Urgent Amtico Help! (Edges)

Hi everyone

Hoping the forum can help me out here.

Just purchased a new home, had Amtico fitted buy the home developer. Little bit concerned on the finishing.

We noticed there were large gaps between the vinyl and the wall.

Now they've used a brilliant white to seal, to seal the edges. Is this correct?

I've enclosed some photos, before and after. The white sealent they've used looks terrible in my opinion, but should it be like this?

Should the Amtico not sit flush against the skirting boards? Without the need for sealing it? And if they are sealing it, should it not be clear one?

I've looked lots of Amtico images. Not seen a single one sealed like this.

The advice is much appreciated!

Thank you

S

 

Shocking that.
Have you called them back.
In new builds they silicone all the skirts to do a air test. This is usually before the amtico is fitted.

It should be cut neat to the skirts. No silicone.

 

I’m afraid that is absolutely terrible work there!
There’s no way a ‘floorlayer’ did that
More than likely the builder did it themselves and not a clue either
100% kick up a fuss and have that completely replaced, no excuses or exceptions.

 

I think the gaps are the least of your problems here, I would bet everything that the sub-floor moisture reading is off the scales it will be walking out the door pretty soon. It needs ripping up proper sub-floor testing and prepping done and new installing, but no way in hell would I allow them to do anything but rip it up and reimburse you for their ineptitude.


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Ruuuuffff


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Bog standard for new builds I'm afraid, which developer is it as most I do work on all in their package matic finish the edges as standard regardless as to how well it has been fitted for various reasons.

Saying that though in an ideal world and as amtico say no you do not matic unless a wet area, as in round pans pedestals and most of the time kitchen end panels with a little bit of clear silicone.

 

That's what happens when builders branch into flooring, looking for companies that will do the cheapest possible jobs, who in turn get cowboys in to fit Amtico at about half the going rate.

 

It's not that, on all the different sites for all the different developers over the years I have never seen flooring being fitted by anyone other than floorlayer subbing for a flooring firm, the quality of the fit can differ depending on who does it obviously but one thing I can guarantee is that most developers will mastic up the floor regardless of it being the best fit in the world or the worst as it's in their build program.

The amount of times I say to the site agents about not to Mastic is countless and they even say to me and my mate it doesn't need mastic yet a couple of days later you get a mastic man go in and stick a bead of sealant down so big that you could cut it all short by 3-5mm and you would never know, its put in their build program and they get a bollocking if they don't do it 95% of the time, its very rare to hear a sitey say make sure you cut in tight as we don't mastic, Berkley homes being a rare one that mostly doesn't Mastic in their private sale homes I found

 

The shop I fit lvt for are same with regards to siliconing. They pay me for doing it so I'm doing it.

I always fully silicon bathrooms and WC's and if my own customer requests it anywhere else then they will get it.

 

I used to sub for one of the companies who had the contract for the new builds. They sought out the cheapest workforce to do the work (yes floorlayers, but there are 'floorlayers' and floorlayers.) They didn't even put a DPM down, and a percentage of the Amtico fits used to pop within six months to a year. I would be very surprised if they had even heard of calcium sulphate too. The same was true of the carpet fitters assigned to new builds, complete cowboys whacking masonry nails into solid floors and cutting soft vinyl millimetres short around toilet pans, and being paid £2.25 m2.

Mastic on top of LVT looks terrible.

And in my experience and observation, an LVT fitter with a few years practice who does nothing else and has attended dedicated courses, will generally do a much better finish than a commercial floorlayer who may have a wider or longer range of experience but is not accustomed to the perfection that is now expected in a domestic installation. The difference is an installation that tightly fits to the skirtings everywhere and looks absolutely immaculate, or a one to two millimetre gap which is usually acceptable in commercial work.

 

Like I said....if they want it and pay me for it they'll get it!

 

If it’s a wet area I silicone, but it’s got to be clear/trans and of a very high quality..... too many people use cheap silicone which looks crap as well. If I’m asked to I’ll silicone end panels and plinths in kitchens, a lot of the time it’s to hide other trades gaps etc anyone half decent at fitting shouldn’t be getting the tiles so far off the walls it needs a big bead anyway

 

Totally agree with above.

I use a fugi kit and always use clear silicon on walls if requested but bathrooms/wc's I use white around the peds/bases

 

If silicone is required to hide other trades gaps and imperfections etc. I would spec it to be applied and dried BEFORE the LVT installation.

I haven't seen too many installations that are perfection, i.e. fitted tight against the perimeter everywhere, so that any silicone would be absolutely unnecessary.

My own LVT fitter's work is this good. And I can let you all know that Spacey's work is to a high standard.

 

What's spaceys or anyone's 'standard'' got to to with it?

It's preference from the customer, if they chose to want a silicon finish then I can't see what all the fuss is about! Whether it's finished neat as standard then if the customer wants the silicon then so what.

If doing a new build and the company want you to silicon then it is what it is...

It's the paying 'customer' that counts. Don't see what all the 'noooooo nooooooo we don't do silicon' is about

 

I have done a thin bead of white around a whole room before and will again.
Some of the jobs I’ve done have crap painted old skirts so cut as tight as possible then thin bead will finish it off.

 

Basically, the answer to your post is: Silicone on top of LVT or any other vinyl looks crap! And it is usually applied because it hides a multitude of sins, or inadequate ability.