DIRTY SEAMS: Usually caused by:
- Seams not sealed or coated with seam sealer when recommended. Clean seam area and coat following recommendations for individual flooring.
OPEN SEAMS: Usually caused by:
- Not keeping flooring material rolled face out until ready to install.
- Using the incorrect seam cutting method can cause tight and loose areas. Be sure to use the recommended seam cutting method for the flooring you are installing.
- Using heat on the seam area. Heat can cause the seam to shrink and curl when cooling down.
- Temperature at installation: If installation was made at 65° F (18° C) and several hours later the temperature drops, the seam will shrink open due to thermal shrinkage of the vinyl as the adhesive has not had a chance to set or cure properly. This is why it is so important to maintain temperatures as recommended.
- Adhesive residue on subfloor: All vinyl shrinks, and flooring is no exception. If the flooring is installed over adhesive residue, when the floor shrinks, the bond is only as good as the bond of the old adhesive to the subfloor. Asphalt residue is softer than the adhesives used for installing felt-backed products. Therefore, the asphalt residue will move when the vinyl shrinks, causing the flooring to move.