AboutJohn Michaels Expertise All questions pertaining to all indoor floor coverings regarding best products to choose, proper installation techniques, and proper maintenance techniques.
Experience We are a nationwide floor covering inspection service. We inspect all types of indoor floor coverings in every city and town in all 50 States and in all the Provinces of Canada. We see where errors in choice of product, improper installation, and improper maintenance lead to complaints being registered and we are then called upon to inspect those products and issue certified reports indicating from where those complaint issues eminate. We have done this type of work for over 40 years.
Education/Credentials Carpet, vinyl, and hardwood manufacturing, installation, and maintenance, prior to just inspecting, and a division of our Company specifies proper floor covering choices for residential and commercial uses.
Question A few days ago we had Mannington Adura tile (Dynasty Pearl) professionally installed. My husband asked about the directional arrow on the bottom of the tile and the installer said that he ignored the arrows and installed the tiles randomly as it created less of a pattern. Today I am noticing that the light reflects differently off of the tiles. It looks like there is a direction to the embossed pattern on the tile. I would like to know why Mannington puts the directional arrows and what the implications are if they are installed randomly. I also am noticing that the pattern is not balanced but tiles of the same type are clustered together.
Answer Hi Karen;Visit the website of <mannington.com>, and download the free installation specifications for that product. Those installation specifications will detail the proper way that the flooring should be installed and why. They also detail the need for the installer to follow those installation specifications and the directional arrows. There is also contact information on that website, which is an 800#. Call it and speak to their technical services dept. and fully detail your problems, and what deviations the installer made from those installation specifications. Before you make that call, read those installation specifications thoroughly. There may be other installation deviations by the installer from acclimation through installation, and after the installation. If you find those errors, do NOT have any more verbal conversations with anyone involved in the sale (dealer, installer, etc.). Either contact your attorney with all the evidence you have, or send a certified letter with a return receipt requested, to whomever you contracted to supply the product and installation. Keep a copy of the letter for yourself. I would suggest detailing your concerns, in that letter, and demand a full correction of the problems, even if it means a total replacement. I am NOT an attorney, so I can't give you any legal advice. I do advise that you do what I have suggested as soon as possible, and, if you are not totally satisfied with the contractor's response, then you may want to seek legal advice. In your letter, I would suggest that you not mention that you have spoken to Mannington, or have the installation specifications. Keep that a secret. Just demand correction of, what you consider to be (what the installation specifications indicate) installation errors. While you are on that website, also download the free maintenance manual for that product, which will detail numerous important things, including proper cleaning agents and techniques.
If you have any problems or questions, please feel free to get back to me.
