I have a client that has Quickstep perspective laid throughout the ground floor of their home. The product had been installed for some 4 months, when I was called to examine and issue with it. The wear layer at the bevelled edges was and is flaking off, visually it beared the signs of either a failed bond or water ingress, but there were no signs of bruising at the joins (usually a sure sign of exposure to moisture). Quickstep arranged for an independent inspector to view the floor, he tested the bond of the wear layer on a spare board using a sticky tape. He stated that it was unlikely to be a manufacturing fault as the board passed the tape test and the finish is applied individually on each bevel by a separate machine. As my clients floor was affected on all bevelled sides it ruled out a manufacturing fault as it would be virtually impossible for all four machines to be bonded the finish incorrectly in a production run. Quickstep also confirmed there were no reported faults of a similar nature relating to the batch code of my clients floor. The finish is flaking off the bevells randomly in various locations in the floor and is not directly related to any one particular room or area. In 20 years of supplying and fitting floors I have never seen this happen to a laminate floor, so I would assume that it relates particularly to either the location or use of the floor. Quickstep are of the opinion the floor has been over wetted during its maintenance and they are stating that even a small amount of moisture left in the bevells can cause this problem. I give the same maintenance advice to all of my clients and advise them to use the manufacturers specific products, the clients have owned laminate before and never had this problem so I am really puzzled why this has happened, and in such a short space of time, any thoughts?
maybe get someone like Sid Bourne to do the report for you? I dont understand the tape test as the product does not have a sprayed finish? Any pics?
I've seen a similar thing with quickstep, but it's more of an extra laminate coat on the bevel and when you rub it off it looks fine. Other than that quickstep is probably the only flooring product I have never had any issue with
the only issue i've ever encountered with any QS product is as per Merit's observations above in that there is occasionally an 'additional' layer / coat at the bevel which rubs off with a finger nail... installed mile upon mile of QS & apart from the above the only problem I ever had was a bizarre one... had a one off board with a 50mm hole machine cut right through it in the middle of the pack!!! bizarre or what? :?
Last I heard, from the man himself over the phone, Sid is not involved in independent inspections any longer?
That's a new one to me never had any problems with Quickstep in the past, there's only 2 other laminates i've not had problems with Elesgo and Kaindl personally i'd do what Matt said get Sid or another independant inspector to give their report on it. If it is a Customer fault they can pay
I speak (double Dutch-English sometimes :lol: ), of course I speak - hence my call to Sid, but got the above answer.
Hi all Thanks for the response, as stated I too have never had any trouble with a quickstep product. However this is a white laminate board and so the coating coming off in the bevell is revealing the HDF core and so looks awful. Because this issue is unique to this order I can only presume it is either a fault, something has happened to the floor that my client is not aware of or my client is not being entirely honest. I have given my client names of various trade bodies and also Sid's details for an unbiased opinion, as they are very unhappy. They have also stated that their au pair also cleans the floor. I know its easy to point fingers but perhaps she has got the floor too wet at some point? Still I have exhausted every avenue at my end and left the matter in my clients hands to deal with. I have negotiated enough material free of charge and offered to replace the damaged boards free of charge as a gesture of good will, on the proviso that my client understands we do not accept any responsibility for the issue unless proof is provided that it is faulty or relates to our workmanship. Which I am confident it is not the latter.
urgh this one sounds like a REAL pi**er Scott... i'm currently fitting the white QS vogue passionatta product, 65m2 above ecofilm ufh, thankfully no problems to report!!! good luck hope you get the outcome you want - product fault or cleaning regime :evil:
Hi Scott I have come accross something similar to this about 3 years ago. The bevelled edges looked like they were wearing down and a white line was starting to appear just on the edge of the bevel. There was no flaking. Quickstep came out to inspect and immediately recalled the product and paid for it to be uplifted and replaced. I have never had any issues prior to or after that.
any little niggles we've ever had never had a proper problem with quickstep, were sorted straight away they're one of the best manufacturers i've ever dealt with worth every penny.
