Can someone please help me!

[redkneck]

Hi, John here from MS. I seem to be having problems with my Mannington floor I am trying to lay down. First of all, I have laid a few hundred sq feet of laminate in the house from Lumber Liquidators, from a pro, but not new at this. Here's my problem:

I am trying to finish a remodel in the kitchen. I purchased Mannington tile revolutions locally. First row laid down fine, started second row, and things just aren't locking as tight as they should. The stuff is in about 12"x50" planks, and I can lock them in 3 planks long (150") and still slide the two rows using the palms of my hands. Also I can try to seperate two planks pulling directly apart and the tongue/groove will seperate around a 64th to a 32nd with modest force.

Is this normal? I am afraid even if by some miracle I got all the simulated grout lines lined up and finished, I am only one 12 year old (i have two, lol) running through the kitchen and all is out of whack again.

I can glue each starting plank on each row, but of course if I damage one I am up a creek without a paddle!

Thank you all in advance!

john

 

[Floorist]

Welcome to the forum. I am sure one of the wood guys will be along shortly.

 

[redkneck]

Thanks Rusty. Minor correction, I can slide (2) planks side by side (about 100") haven't tried 3. But still, with my LL lamimate, no way could I slide planks locked together by hand, had to tap them.

 

[Ernesto]

Are you reading the directions? I'm not sure whut you mean by sliding them

Theres basically 2 types of laminate installation. One is the UNILIC install where you engage the long side joing, click it down. Then do the same with the next one and tap the end joints together.

Then theres the rotating lock where the end joint goes together first, then lifiting the entire row at a 30 degree angle you engage the long joint and lock'r down. Still needs coaxing with a tapping block.

The Mannington I did today and continue on next week is the rotating lock. The LL is the same, least it was last time I did it.

 

[rugaddict]

no this does not sound normal---the clicking system is basically the whole shebang when it comes to laminates---the concept is simple---the tiles latch onto each other so securely that they all expand and contract as one giant peice--monolithic slab if you want to show off--independant movement is not a good thing---they will not grow and shrink together and gaps tend to appear---in my humble opinion quickstep has the best locking system--everything else is everything else

 

[Ernesto]

Oh he means already installed rows....Yeah well when it gets to dry those rows dont' hold against each other as well. Least the end joints are not opening.

 

[redkneck]

Well this would be a uniclick design. They do click together, like other laminate I have laid down, just dont "grip" as hard as they should along the long-side joint. In other words, as I tap the end joint to bring it in, I get too much movement along the entire row. I am gluing the etire length of each row now, hope all works out ok, but I am just going to gamble with it, I've pulled out frig, d/w, and stove, and am not going to return this only to have to wait while this crap is special ordered again, only to find the same fit (which what I would expect to happen).

Sometimes you just have to trudge along when you get thrown a curveball. Thank you all for the responses. If this was a simulated wood grain, like in the rest of the house, all would be ok, but I can't allow the grout lines to get out of whack.

This is the pattern I'm using.

There's four square tiles to each plank.

 

[rugaddict]

if you click two peices of laminate together and you can then move them without taking them apart then your click system has failed ----many gaps are in your future my friend---i guess you could glue and clamp but thats a lot of work for a product that is not doing its job

 

[redkneck]

Well, it's not totally sloppy, I would have just boxed it right back up. Just not as tight as what I expected it to be. We'll see how she goes, thank you all so much for the input. nice forum here.

 

[Ernesto]

Are you staggering the pieces?

 

[redkneck]

No, probably should have, but its all aligned

 

[redkneck]

Here's where I am

Totally gutted the kitchen, the floor is pretty much the last thing. All new cabinets and glued travertine to the wall.

 

[redkneck]

As you can see its a mess, I need to get this over with!

 

[highup]

No, probably should have, but its all aligned

All laminates require you to stagger the joints, unless of course the Item is a square tile shape.
http://www.mannington.com/Residential/Laminate/Installation.aspx
Acclimating the material as the manufacturer recommends is also important so the joints fit together properly. Each manufacturer has their own specifications on how to do this and under what conditions it is necessary.

 

[highup]

Tile pattern is a perfect look for the kitchen. I wish mine looked 1/2 that nice.

 

[Ernesto]

All laminates require you to stagger the joints, unless of course the Item is a square tile shape.
http://www.mannington.com/Residential/Laminate/Installation.aspx
Acclimating the material as the manufacturer recommends is also important so the joints fit together properly. Each manufacturer has their own specifications on how to do this and under what conditions it is necessary.

I've never seen a laminate that didn't require a stagger. Course I have not done all them. But this one on page 12 of Highups mannington link says to and it looks like the redneck is staggering them if he is going east to west in the picture above.

My money is still on that the rh my be to low allowing the locking mechanism to shrink and allowing movement. Been in that situation myself with a few.

Funny in the beginning of that Mannington installation for plank it states

"Job Site Conditions
Although not required for glueless laminate, for best results condition the unopened cartons for approximately 48
hours in the area where the floor will be installed. Job site temperature should be 65°F or higher and the relative
humidity should not exceed 65%."

Then down below for the tile like planks it says the opposite.

Not to worry though, when you silicone around the perimeter it will not allow them to slip. You are going to seal the perimeter right? And heck, where is the Cal-Flor Click-seal for the seams? That stuff in itself would stop slippage.

 

[highup]

I've never seen a laminate that didn't require a stagger. Course I have not done all them. But this one on page 12 of Highups mannington link says to and it looks like the redneck is staggering them if he is going east to west in the picture above.

My money is still on that the rh my be to low allowing the locking mechanism to shrink and allowing movement. Been in that situation myself with a few.

Funny in the beginning of that Mannington installation for plank it states

"Job Site Conditions
Although not required for glueless laminate, for best results condition the unopened cartons for approximately 48
hours in the area where the floor will be installed. Job site temperature should be 65°F or higher and the relative
humidity should not exceed 65%."

Then down below for the tile like planks it says the opposite.

Not to worry though, when you silicone around the perimeter it will not allow them to slip. You are going to seal the perimeter right? And heck, where is the Cal-Flor Click-seal for the seams? That stuff in itself would stop slippage.

I didn't realize the 1st photo was larger than my screen............ after sliding the image over, I just now saw the stagger.
I have a kitchen coming up shortly myself and not to steal the thread, what's with that joint sealer stuff. Never heard of it. Their PDF says it made of wax and oil and I;m wondering if any residue migrates up the seam. How do you know if you have enough on the tongue to seal it fully......... should any of it come up at the seam joint when you lock the seams together?

 

[Ernesto]

I didn't realize the 1st photo was larger than my screen............ after sliding the image over, I just now saw the stagger.
I have a kitchen coming up shortly myself and not to steal the thread, what's with that joint sealer stuff. Never heard of it. Their PDF says it made of wax and oil and I;m wondering if any residue migrates up the seam. How do you know if you have enough on the tongue to seal it fully......... should any of it come up at the seam joint when you lock the seams together?

Obviously you missed my column over at floorbiz.com on installing wood, laminate and cork in wet zones.

But yea, it squeezes out the top and is a quite dry product, then you simply scrape off any residue.

 

[Nick]

Obviously you missed my column over at floorbiz.com on installing wood, laminate and cork in wet zones.

But yea, it squeezes out the top and is a quite dry product, then you simply scrape off any residue.

We missed the column here to .

 

[Ernesto]

We missed the column here to .

Well I don't go bragging bout it....much anyways. But I got a few under my belt so far. I write ridiculously dumb articles. I'm due for a new one soon. got any ideas for topics?