A subcontractor glued down Anderson 1/2″ thick 4-1/2″ wide plank engineered flooring on a concrete slab-on-grade using PB Plank and Parquet flooring adhesive using a V-notch trowel. The instructions on the bucket said to use 1/4″ square notch trowel, and not to use a V-notch. Consequently, the spread rate was about 25% less than what it should have been. Now the floor has developed several hollow spots. The subcontractor says that is normal and he will use a small drill and inject some adhesive into the hollow spots. The owners have misgivings about this approach. What should I have the subcontractor do to fix this.
Thanks,
Al
Charleston, SC
Replies
If you can prove that the wrong trowel was used, then the sub should bear all costs to fix the problem. Start documentating everything. You said he used a v-notch trowel ... how do you know? Get a copy of the mfgr installation instructions that state not to use a v-notch. How long ago was the floor installed? How old was the concrete slab? And when did they start using slabs in Charleston? I thought everything there was pier & beam.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
Ed,
Thanks for your reply. When I returned to the job at the end of the day, I saw the V-notch trowels in the buckets. I brought up my concern then, but they said no problem, they always used V-notch. But now the floor has several hollow spots. Should I have them remove and replace the flooring. Or only address the hollow spots. I'm concerned about future hollow spots due to the improper installation.
This is a new subdivision of Charleston. Many new houses are on slab-on-grade if flood concerns don't cause them to be raised on CMU piers. This particular house was built in 1994 and this job was a remodeling. Flooring was installed this past May.
Al
So the slab is old enough that it has fully cured ... that takes slab moisture out of the equation.
If you still owe them money ... I would send them a registered letter, politely explaining that it appears thay have installed the flooring improperly ... mention all the facts you can remember ... stick to the facts, no hype or guessing ... tell them the flooring has to be removed and installed properly. Otherwise it looks like the mfgr warranty is void ... can you cover that one?
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt