Newly installed floors do not have consistent expansion gap

[DarisMulkin]

Honestly, I'm glad to hear you say that. I think I posted this video a while back.
This guy does a YouTube woodshop program that is fantastic advice on anything related to woodworking. He's top-notch not just in his show but his advice.
Watching that video just made me cringe. Even in slow mo that tool took off like a rocket.

The saw bucked on him but have had the same thing basically happen with a skill saw. Also with my table saw where it threw the board back at me, left a nice bruise on my table muscle. Just saying you have to be careful around saws.

 

[Mark Brown]

Saws bad
fingers good
lesson over

 

[DarisMulkin]

Saws bad
fingers good
lesson over

If I didn't have the middle finger I wouldn't have anything to do or say all day.

 

[C.J.]

If I didn't have the middle finger I wouldn't have anything to do or say all day.

I’d make you a wooden one if need be. We could call it your George Washington.

 

[highup]

We watched videos in school wood shop and carpentry class of finger removals, then the Navy of mishaps, drunk driving. I say they’re effective, we need more examples. Like don’t get a vaccine and a patient in Massachusetts gets 4 limbs amputated.

This is a staged safety video but boy does it get the point across.

 

[highup]

The saw bucked on him but have had the same thing basically happen with a skill saw. Also with my table saw where it threw the board back at me, left a nice bruise on my table muscle. Just saying you have to be careful around saws.

There are too many tools that aren't dangerous but those little ones that spin 13,000 RPM are electrified honey badgers.

 

[TheSJ]

Here are a few pictures of what I am trying to describe. Should this be corrected?

https://ibb.co/7Kg9FZV

 

[C.J.]

As @MikeAntonetti would say, YOU’VE BEEN HACKED!

I would go right to management or whomever is in charge of that clown show that did your installation and show them all those pictures. I wouldn’t even let those hacks back in your house if I was you.

 

[TheSJ]

Thanks @C.J.

At first I thought maybe I am being too picky. Some of these pictures are in larger areas like the kitchen and living room. Some are from hallways and bathrooms. But the pictures I posted give a general idea of the inconsistency.

The big question: what is the proper fix?

I do not want to install brand new quarter round and then have a problem down the road and have to remove the quarter round due to this gap issue.

 

[C.J.]

If I was the sad sack that had to fix that I would use a multi tool and a 1/4” piece of plywood as a spacer to recut a new expansion space without having to disassemble your floor. The toilet flange will just have to be redone since the toilet may not even cover that abortion. I would be embarrassed to put my name on that job. That’s just pitiful that they can’t even make a straight cut. Stevie Wonder is even shaking his head.

 

[Commercial Floor Rep]

Wow. You can already see in picture #3 (going across) that there's a significant amount of tension to lift up the decor layer of the flooring. That spot alone is going to create a significant problem sooner rather than later. Picture #2 isn't much better. How do you miss an end joint that bad. And even if you miss it, how do you not stop and fix it when the next row is installed. Sad to see this kind of thing happening so often. This type of thing hits the pros here who post on a regular basis pretty hard. These types of things give the industry a black eye and make us all look bad. Just know that we do have very capable and competent people who would not and do not do this type of crap work. @C.J. is a great example. I've seen jobs he's done that should be in ads or magazines.

 

[Mark Brown]

.... I think he should be in a mental institution, but that isn't going to help the original poster. I just can never get over rhe trim work around the electrical outlet. I'll never let it go!

 

[MikeAntonetti]

Yeah I agree with that CFR, even though Chris and I don’t get along. As he would say “It’s business” back at ya!

 

[C.J.]

This? Lol.

I got nothin against anybody, working in Pittsburgh will either toughen you up or break you. I’m done being broke and broken. We’ve all seen the level of clown work that gets passed off every day but I’ll bet those guys were nice.

 

[MikeAntonetti]

Not sure why you didn’t go straight across with the base, the top outlet could’ve been used, just cut the ground prong off whatever’s plugged in. That hypnotizes me to look inward.

 

[C.J.]

Shoot, most green guys would have just jig sawed a cut out for the outlet. If you went to a box store what do you think you would have gotten if I wasn’t your installer. Assuming an installation is done correct, the middle of the room sells itself. It’s the details around the room that will make or break a job. Poorly done base boards, 1/4 round or shoe molding and transitions will sink an otherwise acceptable installation. You know stuff like this just drives me nuts.

 

[highup]

If I was the sad sack that had to fix that I would use a multi tool and a 1/4” piece of plywood as a spacer to recut a new expansion space without having to disassemble your floor. The toilet flange will just have to be redone since the toilet may not even cover that abortion. I would be embarrassed to put my name on that job. That’s just pitiful that they can’t even make a straight cut. Stevie Wonder is even shaking his head.

Totally agree with that. Those laminates can eat up blades real fast, but there aren't a lot of other options.
I had a real antique crane jam saw and made a base for it for a job similar to that. I turned the jamb saw against the wall and it would take out approximately a quarter inch of material.
As far as the cut around that toilet flange, it looked like he held the plank in his hand and used a sawzall to make the cut.
I certainly wouldn't want the original installer to attempt any repairs on this job.

 

[Commercial Floor Rep]

I like it! @C.J. Don't let 'em bother ya!