LVP floor warping because of a serious installation error
- Thread starter slo town
- Start date
Is there space where the long sides of the planks meet the walls and door frames? Unless there is something about the material which causes each board to take on that concave shape on their own (like your moisture suspicion), it looks like there is possibly some force pushing the long edges against each other.
@slo town If you need any help, let me know. Per ASTM F710 (which references ASTM E1745), a minimum 6-mil vapor barrier is required on or below grade — looks like your installer skipped that step. If the manufacturer is covering it under warranty, consider yourself very fortunate, since 90%+ of those claims are typically denied.
The slab is not below grade (but maybe I don't know exactly what below grade is). One way or another someone is going to fix this at their expense. A COREtec authorized dealer/business sold and installed the floor. I'll go to court if I have to (which will be a first for me).
Scott
Last edited:
OP - try to have a positive attitude .... I know, it can be difficult .... but try.
This reminds me of when my father had his house covered with aluminum siding.
Years later, the finish blistered wherever there was a drain hole for moisture.
Eventually it was replaced at the manufacturers expense.
This reminds me of when my father had his house covered with aluminum siding.
Years later, the finish blistered wherever there was a drain hole for moisture.
Eventually it was replaced at the manufacturers expense.
There are certain steps before court..
Do you have a piece left over? It would be good to see the side view of it. To me, this buckling is either some sort of manufacturing defect, or it's not vinyl, but regular laminate flooring.
Good observation, cork underlayment would be susceptible to moisture from concrete and would require a moisture barrier.
I've installed vinyl over bare concrete with great success, but it had rubber underlayment.
No vapor barrier on bare concrete slab? Yeah, someone F-ed up. Even cork backed LVP should have a slip plastic moisture barrier on bare concrete.
Hope it gets resolved to your satisfaction Scott, but don't sacrifice a good relationship for a bad floor job. However, if you're gonna take a road trip, come out to the southeast. Bring the 330
.
Hope it gets resolved to your satisfaction Scott, but don't sacrifice a good relationship for a bad floor job. However, if you're gonna take a road trip, come out to the southeast. Bring the 330
.
Last edited:
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
People need to understand how this is made. The wear layer is solid vinyl and waterproof, the core is some kind of dense foam that's called waterproof, the bottom layer that touchs the subfloor is cork bonded to the core layer. The cork absorbed moisture from the concrete and expanded but the vinyl top layer couldn't so it deformed into that cupped shape.
I DIY installed a medium grade of plank flooring in 2005, with a moisture barrier, over concrete slab as specified and it did the same after around 10 years although not as bad. It was different material but moisture expanded the inner wood based layer and the top didn't give.
Scott I get your frustration. You did the work youself because you have the skill and time and motivation to have a high level finished product. There is no way you're going to get the base molding and door casing off without damaging at least some of it and maybe the walls. The installation instructions for the product say moisture testing is required when installed over concrete, did the installer do it?
I DIY installed a medium grade of plank flooring in 2005, with a moisture barrier, over concrete slab as specified and it did the same after around 10 years although not as bad. It was different material but moisture expanded the inner wood based layer and the top didn't give.
Scott I get your frustration. You did the work youself because you have the skill and time and motivation to have a high level finished product. There is no way you're going to get the base molding and door casing off without damaging at least some of it and maybe the walls. The installation instructions for the product say moisture testing is required when installed over concrete, did the installer do it?
I believe there are different core types of LVP
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
I read it off of the COREtec website. It's how his is constructed. The stuff I DIY'd had a core of basically very fine sawdust compacted extremely hard. It expanded.
The LVP we had installed in this new house in 2018 is solid vinyl, about 1/8" thick and was glued down to the slab. I didn't want any of the problems with the snap together planks. Love it but after 7 years it has shrunk length ways a bit and there are gaps.
Got it.
I would never trust that as you describe to be waterproof. Nor would I trust WPC - wood polymer core
I have the engineered stone polymer core (ESPC) in my office. Floating. And that can be a balancing act if the planks slide. I had one move, but luckily the trim popped off, I wedged it back no problem.
Good thing you dont have to replace the floors. The contractor is doing it. Welcome to the post 2020 era. Anything and everything may be defective or just terrible quality.
