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Construction Industry/Questions Answered by Expert Stephen Hayes
| Subject | Date Asked |
| SCC | 2/3/2012 |
| Q: is Self Compacting Concrete good? Or any bad effects with it? ref: ... A: The information you have included with your question has quite a long list of additional references ... | |
| Weight limit for Mezzanine | 11/30/2011 |
| Q: I have a mezzanine that is 15 ft high with Metal girders as the flooring and wood slats, with 1/2 in ... A: Sorry, but I have no knowledge of structural engineering, so I am unable to answer your question. I ... | |
| coating over vct gym floor | 11/22/2011 |
| Q: Here's the scenario: An elementary school basketball gym has an existing VCT floor applied over ... A: My suggestion would be to obtain the name of the EXACT manufacturer of the VCT, 'google' their name ... | |
| floor joist | 10/16/2011 |
| Q: I own a rancher and recently discovered that a few of the floor joists are number three grade ... A: Sorry, I can't answer your question. I am an expert in floor coverings (carpet, vinly, hardwood, ... | |
| disastermanagement | 8/21/2011 |
| Q: which material is used in strongest buildings? which metal is used in it so it not fall in ... A: Sorry I can't answer your question, since I am an expert in floor coverings -carpet, hardwood, ... | |
| ceramic tiles had lifted | 6/25/2011 |
| Q: Location: South Florida House was built in 1998. On April 2011 two ceramic tiles in the middle of ... A: To resolve your problem, after 13 years, would be very difficult, even if you paid for your own ... | |
| ceramic tiles had lifted | 6/24/2011 |
| Q: Location: South Florida House was built in 1998. On April 2011 two ceramic tiles in the middle of ... A: From your description, it sounds like a foundation problem, so I would not believe the insurance ... | |
| ceramic tiles had lifted | 6/24/2011 |
| Q: Location: South Florida House was built in 1998. On April 2011 two ceramic tiles in the middle of ... A: There could be several reasons why that happened. Since I can't see your installation, I could only ... | |
| Epoxy Coating for Exterior Concrete Surface | 6/10/2011 |
| Q: We have an upper, exterior, flat, concrete surface which also serves as the roof for a lower ... A: Unfortunately, I can't answer it. My expertise is all types of floor coverings such as carpet, ... | |
| assmbl | 4/13/2011 |
| Q: can u explain the site assembly on construction side? and productivty cycle? A: Sorry, I can't answer your question. I am an expert in floor covering (carpet, rugs, ceramic, ... | |
| moisture in concrete slab | 4/10/2011 |
| Q: Our house was built in 2003 in Southern California. We started experiencing moisture in our lower ... A: Moisture in concrete is the overwhelming greatest cause of floor covering installation failures. I ... | |
| Road Construction | 3/22/2011 |
| Q: Can you please explain how to construct a road? What type of plans do you have to draw for a road? ... A: You are welcome. By the way, if you were still not able to hook up with a road construction expert, ... | |
| Covering Asbestos Tile | 2/27/2011 |
| Q: I purchased a house about a year ago and soon after found that the vinyl tile in my basement ... A: again, Josh;I really don't have any idea of cost. Just 'google' asbestos removal companies in (put ... | |
| Covering Asbestos Tile | 2/27/2011 |
| Q: I purchased a house about a year ago and soon after found that the vinyl tile in my basement ... A: Being in a basement, I would assume the tile is installed over concrete. Concrete is absorbent and ... | |
| floor joist span | 1/25/2011 |
| Q: i have abarn with a high roof and i want to build a platform for storage. I would like to anchor 6x6 ... A: Sorry, but I do not have the expertise to answer your question. I am a floor covering expert. I ... | |
| New Contruction Completion | 12/25/2010 |
| Q: I signed a contract to build a 2000 sq ft home and did not include a finish date. Can my contractor ... A: Sorry to hear about your problem. From my experience, I would urge you to do several things. The ... | |
| Receiving paycheck | 9/8/2010 |
| Q: What recourse in Florida do I have if I do not receive my final paycheck or my overtime work from my ... A: I have no idea why your question was forwarded to me. I deal in answering problems with all types ... | |
| floor covering | 8/27/2010 |
| Q: We have a commercial bakery in our apartment which is adjacent to our home. It has around 650 ... A: Your email is always blocked when I receive your question, since All Experts delivers my message to ... | |
| Temperature control for large hot weather concreting | 6/30/2010 |
| Q: We are in the early planning stage for a large concrete pour during hot summer weather in Middle ... A: Sorry that I do not have the expertise to answer your questions. I am an expert in floor coverings ... | |
| replacing tile and carpet without disturbing asbestos | 6/29/2010 |
| Q: I want to replace my existing vinyl tile and carpet. I don't know if I have asbestos underneath but ... A: There may be, but I need to know more about your installation. How old is your home? What is ... | |
| Covering cracked concrete slab in kitchen. | 6/22/2010 |
| Q: What can I do to fix my cracked tile in my kitchen?? I have a crack that existed before I put down ... A: I can't see your installation, so my answers are good educated guesses based upon years of ... | |
| Covering cracked concrete slab in kitchen. | 6/22/2010 |
| Q: What can I do to fix my cracked tile in my kitchen?? I have a crack that existed before I put down ... A: From your question I think you are telling me that you have ceramic tile in your kitchen, that there ... | |
| BackFilling a Basement | 3/23/2010 |
| Q: I have no drain tile. Can i use the same soil that i took out? A: I don't know why your question came to me. I handle floor covering questions (carpet, hardwood, ... | |
| Bathroom floor over cracked concrete | 3/13/2010 |
| Q: I have a new home that the basement floor quickly developed large cracks and some heaving. The ... A: You need to find out the reason for the heaving, subsiding, and cracking, and then to properly solve ... | |
| wood floor capacity | 3/3/2010 |
| Q: Wood Floor Capacity I need a ‘bridge’ over an inspection trench in the floor, for a pneumatic tire ... A: Sorry, I do not have the expertise to answer your question. I am an expert in residential and ... | |
| Floor Tiles lifting | 2/24/2010 |
| Q: I have recently done some renovations to an existing house and 12-18 months later the floor tiles in ... A: To give you some possible answers to your question, I would need lots of additional information ... | |
| Pouring footing around existing slab | 2/11/2010 |
| Q: I have a slab that measures 21 ft x 26 ft. It has a garage built on top of it. I want to build a new ... A: I don't know how your question got to me, but I deal in mainly indoor & outdoor floor coverings such ... | |
| loose and wobbly floor | 11/13/2009 |
| Q: My house is only about 12 yrs old and the floor are wobbly and shake as you walk. It is worse in ... A: again, Jim; Sorry to hear you have nothing in writing. Hearsay evidence is usually not admissible ... | |
| loose and wobbly floor | 11/12/2009 |
| Q: My house is only about 12 yrs old and the floor are wobbly and shake as you walk. It is worse in ... A: Without actually seeing the problems in your home, I would be only guessing, in answering your ... | |
| Asbestos Removal | 11/5/2009 |
| Q: Under carpet in all rooms of my house built in 1977 a white substance scattered over plywood ... A: You have a family, possibly pets, and visitors to your home. Why would you gamble with asbestos, ... | |
| 14 year old tile on concrete slab | 9/23/2009 |
| Q: Had a Restoration Company come in today with photos of a oceanfront property with tile on concrete ... A: Since I can't see that installation, I can only guess. Could be a moisture problem in the concrete, ... | |
| Ceramic tiles | 8/13/2009 |
| Q: My house has been tiled with ceramic tiles (previously with vinyl tiles) for about 6 years. ... A: Without seeing your installation, I can only guess the possible causes. The hollow sounds could be ... | |
| Best tool to scrape off polyurethane | 7/5/2009 |
| Q: I've been remodeling my roof and I filled the interior of my roof with hard polyurethane foam, but I ... A: Sorry, I can't help you. I don't know why your question was transferred to me. I am a floor ... | |
| SWIFF STIK ADHESIVE | 7/2/2009 |
| Q: WE ARE INTERESTED IN OBTAINING MATERIAL SAFETY DATA INFORMATION AND PRICES,IN PUERTO RICO OF THE ... A: You mention Swiff Stik adhesive. That name does not appear in our cross reference adhesive ... | |
| Concrete sealing | 3/31/2009 |
| Q: I'm a flooring guy who has been asked to seal a large area of new concrete on a commercial project.I ... A: There is some needed information about the concrete you may or may not know, before your question ... | |
| Ceramic floor tiles lifting from slab | 2/13/2009 |
| Q: We are homebuilder in Tulsa and have had 5 house in the past year that the ceramic tile has lifted ... A: There could be a lot of reasons for your problem, however I will list a few possibilities; 1. A ... | |
| sweaty garge floor | 2/11/2009 |
| Q: I live in northeren Indiana and have a sweaty garage floor that is only a problam in the spring. I ... A: I would say no, because concrete is absorbent and always moves. The fact that you don't see ... | |
| Concrete Slab | 2/9/2009 |
| Q: We have a large (620 sq ft) family room on the back of our home. This room is an add on to the ... A: again, Casey;Besides solving the moisture problem, I would suggest that you visit the websites of ... | |
| Concrete Slab | 2/9/2009 |
| Q: We have a large (620 sq ft) family room on the back of our home. This room is an add on to the ... A: All floor covering manufacturers, and floor covering sundry manufacturers (underlayments, adhesives, ... | |
| Concrete repairs for floating laminate | 11/26/2008 |
| Q: I recently purchased floating wood laminate flooring to replace the carpet in my home. I've removed ... A: Sorry to hear you removed your carpet. I hope you had a great reason, because carpet is one of the ... | |
| Overhead door problems | 11/22/2008 |
| Q: I own two properties in Athens, Ohio. There are 3 overhead doors, ranging in age from wooden pannels ... A: I only deal in floor coverings (carpet, vinyl, wood, etc.), so I don't know how your question got ... | |
| Coloured concrete pool deck | 10/10/2008 |
| Q: We recently had a dark brown coloured concrete deck poured and stamped with a tan release. The day ... A: I believe I have an answer for you, and I am checking into my sources. I'll send you a follow-up ... | |
| Improperly Installed Tile Floor | 8/30/2008 |
| Q: We recently had a porcelain tile floor installed in our home. The tiles are 20" x 20" and the area ... A: Sorry to hear about your mess. By not having a written contract and not fully checking out the ... | |
| slope of concrete | 8/12/2008 |
| Q: thirty foot walkway that rises seven inches. what would be the percentage of slope? what formula can ... A: Sorry I can't answer your question. We are floor covering inspectors, however, I think your answer ... | |
| Sealing a Concrete floor | 7/22/2008 |
| Q: I have a problem in the kitchen of a restaurant. We have a concrete floor over the slab. The floor ... A: again, Matthew; The degreaser is accentuating the breaking down of the concrete. I feel you will ... | |
| Sealing a Concrete floor | 7/22/2008 |
| Q: I have a problem in the kitchen of a restaurant. We have a concrete floor over the slab. The floor ... A: You have concrete over concrete, correct. Concrete, whether the subfloor or slab, is absorbent and ... | |
| asbestos adhesives | 7/7/2008 |
| Q: mr. hayes...was there any "cutback adhesives" 20 yrs ago , or so, that contained asbestos? i know ... A: I know of no cut back that contained asbestos, HOWEVER, I suggest that you contact adhesive ... | |
| sealing slate tiles | 7/1/2008 |
| Q: Hey Steve, What would be the best sealer for a slate shower floor? And do you recomend sealing it ... A: Various manufacturers of slate have different information in their mantenance manuals. You need to ... | |
| Bluestone or Slate crumbling | 6/2/2008 |
| Q: We don't know if we have bluestone patio or slate How can you tell? Which is preferable? And now ... A: Either stone can surface crumble if negatively affected by outside sources. To tell them apart, I ... | |
| separation at laminate floor joint | 5/30/2008 |
| Q: I installed a MDF type laminate floor 2 years ago. in general it is great, but at one entryway ... A: again, Geordie; The expansion is all ways, up, down, and sideways, so you can't inhibit any ... | |
| separation at laminate floor joint | 5/30/2008 |
| Q: I installed a MDF type laminate floor 2 years ago. in general it is great, but at one entryway ... A: By trying repairs that are not designed for this type of flooring will probably lead to more ... | |
| tile manufacturer's logo | 2/27/2008 |
| Q: i am trying to find matching tiles to those we removed from a slab for repair of a radiant heat ... A: The only suggestion I could give would be to visit the website of the Tile Council of America, ... | |
| Commercial vinyl flooring | 1/22/2008 |
| Q: I just striped and waxed a commercial building that had a grey vinyl 12" tile floor. I used ... A: It does not sound like you did anything wrong. It sounds like there is an adhesive failure that ... | |
| installing vinyl sheet flooring | 1/4/2008 |
| Q: Can vinyl sheet flooring be installed over indoor/outdoor carpet or must we remove the carpet? A: You must remove the carpet first and then be certain the underlayment on which you will install the ... | |
| basement floor | 11/6/2007 |
| Q: I just bought a building and moved my business into a below grade basement office space. After ... A: What type of floor covering was on the concrete floor before you installed the carpet tiles? It ... | |
| installing tile over jipcrete | 10/25/2007 |
| Q: We installed porcelain tile over in-floor heating (with jipcrete over the heating tubes) and it came ... A: There are several things you left out in your question so we can't give you anything definite to ... | |
| Black Mastic Removal | 10/6/2007 |
| Q: i have a up coming job and we have to remove VCT tile and there is Black mastic under the VCT. The ... A: First; Are you sure the existing tile is VCT and not VAT. Black cut back adhesive was usually used ... | |
| concrete floor refinishing | 8/8/2007 |
| Q: My house is 32 years old. We are refinishing the garage, 470 sq. ft. The concrete floor is cracked, ... A: We suggest that you visit the website of The Concrete Institute. They test and evaluate all types ... | |
| Plumbing ventilation | 6/10/2007 |
| Q: I am designing a coffee shop in an existing space. The kitchen is going to have a 3 compartment ... A: Sorry, we cannot answer your question. We are a floor covering inspection service, and do not ... | |
| sealing concrete | 6/8/2007 |
| Q: I have removed some tiles from my downstair family room and they had that black adhesive but all ... A: Sergio; Our answers pertained to any type of flooring, vinyl, linoleum, hardwoods, laminate, ... | |
| sealing concrete | 6/7/2007 |
| Q: I have removed some tiles from my downstair family room and they had that black adhesive but all ... A: Since you indicate that the old adhesive was black, in color, it was probably old cut back adhesive. ... | |
| shower slate tile floor | 4/23/2007 |
| Q: Im remodeling my bathroom and i did slate tiles inside the shower and floor, i didnt pitch the tiles ... A: Once the tiles have been fully installed, we know of no trick to pitch the tiles. Check with the ... | |
| About grancrete | 3/4/2007 |
| Q: I was wondering is there any way to build a two story house by using grancrete and still not spend a ... A: We are a floor covering inspection service and answer questions regarding all types of floor ... | |
| travertine question | 12/26/2006 |
| Q: They are noticed most at night, so nobody is walking on the floor. The noises are most obvious in ... A: As you know, we are floor covering people, however, what you indicate about the sounds, pushing ... | |
| White concrete | 10/10/2006 |
| Q: How can I turn my old gray dull driveway a nice new white color? Please let me know what to do to ... A: We are a floor covering inspection service and deal with floor covering problems, including ... | |
| concrete floor preparation for epoxy | 10/4/2006 |
| Q: I have a 5-6 year old concrete floor that I would like to epoxy. It was sealed when built. What is ... A: Choose the epoxy you wish to use and read the label as to how to prep the concrete for that ... | |
| vinyl floor tiles | 10/2/2006 |
| Q: We are considering a peel and stick vinyl floor tile with aluminum oxide finish. My question is: my ... A: Please do NOT put down any peel & stick tile. Contact a commercial vinyl floor manufacturer, such ... | |
| Concrete and vinyl flooring | 9/25/2006 |
| Q: the mold and mildew are on interior corners of the room. There are no edges touching the outside ... A: Moisture evaporates upwards and follows the path of least resistance, so just because the visual ... | |
| Concrete and vinyl flooring | 9/24/2006 |
| Q: My husband and I just purchased a house and are tired of the sheet vinyl in our laundry room so we ... A: Mold & Mildew are serious problems not only to your health, but to the building's construction. ... | |
| concrete ratio | 9/3/2006 |
| Q: I'm pouring a new front step and I've forgotten the ratio of sand-portland-gravel. Any help would ... A: Sorry, we are floor covering people, however, we do get involved with inspection requests when ... | |
| Asphalt tiles in a basement floor | 8/23/2006 |
| Q: Our house has this horrible looking indoor/outdoor carpet in the lower level. It is a split level ... A: I have no idea why one Company never mentioned what the true underlayment was under the carpet. If ... | |
| Commercial Vinyl Tiles - Maintenance | 7/27/2006 |
| Q: What is the procedure, what materials are used, and how much should I expect to pay per sq ft? (and ... A: Find out the name of the manufacturer, of the tiles. If they are truly a commercial type, they ... | |
| Coating on a vinyl floor tile? | 5/12/2006 |
| Q: We are interested in purchasing a vinyl floor tile that has an aluminum oxide finish, we love the ... A: Swiff-Train is a distributor, not a manufacturer, so the tiles are made by a manufacturer who ... | |
| Concrete | 6/23/2005 |
| Q: I'm building a fish pond and I'm unable to have it ready mixed due to the cost of it haveing to be ... A: Your question is well beyond my areas of expertise, since we are just a floor covering inspection ... | |
| the strongest material | 4/8/2005 |
| Q: i am a grade 6 student, i have a question what is the the strongest material? thanx^_^ A: I need you to be more specific. When you ask what is the strongest material, I need you to let me ... | |
| Floor covering | 2/15/2005 |
| Q: I'll be installing soon an oak floor in my living room. Would you please tell me what should be the ... A: You MUST obtain the name of the manufacturer of the flooring you wish to install BEFORE you purchase ... | |
| Garage floor | 11/19/2004 |
| Q: I live in Florida on the Gulf coast in a new high rise condo building. Our garage floor is concrete ... A: You must first identify the origin of the sweating. Perhaps there is no proper plastic type ... | |
Construction Industry
Answers by Expert:
Stephen Hayes
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
We are a floor covering inspection service and a floor covering specifying service. We inspect all types of floor coverings in every city and town in all 50 States and Canada, for manufacturing, installation, or maintenance related problems. We also specify, so when someone is about to choose a floor covering for a residential or commercial installation, after we find out, from them, the particulars about the installation, we can suggest the proper product, installation method, and maintenance method to provide optimum life of the product. (Note that in your B2B Category, we did not find any heading related to our business, so we just chose the Construction category). So if someone has a problem with the performance, installation, or maintenance of any floor covering, we can give suggestions, without a formal inspection, the possible causes of the prolems.
Experience
We have been in manufacturing, installation, and maintenance, of all types of residential and commercial floor coverings, for many years, and for the past 13 years, we just inspect and specify.
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