The Instructions Came With the Product

Manufacturers spend considerable time developing flooring products, testing them, and explaining how they should be used. They print instructions on containers, include them in packaging, and publish detailed technical information online.

Yet some installers and finishers barely look at them.

It's not always a lack of experience. Sometimes it's quite the opposite. A technician who has been doing the same work for twenty years may see little reason to change a method that has served him well. But flooring products have changed considerably during those twenty years.

Adhesives, finishes, moisture-control systems, and flooring materials now offer capabilities that weren't available a decade ago. Some require different preparation, mixing procedures, or application methods. Experience with an older product doesn't necessarily qualify someone to use its replacement without checking the instructions.

I've encountered experienced technicians who understood their trade but couldn't explain the current requirements for products they used regularly.

When Familiar Methods Cause Problems

Consider a two-component waterborne finish. The manufacturer specifies the mixing ratio, working time, application rate, drying conditions, and other requirements. A technician accustomed to another finish may assume the process is similar, particularly if both products appear to perform the same function.

An incorrect mixture or application may still produce a floor that initially looks acceptable. Whether it performs as intended over time is another matter.

Adhesives present their own difficulties. Trowel size, adhesive transfer, substrate preparation, moisture limits, and working time can affect the bond between the flooring and the substrate. Using a familiar trowel simply because it worked with another adhesive isn't sound practice.

LVP locking mechanisms offer another example. Different manufacturers use different joint designs, some requiring specific assembly angles or installation sequences. Improper handling can damage the connections, occasionally without obvious signs until the floor has been in service.

Depending on the failure, repairs may involve additional sanding and finishing, removing installed flooring, or replacing materials altogether. What appeared to be a minor shortcut during installation can become a considerable expense.

I've also seen methods used outside their intended application that appeared to work perfectly well. Those successes can encourage technicians to repeat the same procedure without questioning it. The difficulty comes when conditions change or the next product behaves differently.

The Value of Product Knowledge Meetings

Product knowledge meetings, commonly called PK meetings, aren't particularly popular with everyone in the trade. Some technicians dismiss them as sales presentations before they even begin.

Manufacturers and distributors certainly want to sell their products. That doesn't make the technical information any less valuable.

During these meetings, installers can observe product demonstrations and ask questions about unusual substrates, compatibility with other materials, jobsite conditions, and installation methods. Manufacturers also explain improvements in their products, including changes that might not be obvious to someone familiar with earlier versions.

I've seen presenters with extensive field experience receive little attention from younger technicians who apparently believed they already knew enough. Some of those presenters had spent years installing, sanding, and finishing floors before working with manufacturers.

A representative doesn't necessarily need more years installing floors than everyone in the room. That person may have direct access to current testing information, technical support, and product developments that the installers haven't yet encountered.

There's nothing wrong with questioning a manufacturer's recommendations or discussing differences between laboratory testing and field conditions. Those discussions can be among the most useful parts of the meeting.

Dismissing the information before hearing it accomplishes very little.

Before Blaming the Product

When a flooring installation fails, the manufacturer may review jobsite conditions, moisture measurements, preparation methods, product compatibility, and application procedures. Depending on the circumstances, samples or additional testing may be necessary.

Sometimes the investigation identifies an installation problem. Occasionally, the product itself is defective, or its instructions haven't adequately addressed the conditions involved.

The cause needs to be established before responsibility can be assigned.

Manufacturers provide installation instructions, technical data sheets, training, and support to help contractors use their products correctly. The National Wood Flooring Association also recognizes the importance of following the specific manufacturer's instructions, even when those requirements differ from general industry recommendations.

Homeowners aren't expected to know the proper mixing ratio for a floor finish or the trowel required for a particular adhesive. That's part of the knowledge they're paying a professional to bring to the project.

If the product is used outside its approved conditions, warranty coverage may become another concern, depending on the terms and the cause of the failure.

Reading the current instructions, checking the technical information, or contacting the manufacturer before starting the work takes relatively little time.

Correcting a failed installation can take considerably longer, especially when the customer has already moved into the property.