Karndean Issue...

Hi All

I had two living rooms and a hall fitted with Karndean around 2 months ago.

We weren't happy with a lot of little issues like raised boards, large gaps etc and asked the fitter to remedy them before he left. We had to ask him a few times and he came back and fixed a few issues, but not all. Some fixes were good I.e. Replace boards etc but some were terrible I.e. Orange colour filling in the centre of the floor!

There was also a weird issue in all 3 areas where the edges of the boards/adhesive could be seen - this resulted in white lines across all 3 areas in the daytime (when the sun shone)

We raised a complaint and the manager of the company came out to investigate. He agreed that there was some shoddy workmanship and that these issues would be sorted out. However, he wanted to speak to Karndean about the 'white lines' in case it was a manufacturing issue.

Karndean came out to do a site visit, and reported back that there were no manufacturing issues and that the White lines seemed to have been caused by a number of issues. One issue being high points in the subfloor. The fitter actually gave the floor two screeds!!

The supplier has now said that they will come and repair all issues...

I asked how they were going to remedy the white lines and was informed that they would come out and use filler to match the floor (dark brown)...

I wasn't happy and said I'd get back to them about this... As it seemed to be that they just wanted to 'paint over the cracks' - literally!!

Has anyone got any advice on this?

Here are some photos:

 

Had same problem with the same colour. It's Da Vinci Australian Walnut isn't it?

I laid one few years back an from one same of the room looked great but other side lots of white lines. Imo isn't a product fault that. I was lucky as customer never said anything.
The floor I laid on was plywood an was flat. It was 100% product fault.

 

It's very similar to Australian walnut...

It's Medici Merbau. Darker than the Aus Walnut.

To be honest, if it wasn't for the rest of the issues - really poor bits where you'd stub your toe or gaps so wide you'd lose your change down it then I don't think we'd have noticed these lines in time to make the complaint.

I've only paid 50% of the invoice so far... I'm not trying to get away with a cheap floor. We actually want the floor sorted and are willing to pay the full 100%!

Karndean as I said have come back and said not a fault which leaves me in limbo!

I'm really not happy with my floor getting filled though!

 

Any more pics of the gaps?
So what was the prep?
What was the sub floor?

 

You sure the Planks are not warped/Kinked/bent?
Were these flat to start with then over the days they started to peak?

 

Subfloor was floor board, then ply, then electric underfloor heating.

Then they put two different screeds down...

This was noticeable as soon as the job was completed. Boards had all been boxed up and in the room for over a week.

More pics

 

Do you know what adhesive was used? Was underfloor heading off before during an after ?

 

It was high temp adhesive throughout and the UFH was off till around 3 days after the job was 'complete'

And then it was only put to a max of 27 degrees...

 

That's correct then.
Are the planks moving when you push them down where the White lines are

 

When pushed down on the plank is there a sound like its tacky?

 

Nope... there isnt any movement in the boards.

 

So if the right adhesive is used and floor sounds like it's had a fibre screed over the plywood. Then prep is right. Could the fitter of laid the planks late into adhesive?

So the shop said its bad workmanship then? Did they use a sub contractor to fit the floor.

 

Re: Late into adhesive... not a clue... I didn't really watch what they were doing!

The shop has not kind of admitted that the white lines are due to bad workmanship... I think they were hoping that Karndean would admit a product fault but they haven't.

BUT, the shop has admitted that the other issues are bad workmanship which they would need to resolve (change boards etc) and they have come back and said they would now resolve the white lines with a colour match filler... But as far as I'm concerned... the gaps will still be there, the board will still be raised etc!

I mean - would filler be a usual tool to be used/needed in Karndean fitting? I thought the boards should sit snugly together with no gaps etc? They seem to think its OK to fill them to cure this issue...!?

 

Should be no gaps at all. Have the gaps appeared now or been like that since fitted.
Good thing is you ain't paid yes so they will have to fix it all.

 

Been like this since fitted!!

So are you saying 'yes' that filler is used... or it shouldnt be?

How would you advise that its fixed? Relaid??

 

The white lines have got to be excess glue? can't it clean out istead of using colour sealent?

 

Daz, I agree the with what you're saying that the process of prep seems correct but I'm just wondering if the execution is to blame? For all we know the screed isn't flat and could've benefitted from a buff prior to Karndean going down. Especially when the board isn't springy. Having said all that, I know where you're coming from on dark Da Vinci colours. They do have a tendency to show a whitish edge.

 

Im not sure... I haven't got a spare board to check. I thought it was the edge of the board?!

If its excess glue, then surely if its cleaned out then the 'gap' will be even worse...?

 

I do remember him using a buffer with a copper plate thing?

Some of these edges raised i.e. I can run my nails across the floor and my nails will stop on the raised parts...

I guess what I'm looking for here is what I should be requesting as suitable repair? Is filler widely used in Karndean fitting? Should I be requesting that the whole thing is relaid etc?

 

If it's been fitted an there is gaps then you want a new floor. I wouldn't want a filler put in.
When I had the problems there wasn't gaps you could just see white lines on a lot of the planks.

tell the shop your not happy about a filler being used and want the floor laid correctly.