engineered oak

[audievo]

We must however adhere to manufacturers spec or run the risk of invalidating our customer warranty.
Fitters will always leave themselves open to blame unless the follow instructions to the letter.

You go fit 50m2 of grandeur skirts etc and it goes wrong, now no matter what the reason for the failure the manufacturer will simply say, wrong u/lay, no claim, and leave you to sort it out with the customer.

 

[WoodYouLike]

If you check the underlayment manufacturers technical info you'll fall foul to their instructions if you use a combi-product over a sub or underfloor they do not recommend for their product.

Floor-fitters between a rock and a hard place then?

No, if you inform your own clients about all the facts and use your own insight (training, experiences) and follow the basic rules on installation you are never to blame. Commons sense is still rather common among clients - not sure about this in regards of manufacturers though.

 

[audievo]

You overide the manufacturers instructions and invalidate their warranty and ask your customer if they are happy with this?
Not sure customers would go for that and i'm not sure i would want to indemnify it.
I would rather follow manufacturers instructions so if anything fails i know it wasn't anything i've done.
Ten years ago manufacturers did say pe foam was fine on ground floor floorboards and that is what i used then.
Now they have changed their minds, must be a reason for it so now thats what i do.
I'm sure the might of balterio must have expert opinion as to why the change and the reasons i have been given seem fair enough to me, so i do what it says on the box.

 

[WoodYouLike]

So instead of using your own mind/brain/knowledge you hide behind the manufacturers (changing) instructions on the box.

And because of what it says on their box, the whole science of ventilation, condensation and air-circulation has changed too?

 

[audievo]

I do what is required to stay withinin the warranty.
Science of ventilation? so how is this science fine when covering the same floor with vinyl? surely that would have the same detrimental effect as you are saying i would have by using a dpm.
Opinions of what is best change over time and it seems the opinion of more and more manufactureres seems to be moving towards the use of a dpm pretty much regardless of the subfloor composition.
Month after month we read in the cfj the importance of following manufacturers instructions or ignore at your peril yet you are saying you will stick with your method regardless of what the manufacturers say.
I think it's best to leave it here, i will carry on doing what it says on the tin and you will i'm sure ignore them all and keep doing what your doing.

 

[WoodYouLike]

I do what is required to stay withinin the warranty.

That still puts you between manufacturers: floor manufacturers saying one thing on the tin, underlayment manufacturers saying another thing on the tin.

Which of the "tins" do you follow then?

 

[audievo]

No dpm u/lay manufacturers say their u/lay is unsuitable for use on floorboards.
Infact the u/lay i am currently using says
dpm should be used on all concrete subfloors and also on any floor which may allow moisture to pass through.
ie: draughty gappy floorboards with cold dampair passing through the gaps.
So they are all in agreement.
Tell you what, i'll email quick-step about their new engineered wood and see what they say.
Or maybe not as i'm sure you will still say they are wrong.
Seems it makes no difference what i or any manufacturers say you will stick with your way.
BTW you still haven't told me how it's ok to fit karndean over floorboards, which is in effect sticking a dpm over the floor.