ᐅ Installing click-lock vinyl flooring despite possibly excessive residual moisture
Created on: 21 Nov 2023 10:49
J
jrth2151
Just as a preliminary note:
Yes, I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone myself, and yes, I know that a CM measurement has to be done, as it is the only truly reliable method to measure residual moisture.
And yes, I know we like to educate each other here in the forum, but please put that aside for a moment and follow my explanation.
Our calcium aluminate screed (alpha-hemihydrate) was installed on 26.07.23. The windows remained closed for three days afterwards, and the house was not entered. After that, we started ventilating several times daily with burst ventilation. We always monitored the hx diagram to achieve the lowest possible relative indoor humidity matching the outdoor conditions.
After three weeks, the functional/maturity heating began. The flow temperature was gradually increased and then maintained at 50°C (122°F) for a total of 14 days. Afterwards, the temperature was slowly reduced to 21°C (70°F).
Then I measured residual moisture with an electric moisture meter (yes, inaccurate) and got a reading of less than 0.2%. So at least the indicators look good so far.
We then had no heating for about four weeks but continued ventilating optimally according to the hx diagram. Since last week, the heating has been running again at 21°C (70°F).
That’s the background information.
The issue:
We have to move in before Christmas because we have already terminated our rental contract and the loan repayment has started. That means we can hardly afford to wait any longer anyway. It would practically be impossible.
At the end of next week, we will be installing floating click vinyl flooring—Wineo 600 rigid. Now let’s assume I don’t do a CM measurement. What is the worst-case scenario? Does anyone here have experience with this? We would leave off the baseboards until a few weeks later and only cover the essential rooms such as the bedrooms and open-plan kitchen/living area.
And again, I wouldn’t personally recommend this to anyone, but unfortunately, we really have no other real choice now…
Yes, I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone myself, and yes, I know that a CM measurement has to be done, as it is the only truly reliable method to measure residual moisture.
And yes, I know we like to educate each other here in the forum, but please put that aside for a moment and follow my explanation.
Our calcium aluminate screed (alpha-hemihydrate) was installed on 26.07.23. The windows remained closed for three days afterwards, and the house was not entered. After that, we started ventilating several times daily with burst ventilation. We always monitored the hx diagram to achieve the lowest possible relative indoor humidity matching the outdoor conditions.
After three weeks, the functional/maturity heating began. The flow temperature was gradually increased and then maintained at 50°C (122°F) for a total of 14 days. Afterwards, the temperature was slowly reduced to 21°C (70°F).
Then I measured residual moisture with an electric moisture meter (yes, inaccurate) and got a reading of less than 0.2%. So at least the indicators look good so far.
We then had no heating for about four weeks but continued ventilating optimally according to the hx diagram. Since last week, the heating has been running again at 21°C (70°F).
That’s the background information.
The issue:
We have to move in before Christmas because we have already terminated our rental contract and the loan repayment has started. That means we can hardly afford to wait any longer anyway. It would practically be impossible.
At the end of next week, we will be installing floating click vinyl flooring—Wineo 600 rigid. Now let’s assume I don’t do a CM measurement. What is the worst-case scenario? Does anyone here have experience with this? We would leave off the baseboards until a few weeks later and only cover the essential rooms such as the bedrooms and open-plan kitchen/living area.
And again, I wouldn’t personally recommend this to anyone, but unfortunately, we really have no other real choice now…
M
motorradsilke24 Nov 2023 19:46xMisterDx schrieb:
Of course, you can let the baseboards end at the furniture. But it’s always visible...
And if you move a piece of furniture 20cm (8 inches) to the left or right, you have to patch it, and the joint is always visible too 😉
If you install the baseboards later, you simply glue them a bit behind the cabinets, as far as you can reach. That way, it’s not visible. The cabinets should stand off from the wall a bit anyway. And you have to patch the baseboards at every wall anyway. Or do you have baseboards that are 4 to 5 meters (13 to 16 feet) long?
X
xMisterDx24 Nov 2023 23:15motorradsilke schrieb:
When installing baseboards later, you simply glue them a little behind the cabinets, as far as you can reach. You won’t see it. The cabinets should stick out a bit anyway. And you’ll have to join the baseboards on every wall anyway. Or do you have baseboards that are 4 to 5 meters (13 to 16 feet) long? Have fun. I have no idea what kind of baseboards you glued, clicked, or screwed in. Mine were fixed fully and flat to the wall for hours to make sure they stay in place.
The wall isn’t 100% straight, and the baseboard isn’t 100% straight either. If you screw or click them in, you can forget about doing that behind the cabinets anyway. Or you just patch something together... not really my style 😉
Of course it’s possible. But it looks unfinished and awkward.
Especially since I could still understand that with hardwood flooring, which expands and contracts quite a bit...
But vinyl? That’s plastic, nothing more. What could possibly expand or contract so much that you would have to wait to install the baseboards? Even my laminate upstairs has barely moved since March...
So do yourself a favor and finish the rooms while they are still empty and unoccupied.
Anything else is unnecessary stress... some people like it, I don’t.
Solid vinyl flooring expands more in sunlight than any type of hardwood flooring. However, that’s exactly what the expansion joint is for.
The main issue is that the screed tends to settle further during the first year. This can cause the skirting board to hang in the air, and any sealing compound used may tear off.
The main issue is that the screed tends to settle further during the first year. This can cause the skirting board to hang in the air, and any sealing compound used may tear off.
KingJulien25 Nov 2023 07:50And in this case, it is actually about the possibly too high residual moisture in the screed, which needs to be able to escape.
M
motorradsilke25 Nov 2023 10:46xMisterDx schrieb:
Have fun. No idea what kind of baseboards you glued, clicked, or screwed in. I fixed mine fully to the wall for hours so they would hold.
The wall isn’t 100% straight, the baseboard isn’t 100% straight either. If you screw or click them in, you can forget about it completely behind the cabinets anyway. Or you just fudge something together... not really my thing 😉
Sure, it can be done. But it looks half-baked.
Especially since I could understand it with hardwood flooring, which does expand and contract quite a bit...
But vinyl? That’s just plastic, nothing else. What crazy movement would there be that you’d need to wait with the baseboards? Even my laminate upstairs hasn’t moved much since March...
That’s why. Do yourself a favor and finish the rooms while they’re still empty and you’re not living in them.
Anything else is unnecessary stress... some people like that... I don’t.I just had a house built with straight walls 😉.
But seriously, then you used the wrong adhesive.
We used baseboards that matched the parquet flooring. Applied construction adhesive, pressed them tightly against the wall, fixed.
We did it right away, and I would recommend to everyone NOT to do that immediately. The screed settled, and now I have more or less large gaps between the parquet and the baseboard that I still need to fill.
P
Pinkiponk25 Nov 2023 11:35Tolentino schrieb:
It’s mainly about the fact that the screed tends to settle more during the first year. Then the baseboard can end up floating, and any sealant used may crack and break off.That’s correct, we experienced the same issue, which was just fixed a few days ago by the house manufacturer (a prefabricated house with a timber frame construction). The owner/master craftsman of the company responsible for laying the tiles and such did the repair himself and told us that he is specifically paid by the house manufacturer for this replacement, because the sealant cracks on every (?) house due to the movement of the screed. Every one of his invoices states that no warranty is provided for this.He also works for a second prefabricated house company and mentioned that this company does not offer baseboards in tile form (like we have), but only baseboards that do not require sealant in order to avoid the issue described above. However, in that case, the floor is not as tightly sealed at the baseboards, and if a bucket of water spills or the dishwasher leaks, water can quickly reach the timber studs. That’s roughly how I understood it.
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