp, that's about 3 1/2 MC in the garage if it's been there for a while.

I'm confused about the gluing you mention.................. I see balls. I see a gap with no balls.
Nailed and glued?

Humidity and temp in garage where the piece of wood you found was? Was it laying on the floor or up in the rafters?
Humidity and temp in upstairs where the wood gap is?
Humidity and temp where it's glued down on concrete?
Color of the house?
more info needed....... for this novice anyway.

Sorry for the delay of response, been slammed at work.

So, is it true that OSB is not a preferred subfloor? What is recommended for a subfloor under say vinyl plank, hardwood, or laminate?

True for me, I won't fasten anything over it cept plywood with screws. It's not that it has any movement, thats pretty negligible, the problem arises when it gets rained on and swells up losing it holding strength.


How did we get on vinyl planks? hmmmmm

Yes, this is LL Morning Star. Installed by a licensed professional. Those heads kinda look like cleats to me.

The earth magnets were used next to the large gap to check for fasteners since you could visibly see them in the gap.

He glued the T&G and nailed the planks, skip gluing every so often. It seems there is some panelization going on as the large gaps are every four feet or so. hmmmm Maybe he ran it parallel with the floor joists.

Product in the garage was on the floor in boxes. So it shrank a 32nd. The glued over concrete has gained a 32nd and the upstairs is spot on with the manufacturers spec in dimension with the AC running. Which is a tad confusing since we've had so humidity lately but in rapid swings.
The humidity upstairs is pictured first, pretty much the same downstairs. Outside is like I said.
So that paints an interesting story me thinks.

 

[highup]

Sorry for the delay of response, been slammed at work.



True for me, I won't fasten anything over it cept plywood with screws. It's not that it has any movement, thats pretty negligible, the problem arises when it gets rained on and swells up losing it holding strength.
(of course meaning rain during construction weakening the final fastener ability) (Comment added by highup)


How did we get on vinyl planks? hmmmmm

Yes, this is LL Morning Star. Installed by a licensed professional. Those heads kinda look like cleats to me.

The earth magnets were used next to the large gap to check for fasteners since you could visibly see them in the gap.

He glued the T&G and nailed the planks, skip gluing every so often. It seems there is some panelization going on as the large gaps are every four feet or so. hmmmm Maybe he ran it parallel with the floor joists.

Product in the garage was on the floor in boxes. So it shrank a 32nd. The glued over concrete has gained a 32nd and the upstairs is spot on with the manufacturers spec in dimension with the AC running. Which is a tad confusing since we've had so humidity lately but in rapid swings.
The humidity upstairs is pictured first, pretty much the same downstairs. Outside is like I said.
So that paints an interesting story me thinks.

I thought gluing the T&G on a solid was an absolute no-no?
I didn't look to see the fasteners in the gap............... I'll look again.

A box of planks layed on a garage floor here would have gained 1/8 of an inch.

 

[Ernesto]

I thought gluing the T&G on a solid was an absolute no-no?

Depends on your definition of solid vs engineered. All bamboo is engineered in glued up layers, although it is solid bamboo.

Teragren says you can float their Craftsman II long plank. It used to have a birch finger jointed (filleted if you will) core which I liked. Now only the click longplank has a finger jointed core.
Last time I will ever do it

http://www.teragren.com/products_flooring_craftsman.html

 

[Ernesto]

Here I am gluing up a panel for the front of that pass through bar there in the hallway. It was an ugly oak panel, didn't really go with the bamboo. I trimmed it out with site made bamboo trim. Ripped the backside off matching bamboo baby thresholds to make the trim.

 

[Ernesto]

These fireplace hearths are always fun.