Wooden Plank Effect Floor Tile

[Spare Tool]

We've had an issue last year with a wood effect, 1200 long. The bow was out of the 2mm maximum curvature that is stipulated in BSEN14411. Problem was, we were unaware of it until the tiles had been fitted. The tiler laid them half bond and the lippage was 3mm (4mm in a couple of places).

Most of you guys have the common sense to stop and alter the design if required but this guy was an idiot who's opinion was "you gave me the tiles, I fitted 'em like you asked, so tough" without even telling the customer.

We told the customer that a the tiler should have stopped and thanks to our boss had to point out that the fitter hadn't laid the tiles to the requirements of BS5385 (1mm lip per 6mm joint). The response was "he couldn't", to which ours had to be "he could if he told you and altered the design when it became apparent". This is also a good example of where a levelling system could be handy as the tile can bend to a small extent which will be fine to hold the tile level once the addy has set.

So now we advise customers to do random or quarter bond just in case. But thankfully the rest of the wood effect we do are "almost" perfect.

The complaint was raised with the factory. The answer we got when saying that we had discovered the tiles were outside the allowance of European Standards" was "The Standards are wrong and if they had a problem they shouldn't have fitted them", then proceeded to point out the dreaded "No complaints entertained when fitted". Not very helpful.

The end result was that as a goodwill gesture, we had to take one on the chin and supplied them again from another batch (this time flat as a pancake) and the fitter agreed to lay it all again FOC.

The big issue is that alot of tiles I have seen are bowed beyond the 2mm allowance, but the factories shy away from the problem and say its a common occurrence with the manufacture. But how can they duck the problem if the tiles don't meet standards by just telling everyone to alter the design??? Surely a line has to be drawn somewhere? I don't get it.

Just out of interest if the tiler had said these tiles are that bent and can't be fitted no matter what bond, who's gonna take it on the chin for him and pay him for who knows how long till the new batch turns up..if he fitted new tiles foc think "idiot" a bit harsh

 

[Tile Shop]

Well how can it pass through QC and be sent out to distributors/retailers knowing full well that when they are fitted there will be a problem unless you have a 'very wide' joint

Thats the point. Manufacturers wipe their hands of it and say "it happens, get over it". How it passes QC, god knows. As suppliers its hard. Unless we open every box as it comes in from the factory (which is not practical), it sometimes takes an order going out to a customer before we know anything about it. If they've not been fitted we can do something about it. But if there is such a big issue after its been fitted, can only make the best of a bad situation.

Most people will stop and say "sorry, can't fit that" and walk away, others will fit it in a way that it can't be seen. But some only have an interest in getting paid for doing a half arsed job rather than finding a solution to whats becoming a fairly common issue, that both he/she will find it easier to fit and that a customer will be happy with the end result.

When this issue became apparent, our directors finally got someone from the factory to view our stock. After a month they finally admitted defeat but only reimbersed us for 50% of the affected stock (of which we found 4 pallets out of 25). The remaning stock was quarentined and the bowed tiles could only be sold off later as "seconds" for £5 per box.

But having said that, one builder had 25 packs for a job and came back and cleared us out, as his tiler "made a fantastic job of them" and he had other new builds they could go in.

So there are ways round it, but why should you have to? And if they can make 21 of the pallets flat, why not the other 4?

 

[Italy]

Thats the point. Manufacturers wipe their hands of it and say "it happens, get over it". How it passes QC, god knows. As suppliers its hard. Unless we open every box as it comes in from the factory (which is not practical), it sometimes takes an order going out to a customer before we know anything about it. If they've not been fitted we can do something about it. But if there is such a big issue after its been fitted, can only make the best of a bad situation.

Most people will stop and say "sorry, can't fit that" and walk away, others will fit it in a way that it can't be seen. But some only have an interest in getting paid for doing a half arsed job rather than finding a solution to whats becoming a fairly common issue, that both he/she will find it easier to fit and that a customer will be happy with the end result.

When this issue became apparent, our directors finally got someone from the factory to view our stock. After a month they finally admitted defeat but only reimbersed us for 50% of the affected stock (of which we found 4 pallets out of 25). The remaning stock was quarentined and the bowed tiles could only be sold off later as "seconds" for £5 per box.

But having said that, one builder had 25 packs for a job and came back and cleared us out, as his tiler "made a fantastic job of them" and he had other new builds they could go in.

So there are ways round it, but why should you have to? And if they can make 21 of the pallets flat, why not the other 4?

It is only a matter of conscience paul.
and of course, economy, economy and economy yet

 

[Tile Shop]

Just out of interest if the tiler had said these tiles are that bent and can't be fitted no matter what bond, who's gonna take it on the chin for him and pay him for who knows how long till the new batch turns up..if he fitted new tiles foc think "idiot" a bit harsh

Ok, maybe a little harsh. But he knew the problem and continued anyway.

As for re-imbursing, its hard. Sometimes depending on the situation there are ways and means of giving back a "goodwill" refund to cover costs. Unfortunately though it is another round about case where does the responsibilty lie? Suppliers need to accept that they can't knowingly send crap out. Which is why it sometimes (and we are only talking about very rare occasions) it take a tile to be fitted before we are aware.

So do we open every pack and send out a pallet of loose tiles? Course not. No way is that practical and no way will a customer or tiler accept it. So we do ask customers to check and make sure they're happy with what we've sent. If theres an issue we'll fix it before a tiler arrives.

The fact remains, like you say, it should never leave the factory in the first place. But thats not something a fitter or supplier or customer can prevent sadly.

 

[Spare Tool]

Ok, maybe a little harsh. But he knew the problem and continued anyway.

As for re-imbursing, its hard. Sometimes depending on the situation there are ways and means of giving back a "goodwill" refund to cover costs. Unfortunately though it is another round about case where does the responsibilty lie? Suppliers need to accept that they can't knowingly send crap out. Which is why it sometimes (and we are only talking about very rare occasions) it take a tile to be fitted before we are aware.

So do we open every pack and send out a pallet of loose tiles? Course not. No way is that practical and no way will a customer or tiler accept it. So we do ask customers to check and make sure they're happy with what we've sent. If theres an issue we'll fix it before a tiler arrives.

The fact remains, like you say, it should never leave the factory in the first place. But thats not something a fitter or supplier or customer can prevent sadly.

Only thing a customer will check before the tiler gets there is they like the colour..they're not gonna get a 4ft straight edge on em and decide if tiles are too bent to fit, which then throws it back to tiler turns up, tiles can't be fitted, erm wtf am I supposed to do for the rest of the week now. No work no pay.

Had an issue once with some original style tiles, was about 100sqm in a gym reception.. Once we'd started fitting them we realised the wax swirls on the corners to stop tiles scratching in transit were well and truly stuck on and had to be scrapped off then cleaned, bearing in mind we were on meter fixing rate it took two of us two days to clean em off...we got the rep out and he agreed original style would pay us for our time 🙂

 

[Old Mod]

The remaning stock was quarentined and the bowed tiles could only be sold off later as "seconds" for £5 per box.

Next time Paul, gis a shout mate, I'll buy the lot and make them work! Haha

 

[Italy]

found🙂

 

[Old Mod]

found🙂

View attachment 80076

RLS say different! Haha

 

[Joe Clinton]

Herringbone??

 

[Joe Clinton]

Definitely random is my choice!