Would you consider this to be a professional installation?

[CAS in Houston]

Thank you, MSLI, and everyone. I should have mentioned this initially because it would have changed the situation's context. This is a homeowners insurance claim, and the insurer and the contractor have already far exceeded any expectations I could have imagined. If it were not for that, you can bet your life and the lives of any wild animal I find willing to fight to their death to set this right that there is no way in Hades there would have been a two-way conversation with the contractor about this. Instead, it would have been me telling them what would happen, and that is they tear up the *@# %@%# floor and put a new one down in its place the way I want it.

 

[Darren Ramey]

That is me. 6’ 6” and 275.

6'4" and about 290. I'm already way to tall for the floor covering business. I honestly don't know how you do it.

 

[CAS in Houston]

OK, I am beyond amazed. The general contractor is at my condo right now and just called to tell me know they are going to replace the entire floor on all three levels and he wants me to send him a picture of how I want the pattern to look.

I have seen what look to be different ways to go about laying a flowing floor pattern, is there a name if the one I should be searching for a picture of? Thank you.

 

[C.J.]

OK, I am beyond amazed. The general contractor is at my condo right now and just called to tell me know they are going to replace the entire floor on all three levels and he wants me to send him a picture of how I want the pattern to look.

You had Coretec installed? Click together floating installation, right, as in it was NOT glued down?

 

[CAS in Houston]

Thank you for your reply. Correct, it is not glued down. The planks click together. They must be planning to reuse as much of the LVP as possible because they said it would take seven to eight new boxes, whereas the first installation took a lot more.

I sent them the link - How to Stagger Vinyl Plank Flooring | 6 Easy Steps | Home Flooring Pros and asked them to do the installation that way.

Per their request, I am going over there tonight to look at the entry hall to ensure it is how I want the pattern to look. I replied that sure was fast, and the general contractor texted back to let me know they already knew how to do the staggered layout they did not know that is what I wanted. So, I will be mindful of the length of the section at the end of each row and make sure each seam is at least eight inches away from the seam in the plank next to it.

Does that sound like what I should be watching for?

T

 

[C.J.]

 

[C.J.]

You want a natural looking floor, that’s what I would want. No repetitive pattern, in fact no pattern at all. No stairway to heaven stagger, just a natural looking plastic wood floor. Couldn’t help myself there.

It’s a relatively easy fix. They will unclick portions of your floor, replace twin planks within close proximity of each other, rearrange the order of multiple rows so as to eliminate the stair climbing repetitive stagger then put it all back together again.

 

[CAS in Houston]

The Coretec Dakota Walnut is not plastic. It’s vinyl. And not just any vinyl. It’s luxury vinyl. That’s why it’s called LVP instead of luxury vinyl plank because people who like vinyl have lots to do making them too busy to say luxury vinyl plank. Plus they don’t want to sound stuck-up. And LVP has a nice ring to it. Although sometimes when I do have the time I will say luxury vinyl plank because it helps me relax knowing that if a Honey Badger and a Komodo Dragon and a Cobra and a Bora Bora Pig had a cage fight it would not damage my floor as it would if the floor was actual walnut. That’s where the luxury part comes from. A lot of people don’t know that.

 

[CAS in Houston]

And I have a plan for determining if it looks real. Birds have incredible eyesight so this should be an absolute win for LVP collectors and the doomsday's who are stockpiling LVP. There is a kind of forested area outside my hotel room and am going to hang a plank out the window to see if it will fool a woodpecker. If it does I am going to contact Coretec and suggest they create a woodpecker mascot except call it an LVP Pecker.

 

[C.J.]

The Coretec Dakota Walnut is not plastic. It’s vinyl.

Vinyl is a type of plastic so you still have a plastic floor. Maybe it identifies as something else?? Either way, I hope your reinstall goes well so you can put this project behind you and get back on with life.

 

[CAS in Houston]

Thank you. As I said it’s not plastic. Is Luxury Vinyl. Have you ever heard someone say LPP for Luxury Plastic Plank. I haven’t. Plus it sounds like El P.P. Which may confuse some people thinking someone is asking to use their restroom.

One final question however and that is how do I delete all my posts?

 

[CAS in Houston]

And not everyone believes in killing trees to make a floor vinyls feel no pain. They just want to serve humanity. Now who could be against that?

 

[CAS in Houston]

Wait there’s more. It has a cork backing and I think there is sawdust mixed with sodium arsenate in the middle part so even if vinyl were a plastic it would not be all plastic. In fact I hope it is all plastic. Then I can walk around saying I have El PP.

 

[C.J.]

so even if vinyl were a plastic

https://www.vinylinfo.org/history/
You have a plastic floor. El Plastic Planks.

 

[CAS in Houston]

You guys crack me up. You must think I am nuts if you could not tell I was joking. Even I know LVP is an alloy created from recycled chewing gum and cassette tapes.

Plus, it's ridiculous to believe a honey badger would fight a cobra, mine is the sweetest, most loving therapy animal ever.

 

[Tile Tom]

I love this person. . Bout time someone came on that has a sense of humor.

 

[C.J.]

You guys crack me up. You must think I am nuts if you could not tell I was joking. Even I know LVP is an alloy created from recycled chewing gum and cassette tapes.

Plus, it's ridiculous to believe a honey badger would fight a cobra, mine is the sweetest, most loving therapy animal ever.

Gotta admit at first I thought you could be a little nuts even if it’s only a temporary thing until your house is put back together. Glad you can still laugh a little even if you are dealing with morons and have been shacked up in a hotel for the past few months.

I’ve got the in-laws in town so yeah my Spidey senses are off as my wife has shut me down and rebooted me in safe mode for another 6 days.

 

[kwfloors]

I definitely don't rack flooring like that and do watch for like planks next to each other.

 

[CAS in Houston]

Well it turns out the reason I did not like the flooring is not because Vinyls are an endangered species. I live once, as far back as I can recall that is, but Vinyls live forever in flooring. They get to experience whatever is happening around and on top of themselves for eternity. I just hope mine end up in a good home because I had it all pulled up and it’s not going back down in my condo.

I ordered a sample and it turns out that it is the wrong flooring. In one attached image the sample section of plank is laying next to the LVP installed. They look fairly similar. Another attached image I have placed the sample I received which is the lower section in the image over the top of a plank of the LVP that was installed that has a matching pattern and when held at a certain angle to the light the difference is obvious. I emailed COREtec and the COREtec Concierge Technical Specialist (that’s actually a real position at Shaw Industries) replied with:

“Thank you for your email. I’m happy to help you verify if your product is authentic Dakota Walnut.

To check if your product is authentic, please send me some pictures of the following:

• The product label on the box or the carton. It should have the Shaw logo, the product name, the SKU number, and the lot number.
• The back of the plank. It should have the Shaw logo, the product name, the SKU number, and the lot number printed on it.
• The front of the plank. It should show the color, the grain, and the finish of the product.

Please attach the pictures to your reply and I will compare them with our records, and I will get back to you as soon as possible with my findings.
Thank you for choosing COREtec Floors. I hope to hear from you soon.”

An image of the flooring in one room is after was pulled up. The other image is the product label from one of 60 or so boxes that was installed and I did see anything at all on the back of any plank that I looked at.

I had my Honey Badger assist with some destructive analysis and we found several differences you all can guess which is which.

 

[CAS in Houston]

Here is Tzar out on a walk with me. I felt really anxious so I let him off his leash so he could find the source of my anxiety and it turned out to be the usual suspect.

Does anyone else have one of these things watching them all the time? No matter where I go it’s watching me. Just like that. With a steady gaze. I think it is reading my mind.

The strange thing is Tzar causes anxiety in other people and animals too. But I I think in the process that is what helps me feel better. Then Tzar goes back on the leash and we return home.