am i at fault

[marsaday]

i have fitted my oak floor from neutral timber and had a really hard time doing it.

it turns out the boards were not cut accurately on the machine and they have since retooled this to sort out the problems (in USA). so when the boards were laid out they didn't fit together properly. it was most noticable on the long lengths and i didnt cut out the bend towards the end. the floor looks ok, but it has some big gaps which i have filled with sawdust.

is this my fault for not realising the problem with the wood or ther fault?

i will be buying some more timber next yr when i convert our loft and not sure whether to use these guys again.

the timber was 8" solid edged and was glued and screwed. View media item 4201 View media item 4200 View media item 4202

 

[shenks]

Usually in cases like this it is as follows...

The bend/warp in the wood is due to a tooling problem and therefore it is a manufacturing issue which causes the goods to be 'inherently defective' (legal terminology sort of phrase) - so it's not your fault.

However, the only recourse you are likely to get is a refund for the timber from your supplier if you return it, and even then they may refuse now that it has been cut/altered (i.e. not in the condition in which it was supplied).

The time you have spent laying the floor, and possible the time you will spend taking up and relaying is not normally covered by the supplier as this would be consequential loss (with incidental costs?) and excluded by their T&Cs.

 

[marsaday]

no i wont be taking it up, just wish i had known about the fault being there before i laid it all.

when i do get some more timber, i will see if i can get a discount with them because of what happened. or maybe i will find a different supplier. the wood was "rustic oak" and was £20sqm for 8". so the price was attractive.

i may go up a grade as well next time.

 

[gregers]

you could if you felt you might be able to handle this job,is take the floor up and using a router put a chamfer on each board(basically a v joint),thus making a feature out of a problem,could look good in the end?

 

[mattysupra]

you are at fault because you fitted a faulty product that was visible before laying. As soon as you fit a probuct with a visible fault you own it.
Now this fault you have, are the boards different widths from one end to the other or just bowed?

 

[WoodYouLike]

the wood was "rustic oak" and was £20sqm for 8". so the price was attractive.

Sure, but value for money??? Cheap offers - cheap result I'm afraid.

 

[Mark Br]

i will be buying some more timber next yr when i convert our loft and not sure whether to use these guys again.

Why an earth would you even consider using them again

 

[marsaday]

well next time i will know what to expect. the woods were very attractive at the NEC show i went to and they looked ok people.

the floor doesnt look that bad, i can live with it, but has anyone got some recommendations on where to go.

cheap price doesnt always mean cheap quality. the wood is very good, but i think it is a new line they are bringing in from america. the price is basically wholesale. if the tooling is sorted i will condider them again because where can i get 10" long boards for £24sqm?

so has anyone got any decent alternatives. i cant afford expensive stuff. we either floor the area in wood or use chip board and carpet. the price has to be comparable to the chipboard and carpet.

 

[marsaday]

spoke to the guy just now.

they now cut in the uk to make sure the boards are even on all sides.

they have a product at £35sqm for an 11" oak board straight cut. that is good value and is character oak.

when i do the attic i will be looking at something like this.

 

[Mark Br]

spoke to the guy just now.

So did they offer you a refund/huge discount?

I still don't know why you would consider them. Their quality control is non existent

 

[marsaday]

he told me the problem they have had has disappeared because of their own cutting in the uk.

anyway i cant afford i quality product.

going for 11" board at £35sqm is pretty good.

has no one got any decent alternative suppliers i can check out? its all well and good slating someone, but what are the alternatives?

 

[WoodYouLike]

Sorry to disappoint you and most of us are not slanting.
£ 35.00 for Solid oak boards is questionable if you realise that the price of Oak has gone up tremendously this year (we - as retailer - are lucky to buy it in for that price!) and the market is now being bombarded with 'cheap' offers of which most of them are completely rubbish.

If you call it slanting, then we slant with a right to do so: protect the market, the name of the trade and the clients - you - from rubbish for which ultimately you pay too much and end up here or on other forums to ask for help/advice etc. Not that we mind answering any questions about wooden flooring or methods of installation - just bare in mind quality shows (in results, easy installation and price).

Alternatives: good decent high quality Wood-Engineered boards: Oak Rustic pre-oiled are sold around the same price.

 

[Mark Br]

Please don't get me wrong, I'm not slating you, I am questioning why you would want to go back to a company that you obviously realise supplied inferior quality goods.

If they sold them to you and you knew what you were getting board's that were not cut correctly then that is a different matter. But guessing that the fact you started this post that you didn't know.

Sure you got them for a good price, but as WYL has pointed out there are quality alternatives

 

[marsaday]

well timber neutral are still selling the wood at the same price i paid for it in feb of this yr. you are a retailer and so are selling at a higher price. i am going to the wholesaler.

as to going back to them, well i dont think the guy at the time knew the boards were faulty and they have found out the problem and so are ripping them down when they come in to the UK.

ok, so i got a bad lot and it shows, but if i had been a fitter like yourselves i could have sorted the problem easily by cutting out the bendy bits at the end on the long boards.

if you can tell me where i can get the big 11" boards from,for £35sqm i would be happy to see some alternatives.

it all about price i am afraid. the alternative is chipboard and carpet you see.

 

[chkee]

as to going back to them, well i dont think the guy at the time knew the boards were faulty and they have found out the problem and so are ripping them down when they come in to the UK.

...

if you can tell me where i can get the big 11" boards from,for £35sqm i would be happy to see some alternatives.

it all about price i am afraid. the alternative is chipboard and carpet you see.

i totally understand why you want to 'get a bargain price' but as with all 'bargains' it is BUYER BEWARE

you haven't said if the supplier will offer you something back as a gesture of goodwill so i presume they are just a wholesale yard shifting what they can and have no customer service standards so i am surprised you are returning to them

a few questions for you to consider asking yourself (no need to answer on here)

have you had seen any samples of this latest uk 'ripped' planking?

do they do it on site?

what is their quality control?

will they give you a reference list of who has fitted it to go and take a look?

why are you insistent on 11" width?
(if you go for a narrower width you will save money or get a higher grade finish)

you haven't said what thickness it is, 18mm oak is very heavy to be laying in an attic isn't it?

you describe as "character oak", this generally means it is the poorest quality timber from the outer most edge of the trunk and it is full of knots and scars with a heavy grain also may not be a very smooth planed finish (sometimes described as rustic)

this is the the exact opposite to "prime" grade which is from the heart of the trunk and has little or no knots and a much lighter grain

from the description this "character oak" would be the sort of planking to be laid in an olde worlde pub with a dark stain and a rough finish NOT what most would be considering for a modern home, you haven't said how traditional or modern your attic is to look (photos show some traditional furnishings with queen anne legs so I guess you are not looking for a very contemporary finish)

as an alternative and much lighter in weight and on your pocket would be to buy a variant of pine and stain that to oak, whilst pine can be knotty this "character oak" sounds like it will be also, various species offer different characteristics and a wide choice other than that you will see in the likes of wickes etc have a look at an old fashioned timber merchants - for example I have used this family owned business for years and they have their own milling facility http://www.whittentimber.co.uk/catalog/?node=aWQsMTAzNQ==