How many of us follow guidelines or even understand guidelines. A guideline is any document that aims to streamline particular processes according to a set routine. By definition, following a guideline is never mandatory (protocol would be a better term for a mandatory procedure). Guidelines are an essential part of the larger process of governance. Guidelines may be issued by and used by any organization (governmental or private) to make the actions of its employees or divisions more predictable, and presumably of higher quality. IN BRIEF: Statements or other indications of policies or procedures by which to determine a course of action. So with the above in mind would you say a guidline is mandatory to follow to the letter or just a simple guide and not mandatory.
One answer to your question Jay might be (this being a question also),"if we all went on the flooring courses then would we go back out into the working environment with the correct guidelines for installing carpets/woods etc and following them differently than we already do.The answer might not apply to all including myself ie i use different adhesives than Amtico/Karndean because i believe i can create a better installation and i can guarantee that none of my work will go wrong.There are lots of differing answers to the topic such as the science of LVT acclimatisation as Matt has pointed out many times as you will have read by going back through the previous posts,i agree his belief that the product has got to be cooler in temp than the subfloor in order to get a tight neat clean finish.I suppose as i finish answering what is a "good-Topic" is that written guidelines for the written rules may not always be the best and correct way to go on for all.
Good points Blade I'm just trying to find out what everyones interpritation of guidelines are I'm not going to bash anyone that doesn't follow them as I feel they are just a guide to the finnal result.
Jay are you talking about guidelines or instructions? To answer your question if you mean them to be the same and going off on a bit of a tangent (as I so often do!!) - I am of the understanding that the Highway Code is not in fact law itself but a set of guidelines as how we should drive a vehicle and use the highway. Having said that, if we contravene the code then we open ourselves up to the prospect of prosecution. In other words the guidelines are there to tell us how things SHOULD be done not how things MUST be done. There is a help forum not a million miles from here (which a few of us are familiar with) and one of the most annoying questions asked is "I've just bought some wood/laminate/weetabix flooring and the instructions say it can only be nailed down. Is it alright if I fix it down with Blu-tac?" Well of course it isn't you chump otherwise it would have said so in the instructions. If you choose to install by a method other than that recommended by the manufacturer then don't expect them to stand by any warranty given. This must also apply to ourselves - if we put down a Karndean floor we should be using Karndean adhesive - I always (hmm usually ) do or we don't expect backup from them. You pays yer money and you.......
For the avoidance of doubt regarding my previous post concerning the other forum, I am of the firm opinion that if it is genuine there is no such thing as a stupid question.
I do not use Amtico/kDEAN OWN ADHESIVE unless a customer specifies me to do so.I believe in my ability to install these products without a comeback.What you need to know is that when i first started fitting these products the glue manufacturer was a different one that they both now use,to me its their name on a tin and not a flooring adhesive specialist manufacturer ie Uzin or Fball etc.
I do not know anyone that uses the correct mushroom gripper when fitting feltbacks that gets them stretch tight,i use spray to aid a install but it isnt Kosher,does this help the topic Jay?.
Yeah everything helps Blade I wasn't after who did or didn't use this or do that its more a case of us installers/fitters interpretation of guidelines do we see it more as an instruction to follow or merely a guide that doesn't necessarily have to be adhered to.
If we all stuck to the guidelines then nobody would come up with new 'better' methods of installation. I think its common sence what you can do and cant do. for instance you would follow the guidelines on not fitting a woodfloor if the concrete was wet/damp but you may decide not to follow the guidlines that say start the first row of woodflooring in a doorway and decide to start on the other wall oposite the doorway.
Jay, good question. In my opinion it very much depends who wrote the guidelines and for what reason. DIY-shed guidelines on installing wooden floor?
Hi all, first post for me. I find that if you blindly follow rules and regulations, you wont appreciate why those rules are in place. In other words, a trainee, say, will do a task exactly as you've told him to do it, but won't appreciate why he has to do it in that particular way...........er ....if you know what I mean.... It makes sense to me, anyway !!!!!
Good post Sid but why did you join in october last year and only just contributed?,This country needs you!,by the way "where is Owen Hynes"?.
Theres a fine line between my wish to share my relative ignorance with others and my hatred for computers! As for this particular thread, it's worth remembering that someone somewhere gets paid to amend and expand regulatory standards...it wouldn't be in their interests to sit back and say "my work here is done".......it's best to take any rules with a large pinch of salt and apply your own experience and common sense..... For instance, previous posts have mentioned mushroom tape as the standard for feltbacks, but why would anyone bother using it? After all, it wont stick unless you prime with spray, so you may as well just use the spray on its own which is perfectly adequate! Hope this doesn't sound like a rant but, honestly, you'd have to be a certified window licker to blindly follow the regs.
Hi sidney and welcome to the forum. Spray adhesive is a very good primer but it wont be long before its banned due to how hazardous the stuff is. Alot of people dont realise how dangerous the stuff and the amount of trouble you could be in if something was to happen to your customer. There have been a few cases involving spray and peoples health but for some reason people dont get to hear about it. Ideally you should be priming the floor with a proper primer which is only good as a primer, hence then you would use mushroom tape. Also Spray adhesive has a habbit of drying out under felt backed carpets and cause issues further down the line.
