Page 2 | Rip it up and start again ?

Dumdidums · 2021-12-12T13:28:56+00:00

Hello I have been putting down flooring and i thought i would get a professional in to get the cost of doing the bay shaped bit of the room and the bit that goes under the doors. He basically said that he would have to rip it all up and start again. What do you think of what has been done Looking at the pictures do you agree ?

SoupDragon · 12/12/2021 14:51

OK i didnt realise they need to be staggered. Can someone explain why.

It's to spread the joints and make the floor more stable. If they're staggered (like a brick wall) the length of the plank clicked in across the short ends supports the join. Without this, there's nothing supporting the short ends and they flex when walked on.

nannybeach · 12/12/2021 14:52

DH says you should have started at the bay window,yes as others have said,planks should be staggered. Can't quite make out what you have done on the right.

SmolCat · 12/12/2021 14:53

Yes that’s true, not all of the planks may survive being taken back up. But it’s likely most will. I would buy another two packs and keep the receipt ready to return them if they’re not needed.

Staggering makes it look better and makes it more stable/less prone to shifting.

OnlyonemoresleeptilChristmas · 12/12/2021 15:06

Always check YouTube OP before doing DIY, there are some really helpful videos on there for all sorts of things. Hopefully the planks will all come up okay and you won’t need too many extra. Don’t be discouraged, it will look great when it’s done. Love the shutters.

Generalpost · 12/12/2021 15:36

If they are not staggered it will basically come apart

SolasAnla · 12/12/2021 15:43

OK i didnt realise they need to be staggered. Can someone explain why.

Wood is a natural material
It will have a water content as it absorbes and releases water from/into it's environment. That environment changes though out the year.
In sunny rooms there will be hot spots (in front of window) and cold spots (dark corner).
The top of the wood is sealed by varnish but the sides, ends and bottoms will not be.
So if the water is being absorbed from the air the edges and ends expand while the middle is less "wet".

Each board can expand and contract at different rates, think tectonics plate moving against and pushing away from each other creating the valleys and mountains.
When the boards dry out again they contract at the edges creating gaps.
Having the end locked in place on the left & right increases friction hold and reduces movement.

NB if you are going to lift the boards do it asap so you know how many extra packs you may need.
Take the wrap material with you to match batch numbers as the colour can change across packs.

TiddleTaddleTat · 12/12/2021 15:48

I hate it when we get this. Decorators came in recently to quote for a job and were laughing (openly!) at some of the work we’d had done by another decorator, and the stuff we had DIY. Annoyed me actually as sometimes we can’t afford professionals or they aren’t available. Needless to say I didn’t give these decorators the job. You learn through doing this kind of stuff, so try not to beat yourself up. We made a right pigs ear of doing the kitchen in similar flooring, I think it’s easier just to remove what’s there and start again, as others have said it should be reuseable. Well done for your efforts anyway!

Original poster

Dumdidums · 12/12/2021 19:19

Basically he doesnt want to do it , ive emailed the pics to another one and no response. One is coming round tomorrow to look.
PS I have 2 unopened packs of the flooring

OP posts:

AwkwardPaws27 · 12/12/2021 19:35

It needs taking up and relaying though.
You can expect a professional to make a good finish as it is - the unstaggered ends will lift as they aren't supported, and they won't be able to get the edges close enough in the bay.
It'll probably be cheaper if you take it up yourself so you aren't paying them to do that too.

senua · 12/12/2021 19:57

he asked who did it and i said that it doesn't really matter does it as all I need is a quote for doing the whole room again and he would probably not know the people who did it. I then asked him to leave as I wanted to get out shopping
If I was the fitter I would think " She's had a barney with the previous fitter, probably hasn't paid him. Also, she seems to think that her time is more important than mine."
I'd run a mile, too.

Calmdown14 · 12/12/2021 20:15

It's usual to remove the skirting boards first, unless you plan to fit a trim. How are you planning to finish it?

AwkwardPaws27 · 12/12/2021 20:26

@Calmdown14

It's usual to remove the skirting boards first, unless you plan to fit a trim. How are you planning to finish it?

This is an option; we opted not to as the plaster would probably have come off with it

old house, small budget We have scotia beading (attached to the bottom of the skirting).

Original poster

Dumdidums · 12/12/2021 22:25

now installer 3 is asking why it was installed like this !

all i want is a quote on the cost to fix

OP posts:

worriedandannoyed · 12/12/2021 22:32

You won't find anyone who can finish off what you've started and make a good job of it unfortunately

SmolCat · 12/12/2021 23:14

@Dumdidums

now installer 3 is asking why it was installed like this !

all i want is a quote on the cost to fix

Is there any reason you’re not being up front and honest with them?

‘I gave diy a go but this was more complicated than I thought it would be. Can you quote for relaying this floor? Dimensions are X.’

EmmaC78 · 12/12/2021 23:24

I don't think you'll get anyone to fix it from partly done like that. As others have said it would be impossible to do much with it. Just lift up what you have done and salvage as many pieces you can and get a quote for starting from scratch.

EdgeOfTheSky · 13/12/2021 07:24

OP: it takes time out of their working day to come round and give you quotes. Stop wasting their time, tell them honestly what happened and that you would like them to start the job from scratch.

MousesBack · 13/12/2021 07:39

@SoupDragon

OK i didnt realise they need to be staggered. Can someone explain why.

It's to spread the joints and make the floor more stable. If they're staggered (like a brick wall) the length of the plank clicked in across the short ends supports the join. Without this, there's nothing supporting the short ends and they flex when walked on.

Also you don't end up with that terrible line across where they all finish in the same place! OP, you've had a crack and learnt from making mistakes. You could either take it all up yourself and redo it, taking into consideration your new knowledge. Or, if you can afford it, get a professional to do so. Either of these would be preferable to the finish you'll get if you insist on carrying on from where you're already at.

SoupDragon · 13/12/2021 07:46

I wonder it will be easier if you take it up yourself and then ask for quotes to lay it?

Summersdreaming · 13/12/2021 07:54

I wouldn't have known what PP's have explained about staggering and where to start. Don't feel embarrassed about trying, but you should be honest with the installers.

AwkwardPaws27 · 13/12/2021 09:32

‘I gave diy a go but this was more complicated than I thought it would be. Can you quote for relaying this floor? Dimensions are X.’

This is perfect - otherwise they think someone has ripped you off or run off on the job. There's no shame in having a go.

Original poster

Dumdidums · 18/12/2021 14:37

Hello again, ive run out of fitters who are nearby and the one i was interested in for some reason didnt bother to email me a quote so ive taken up the flooring and put them down. Ive learnt my lesson and not clicked them into place until i check with the handypeople at mumsnet . Any comments

OP posts:

Generalpost · 18/12/2021 15:32

@Dumdidums

Hello again, ive run out of fitters who are nearby and the one i was interested in for some reason didnt bother to email me a quote so ive taken up the flooring and put them down. Ive learnt my lesson and not clicked them into place until i check with the handypeople at mumsnet . Any comments

You Need to finish each row before you go on to the next. So where you need to fit the smaller bits do that before you go onto the next row as you cant add them after

SolasAnla · 18/12/2021 16:24

I agree with Generalpost you need to start in one corner and finish each row.
How is the measurement,
no of board width's

wall to wall?
Imo a thin board either side of the fire would be fine.
NB your room is unlikely to be 100% square so work that into how you will need to cut them.

Small visiual point
In front of the fire
Start the first full row on a full board in front of the fire with its middle centred to the mid point of the fire place.
If your putting in a hearth you then don't have to worry about the joint opening.
You can then on the next new row have the joint in the middle of the first full board to get a brick staggered look
At the moment a lot of the joints look to start/stop in the middle of the floor and the multiple small joints along the wall where rhe door is may pop too much.

The other problem the Ismall bits
is the risk they will open faster
Will that wside be covered by a couch or furniture?

SoupDragon · 18/12/2021 16:37

When I've done it (admittedly in a square room!) I've used the off cut from the last plank in a row to start the next. That way the cut edges are always against a wall where they will be hidden by beading or skirting. The only exception is where this would mean two "end of plank" joins being next to each other.

It looks better than the first attempt though!