Karndean "luxury" vinyl planks... Nothing luxury about them.

We selected these planks on the recommendation of the flooring company our builder used.

The builder put down a plywood sub-floor between the new concrete slab and the vinyl flooring.

Soon after moving in we noticed gaps between the planks forming everywhere. Installers have been and gone many times, trying to glue down the planks again. Eventually Karndean sent a rep out and they took a plank away for testing.

After much time they went ahead and replaced all of the flooring. They acclimatised the planks for 48 hours then installed again. The install looked like the brochure, all the planks butted together nicely... but not for long.

The gaps are happening again, all over the place as per attached photos, and what once looked like a nice install looks terrible again.

Is this likely a problem with the planks?

Could it be a problem with the sub floor shrinking or expanding? I've measured the planks where the gaps are and they seem to be the correct length.

Very frustraing, and of course between the builder, the installer and the manufacturer no-one will take responsibility or be honest about what they think is causing it.

 

Do all the skirting boards have gaps under them?

 

What adhesive was used?

 

Yes all the skirting boards have gaps underneath them, then they put a seal of some sort of filler around them. That has all been trashed when they ripped the planks out and reinstalled them, so the skirting boards are in a sorry state right now.

I am not sure of what adhesive has been used exactly. Originally they were talking about pressure sensitive adhesive used in some places, the second installation they did they applied adhesive pretty much everywhere to ensure the planks were stuck down to the sub-floor.

 

Here's a few more pics for context as to how easy these gaps are to see from normal standing height, and some other close ups.

 

The other pics:

 

So you have plywood glued to the new concrete slab?

 

Was a moisture test carried out on the concrete before the plywood went down? Has anyone tested the moisture content of the plywood since you first noticed the problem?

 

Just a theory, i could be wrong, but possibly plywood laid on a damp concrete slab, the moisture causes the plywood to expand into the gap under the skirting boards, taking the karndean with it

 

Yes, the plywood is either glued or pinned to the slab in some way, not sure what they did.

Is this moisture problem with plywood subfloors a common thing?

Assuming I wanted some independent advice, who would be the right person to get out and run these tests? I figure asking an unrelated flooring company to take a look might not work as they may not be interested unless they have the chance to sell a job.

Thanks for your support with this too by the way, much appreciated!

 

Plywood onto concrete isn't a common thing, the majority of subfloors are usually all timber construction or all solid, so when the fitters walked in and saw a plywood floor, damp issues probably wouldn't have crossed their mind. You could try karndean again, an independent inspector would be ideal, but would be expensive, if i am right about the problem, then really that's down to the builder.
I could be wrong, others on here might have other suggestions

 

Your plywood is ine of your problems!
What was the reason for putting ply over the concrete floor?

I'm surprised karndean hasn't raised that? (if they havnt already)

You mentioned in one of your posts that they were going to use pressure sensitive in 'some' places...we talking about with the ply fixing or the actual karndean?

....and when you mentioned they applied glue to pretty much everywhere to make sure the planks were stuck down then am I wrong in assuming you mean before they ripped it all out the planks were NOT all stuck??

 

Please tell me the builder didn’t install the flooring


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...sounds like they lose laid it in places

 

Firstly was it flooring grade ply ? Secondly was a damp test carried out ? Thirdly how the hell did the karndean rep miss all the obvious signs of a badly prepped floor.

 

I thought I would attach some pics of the sub floor here, just to make sure i have my terms right.

How does this look in your opinion?

 

Yes, originally it seems they glued the planks around the edges of the room and the stuff in the middle as using sparing amount of glue.

The second time they put down a lot of glue all around the place.

Here is what the sub floor looks like and you can maybe tell the type of glue used from the pic:

 

That explains it better, you have a chipboard floor and looselay planks.
When you touch the subfloor, does your hand stick to it,or does it feel a bit gooey?

 

It is pretty sticky when I touch the subfloor.