Engineered Floor is Lifting

Many thanks Ken, some useful info...

Correct, the surveyor is independent, appointed by the surveyor to manage the building work for me.

One final Q, do you consider a silicon bead to be an acceptable detail where the skirting meets the new wood floor? Is this something you've seen before with finished works?? I've got a feeling the builder will be happy to remove the silicone bead but will be looking at every reason to avoid adjusting/replacing the skirtings. After all, what I consider to be an unsightly gap beneath the skirting is really a wavy cut, which annoys me, but may be considered acceptable by someone else less pedantic. Also, this could have been avoided if they'd done it properly.

best regards.....

I have a couple of thoughts here

- silicone around the edge is a great idea, and we have done it through the entire house. It means a wet mop won't cause the (MDF) skirting to take in water and get damaged.
- Surely it would be easy to remove the skirting, clear the gap, and fit new skirting on top of the wood floor? That way it will be 10-20mm taller than it is now, covering any damage caused by the removal?

blackbirdxx, good evening. [my lunch break is long over]

As phatboy above, a deeper skirt is a well proven way out of such situations?

As for the silicon bead, yes in potentially "wet" areas yes often, not quite so much "everywhere"

If you do "slice / cut" the bead, there will be a permanent area waiting to trap dust and dirt??

Removal of the bead could? lead to a discoloration on both the skirting and the floor, also most Mastic's do not like paint so a repaint of the skirting may look Naff?? with the added problem of dirt adhering to the floor where the mastic was, result is a thin dark line around the room?

Back to basics do not get "bulldozed" by the builder and the Surveyor, both of whom, by now are screaming for you to sign on the bottom line, why? because the pair of them can then send in there invoices to be paid, that is the rule in such Insurance set ups.

If you are still not happy with the floor / skirting and [other, non specified] issues call your insurance Adjuster in the first instance and discuss with them if that fails call the insurer and as previous post complain? A so called "Expression of Dissatisfaction" this is the exact phrasing used in insurance Complaint Circles???

At present you are in a good place, may not seem so right now, because you have used the insurers preferred contractor the Insurer has to ensure you are satisfied, imagine if you had taken a cash settlement, hung out to dry, project managing the entire repair, arguing with a local contractor Etc. Etc. Etc.

Thanks guys,

Exactly, thats why I've left the repairs entirely to the insurer. They were originally wanting me to get estimates and manage it myself but coordinating all the different trades while doing a days work would be ridiculous.

The application of a silicone bead does seem a good idea to stop moisture but it also stops the floor expanding into the perimeter gap as I have possibly found, doesn't it? Based on this fact, I would have thought a bead wouldn't be used. I don't want to be saying all this next week at the meeting if its common place to apply a silicone bead to a new floor with no adverse affects.

thanks again...

I personally haven't seen silicon used in that situation, there's probably a good reason for that!
Am I right in thinking that instead of removing the skirting the builder has tried to trim a few mm of the bottom of the skirting all around the room?

Thats correct Catlad. Skirtings were installed with a 15mm nominal gap prior to the laying of the floor. When it was found the best part of a 30mm gap was required, the builder decided to undercut the skirting rather than remove it and upset the décor. This resulted in a wavy cut line with gaps which he disguised with a silicone bead that I refer to. Unfortunately, the silicone bead has probably prevented the floor thermally moving and caused it to lift in the middle.

It is likely that the bead will now have to be removed. What I don't want is to be pressured into having to accept this underskirt wavy gap rather than having the skirtings replaced and doing it all properly.

blackbirdxx said:

Thats correct Catlad. Skirtings were installed with a 15mm nominal gap prior to the laying of the floor. When it was found the best part of a 30mm gap was required, the builder decided to undercut the skirting rather than remove it and upset the décor. This resulted in a wavy cut line with gaps which he disguised with a silicone bead that I refer to. Unfortunately, the silicone bead has probably prevented the floor thermally moving and caused it to lift in the middle.

It is likely that the bead will now have to be removed. What I don't want is to be pressured into having to accept this underskirt wavy gap rather than having the skirtings replaced and doing it all properly.

Click to expand...

I'm no flooring expert, but I don't buy that silicone seal can prevent the movement of the floor, I think it would simply break the seal in order to move. The seal has some natural elasticity anyway.

The floor having been badly laid without the correct expansion gap seems more likely, especially if it were laid during the hot weather a few weeks ago.....

As much as you would like the silicone to be the cause of the issue, it won't be.

The floor is pushing against more than a flexible seal. As to if that is the skirting or the wall you won't know until some skirting is taken off.

As to why the floor is expanding in the first place, was any work done to the concrete subfloor? Has the flooring been washed or mopped with a wet mop?

Thanks for the response. Floor layer removed some skirting and found the problem of the floor touching the wall at a certain point. This has now been rectified and the silicone bead reinstated.

blackbirdxx said:

Thanks for the response. Floor layer removed some skirting and found the problem of the floor touching the wall at a certain point. This has now been rectified and the silicone bead reinstated.

Click to expand...

Whilst encouraging that this issue has been found, any indication as to why the floor expanded so much?

Again, was any work done to the concrete subfloor prior to the Engineered flooring being fitted??

Total mystery as to why the floor expanded, especially as it was well acclimatised and was laid during that warm spell when you would think it would shrink rather than expand. FYI it was laid on suspended timber floor rather than concrete slab. Anyway, now have a guarantee period to monitor this floor through the various seasonal changes.

best regards....