Traditional cap + cove or European style with no cove former?

Traditional cap + cove or European style with no cove former?

What is your preference?

Do you know how to install both methods?

I ask as FloorSkills at present only teaches traditional style cap + cove on our courses (same as all other training centres / manufactures. However as a trial we have started teaching how to install European style with no cove former and butterfly corners to the apprentices along with the traditional style.

The results so far (30 apprentices been trained so far)

The results we are seeing for European style installation is -

• Apprentices completing same task in 1/4 of the time compared to same area done traditional cap + cove
• Mitres and welds are massively improved
• Almost all mistake cuts have been eliminated.

The feedback form apprentices and employers-

• They have never seen this style done before by their employeers
• Feedback from employers is they have not seen this method and want to learn themselves !
• Overall the apprentices have gone from disliking cap + cove to finding it easy and enjoying the style of install.
• Only 1 person out of 30 so far prefer the look of cap + cove compared to European style.

So whats your thoughts? Do you do this style? Do you know how to do this style? would you like to learn? Should FloorSkills introduce this style of fitting to there cap + cove course or possible run a separate course on how to install European style?

Is it about time we took a step forward and walked away from what is a flaud method of installing safety flooring and take note of what the Europeans are doing ?

 

Yep I've done it before !
No coving was requested in a warehousee because trollies they used where catching the cove with the wheels & there low metal base !

Its quicker to install & better to weld coz yoru welding on the flat !

 

The funny thing is, this is not a new method. Its been around years but not in the u.k. I first came across it maybe 20 + years ago and wanted to learn how to do it as it baffled me how the installer had done it. Eventually i managed to get trained by tarkett's top installer in Holland around 18 years ago. Was a very difficult course for me as he didnt speak English so i had to watch and learn without asking questions.

However i brought his methods back with me and over the years i managed to perfect what i was shown. if it was a cap + cove course and the person teaching me didnt speak English i would of had no chance. However this style of install is very easy when you know how.


I introduced it into the hospitals i used to work in and they loved the idea and was very happy with the results. As i was so much quicker installing this way i was charging the same money but upgrading the flooring product the hospital was getting. It was a win - win situation. The hospital was getting better quality flooring, it was installed in less time and i was earning more money !

However, as soon as it came to a tender job that specified 'cove former' etc i was struggling to get my foot in the door. They was not interested in my magical European style of installing. If i could turn back the clock im sure i could convert most of them now through experience i have gained on how to sell a product and a system over the years. This experience i now pass on to the apprentices and people on courses. Im also in a very different position now where architects / designers phone me to question new systems they are shown by installers while quoting. I back this system, tarkett and altro will also back it. Difference was years ago they would phone someone behind a desk with a big book and if it wasn't in the book the answer was always no.

 

I dont think the speed is gained by not installing cove former. With European style you need the walls plastered down to the sub-floor. I found that i was spending just as much time with rapid repairing walls so no gain in speed here.

The speed gain is in the actual install and welding.

to give you a idea of speed gain, the apprentises are taking around 1 + half day to learn and install cap + cove. i have a very limited few that i would say are doing a acceptable job. Almost all have mad error with cuts, poor welds and generally are making a mess of traditional cap + cove. These are apprentices that have being doing this method with their employees for the last year also.

As soon as they are shown the European method they are completing the same task in around 2 hours ! The quality of the install they are doing for most of them is far better than 99% of safety flooring jobs i see. They are producing some high quality work.

As for the cuts. When i was trained i was using a template to cut every mitre that you could also use as a guide to groove etc. Fool proof template that makes things so simple. FloorSkills now factories this template and all apprentices use the template on the course. If you use the template you cant go wrong. Its simple. Even cuts your infill bits perfect also.

 

LOL, trimmer was on a course when i decided i would have a go at doing European style. Been a few years since i had done it and to be fair i should of done a practice run but went in balls deep and went for it.

Well i only cocked it up

soon came back to me with a stupid mistake i had just made with 10 people watching me while i had a sweat on thinking to myself " i really should of tried this before i show it "

Its rare i cock up and when i do i can normally cover it up, this time there was no recovery! LOL

 

Its the same just no cove the only difference is the internal & externals are welded on the wall !

 

Thats bad. My apprentices on first attempt are producing much better work than those pictures.

 

Funny you say that, the template's i have being made at moment and being tested by the apprentices are 'v' but im going to get them changed so they cut a 'u' . Or at least get one made and try it.

The only bit the apprentices are struggling with at the moment is the bottom of the 'v' when welding. I think making it a 'u' will sort this issue.

However if i have them made to cut a 'u' it will end up being a double sided template. I can see mistakes happening again. We will see tho, i will get them to all have a go and if we start seeing cock up cuts i will dump the templates.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ni57m2zVYxo&feature=youtube_gdata_player