Does anybody have experience with Gemcore vinyl plank flooring?
T H
6 years ago
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janee_callaghan
5 years agoRobert Arbitter
5 years agoRelated Discussions
Does anyone have experience with Appalachian flooring?
Comments (61)I wish I would have seen this thread before purchasing my wood floors from Appalachian!! I DO NOT recommend at all. I bought white oak floors (Alta Mode line) and when they were first installed they were beautiful. But after a few months, they look so dirty! I purchased these knowing they were “sealed” which is completely false. The grain is open allowing for any dirt to enter, an no amount of hand scrubbing can even get them cleaned. Two pictures show under a rug, and the other picture in an area that’s exposed. I was told the warranty means nothing. So sad considering they were $10sqft!...See MoreAnybody used Costco vinyl planks?
Comments (103)I think alot of the problems people experience with this flooring comes down to knowledge and following the installation instructions exactly. Some sites or videos gloss over alot of important steps that need to be followed. Firstly you should still let the planks acclimate to the room for a week or so. This allows them to get to the same temperature as the room and will prevent shifting. Also you need to prep the existing floor by cleaning it well, and making sure it is level. Any low or high spots need to be addressed. A plastic moisture barrier should be used, but do not use a thick underlayment since the Arowana planks already have a layer of underlayment attached. Be sure to leave a quarter to a half an inch between the planks and the wall to allow for expansion and contraction. I used a scrap piece of the planks and a rubber mallet to click the planks together. I was very liberal with hammering the planks together to make sure they locked securely. I hammered along the entirety of each seam where the planks meet. After about 6 months of use with a dog, cat, toddler, and two adults, I have not noticed any issues. I got the cappuccino color. Only complaint was how pricey the transition pieces were from the manufacturer. Luckily I only needed one....See MoreDoes anyone have experience with the Evoke Surge flooring?
Comments (50)@James Podobea Yep, sounds like we (& prob many others) are in the same boat. I just did a round of repair endseam gluing the other day, so I don't have many pics, but have attached one plank gap that recently emerged. Notably, the creaking occurs consistently on one end of each plank end; reinforcing my conclusion that this is not [just] installer failure, but genuine defective product/design. In our case, putting weight (stepping) on the north end of any plank-to-plank end seam produces a creak. I don't recall wether the 'north end' corresponds to the 'tongue' or the 'groove' segment, but once you know & test it around the house, its incredibly reliable. I've found that gluing the end-seams with tongue & groove glue has been a [tedious] repair solution that has worked with decent success —for now. It stops the creaks, and prevents gaps from periodically forming. The catch, and the "for now" part, is that it will presumably limit your ability to repair/remove isolated sections of the flooring in the future, because it effectively binds entire plank runs together into one piece. This is essentially a post-hoc method of gluing the end-seams of your flooring planks; the 'high traffic' installation directions provided by the manufacturer. Notably, I/we are finding this is necessary in not just high —commercial level— traffic areas, **but in ALL installation areas**. ...a properly functioning plank interface **should do this on its own**, but *that is NOT the case with our Evoke Surge flooring (circa 2022).* I can't provide any guarantees that this will 100% fix your issue, but it has worked wonders fixing the creaking & gapping in our higher traffic areas (in & around kitchen counter/seating, and living room walkways). Repair Tools & Supplies: • 1 'medium duty' suction handle from Amazon; the type used/sold for lifting heavy glass & mirrors (as pictured) • Titebond Tongue & Groove wood glue. (the key is a waterproof glue with a strong-yet-flexible bond. There are various grades of Titebond available, going with the purpose-built version seems safe. I bout a two-pack online, and *one bottle* should be more than enough) • Rubber mallet • Small block of wood; a piece of 2-by-4 about 1/2" shorter than the width of your planks should be perfect. • Start gluing end-seams *in the middle of a run* in which gaps/creaks occur. The suction handle is capable of sliding one plank reasonably well, but once you bond multiple planks together the accumulated friction will become too much. • Attach the suction handle to the last plank in the run —closest to the wall • Gently tap the end of the suction handle with the mallet to shift the plank toward the wall. ...you don't want/need to SMASH it, just tap it along, 1/8" or less at a time **until you've created a 0.25–0.5 inch gap between the end plank & the next one**. This is your *"working gap"* • Move along the run and shift the working gap to the middle of the run • Apply a bead of glue along the exposed tongue of the working gap. You don't need to "fill" the gap, and you don't necessarily want the glue to seep along the side seam. • Attach the suction handle to the plank on the wall-side of the seam, and stand/squat on the plank on the "mid-run" side of the seam. • Gently tap the end seam until the top surface of the boards are juust about touching, but don't smash them together. • With a *dry clean cloth*, wipe up any excess glue that oozes out of the seam as it comes together. • For the final 1/32–1/64th (just barely visible) gap, use the wood block to apply slight pressure to one side of the seam—the tongue side— as you apply the final mallet taps; not your whole body weight, but just enough. • Wipe off any excess glue with a *dry cloth*, then a slightly damp cloth for the final clean-up. ...per the glue instructions, any additional water applied (by over wetting/wiping during cleanup) will decrease the strength of your bond. • With some practice/experience, you'll figure out just the right amount of glue to effectively secure the seam without too much ooze-out. • **BUT its better to err on the side of ooze-out** and clean-up, rather than *unknowingly* not have enough glue in the seam to create a strong bond. ....this is the kind of thing where "you only get one chance to do it right" • Work your way along the run from the middle to the wall, then repeat in the other direction. • Think through any doorway or cabinet obstructions that might be present. You may need to start gluing a run at these 'captivated' planks, then work your way to the wall. The process is LOUD, cumbersome, and you'll also want to be able to not walk on the area for at least 24 hours while the glue cures (*definitely no walking for the first ~1-3 hours after gluing*). Its really a pain in the but to apply this repair over any large area, so working through 2-3 of your most problematic/noisy runs at a time is probably the best way to go. ...this piecewise approach is also why its important to not let too much glue ooze into the side seams; you don't want adjacent plank runs glued together. Example of an emergent gap between plank ends...these arise throughout the house quite regularly: Here's the glue and the suction device I've used with some success to deal with the creaks & gaps...See MoreEngineered Vinyl plank vs. Luxury Vinyl plank
Comments (0)I will be starting a renovation of my second floor later this year, and will be putting in all new flooring. I really don't want carpeting but, at the same time, I would like something that is less noisy than hardwood. Have been looking at Engineered Vinyl Plank (EVP) and Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP). I have LVP in my kitchen and love it, but have heard good things about EVP. Does anyone have experience with one or both, or any recommendations? Thank you!...See Morejanee_callaghan
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