Pure speculation - one possibility could be "overtapping", or using too much force to engage the end joints.

Carpet One Columbia, Thanks for chiming in. Not sure that's the case. My wife and I tried with 3-4 new pieces and got same result. The left corner of the end pieces as the come together is always raised above the planks to the left making an edge that catches your sock or finger as you run it across. Maybe our illustration makes more sense.

There really are no instructions how to pit the pieces together either in the box, online or in a video anywhere. Maybe our builder is missing an essential step. Someone else said to use a rubber mallet to whack it down, but I'm concerned that could break the Integrilock Tabs. Thanks!

Okay, I checked on that for you and it is the Valinge 5G locking system. Essentially you do need to give it a soft whack.

Here is a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9QIDd_AA10

Carpet One Columbia, is that the same as Armstrong's Vivero IntegriLock? That is what we have.

Carpet One Columbia, so it looks like that is the patent creator of the system. I don't see anything about whacking it with a mallet though in the video. Any advice is super appreciated. Thanks so much since Armstrong and our retailer are taking a long time to get back with us and the build is on hold.

Yes, that is the Valinge (Va-lin-gay) 5G locking system. All manufacturers pay a royalty to Valinge or Unilin for their locking systems (unless they are counterfeiting it, which is a thing). If you haven't tried it, you might as well since you have already tried to recreate the situation. You have to make sure it fully engages - you don't have deliver a crushing blow if you have it lined up right. Sounds like you have the time to experiment while you are waiting for your vendor to respond.

Carpet One Columbia, thanks again. Will do. The customer service rep for the distributor who sells to our retailer has been on vacation so we've been waiting while our builder is getting impatient. He's going to have to come from Chicago (2+ hours away) to inspect to see if it is install or possibly a product defect. If defect who knows how long that will take to resolve with Armstrong. In the meantime we are having a local installer friend from another retailer who has installed these floors come give us a private evaluation. I bet he will try just what you are recommending. Will report back for other's benefits it the run into this. Thanks again!

Carpet One Columbia, an independent installer who has done Integrilock came out today and say it is definitely defective in his opinion. We also showed him the damaged / imperfect pieces and pieces marked red and he is wondering if the distributor sent seconds / irregulars to the retailer. Distributor rep comes tomorrow morning to look.

Okay, that is a possibility - especially with the red marks. I trust you are in good hands and all of your vendors will step in and do the right thing sooner.

Carpet One Columbia, Distributor rep came out from Chicago. He did say the install was done correctly with room for expansion but was adamant, argumentative and almost yelling that there is no issue with cupping or peaking.

• He would not run his fingers flat across the seams where it was raised.
• He pulled out a tool and said the sizing on the pieces were acceptable tolerance.
• He said it was from dirt on the floor and the light making it look like it was a problem.
• He pulled out a older looking beat up humidity meter which read 62 (not sure if it was accurate) and said it was because of humidity.
• Then he said we probably should have run the planks in the other direction despite us running it on the longest wall and the instructions, builder and independent installer saying we ran it in the right direction.
• Then he said our gray paint color probably made it look worse.
• When we asked about all the defects in the boxes we were told by the retailer there can be up to 5% of defects. I pressed the distributor rep at least three times why we had pieces with red marks on them. He finally agreed that shouldn't be the case.

In the end he is sending two pieces to Armstrong but I am not hopeful they will rule it defective. I also asked for another box (hopefully from a different lot) to see if it lays any different. That may not make a difference if the distributor and Armstrong say the current floor is in tolerance.

Needless to say we are incredibly upset because we don't have another $5K to replace the floor and there is a definite issue.

Did the shipdit put a few together while he was there? The distributor rep is not, I repeat not the authority or final word on your situation. You should press the retailer for a resolution soon. It is common for manufacturers to send independent inspectors to report on potential product problems. The distributor rep is not trained or certified by anyone to determine the cause of the problem you are experiencing. For now, get your climate right and see if that helps the situation at all.

Yes put a few together. Still had raised end but he said it did not. Total his word against everyone else's in the room. Armstrong says it has to go through retailer to distributor to them, but Armstrong is willing to receive a carton of product from me to evaluate (at their expense). Of course I need a claim# from distributor for that to happen. Not sure I can go after the retailer at all. Is 62 way too humid? Can't see how a lower humidity would take a bump out of the end of the planks.Retailer admitted they keep the vinyl that is shipped in in their non climate controlled warehouse that is outside temp. Not sure that would make a huge difference as long as product was acclimated properly on site which is was. Thanks again. What a saga.

"Can't see how a lower humidity would take a bump out of the end of the planks"

It won't but that is all they need to say the warranty of null and void. They can pick anything not 100% and even though it has no bearing they use that as a reason to decline to warrant the product.

62 is humid - bugs and mold start to thrive at that level - 30 - 50% is optimal.

Do they have a Facebook page? Twitter? If they're not going to work with you I would sttart posting your pictures on their social media. It's amazing how well

that can work when you've exhausted your other options.

Carpet One Columbia, if his humidity tool was accurate. I might take my dehumidifier over there with it's gauge and see.

Steiger S, I'm sure they do but at this point Armstrong has been the most helpful. I chatted with them today and they called the retailer to help them get the claims process moving. Odd apparently the retailer has to do all the paperwork for the claim then the distributor I guess generates a claim # and then it gets filed. Once I have a claim # I can send in a carton to Armstrong (at their expense) and they can evaluate. They did pull a plank from that lot# and said it appears fine. They did say if the cartons were improperly stored at the retailer they have seen issue like this. The sad part is we have to move in end of this month and there is no way the floor can be replaced by then "IF" Armstrong rules it defective so it will all have to be ripped out and replaced probably with threshold covers in each and every doorway. Builder thinks the door trim will be too tight to snap and click the new pieces. Definitely a nightmare situation. Posting a couple more shots of our Armstrong Vivero Vintage Timber Better that show the pieces with red marks, defects right out of the box. How anyone could look across any of those floors and say they don't see any issue or it is within tolerance is beyond me. Even Armstrong has been telling me it should be completely flat and flush.

I do want to add I'm not out to try and malign Armstrong or anyone, I just want what I paid $5K for, a new floor that lays down well. And if this helps someone who has been thinking about Vivero in any that's fine too. No one knows yet how this happened but we do know it's not an installation issue.

Carpet One Columbia

Thank you for all your support. BY "they" it sounds like you would hold Armstrong responsible, however what about the plank they have from the lot being fine? Couldn't they say it must have been the retailer how they stored it or blame it on our builder somehow? I'm really concerned we're going to get stuck with this and not sure who to go after if necessary since it's not an install issue. I'm even wondering if I should call the bank and let them know, but if they stop payments to the builder we definitely won't be in by 9/1. The flooring company has already been paid. My wife is also extremely upset with the idea that we might have to have those threshold pieces in each doorway because it might be impossible to position the planks underneath the door trim and click them into place. Too much stress!

"they" means the flooring retailer you purchased the product from. The process you are describing sounds painful. The distributors I deal with banned their "reps" from looking at flooring issues because they do not have the training to correctly interpret what the floor is telling them. Sounds like they have filed a claim on your behalf and Armstrong will either take their recommendation (repair, replace, or other) and issue credit to them for their purchase price and labor cost, then the dealer takes care of you - or Armstrong will send an independent certified flooring inspector to perform an inspection and everyone lives with the findings (or the consumer or dealer disputes the findings and hires another hoping for a different conclusion). As far as fitting around the doorways, that can be done - the tongues have to be trimmed or shaved and a little adhesive applied to keep the pieces in place - no thresholds are needed.

Why would the builder, seeing the problem with the installation from the get-go, continue to lay the entire floor? Why wouldn't he stop the installation right then and there when he saw the consistency with each corner sticking up? Wouldn't it have been much easier to return all of the defective boxes before they were installed on the floor?

jellytoast, it was the builder's first experience with lvt. They weren't sure if the ends wasn't a normal phenomenon or wouldn't settle. The distributor repeatedly said the install was right, good, exactly what they should have done.

Carpet One Columbia, waiting on the builder to finalize a tear out / reinstall estimate so I can submit to retailer who then sends to distributor who then formally files claim with Armstrong. Then I can send Armstrong a box for analysis as well. Estimate has to include tearing all the trim off. All this will happen after we have taken occupancy. Honestly getting very frustrated I can't deal with Armstrong directly since the distributor has nothing to do with the flooring have an issue. Like why can't I just send them a box to examine without a claim#?. I'll play the game a bit longer, but thinking I may have to take them to small claims court or something to actually get this resolved. We can hire a regional inspector who is certified for $350, but I was hoping not to have to go to that expense yet .

The reality is that you are dealing directly with the retailer. The retailer is the one who is creating the bottleneck in this situation. Here is how the scenario is supposed to go down: You notify the retailer of the concern. The retailer comes to visually inspect the concern, take photographs/samples and notes of the circumstances. The retailer contacts and submits the information to the manufacturer and notifies them of the problem and what their recommendation is. The manufacturer will then comply with the retailers recommendation or decide they need more information about the concern and they will commission an independent certified inspector to investigate and submit their findings. The manufacturer will then, depending on the findings, issue a material credit to the retailer and authorize replacement (labor included if professionally installed) or they will send a letter to the retailer telling them it is not a manufacturing related problem - it is the responsibility of others. The retailer then takes action. Bottom line is that your frustration has been cleverly deflected to the distributor and manufacturer rather than the one who can really help you. Your retailer is MIA in my humble opinion and that is the saddest part of it all.

Carpet One Columbia, retailer is waiting on the estimate for replacement from us. Trying to nudge the installer for it as nicely as I can. What might be interesting for your store to know is we received a replacement box from the distributor. I tried a test install of a few pieces this morning and had the exact same peaking issue. OK, will wait for the claim and report back hoping this will benefit someone else or perhaps find someone in a similar situation. THANKS!

We also purchased Armstrong Vivero Bluegrass Barnwood and are having the exact same problem. Our humidity is fine, boxes stored properly, Flooring acclimated in room for 3 weeks before install, temperature at 72 degrees, perfectly flat level concrete. We picked up our flooring 2 days after it was delivered to retailer so that is not an issue. The pictures of your flooring are identical to ours. We notice that the end joints have a little pit of play in them while the long joints are solid. The end joints seem to not be tight you can actually push on them and see them go down.

We have contacted Armstrong and the customer service rep informed us that they have had similar complaints regarding this, however, customer service rep was not privileged to the outcome of the complaints. We have also halted installation and started an investigation with the retailer as Armstrong instructed us to do.

This is extremely frustrating trying to figure out what it happening to the end joints. In our opinion they do not lock together securely like the long edges do.

Hope this helps anyone else who might be having issues or thinking about purchasing Vivero. I will repost once there is an outcome.

Thanks for posting

hi 21 sunshine...we are also looking at the Vivero product for a large commercial space. Does your product have the IntegriLock™ System? We have been advised that our product would not have this and installation by an approved Armstrong rep would Glue Down - traditional full-spread. I have been advised that this will stop the ends from raising? We are comparing it to the EZLay vinyl flooring. Thank you for your input.

Our floor was a floating floor not the glue down so you may not have the same issues that we experienced. Except for the edge problem it is a very nice product. I have no knowledge of the EZLay vinyl floor so I cannot comment on that.

@colour21 - normally a glue down commercial install uses a different plank. Even though it looks the same (has the same graphics) the plank itself will be different (or should be). The lock-system is expensive (manufactures pay as much as $0.15/linear foot to create the system). So a glue down plank is WITHOUT the click edge (why use an expensive click edge when you don't need the edge or the click?????).

A glue down plank will out perform any click together flooring (permanent floors have this tendency to be permanent...which is why they are very expensive to install). So long as the moisture readings in the concrete have been done and the retailer choses the HIGHEST GRADE adhesive (some of that stuff can be $3/sf just for the glue) you should be fine.

And two words for you: Subfloor prep. Pay for it. Pay lots for it. And just in case you don't think you've paid enough - offer to pay a bit more for subfloor prep. Lack of subfloor prep is the BIGGEST reason for floor failures - in the industry; both commercial and residential.

We are having all the Intergilock replaced in November with gluedown. Our pro installer friend won't touch the click stuff. This should resolve our issue.

I've been debating between the Armstrong Intergilock floating floor and a Pergo laminate. Reading everything shared above and the frustrations people have gone through, I'm thinking I'll stay away from this product. Is that a safe assessment? I'll be covering 500 sq ft of kitchen and family room space.

@K A Korz - please remember that Pergo is a laminate and laminates are not recommended for kitchen installations. Like all laminates, Pergo has an issue with moisture (steam from a dishwasher, melting ice cubes, spray zones around the sink, etc). If you insist on working with laminate for the kitchen, please purchase the kitchen TWICE.

Yah. Twice. If you have 200sf of kitchen, then go ahead and purchase 400sf for that space. Put the extra in storage so that you have the ability to completely replace the floor in 3-7 years (which is the life expectancy of laminate in a kitchen).

You are welcome to work with LVP/LVT....Armstrong is one of DOZENS of vinyl plank floors. You are not restricted to this floor. Feel free to keep searching - unless you have no problem DOUBLING the purchase required for the kitchen. This is the only way you can get laminate to "live" for 15 years in a kitchen....it normally "dies" around about age 5-7 years and you will never find the same pattern again. To prevent you having to replace it ALL (due to discontinued product), you will need to purchase much more than you need and keep it in storage.

@D V, can you update your final result with Armstrong? If you have had the glue down planks put in, are you happy with it? I am considering Armstrong Vivero and though the customer rep told me they have solved the milling issue, I don't trust them.

I just purchased about 1500 sqf of the Armstrong Vivero after I called Amstrong Customer Service and been told they solved the issue of peaking ends a few months ago and not to worry.

The retailer where I bought it from assured me was a fresh product and not old stock and really hope that's the true.

Flooring will arrive tomorrow and praying is fine and don't have the peaking problem.

I will report back when get it and install it; for the high price it sells for should be a defective free product.

cbreeze, sorry for the late response. we went with the glue down. it loosk far better in our opinion to the intergrilock because it has the microbevel. it looks more like wood planks. the wood grain looks more realistic too and the finish is more even. joaquin, i wish you the best. make sure your installer follows directions to the letter and your humidity is at the right level. you might have them do one small room and see how it goes before installing more.

Bad news.

The Armstrong Vivero Best Interlock Vinyl flooring that was installed in my house it is defective and has the peaking issue (elevation on the short ends and also 1-2 mm of separation.

I was told by Armstrong Customer Service that they solved that issue and since Septmember las year was good, also the retailer where I bought it from told me it was good.

I live in NY and house I just installed it's in NC so I wasn't able to check floor before installation and my installer didn't check or notice it.

I paid about $6500 for flooring plus $750 for uderlaying paper plus $3500 for installation, so lost about $11000 thousand on hard earned money.

My wife and I are very upset and sad that were ripped off with a defective product and we don't know what to do, we don't have money to hire a Lawyer and were planning to move in in a month.

I am calling and emailing Armstrong today hoping they pay somebody to remove their defective flooring, installed a non defective one or the glue one along with new quarter round.

We are desperate and any advise will be appreciatted.

I hope the person that had the peaking problem reads this and says what happened to his defective floor problem and how he solved.

Thank you.

My email is jsmexusa@gmail.com in case you want to email me.

We ended up trying the Vivero. We're up in NY. It was installed by my contractor in mid-December and so far we haven't had any issues with peaking at the corners, as others have had. It has only been a couple months though, so only time will tell if it actually holds up ok....

Great to know you got the newer, non defective interlock Armstrong Vivero Best.

The defective ones came when they just started selling it over a year ago, they had non quality control at that time and short ends were like 1- 2 mm taller each where they connect so after adding both become taller and also separates 1-2 mm.

I emailed the retailer where got mine from as requested by the salesmen and he said someone was going to come and investigate/inspect floor and has been a week and no answer, no apology, nothing.

At this point lost about $10,000 and can't move in the new house with so much furniture so still paying rent in NY plus morgage in new house in NC.

Armstrong Co. is well aware of the tons of defective flooring all over the country and haven't pulled out of the market trying to rippoff as many people as possible with defective one.

What a nightmare. I Should of got the $2 sqf from Home Depot, lots of people including family are happy with it instead of this for almist 3 times the price.

Sir, that’s a second quality material, all those marks on planks is because manufacture made it wrong that’s why has the marks on it a comes from manufacture and the material is water proof so you don’t have problems with concrete moisture and about all head joins material is been made it wrong from manufacture, but manufacture going try to blame on you, totally is manufacture problem.

^^dude, you might want to read the whole thread before responding.

I had the exact same thing happen, even after Armstrong told me they had fixed the issue by putting small bevels around the edge of the flooring. This product is terrible. Stay away from it at all costs.

Same experience here after installing this floor in my living room. Not happy about this product and Armstrong is not fast to provide an update about how this situation will be resolved...the local dealer should have been aware about this poor design....

It’s now Sept 2019 and I am having the same problem with the Armstrong Vivero plank flooring that was installed 2 days ago. On top of that, it bubbles up when the sun comes through the windows and hits it. The Retail sent an Armstrong distributor to my house who took pictures of all the “waves” and “bubbles” in the flooring. The retailer is sending an installer back to remove 3/4 of it and use an adhesive glue to reinstall it. Allegedly, when the interlocking system is used with the glue, the lifting and bubbling doesn’t happen. I’m very nervous about this though as how does one get the planks up 15 years from now if they want to change out the floor? When it’s glued down so much??

stinkey1 - all those issues are part of why I wanted my planks glued down. My Vivero has been down over a year now with absolutely no issues. I am very happy with the glue-down Vivero planks.