Hi I have had either 5mm or 6mm ply gone down ready for karndean tomorrow, however should the floor in parts creek when walked over? The floor was floorboards before like in the pic below Also with the screed does he need to sand/buff this as it's very lumpy in parts Finally the levels of the karndean floor will be lower than the ceramic floor would you use a chrome bar between the 2?
How was the ply fixed down? Screw/staple??? The feather finish 'should' be given a light sand. I would probably use a cover strip in the door way myself.
Hi thanks for your reply it was stapled down, does it just need more staples? What's a cover strip and what colour would you use? Also around the edges where the ply meets the skirting should there be gaps? Which would then be covered by karndean, as when paying a fortune to have this laid I want a top quality finish
The ply should be ring shank nailed or screwed. Staples will not hold the ply properly. Doesn't look like the archetrive is undercut either, He will have fun cutting round that !! Personally I like to use 9mm ply over floorboards. You get a much smoother finish, 6 mm tends to follow the contors of the sub floor and you can get a ripple effect.
Hi Not sure what is ring shanked? Pictures in detail are below Sorry what do you mean be the architrave is undercut?
Might not be the staples creaking could be a loose floorboard but yes nails or screws are best and They need sort the creaking out before they lay any planks! They might cut the architraves after they've ply but I'd do it first & slide the ply under to if there not cutting them then I hope there not planning on getting a heat gun out ?
Skim coat doesn't look great either, I can see some raised staples in it. He'll have fun rubbing that down .
What I've noticed is sheets going different ways. All the ply should run in the opposite direction of the floorboards. I would be using ring shank nails on floorboards myself. I only use divergent staples over chipboard now an then. He screeded the joints which is good. He will rub them done in the morning I'd say. What Karndean is going down.
He will rub down the feather finish(screed) tomoro. A lot of ppl use staples but if the floors uneven then screwing it is will solve the squeaking problem. Unless it's the existing boards squeaking. I would leave a few mm gap around the edge. Anything more is not ideal. Should definitely be undercutting around the door frames. This was they can slide a plank under neath it giving a much nicer finish. Cutting around the frames it won't look as good. Colour of the door at I would match to existing door handles, unless the customer decides otherwise. I'd give the guy a chance and ask what he plans to do before saying what we all reccomend.
The squeek it the ply rubbing on the staples usualy when there is a hollow in thefloor and the staple isn't strong enough to hold the ply down you only need the ply to move half a mm on thestaple to get a squeek and it will bug you for ever get him to put some scews in to pull the ply down onto the floorboards, the skim coat / feather can be rubbed down but ive lways been taught to put it on so it doesnt need rubbing down as its to rubbery if it needs lods of rubbing down I would say its to thick and should have a coat of flex screed
This is what they are using to hold down the ply Should he pull the staples up or just screw as well and how far apart? What is causing the squeaking when walking over the ply is it the ply or the boards below? Didn't cut any if the architraves today should he have done so? They didn't mention any flexi screed when they priced up the job, they are a karndean approved gold supplier that karndean supplied us with
The screws should be 4 inch apart i normally drop down to3 inch on the perimeter if the pins are left in and not screwed very close it my still squeek
Well if that's a Karndean Approved Fitter, I'm glad I'm not. I think you have some questions to ask him in the morning before he starts. It might sound like I'm stirring it a bit , but I can't stand poor work and that to me is poor, looks like they have done what they think they can get away with.
