If you have floated a solid wood floor, that’s part of your problem, the fact you still have old vinyl down underneath sets off even more alarm bells regarding poor prep and the floor not being fitted to spec.
Wooden floor warping
- Thread starter DIY67
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He said it makes no difference if only adding extra cushioning. I can't see what harm it would do. Besides it would be sitting on cold concrete if you took the lino away. There is Wood Fibre Laminate and Wood Flooring Underlay over he lino anyway.
Firstly, you should never float a solid wood floor.
Secondly, Sheet vinyl is cushion floor with a bounce to it, no wood flooring should be fitted on a bouncy underlay.
And that's before potential mositure issues that may be present in the subfloor assuming it has'nt been tested (as there is sheet vinyl down that has'nt been lifted.)
Were these people that fitted the floor builders? handymen? or professional floor layers? (serious question)
This was my first thought but I wasn't sure. Nothing about this floor lay seems to of been done right i'm sorry to say.
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A self employed builder/property repair. I don't want to go too much into the person as he in the main did a good job with other work he did for us but, as much as I appreciate the advise and knowledge, I think posting here is going to be under intense scrutiny whatever way it was done. I honestly don't think the lino is the issue here. Again, it is another layer of insulation from a very cold concrete floor and it is sitting on proper underlay. The lvt floor in the bathroom he laid is great.
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Does the floor go all the way to the wall under the cupboards. As it could be touching the end wall under the cupboards.
The intense scrutiny is because we think its has not been fitted correctly leading to "cupping" as it expands. It looks like it has but does this floor have a coating - did the chap do it or was it like that out the box (factory lacquered )
What do the box instructions say about laying the floor.
Does your floor go all the way to the wall under the cupboards.
Another thing about the picture here is that he has put down a lot of the short planks right in the main walkway, It could just be my OCD but I dont think this is best practice either as that leads o lots of joins in the heavy traffic area. 1/4 way up from the bottom of the picture I can see 3 short pieces all in a row.
The intense scrutiny is because we think its has not been fitted correctly leading to "cupping" as it expands. It looks like it has but does this floor have a coating - did the chap do it or was it like that out the box (factory lacquered )
The harm it would do is partly what you are experiencing. I agree with what crazydayz has said lino should of been removed and probably added a proper DPM then the correct underlay for the Oak or as I was suspecting the full real oak should not be a floating floor - it should be nailed to a wooden sub floor or possibly glued but I am not to sure about the glue. I fitted my oak floor as a floating one but it was engineered oak and was supposed to be fitted that way with each T+G glued.
What do the box instructions say about laying the floor.
Does your floor go all the way to the wall under the cupboards.
Another thing about the picture here is that he has put down a lot of the short planks right in the main walkway, It could just be my OCD but I dont think this is best practice either as that leads o lots of joins in the heavy traffic area. 1/4 way up from the bottom of the picture I can see 3 short pieces all in a row.
Is it this one
woodpeckerflooring.co.uk
York Select Oak | Woodpecker Flooring
This solid wood flooring is warm-toned & welcoming, each board meticulously brushed to enhance its natural textures. Guaranteed for 100 years.
woodpeckerflooring.co.uk
Whilst I appreciate you have a failed floor and it must be frustrating, I personally have 30 years experience in the flooring industry and daily come across issues with various hard floors installed by builders and handymen.
Woodpecker do not state that ANY of their solid wood floors can be installed as a floating floor, all must be bonded or secured nailed to a correctly prepared subfloor with appropriate expansion gaps allowed.
If you clink the link above ^ and scroll to installation instructions, the link takes you to Woodpeckers generic solid wood floor installation guide, a quick skim read should confirm to you that the builder has completely messed up the floor preparation and installation. This is REALLY common, like I say, I come across this kind of thing almost daily, laying a solid wood floor is an Art, you don’t get any of the ‘leeway’ that an engineered floor floated correctly MAY give you. Solid floors are a different matter entirely (not that Enginnered doesn’t still need particular specifications to be followed for best results).
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We do not know for sure what the OP has used as I also came across this - which is engineered. https://www.wickes.co.uk/W-by-Woodp...MI2qCd3-jgiQMVgZBQBh35SwKhEAQYASABEgIz4PD_BwE
When I did my house I knew nothing about oak vs engineered and reading up on full oak I ran a mile from it !! Why anyone would want to lay full oak I do not understand, what benefits does it have over engineered, it seems nightmare stuff.
When I did my house I knew nothing about oak vs engineered and reading up on full oak I ran a mile from it !! Why anyone would want to lay full oak I do not understand, what benefits does it have over engineered, it seems nightmare stuff.
You are correct although Woodpecker is a well known quality wood floor manufacturer. There are no quality Solid Wood Floors that I know of that are suitable for a floating installation though.
With regards to the differences between Solid and Engineered, again, advantages of old were supeseeded some time ago now that most quality Engineered wood floors can be installed both as a Floating or Fully Stuck installation. Solid Wood does indeed have a number of disadvantages over Engineered from perfect floor prep requirements, more costly and time consuming installation costs and by it's nature being less 'stable' and prone to seasonal movement/opening etc.
I cant see why anyone would want full oak in that case.
@crazydaze what are your thoughts on my issue with using too many short pieces in busy areas, am I being OTT.
I appreciate your opinions but this pile on isn't helping. I am already pretty depressed about it and just want to make the best of it having already spent good money. I am not a floor specialist so wasn't to know. I can only trust someone who does a lot of work for clients (some big expensive jobs in large houses)
having said all that I appreciate the help nevertheless.
Here are the details as we still have a full box and a half left. Again, he over ordered, not myself.
Attachments
Its not a pile on we are trying to help you - myself from a DIY perspective and @crazydaze from a pro expert. We have been making guesses as to what is wrong and trying to sort it we keep telling you what we think is wrong and you just keep brushing it off and defending your fitter.
Its disappointing that the chap who fitted it has done it wrong, as you say he has done good work in the past for other stuff and you are not a floor expert and so you relied on him.
So original vynal flooring was left in place, then an underlay was put down on top of that, then not enough or zero expansion gap was left. And the floor was fitted as a floating floor when it should of been fixed to the base floor.
A floating floor is where the planks are glued together and a perimeter gap is left all around the room the whole floor acts as one. Although this floor was put down wrongly as a floating floor when it should of bee glued down - was it at lest glued together via the tongue and grove.
And how did he manage to over order by over 2 square meters on what looks like a small kitchen at about 8m2 (forgive me if I am wrong on the size.)
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As your full kitchen has been fitted I would say the only thing to do to try and sort it out is take off the skirting and undercut the door lining / frame.
At the door lining cover the gap with bead. and at the skirting take off the bottom 1 inch of plaster to give more gap then remove the last plank and replace with one that is wider so that when the skirt is put back on the floor it is well under the skirt. But it may be a waste of time if its touching the wall under the units
At the door lining cover the gap with bead. and at the skirting take off the bottom 1 inch of plaster to give more gap then remove the last plank and replace with one that is wider so that when the skirt is put back on the floor it is well under the skirt. But it may be a waste of time if its touching the wall under the units
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