Ridge appeared in Amtico floor...

[Benjiboy]

A narrow (half-inch) 20" ridge has appeared in my upstairs bathroom Amtico floor. It's directly over a continous line that would run from the continuation of one side of the airing cupboard out to where it meets the pedestal. It's the width of the airing cupboard out from the nearest wall. One portion of the ridge slopes to the right whereas another part slopes away to the left. It's in the same direction as my floorboards.

The installer, a well-known High Street store that's never knowingly undersold, say they'll need to completely lift the floor before deciding where the problem lies. If it's the plywood, they'll pay. If they decide it's the floorboards, I'll have to pay for a new floor.

I've said that, surely their ply was laid at right-angles to the floorboards for strength so it must be a problem with the ply, but they're not having that.

I'm reluctant to let them be judge & jury over what might be their own error.

Any suggestions, folks?

 

[andy3101]

A narrow (half-inch) 20" ridge has appeared in my upstairs bathroom Amtico floor. It's directly over a continous line that would run from the continuation of one side of the airing cupboard out to where it meets the pedestal. It's the width of the airing cupboard out from the nearest wall. One portion of the ridge slopes to the right whereas another part slopes away to the left. It's in the same direction as my floorboards.

The installer, a well-known High Store that's never knowingly undersold, say they'll need to completely lift the floor before deciding where the problem lies. If it's the plywood, they'll pay. If they decide it's the floorboards, I'll have to pay for a new floor.

I've said that, surely their ply was laid at right-angles to the floorboards for strength so it must be a problem with the ply, but they're not having that.

I'm reluctant to let them be judge & jury over what might be their own error.

Any suggestions, folks?

Have you tried contacting Amtico technical department for advice? I had a serious problem with my Amtico floor a couple of years ago and contacted them to discuss the problem and get advice. It resulted in a site visit from their technical manager to look at the problem first hand. After investigation and testing, the problem was ascertained and things moved on from there with regard to who was responsible for putting it right.

 

[Benjiboy]

No, I haven't done that. I'm in Glasgow and I think Amtico are in Coventry, but I could talk to them and see what they say.

Anyone offer any suggestions about what the cause of the ridge might be?

 

[andy3101]

Well plywood does expand and should be laid with expansion gaps. A problem could be caused by heat or moisture and if there are no gaps the ply could expand/swell upwards. Are there CH or hot water pipes underneath the floor at the point where the problem is occurring? Has the amtico been sealed at the edges to prevent moisture transfer down to the plywood. Standing water could also seep down through edges of individual planks if not laid correctly.

 

[Benjiboy]

Thanks for the suggestion of the ridge being caused by an inadequate expansion gap forcing the ply edge upwards. You may well be correct.

No, there are no central heating (it's 8mm micro-bore in use) or hot water pipes near the ridge.
No, there has never been a standing water problem anywhere on the bathroom floor. Any drops have been dried up immediately and the ridge is well away from the bath or basin.

Yes, the Amtico has been very neatly and thinly silicone-sealed all around.

The big issue is whether it's my floorboards or their plywood. And I'm not making much headway with the installer.

 

[flooringman]

You will not know the definite answer until the flooring is taken up, which is a course of action you should allow the installer to take.

Be there when they come to rectify the problem so you can see for yourself what the cause is.

The ply normally used is 6mm. wbp and although ply can expand, on this thickness it would only be minimal. Floorboards should have been checked before the flooring went down but they can move at a later date.

If you are really worried about them "fobbing you off" you could go with the suggestion made by andy and involve Amtico or you could get an independent assessor but this may well cost you.

See what they say when they return and let us know.

I know mattysupra will give you good advice.

 

[Benjiboy]

That's very helpful, thank you.

The bathroom was fairly new when the Amtico was put down. The bathroom installers had already sheeted the floorboards in readiness with 6mm ply but the Amtico installer put down other 6mm sheets on top of the first. There's 12mm of ply under the Amtico. Something to do with nailheads the installer's rep. told me when he inspected the floor the other week.

He had done the original floor survey after the bathroom fitters had left and it was his idea to put down the additional sheeting, and he remembered the job.

 

[mattysupra]

sounds to me like something has moved under the plywood that the bathroom fitters have installed. Its impossible to say tho without uplifting the flooring to see.

 

[Benjiboy]

I had a phone call today from the floorcoverings department of the High Street store that's never knowingly undersold. After weeks of wrangling by e-mail, they sent out a fitter, a joiner and a flooring inspector. Unfortunately I wasn't able to be at the site meeting so I'm relying on the description of their findings as given by the floorcoverings person over the phone.

They lifted the Amtico tiles above the ridge and found that the plywood had developed a fault. She could not be more specific. The remedy is a no-cost-to-me complete Amtico re-lay but with the addition of a product called Flex 700, which I've never heard of, which is to be closely screwed down before the fresh tiles are applied. She could not say whether or not the top 6mm layer of ply is being taken up, but I suspect it will be.

The original job was done 3 years ago last March.

This major retailer, never knowingly undersold, have offered this explanation without any attempt to dodge the blame for the defect and I must say that their final approach to the problem has been exemplary.

 

[Petest67]

Flex 700 is made by F Ball and is a flexible smoothing compound that can be used over ply as well as steel. Its great stuff and moves with the floor without cracking. I use it over ply if I'm installing a design floor. Failsafe product.