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    jcaldwell's Avatar
    jcaldwell Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #1

    Jul 21, 2008, 08:42 PM
    Blanke Unimat floor underlayment
    We installed a tile floor over a concrete slab (with radiant heat- the water type). We have Blanke Unimat as an underlayment. When we walk across the floor it is hollow and makes a cracking noise. It has become worse over time. I have read Blanke had a bad batch of the mat sold and it might have been installed improperly, but how would I reseach this "bad batch" of the mat?
    ballengerb1's Avatar
    ballengerb1 Posts: 27,378, Reputation: 2280
    Home Repair & Remodeling Expert
     
    #2

    Jul 22, 2008, 07:57 AM
    Where did you buy the underlayment? I'd start there.
    jcaldwell's Avatar
    jcaldwell Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
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    #3

    Aug 16, 2008, 09:07 PM
    The installer purchased it from a local tile company. It was now a while ago and it seems as I read about the product many other people are having a hollow cruching sound- It certainly might be an install problem, but I thought it might be worth exploring the mat.
    steven62's Avatar
    steven62 Posts: 15, Reputation: 3
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    #4

    Sep 3, 2008, 01:03 PM
    After researching the product if you don't find a pattern, it should be noted that turning the heat on a newly laid tile floor will produce those symptoms. The thinset used to adhere the tile will "flash" and shrink, and before long it will sound hollow as it loses its grip. Suction cups will probably show that the tiles are in fact loose, and can be pulled up rather easily.
    I hope this is not the case, but worth looking into for a solution.
    emw's Avatar
    emw Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
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    #5

    May 23, 2009, 06:43 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by jcaldwell View Post
    We installed a tile floor over a concrete slab (with radiant heat- the water type). We have Blanke Unimat as an underlayment. When we walk across the floor it is hollow and makes a cracking noise. it has become worse over time. I have read Blanke had a bad batch of the mat sold and it might have been installed improperly, but how would I reseach this "bad batch" of the mat?
    Just wondering where you read about Blanke bad batch. I am a contractor & I have several jobs that now have the "crunchy" sound. It is best described as walking on velcro with socks.
    CapitanoTile's Avatar
    CapitanoTile Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #6

    Sep 14, 2009, 03:14 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by jcaldwell View Post
    The installer purchased it from a local tile company. It was now a while ago and it seems as I read about the product many other people are having a hollow cruching sound- It certainly might be an install problem, but I thought it might be worth exploring the mat.
    I am fairly computer illiterate, but, am trying to learn... but in regards to the Blanke UniMat. I am a tile installation specialists with 32 years of experience and I too have fallen into the "crunchy floor syndrome". I was introduced to this material from a new distributor in the area and wish I would never had used it. I previously used Schluter Ditra for years without any failure. With the large several large jobs we have been dealing with, we have been told by Blanke, we did not install the material correctly. BUT not once did Blanke send out a rep, instead, we have had to deal through the distributor. I still have unused portions of the defective material and I also have photos and the actual pcs. Of tile and Unimat that was defective. I am still pursuing some avenues and am contacting more contractors and consumers to find out possible class action litigation.
    CapitanoTile's Avatar
    CapitanoTile Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #7

    Sep 16, 2009, 10:43 AM
    Jcaldwell... I understand about the symptoms you are experiencing with the UniMat. I too have experienced too many of these failures with I believe to be some poor quality control issues with the manufactured product. I have had to remove the floors (basically, cut the grout joints and lift the pcs easily) then with a concrete surfacing wheel, gring off the fleece and thinset. I then had to purchase the true uncoupling membrane , Schluter Ditra, install , and install new tile. I have 33 years in this business, and I have never had such a run around as I have received from Blanke. This was done wrong, this is wrong, yadayada... I have pictures and have had distributor reps come and see as I have taken up the materials and have yet to see one Blanke rep. Let me know what you find out. Seems there are a lot of us out here that do not know what we are doing.
    emw's Avatar
    emw Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
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    #8

    Sep 17, 2009, 07:22 AM
    I have had several claim responses from Blanke in response to the "crunchy" floor. They look for any possible deviation from the NTCA installation guidelines - acually quote from it (grout along the wall/not 100% thinset coverage on the back of a tile etc... ). All of which have nothing to do with problem - UniMat is designed to separate from the fleece. All responses from Blanke end with this statement: "the degree of bond of the UniMat Pro fabric to the plastic does not effect the tile installation once the tile is installed. The UniMat Pro is an uncoupling system designed to release or separate where the fabric joins the plastic when exposed to lateral substrate movement. This release is the "uncoupling" effect that isolates the movement of the substrate from the tile covering and prevents the force of lateral substrate movement from being transferred to the tile surface thereby causing damage to the tile. When this happens. the system effectively becomes a floating floor."
    First sentence in this response is interesting, this is where the noise comes from - a weak glue bond. So by design the floor will become "floating" to prevent tile cracks. The problem, the glue on the fleece continues to try & re-attach to the plastic creating a noise. I can fixed cracked tiles, I cannot fix an entire floor that makes a noise without replacing the entire floor. Would any contractor buy a product that when working properly, will cause the floor to crunch when a client walks across it?
    CapitanoTile's Avatar
    CapitanoTile Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #9

    Sep 17, 2009, 09:49 AM
    emw... that is what I have discerned as the source of the "crunching" sounds. Now, my question is what Blanke says about the other jobs that are 'not delaminating'---I find it quite strange that allof my installs have failed in one time. I have followed every direction to a T and yet we have problems. I have lost one of my top quality high end builder in the area and am standing to lose two others... if the floors did not crunch, no one would be complaining. I am certain there is a design flaw or these are damaged goods. I have brought in the distributor to this mess and told them that they should get this rectified---I bought this material from them. Now, I am off to try to make insurance claims and see if they can get anywhere. As I have said, I still have left over material from these past jobs... and if actually tested, would prove the installation is not faulty----the material was.
    alnb67's Avatar
    alnb67 Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #10

    Oct 28, 2010, 05:35 PM
    I have nothing new to add to the many complaints about Blanke.
    I am a tile installer with 38 years exp. And also have a problem resembling those also.
    Alan from Vt.

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