marmoleum welding rod butt-ugly pics :(

11 years ago

So. This is what a welding rod looks like in marmoleum. Decidedly unhappy and getting un-happier as the day goes on.

As I said in another thread... REALLY? This is the solution for seaming these beautiful sheet of linoleum? A strip of plastic that doesn't even match the color of the floor?

I have a call in to the flooring guy and someone is going to fix this. Now way we're paying this price for this end result. Take a look:

Thoughts?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (9)

poohpup
11 years ago
Oh my! I think I'm thinking what you're thinking.

That floor looks gorgeous with your green walls. But what happened to your checkerboard pattern? Your buttery yellow and brown with possible hints of green? I must have missed something.

I hope you get this resolved!
bahacca
11 years ago
The scratches are totally unacceptable in my book, and I've never even looked at this surface before. I just googled and everything I see about welding rods says that they MUST be Marmoleum brand when using that surface. Did the guy try to use some knock off brand?
Related Discussions
bad Marmoleum install?
Q
Comments (3)
Caldreamer, you should NOT have a gap at the seam. I agree with Steff that this is an install issue and they just did it flat out wrong. And they are talking out their butts about putty being the fix. There is a seaming product called a welding rod that can be inserted into a seam and heated to make a total seal. Used in hospitals and labs and such where a seam is not ideal. You get a perfect seal, but some people don't like the look of the rod 'stripe'. Beats a gap though. Don't know if that would be an option for you. A while ago someone with a blue Marmoleum floor install did not like the look of the welding rod and had the sheeting redone to have just a tight seam. I don't recall who it was and don't know whether the sheeting was reused or trashed for the fix. Agree you should document the situation, notify the contractor that it is not acceptable, and contact Forbo as to your options. (I didn't see your thread when I posted my own Marmoleum install issue a momemt ago. Such a fantastic product - why can't the installers do right by it? I feel your pain.)
...See More
Mustard stained my Marmoleum
Q
Comments (44)
Back to Marmoleum--I'm not seeing any consensus on whether Click or Sheet are the safer choices if you're going to have a pattern. I don't understand the Dual Tile at all, since this seems to require an almost infinite number of seams, no? We have both sheet Marmoleum and Dual Tile. The sheet only comes in one width - 79". If you need something wider, you can either butt the sheets together or use a welding rod. Even though there is a pattern to the Marmoleum, if you butt the sheets, you will probably see the seam. If you use a welding rod, you will definitely see the seam. The rods are not available in all colors/patterns. And you need an installer that is really qualified to make good seams using the welding rods. Our hall bathrooms are about 6ft wide, so we had the sheet goods installed there since no seam was needed. The laundry room and master bathroom would have required seams if we used the sheet goods. I didn't think I would like the look of just one seam in the room, so we went with the Dual Tile in those rooms. You can tell the floor was done with tiles, but the look does not bother me. I prefer the look of seams all over to just one seam. (Think VTC flooring in a department or grocery store.) And, if we had gone with the sheet goods, we would have had a lot of waste due to the size of the rooms and the width of the sheet. If you go with the Marmoleum Click, it gets treated the same as any other floating floor. That means you have to have your expansion gaps and, if you have an island, you have to decide how comfortable you are with putting the island cabinets on a floating floor. If you are not comfortable doing that, you will have to figure out how to hid the necessary expansion gaps around all sides of the island. Also, you will have some type of transition piece, t-molding or reducer, where you transition from another type of floor to the Marmoleum Click. Our sheet and tile Marmoleum are butted up against our hardwood floors with a tiny bit of caulking, and they are flush. We have only been living with our Marmoleum for 3 months, but we really like it.
...See More
Marmoleum Underlayment
Q
Comments (16)
A little late to the party here - but I'm looking at the same thing for my kitchen, and when I saw that my flooring contractor had noted an underlayment of particle board in his quote, I decided to do some research. Forbo/Marmoleum writes on their (commercial) installation specs: "Years of experience have identified a number of wood substrates that may cause problems when resilient flooring products are installed over them. Installation of Forbo flooring products is NOT recommended over particle board/chip board, tempered hardboard, luan plywood, fire retardant plywood, or pressure treated plywood." Sjerin, while your floor is probably in by now, I thought I'd include the above for others who may come across this thread as I did.
...See More
Pics of marmoleum floor please!
Q
Comments (10)
Guy at flooring store said if we did the planks or squares it would be a "floating" floor. My kitchen is open to the DR where we just installed hardwood. I wanted to be able to have the 2 floors meet with no gradient-that they would be level with each other. He said that wasn't possible. Is that true?? I'm looking to do a gray floor so I especially appreciate your pics-Rhome410 and fori. I love the color of both of your floors-it's exactly what I want. I think I'll also post on the flooring forum. If both floors could be even with each other marmoleum may be my solution to my flooring indecision. Thanks so much for your responses!!
...See More
bahacca
11 years ago
This might help. Looks like several have had it installed without using the welding rod.
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/flooring/msg090139198121.html
deedles
Original Author
11 years ago
Pooh: This isn't the kitchen floor, it's in a small bedroom, but that is the color I was going to use for the checkboard with the butter color. (love the green.. BM wythe blue)
Bahacca: I don't know what the H he used but whatever... it ain't staying.
I've talked to the flooring store manager and forwarded her the photos. I assured her that this is not okay and something will have to be done. The scratches are actually melted welding rod that has melted into the surface of the floor... the installer tried to get it off with mineral spirits and couldn't. DH tried and says he can't scratch it off with his fingernail, it seems to be now 'one' with the flooring. And, can you see the 'puckers' along the seam line? And parts of the seam line aren't even with the flooring surface so there is a 'trough' to catch dust and dirt. I swear with God as my witness...okay, a little dramatic but to say that I was really p****ed right now wouldn't be an overstatement.
senator13
11 years ago
The scratches are most likely from the welding rod as you said above. Marmoluem sheet is difficult to install and even morsel if you have someone weld the rods. In the end all the seams will look more like tile with welded applications. Our installed who has done a lot of the Marmolueum commerically said that he never reccommends the welded joints in residential applications because people don 't like the look. He said in a residential application the are not neccessary, either.
senator13
11 years ago
The scratches are most likely from the welding rod as you said above. Marmoluem sheet is difficult to install and even morsel if you have someone weld the rods. In the end all the seams will look more like tile with welded applications. Our installed who has done a lot of the Marmolueum commerically said that he never reccommends the welded joints in residential applications because people don 't like the look. He said in a residential application the are not neccessary, either.
sjerin
11 years ago
Oh, my. I hope you get a re-do from the company, Deedles.
deedles
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi sjerin: Thank you for asking. After some discussion it was decided by the flooring co. that they will be replacing half the floor and will be using a butt joint seam. They checked and the same lot is still available so it's been ordered. Someone posted about using non-marmoleum welding rod and we think that might be the case as well. I've ordered samples of what should have been used and if it doesn't match we'll be refunded the cost of that, too.
The lady was very nice and quite apologetic. Glad we didn't have a fight on our hands. But. We're now three for three in 'professionals' that don't know what they're doing. Jeepers that's disheartening.
sjerin
11 years ago
I'm so glad it's working out for you, without the big fight. And sorry you're having trouble with contractors. I keep reading that it's important to have qualified person put this flooring in but it sounds like you thought you had done that! I hope everything turns out to your satisfaction.

marmoleum welding rod butt-ugly pics :(

Comments (9)

poohpup

bahacca

Related Discussions

bahacca

deedles
Original Author

senator13

senator13

sjerin

deedles
Original Author

sjerin

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

marmoleum welding rod butt-ugly pics :(

Comments (9)

poohpup

bahacca

Related Discussions

bahacca

deedlesOriginal Author

senator13

senator13

sjerin

deedlesOriginal Author

sjerin

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

deedles
Original Author

deedles
Original Author