Job-Site Conditions.

Typical weep screed.


Blocked weep screed.

Probably one of the most overlooked parts of the installation process. Here is what Bruce Hardwood has to say:
Job-Site Conditions

"• The building should be enclosed with all outside doors and windows in place. All concrete, masonry, framing members, drywall, paint and other “wet” work should be thoroughly dry. The wall coverings should be in place and the painting completed, except for the final coat on the base molding. When possible, delay installation of base molding until flooring installation is complete. Basements and crawl spaces must be dry and well ventilated.

• Exterior grading should be complete with surface drainage, offering a minimum drop of 3 inches. All gutters and downspouts should be in place."


Most manufacturers have similar language in their instructions. Fairly simple but often overlooked. I won't even begin to list all the excuses I have heard. Mostly it is very simple to understand. But I will address one of the items as it is something I have seen a few times recently.

• Exterior grading should be complete with surface drainage, offering a minimum drop of 3 inches.

What the heck does that mean? I actually had an installer ask me that. It is a bit vague I suppose. The big thing is the "3 Inches". What this means is that the distance from the bottom of the weep screed to the soil should be 3 inches. The same installer asked "What is a weep screed?' Sadly I think there are a lot of folks in our business that don't actually understand the function of the weep screed.

The simple explanation is that the weep screed allows moisture that is collected in stucco, a way to drain down the exterior of the building and it is then deflected away from the foundation.

A quick walk around the exterior of the building will let you know if there is a potential problem. This is rarely an issue with a new home.

I once looked at a wood floor that failed due to water damage. The problem was that the homeowner hired a concrete guy to pour a patio. He was a friend of a friends cousin or something like that. Well. he did a very nice patio slab but he covered the weep screed. This meant when ever it rained the moisture came down and backed up over or around the plate.

Sadly, a year later, they had a wood floor installed. Of course it failed. No one could figure it out so they called me. What a huge mess.

The concrete guy actually told me that we don't need weep screeds in Southern California. It is just a place for bugs to get in.

The floor company never inspected the exterior of the house.

In this case, it went to arbitration. The concrete guy had to replace the slab 100% on his own and was responsible for 50% of the floor replacement. The floor company had to cover the other 50%.

If you have a subject you want me to discuss please feel free to ask away. I will try not to make it too boring.

If you need an inspection give me a call or shoot me an e-mail. My info is below. Also feel free to call me anytime if you just have a question or two. No charge for that. I am more than happy to share my expertise with anyone. I hope you found this informative. Thanks for reading...John

Contact.

John Tinker CWFI

909-553-2961

bigjtink@hotmail.com

Serving the Desert and Inland Empire.

FAILURE ANALYSIS- TRAINING SEMINARS- MOISTURE TESTING- EXPERT WITNESS

Lip Service.

As a consumer, I never expect much in the way of customer service. I think I have become conditioned. Most of the time customer service is just plain non existent. So it has become the norm and honestly, I hardly notice anymore. But one thing really annoys me. That is, when I am in the midst of a bad customer service experience, I am being told in some form or fashion how I am sooooooo important! Recently I had a couple of experiences which are obviously what prompted this posting. I was having a problem with my internet at home. I have internet through my cable company. So off I went to call the 800 number. I was on the phone for 50 minutes and never got my issue resolved. But here is the part that bothered me. The entire time I was on hold I had to listen to a recording telling me how important I am and blah, blah blah. By the way, this cable company, whom I shall not name, is notorious for wait times. I had a similar experience with my mortgage company as well. But wait, there's more. This morning I had to go to the will-call department of one of our suppliers. I had never been before as they generally deliver to us. But they messed up one of our orders and due to time constraints I had to pick it up. As I arrived at the dingy little room I was greeted by an empty desk and a bell. So I rang the bell and someone showed up. The paper work was completed and I was told to wait and the next clerk would assist me. As I waited, for 45 minutes, I was fixated on the huge sign displayed. It said "Do It Right The First Time, Every Time and On Time". Really? For 45 minutes I waited as the employees milled about and did nothing. Finally a guy hopped on a forklift and got my stuff. Took him 2 minutes. I think having a sign like that is admirable but only if it is more than lip service. Otherwise, it is just insulting.

Techno-Floors!

I am always amazed at the technological advances in the flooring industry. After all, I am old school. Back in the day, when we refinished a wood floor, we would slap on a coat of varnish then come back in a few days and wax it. There was never any mention of warranties. But times have changed. Now we have these new urethanes that have 25 year wear warranties.
One manufacturer, Mirage, uses Nanolinx Technology. A patented process supplied to Mirage by an outside source, the wood mill has incorporated particles, or Nanosilica, into the finish that are less than 100 nanometers in size, or one-billionth of a meter. Wow! Other wood flooring manufacturers use a similar process only they add aluminum oxide or ceramic particles. Mannington has just come out with a nitrogen-cured commercial floor.
Zaxxon has a floor that is called Ionique. Walking on it increases the negative ion count in your indoor air. Who thinks this stuff up? So today, as I head off to our annual trade show, I will once again be amazed at all the new technology. But just between us, there is nothing that looks as good as a freshly waxed wood floor!

Illegal Logging!

I would not consider myself an expert on the subject of illegal logging but recently I have received a few questions on this. I suppose, with the amendment of the Lacy Act last year, there has been some interest generated. The flooring industry in the United States and Canada, more so than other construction trades, have been actively involved in reforestation for many years. Makes sense, if you cut trees you need to replace them or you have no more trees to cut. Pretty simple. But it comes with a cost. It takes money to be environmentally conscious. Try explaining that to a customer who has the opportunity to get a nice exotic imported wood floor for less than the price of good old American Oak. Illegal lumber! It has really become a big deal over the last 15 years or so. In places like Indonesia, The Philippines, Malaysia, The Amazon, Cambodia and Africa. If you are really interested just Google "Illegal Logging" and you will get many thousands of articles on the subject.
Illegal and predatory logging plays a central role in the destruction of the Amazon and other areas. It is now generally accepted that illegal logging is the norm rather than the exception in the Brazilian Amazon and Indonesia as well as many other places. Between 60 and 80 percent of all logging in the Brazilian Amazon is estimated to be illegal. Working in remote forest areas, the loggers often use false permits, ignore limitations of legal permits, cut species protected by law and steal from protected areas and indigenous lands. These are often small or medium scale operations that are able to avoid detection because of the remoteness of the logging locations, the weak presence of the federal environmental agency and a complex chain-of-custody in the cutting, hauling and transporting of the logs.
With the depletion of forests in Southeast Asia and central Africa, the Amazon is being targeted by domestic and transnational corporations as a key source for tropical timber products. Huge majestic trees like the Samauma, also known as the "Queen of the Forest", are being exploited to make cheap plywood and wood flooring for construction industries in the US, Japan and Europe. Because of the poor economic climate in many of the countries involved, the illegal loggers are able to both strong-arm and bribe their way around the laws.
That was a big long way to say that the illegal lumber is working its way into the U.S. and has been sold very inexpensively. Last year (2008) many groups lobbied Congress to do something about this problem. December 15, 2008, The Lacy Act of 1900 was amended to include illegal lumber and strengthen enforcement and penalties. Hopefully this will start to put a stop to this. We shall see? Sorry this was so long.

Where is my $10,000.00?

He was a nice guy. His business card looked so professional. That's what the woman told me. In the end, a name and cell phone number was all she really had. The "Contractor" she hired vanished into the night with her 10 grand. I hear more and more of these stories lately. Unlicensed "Contractors" have become a big problem. A licensed contractor has made a significant investment in his business. He has completed all the requirements as far as time in the trade etc. Passed a rigorous test and has posted a bond. Also they maintain all of the proper insurances such as liability, workers comp, vehicle etc. The Contractors State License Board offers many protections for consumers. In this day and age it is very simple to check the status of a contractor. Here in California you can just go to the web site http://www.cslb.ca.gov/
type in a name or license number and in seconds you will know whether or not a license is active, who the officers and sales people are, who the bonding company is and how much the bond is worth, workers comp info etc. You may be saying, who cares about all that? I just want my work done cheap. I like cheap too but is it really cheap? Suppose the guy you hire has an accident in your home? Let's say he hurts himself. If he has no insurance or license he will most likely bring a law suit against you. Or let's say he damages something in your home. Something expensive? Will he be able to pay you for it? What if he does not pay his help? They can ask you for payment and if you refuse they can lien your home. I am not saying all this to scare anyone, rather to make you think. I spent an hour this morning looking on the internet for nightmare contractor stories. I was amazed at how many I was able to find with very little effort. I think competition in pricing is very good but it is good to make sure that all the competitors are on an even field. An unlicensed guy will always be cheaper but then again, he is probably working out of his living room, has no bond, no liability insurance, no workers comp. and as such is not really firmly rooted in the community.

Put a "Cork" in it!

Cork flooring has become one of the leaders in the "Green Movement". It is actually a fascinating product. Cork flooring is produced only from the bark of the Cork Oak: the tree is never felled. The tree is an evergreen that grows only in areas bordering the Mediterranean. Portugal represents approximately 50% of the world’s cork output, Spain accounts for 25% and the remainder comes from Algeria, France, Morocco, Italy and Tunisia. The first harvest of cork is not stripped until the tree is approximately 20 years old. After the first harvest of cork, the bark is stripped from the tree once every nine years, until the cork oak is about 150 years old.
I was not a big fan of Cork floors in the past but now I am a believer! The new floating installation system is very good. It is a quiet floor and very comfortable. The new patterns are stunning as well. Stop in and let us show you some cork flooring!

GLOW!

We have been getting more and more calls on the problems associated with the "Glow" products. You know what I'm talking about? Some guy on an infomercial touting this stuff as the greatest thing. Most of the products I have seen are simply a watered- down urethane. So, in reality the products are not necessarily bad. The problem is in the application. Most of the pre-finished wood floors have some very specific instructions as to how to re-coat them. Sadly, most of the "Glow" products are sort of mop 'n go. So what happens is it does not adhere properly, leaving a haze and a soft finish. Scratches show more readily. Sure it can be removed but it's quite a task. Before you attempt to use these products it might be wise to Google the product followed by the word "problem" such as " particular glow product problem" It will be a real eye opener to hear what folks have to say!

Starbucks vs. Store Brand

I was having a conversation this morning with a kid who buys supplies from us. I call him a kid, he is probably 25 but that is a kid to me! We were discussing the price of the urethane coatings we use on the floors we refinish. It is a fairly expensive product. We feel it is among the best on the market. It is manufactured by Bona Kemi and it is called "Traffic". We pay around $100.00 per gallon. The "Kid" was saying he gets some stuff at Home Depot for $30.00 a gallon. He admitted that it was not as good but it is affordable. So we got into a discussion as to why there would be such a big difference in price. I will try and explain it as best I can. Modern day waterborne urethane is composed of 2 major components. (note: this is a drastic over-simplification in case any of my techie buddies are reading this.) Solids and water. Once the product is applied, the water evaporates and the solids are left. So then the question is, what is the percentage of solids. Well, in the "Traffic" product it is 34%. Many of the cheap products come in at under 20%. There are certainly other things that influence how well the urethane will wear. For example, the quality of polymers and resins used, the type of catalyst (if any) etc. I often have people ask me "How many coats of urethane do you apply?" I suppose that is a fair question but it does not really tell the whole story. It would probably take 5 coats of the cheap stuff to equal the same mil thickness of 3 coats of our stuff. But, as you now know, mil thickness does not equate to wear properties. I hope that helps explain it!

Custom Satisfaction.

This may sound like I'm blowing my own horn and perhaps I am. Recently one of our custom builders had a strange request. He had been tasked by the design team on a project to get a wood floor done. No big deal. But they had a small sample from who knows where. They really thought no one could match this sample. We went to work. Nick and I played mad scientists. We actually were able to make an exact match. Was easy. All we did was start with quartersawn white oak, stain it black, sand off the surface leaving black in the grain only. Then we bleached it, twice. Next it was stained with a lime toned white wash, then 3 coats of urethane on top.
So far so good. But that was a quart of stain on a board. Now we had to duplicate this process on 2500 square feet. We mixed up 8 gallons of stain and big Nick set off to do the job. I was so proud of the end result. It was stunning, really. So if you need something custom done, we would love the challenge!!!

GREEN!

Everybody is talking green these days. It's kind of funny to me. Over the last 2 years I have watched virtually all of our manufacturing partners become green. Some, without changing a thing! In all fairness, the flooring industry as a whole has been pretty good about this stuff. One reason is that it is cost effective in some cases to be green. But I'm certain it can be confusing to the average consumer because I am confused. Some companies are really trying to be green and others are just playing the game. Part of the problem is that there are so many different agencies claiming to be the authority on green-ness (Is that a word?). The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is one of the authorities. They emphasize the chain of custody of the wood flooring from the forest to your home. But here is the problem. I recently found one manufacturer touting themselves to be FSC certified. Upon some research I discovered that 1 product had been registered and it is not even sold in this country! But they have FSC all over their literature? Here are some of the things I look for when trying to sort through the green issue.
1. Products made with salvaged, recycled or agricultural waste content.
2. Products that conserve natural resources.
3. Products that avoid toxic or other emissions.
4. Products that save energy or water.
5. Products that contribute to a safe, healthy-built environment.

I could go much deeper into it but those are the basics. Pretty good guide as to what to look for.

What to look for when purchasing a wood floor.

I am often asked what makes us different or better than the other guy. The answer is simple, really. Quality! The thing that I think most people don't realize is how many ways there are to cut corners in this business. I have been called out to look at some poor installations and make recommendations. More times than not there is no cure for a bad job.
This may run a bit long but I will explain the difference between a quality and a sub-standard installation on a typical wood floor. Since our region has mostly concrete foundations I will use that as my example.

1. Preparation of the slab. Once the carpet, pad and tack strip are removed there are several other things that need to be done. Sadly, some installers proceed to install at this point. A quality installer will follow National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) standards. Abrade the slab. Using a floor buffer and abrasive disc a quality installer will scour the slab which removes any slick areas caused by additives and foreign substances in the slab. This step allows the adhesive or vapor barrier to bond well to the concrete.

2. Leveling. A quality installer will check the slab and level it as needed with a high quality leveling compound.

3. Vapor barrier. This has become increasingly important. There are some very high quality vapor barriers available. A quality installer will check the slab with a moisture meter and determine if a barrier is needed. Although this only tells you the vapor emissions at the time of testing. This can vary in different seasons. We always recommend a barrier as it gives a warranty against moisture vapor problems.

4. Adhesives. Very important as this is what holds your floor down. There are adhesives for wood floors that cost as little as $40.00 a pail and some than cost $140.00 a pail. Big difference in quality as well. Also it is very important to spread the adhesive at the proper rate. This is accomplished by using the correct trowel. Using a smaller trowel will stretch the coverage but will not be good over the long haul.

5. A quality installer goes out of his way to do the little things that give you a professional job. For example, under cutting door jambs, casings and fire places. Allowing the new flooring to be slipped under.

6. Licensed, bonded and insured. Very important things. It is easy in this day and age to see if your contractor has a valid contractors license. http://www2.cslb.ca.gov/General-Information/interactive-tools/check-a-license/License+Detail.asp

7. Warranty. We have a lifetime warranty on our installation. We stand behind what we do.

$99.00 Whole house carpet installation?

One of our competitors is offering a great deal! $99.00 for carpet installation. Almost sounds too good to be true. I started to think about how they ( let's just call them the non-orange big-box) could do that. Consider that the average carpet job is about 100 square yards. The average carpet installer (licensed) is getting around $3.50 a yard. That means that they are taking a $251.00 loss on the average job. Also let's just say that each of the 1500 stores sell one job a day at 100 yards. That means they are taking a daily loss of $376,500.00 or an annual loss of $137,422,500.00. I'm thinking there must be something else happening here. I don't think the stockholders would be too happy about those numbers. Something to think about.

The Pad Game!

Why is there so much mystery surrounding carpet pad? Does it really matter about the pad. Can I have free pad?
Carpet cushion, also called carpet pad, is an important component in the over-all performance of carpet. Yet for years the carpet manufacturers would not tell us, the retailers, what kind of pad to use. Though in recent years some of the high-end mills have offered "No Mat" or "No Crush" warranties. It was at this point the manufacturers started telling us about pad. Most mills now want us to use a 1/2 inch or thinner pad and a 5 lb. per cubic foot or heavier.
Then there is the pad game! Upgrade for more money? Or get free pad? We all want something free. But is it really free? Good question. Let's do some simple math. One of our big-box competitors (let's just call them orange) offers free pad. I'm not sure how they can do that and stay in business. Volume? Well, they have about 2000 locations and let's just say that each location sells one carpet job a day (low estimate by the way, but I said simple) and the average job is 100 yards. Let's say they pay $1.00 a yard for pad. (it's actually more but.....simple) That means they would be spending $200,000.00 a day for pad, or $73,000,000.00 per year! I'm not an economist but it would seem as if that could be a pretty big problem.
We at Redlands Floorhouse use the guidelines established by The Carpet And Rug Institute (CRI). You can read about it here.http://www.carpet-rug.org/residential-customers/selecting-the-right-carpet-or-rug/selecting-the-right-cushion.cfm
Actually, we use a 7/16" x 8 lb. pad under all conventional carpet and a 3/8" x 8 lb. pad under berber carpeting. Both products are bonded foam also known as rebond. We just include it with every carpet we sell. No games, just a great pad. That's the best way!

What is the deal with bamboo?

That is the big question recently. Does it wear? Is it green? Why are some cheap and some expensive? Indeed, there are many questions. So I will attempt to give you some info to help you understand bamboo flooring. First, bamboo is not wood. It's actually a grass. It has some similar characteristics to wood. If it is manufactured properly it will have the same hardness as oak and be fairly stable, making it a serviceable floor.
Is it green? Good question. There are two schools of thought on this. First is the argument that because it's a renewable resource it must be considered green? True enough. It grows rather quickly. The shoots are full grown in 15 to 18 months although it takes 3 to 5 years for the shoot to mature to the proper hardness. If it is harvested too soon it will be soft and not wear well. Once it's cut down, the cycle starts again.
The purists argue that because most bamboo is coming from China (and they have different manufacturing standards) and because of the adhesives used in manufacturing ie: high formaldehyde content, etc. along with the fuel expended in shipping and transportation and smog generated by the manufacturing process, that it can't really be green. Carbon neutral is the true mark of whether or not a product is green. Having said all that, there are some good bamboo manufacturers making the product in an environmentally friendly way.
For more info on green, check with The Forest Stewardship Council http://www.fscus.org/
Why is there such a huge price difference?
I have seen bamboo priced at $1.89 a square foot and $7.00 a square foot. It's all the same stuff right? NO! There are many things that can be done during the manufacturing process to insure quality. Conversely, there are corners that can be cut. Early harvest is one. If it is harvested too early it will be very soft, making it wear poorly.
Manufacturing process: Quality adhesives and machinery add significantly to the quality of the material. Poor quality adhesives will allow the material to delaminate over time. This is very important since the bamboo is assembled in small pieces to make up a plank. Good machinery means good milling. Bad milling could mean flooring that fits together poorly, a nightmare for any installer.
Air drying vs. kiln drying: Probably the biggest issue I have seen recently. The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA)requires that flooring be kiln dried. U.S. manufacturers typically shoot for the 6 to 9% moisture range. I have seen some bamboo come in at 20% or higher. Why is this important you ask? Wood flooring and I'll include bamboo, is not dimensionally stable. Meaning it expands and contracts radially (across the grain). This is directly related to the moisture content of the material. So, if the product is at 9% and you acclimate it for 2 weeks (let's say the moisture content in your home is 8%) the product will loose 1% of moisture, causing it to shrink. Almost a negligible amount. But, say it's at 20% and your home is at 8%, 2 weeks acclimation won't do much. But over the course of 16 to 20 months the material will air dry down to 8%. Since it will shrink approx. 1/64 of an inch for every 1% of moisture lost, and at 12% lost, that's about 3/16 of an inch shrinkage per board. Huge gaps everywhere. And no cure for it. Sadly, as an NWFA Certified Inspector, I have seen more and more of this recently.
How can I, the consumer, tell the difference?
That's really the problem. To the naked eye, poor quality bamboo and superior quality look identical. It really comes down to knowing your source. So for example, if you get it from a reputable dealer (like us) we will have done all the homework for you, including checking the material with a digital moisture meter when we take delivery.
If you are still reading, I'm sorry this was long and drawn out but I get many questions on this subject so I thought I would just blog it. Hope it helped...j

Buy a floor cheap on the internet!

Sounds good, or does it? Have a look at what one of our major suppliers has to say.
http://www.andersonfloors.com/internet_sales.aspx
I think that says it all. The only thing I can add is that as an NWFA Certified Inspector, I get a lot of calls to look at problems. Flooring purchased on the internet is becoming a bigger problem every year. I have heard many people say that if they had known better they would have spent the small, additional amount of money to get local, personal service. You may be able to get a great deal, or not....j