Fitting advice - Karndean Knight (Coastal Sawn Oak)

Discussion in 'Vinyl / Impervious floor coverings' started by Bill, May 8, 2019.

  1. Bill

    Bill Member

    11
    0
    1
    Hi, am new to the forum - nice to meet you.

    We are having Karndean Knight Tile (Coastal Sawn Oak) fitted in our hallway. Our fitter has laid 12mm ply on top of existing floorboards, counter sunk the screws to be slightly lower than flush, seems secure. Joins between the ply have been orbital sanded and are nice and flat. Although nothing has been used to feather the joins nor any screed laid.

    Our fitter is using Karndean PSA, he's applying the tiles to it straight away whilst wet; he's not allowing it to go tacky. Also he's not using an A2 trowel but using a much, much wider trowel.

    Needless to say there are quite a few gaps between the tiles and some tiles have a lipping and and flush flat.

    I've questioned him on the trowel size and not letting the adhesive go tacky. He says he prefers to fit this way.

    Can anyone advise what issues I'll have, over time, with him fitting this way?
     
  2. Rugmunching

    Rugmunching Well-Known Member

    3,656
    629
    113
    Nothing wrong with 'wet set' bonding but the size of the notch he's using sounds like he's using a carpet notch trowel...

    As for lipping then he's obviously not fitting them right or allowing it to dry before being walked over. They could be moving about whilst still wet and might just need a good rolling over. Could have done with a feather on the joints the least!

    If he's wet setting with the adhesive then he should have opted for Ke66/ke49, PS in my experience takes alot longer to turn when wet set.
     
  3. Rugmunching

    Rugmunching Well-Known Member

    3,656
    629
    113
    Why has he used 12mm ply?
    Was your floors pretty bad then?
    Pro fitter?

    Ask him what size notched trowel he using
     
  4. Bill

    Bill Member

    11
    0
    1
    Hi Rugmunching, thank you for the quick replies!

    The trowel does seem carpet notch size, I did ask what size he is using - but he became defensive and said 'it doesn't matter; it's the same thing'. But clearly it's not as I can see the thick notch marks when he's putting the glue down when I'm standing 3 meters away! When I asked why there are gaps he's saying that he's fitting the tiles tight but the adhesive is causing the tiles to move, he showed me this happening several days ago by placing a tile down on the adhesive tight against a another tile and then the tile springing back to not sit flush and tight. I'm no expert fitter but I assume this is due to a combination of too thick trowel on the adhesive and the fact it hasn't gone tacky.

    Not sure why he's used 12mm ply, the floorboards aren't particularly bad. The Ply is Meyer Commerical 12mm CE2+ Tropical Red Faces 100% Poplar Core "Suitable for Use in Internal Applications" Hardwood Plyboard 2440 x 1220mm.

    He's stubborn and won't agree with me that he hasn't followed fitting instructions. He's not fitting it 'tight' around the skirting, instead leaving a gap and then filling in with silicone.

    Overall the flooring does look flat and if it wasn't for some lipping and gaps it would look quite good.

    Rather than ripping up the whole flooring and starting again, I'm trying to understand what pragmatic options there are. For the tiles that aren't flush and are lipped up slightly, would it be possible to heat these tiles with say a hair dryer on a warm setting (I'm assuming a hot air gun even on low will be too hot?) and then roll these tiles down flat?

    For the gaps between tiles (I know it's probably a bit of a bodge) but is there any filler that could work? Say a colour matched epoxy grout? I did rub some saw dust into the gaps as a (non permanent) test and it did fill quite nicely; hence I'm thinking something more substantial like a flexible grout might just do the trick?

    For the adhesive that has come up through the gaps and has now tried, what's the best way to clean this off? Will Karndean Clean be strong enough?

    He told me he's a pro fitter, but I've not seen and certificate to back this up (he and his team are certainly good at bathroom/kitchen fitting and achieving 1mm grout lines on rectified tiles).

    Thanks again!
     
  5. Spacey

    Spacey Super Moderator Staff Member

    6,516
    1,878
    113
    Sounds like he's not a floor layer or at least not a good one
    RIP it up and start again but get a pro in
     
  6. Bill

    Bill Member

    11
    0
    1
    I'm with you, my sentiments exactly. My words to him were... "If I knew you were going to lay it this way I would have got a different fitter in!". I've placed too much trust in him and he's over promised. I'm currently stuck between a rock and a hard place as we need to get this house renovation completed and within budget. Frustrating as I'm happy to pay the extra for a good fitter, but I certainly took his word for it with regards to his fitting ability.
     
  7. Bill

    Bill Member

    11
    0
    1
    Sorry just to be clear, I didn't go for the cheapest quote - this work was included in the total price of a renovation.
     
  8. Rugmunching

    Rugmunching Well-Known Member

    3,656
    629
    113
    Sounds like a load of stress coming your way. Notch is way to thick and the fact that he's not fitting up to the skirts tells you a whole lot more. Does your fitter think he's fitting wood flooring? o_O

    Getting the gaps grouted (or some kind) shouldn't even enter your head being honest, all these issues you have raised already is the nudge for you to stop this guy from ruining your new floor further.
     
  9. Bill

    Bill Member

    11
    0
    1
    Honestly, that's what I thought when I saw the work. It looks like he's fitting laminate and it needs to have scotia beading around the skirting to finish it off!

    He's pretty much finished the flooring...

    Sounds like I'll have to live with it and see how it goes; if I get it ripped up, can the tiles be re-used? Or is it literally a rip everything out and throw away job?

    Thanks
     
  10. Rugmunching

    Rugmunching Well-Known Member

    3,656
    629
    113
    It's a new floor mate, you shouldn't have to settle for a poor job. Post up some pictures if you would?

    Doubt you'll be reusing them if he's used a 'ceramic' tiling notch :D
     
  11. Bill

    Bill Member

    11
    0
    1
    Agreed! Tbh it's not terrible (not like some of the pics I've seen on this forum), it's not right either. I'll take some pics when I'm next at the house and will post them up :)
     
  12. pf flooring

    pf flooring Well-Known Member

    1,600
    602
    113
    Knighttile doesn't always sit 100% flat as it's cheap chinese crap, should feather the joints and the karndean ps is also crap its essentially a tackifier, not all fitter can fit nett so unless you said I don't want silicone and that's the way he works he wouldn't know not to, obviously though ideally none of that should be an issue mind
     
  13. Bill

    Bill Member

    11
    0
    1
    Hi, pics of gapping attavj
    Here's a pic.

    20190504_135421.jpg
     
  14. Haterz

    Haterz Well-Known Member

    79
    4
    8
    You taken any pics from around the edges as well?
     
  15. Bill

    Bill Member

    11
    0
    1
    Not the clearest of pics, hopefully you can make out some of the white silicone, and where it hasn't yet been siliconed.

    Thx
     

    Attached Files:

  16. Spacey

    Spacey Super Moderator Staff Member

    6,516
    1,878
    113
    Fitting is shocking

    What product is it ?
     
  17. Haterz

    Haterz Well-Known Member

    79
    4
    8
    If that wasn’t bad enough looks like it’s sealed with toothpaste hahaha
     
  18. tarkett85

    tarkett85 Well-Known Member

    3,159
    481
    83
    Full rip out and replace, don’t go with knight tile next time it’s pretty shocking quality too get him to remove the lot and give you money paid for it back then get a pro in to do it correctly.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  19. Rugmunching

    Rugmunching Well-Known Member

    3,656
    629
    113
    Looks awful :eek:
     
  20. Paul webb

    Paul webb Well-Known Member

    1,115
    139
    63
    The trouble is, we now have every man and his dog calling themselves a lvt fitter (this one apparently fitted by his dog),we need customers demanding recognised qualifications and i don't mean just a manufacturer certificate, to get rid of the cowboys, allow proper fitters to get paid what they are worth, and for the customer to get what they are paying for
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
    • Like Like x 1
    • List

Share This Page