Third-party observation and comment on all floor covering issues, problems and complaints

Flooring Forensics: Areas of Practice

Flooring Forensics: Areas of Practice




Third-party Inspections

The precursor to understanding the failure of any flooring project or material is the on-site inspection. From the simple assessment of a floor in a single-family residence to the large multi-million-dollar project, the services of a third-party inspection service ensure credibility and transparency.  The initial inspection follows a simple pattern: learn the background, visit the floor, non-destructive testing, document review, report preliminary findings.  This first report is sometimes referred to as an “indicative” report and for many smaller projects, this is all that is necessary for a successful resolution.

Forensic Investigation and Analysis

People chuckle at my company name, Flooring Forensics, but given my line of work, the name fits.  Forensics, at its most basic, is the application of scientific methods and techniques.  A forensic evaluation, oftentimes referred to as destructive testing, involves the painstaking disassembly of all components that make up the floor assembly.  This sometimes includes the area beneath the subfloor, the subfloor, any coatings, adhesives and sealers, the flooring and the materials used to maintain the floor.  Laboratory and field testing are cornerstones of any forensic evaluation and always involve destructive testing of the existing floor to get at the root of the problem.

Concrete Moisture testing

Third-party concrete moisture testing is critical in this day and age, especially with “mission-critical” facilities such as hospitals, surgery centers, research and data centers.  Do not become complacent about what you think you know: an old slab is every bit as likely to have an adverse moisture condition as is a fresh, or recently poured, slab.  Testing has become mandatory to maintain a manufacturers or installation contractors product warranty.




The Sentry Program

The Sentry Program™ is about quality assurance - a quality assurance program designed to identify potential problems before they become future failures – I call it a proactive approach to the challenge of installing today’s floor covering materials.

The Sentry Program is in place to help owners, manufacturers, installation contractors and any others who want to ensure their project goes off without a hitch.

Litigation Support

Over my years in the floor covering industry I have come to possess a special knowledge and proficiency in the fields of interior flooring, floor failures, moisture and concrete moisture testing. I am available to assist with any project or matter that requires such a specialized understanding of flooring. 

Technical & Specification Writing

Guidelines, specifications, product data sheets, installation instructions, the list is endless. I am available to assist with any and all written communications.