Any advice much appreciated as were not sure what is going on. Being that it is wood, I would contact NWFA at http://www.NWFA.org and look through their list of certified inspectors in your area. Im in the process of installing hardwood floors on my sub flooring. If the surface of the floor is left exposed to water or left in humid conditions for an extended period of time, the moisture can saturate the wood flooring and cause crowning. Thank you for any Advice you can give me. Could high moisture outside be the cause, we have had rain for two weeks? We have a cement floor, wall crawl space . It might be the terrain of the site with rain and runoff not moving away from the foundation that can cause moisture-related problems with the wood flooring over time. Remove all sanding dust. Could it be possible that the water from the repair job made its way 9-10 meters across the deck and into my floor under the wood? There was not a lot of rain this past season, so it cannot be from the outside. Sure enough, the flooring contractor, when tore up the flooring said it was dry rot and our carpet areas under the moisture barrier were also very wet in the living areas. We used a high quality pad/water vapor recommended by the store where we purchased the flooring. I would go onto the NWFA.org (National Wood Flooring Association) website and call their hotline. Is it likely that this is happening because we have not had the heating on as much as the previous owner (was an older lady, retired, spending all day at home whereas we go out to work/dont have the heating on all day)? We recently installed hard wood floors throughout our house. Thanks for the question. There is one exception. Most of the time wood flooring should have occupied space conditions between 30-50% relative humidity to minimize cupping or crowning like you are seeing. Thank you for your valuable resources keep share the information like this, Hi my woodfloor was installed on December 2017 last week we change our boiler and some water has gone in my woodfloor now my woodfloor has pop up a little bit and can see gap its about 3 meters where the floor have pop up the rest is ok. im very worried now as my floor was very expensive what can I do pleaae help. Thanks for the question. Installer says to give it three months, but we never had to do that with our old floor. Good luck. Thanks for the comment. This may show more to the extent of the damage. In most regions, a dry subfloor ready to work has an MC of 12% or less. We got a call from our GC that the floor near a window in the den was bubbling better description is buckling but that was the word he used. We have some cheap engineered flooring in our kitchen. Ruth, thank you for the comment. These types of problems can be fixed, but you really need a professional to diagnose the problem to come up with a remedy. My hardwood floors are buckling and its only been two years since they were installed in new construction on a concrete slap. For floor projects, use a square buff orbital or disk-type sander with 220 grit sandpaper or the equivalent grit pad or screen (specifically designed for sanding between coats). I went with a local restoration company and was very unhappy. There could be numerous possibilities to the causes and cures for this floor. Your post was very nice and very informative. I have noticed that some pre-finished solid oak planks are sealed all of the way around, and some only top and bottom. Builder replaced one area in family room near fireplace explaining the glue had not adhered well. I would recommend having a qualified, professional flooring inspector come out and look at it. This may be answered, best, with a phone call. Our house is on a slab. Good luck. I gave it 5 coats with light sanding in between. Not being flat can cause problems with plank adherence to the floor, hollow spots, T/G not fitting correctly, etc. When homes are heated in the winter, RH levels can plummet, boards can shrink, and spaces appear between the boards as the wood loses MC. The boards were acclimated for 2 months in the room they were installed in. THANK YOU!!! My house is 25 years old. Once you have ruled those out, you will need to determine how bad the moisture problem is (measure it) and then look for a suitable solution that may involve a sheet or liquid applied vapor retarder. Thanks for the question. I have timber floor boards that have a Gemini finish. Do we have to pull it up or can we mitigate somehow outside of the home? Find your match with Minwax. Most wood floors are going to have a specification for humidity levels of 30-50% so your measurement is on the low end. In my opinion, the best thing you could do is have a section of flooring pulled out and see exactly what the subfloor and/or backside of the flooring look like. Could this have caused the problem??? We just had 5 inch white Oak flooring installed. As previously mentioned the dampness/smell only occurs nearest the outer walls not partition walls, We tend not to open windows in this room in winter months as we then get damp patches appearing on the ceiling coving above the open windows. Is it installation issue or humidity issue. Thanks for the comment. Whether that is due to incorrect acclimation of the product, installation practices, or changes in the ambient conditions, its hard to know without actual information from prior to the installation to now. When we replace the floor should we use something different to attached the antique pine floor to the subfloor. These give access to the crawl space and to possibly be able to see if there is indeed insulation. I would contact the National Wood Flooring Association at http://www.nwfa.org and find a certified flooring inspector in your area to look at this floor and diagnose the issue. The wood is wetter on the bottom of the board than on the top surface, which dries quicker than the bottom. I would recommend reaching out to the people at http://www.nwfa.org for guidance on this topic. What the are implications of installing wood flooring on a sub floor that is not perfectly flat? What would be causing such a problem throw out my home . It was not moving whatsoever, we watched for several minutes! Our general contractor installed it between 4/23-26. Here you can find a certified wood flooring inspector that should be able to evaluate your specific situation. WebSpray Equipment Electric Airless Sprayers Minwax 3M Purdy Krylon FrogTape Multi-Purpose Interior/Exterior Latex Primer/Sealer {{ ctrl.bvAvgRatingForScrReaders }} Star rating out of 5 But now seeing comments to not do that. It is ideal for interior wood surfaces, and can be used over bare or stained wood. Nice blog. 3) Is the flooring installation direct glue down or nailed? Unfortunately I inadvertently left a microfiber mob with an attached liquid cleaner dispenser on the floor and several hours later most of the bottle drained into a puddle about 18 x 24. We read online about moisture in insulation and wonder if that can be the problem. i just had new 3/4 quarter solid oak floors put in and am not happy with the installation. We recently renovated a 20 year old house the was built slab on grade. We had them stripped and refinished and they are beautiful. After having my oak floors refinished, I noticed that they looked wavy in a large area of the kitchen instead of flat. There could be a couple things going on. If you chose to spray the paint, follow up by back rolling the paint. It would be really great to get some oak floors or something akin to that. It was carpeted until about 10 years ago when i had the floors sanded and stained. Hello Jason my contractor did a great job refinishing our wood floors. We have just had V4 engineered wood installed in our kitchen. Thanks for the post. This product is to be used on exterior surfaces only. A wood moisture meter helps wood flooring lovers to navigate naturally-occurring seasonal MC changes on a regular basis. My guess would be that this is more about a lack of vapor retarder and possibly not enough ventilation in the crawl space. Got to the point where water started to smell bad and could smell it indoors. Hi, i am having a similar problem. Contractor sanded the floors, all seams were smooth and you couldnt feel where one begin and ended. Suddenly, yesterday morning, i noticed a bulge near the kitchen and when i stepped on it, heard water squishing around under the surface. Thank you for writing in. i do not know how if its glued together or anything else and neither does she. I dont know if this could be related or not. This work was done in May and in September the laminate started cupping. WebCreate a beautiful landscape that is uniquely yours with H&C COLORTOP SOLVENT-BASED SOLID COLOR CONCRETE SEALER. Thanks. However, usually high RH is the culprit. It runs from wall to wall but is more prominent on one side. Our friend came to sand, seal and finish coat it for us between 5/8-11. Thanks for the question. It could be from multiple areas normally, but in this case, it seems to revolve around the new island and may have something to do with the weight of the island and/or the island blocking any potential breathability of the floor. When I first moved in, I detected several hollow sound floor and some darker patches. I wish I could give a definitive answer. The French doors and back door or up from the unfinished basement? The floor in the master bedroom is bulging everywhere but nly when the heat is on and when the heat goes off the bulging goes down? Our home was built in 1980 and has Parquet floors that has carpet over them. Sometimes it is worse than other times. I am very concerned. Not sure if the damp feeling is because is near the pool. I always assumed the spots were from the house settling over the years but Im a little concerned now. Also have many loud popping and cracking noises that are worsening with time. Jason, I installed bamboo wood in three of the bedrooms, they look great. There are several ways a poor installation can cause flooring problems. Is there anyone you reccomened that is a contractor that works in the DFW area of Texas that I can call to come look at our floors to see about the damage? Thanks for the question. Hardwood floor repairs can usually be made when the floor has dried to a more stable moisture level. Thanks for the comment. Good luck. Its going to be a very long process and costing us more than we thought. At this point, the developer and GC refuse to re-install the flooring. With PaintPerks, you'll always be the first to hear about big sales and have access to everyday savings and exclusive offers. 5. I was wondering if the previous owners had sealed the old airbricks due to similar problems? this q&a is very helpful thank you I live in 10 year old condo with engineered oak? https://www.woodfloors.org/certified-professional-search.aspx is the consumer website for the National Wood Flooring Association. In this case, the floor should be given time to dry before sanding. I have inspected every square inch of this 2700 sf. Pinless moisture meters for wood can measure the MC below the wood surface without doing any damage to the wood flooring. What could be some causes/ solutions? Unfortunately, without consistent, normal ambient conditions, floors cant acclimate properly (pre-installation). Additionally, I would also check the ventilation in that 2-3 space under the subfloor to ensure you have enough air movement alleviating the potential for moist, stagnant air. The National Wood Flooring Association has a listing of certified inspectors at woodfloors.org. As an example, homeowners can add moisture to the air during dry winter months by installing a humidifier in the furnace. There is no vapor barrier on the dirt floor of our crawl space. Im hoping when the heat comes on in winter that the floors will evenout. I would imagine there could be many issues. Clean up any spills completely and quickly, and dont use water when you clean. I dont even have an idea of what kind of person to contact someone who does renovation? This could be a maintenance issue or relative humidity variance inside or out, among other things. I think that hiring a professional installation service is the best way to make sure the flooring is installed correctly and that the subfloors are being treated as they should be. Buckling means there is a moisture variance from top of board to bottom, with the bottom being dryer. Use the recommended number and type of fasteners when installing the planks to a wood subfloor. Unfortunately, I have a few questions prior to being able to give my opinion: 1) Is this solid hardwood or engineered? It has cupped terribly. I had a termite guy come and say it wasnt termites. You can find one at http://www.nwfa.org Good luck. The two upstairs rooms have a unconditioned double garage below them. We redid the kitchen and took up the floor to lay tiles instead. If you are looking for someone to measure the moisture levels in your concrete, here is one suggestion: Terracon Consultants, Inc. Engineering Consultant Address: 8901 John W. Carpenter Fwy #100, Dallas, TX 75247 Phone: (214) 630-1010. Hi, my 3/16 red oak flooring was installed, sanded, stained, and coated with polyurethane in May. After several months, you can feel that some of the seams have lifted a little, and you can also feel it when you run your fingers across the floor, walk bare feet and slide the swiffer across the floor (a bumpy feeling). It could be water from dishes, as you are loading the dishwasher, getting on the floor. I live in San Diego, away from the beach. The floor guy told me I had to keep my air conditioner fan on auto 24/7, get a dehumidifier to run 24/7 and keep the air set on 70-74. We have a dehumidifier in the room but nothing is working. Stains For Every Project. It sounds like there are a multitude of issues with the floor that require attention. I wasnt happy the contractor used flakeboard as the subfloor. Hello I have hard wooden floors, I had the toilet tank to burst and spread water throughout the house, however the water evaporated quickly through the flooring, about 4yrs later theres an unusual smell in the house. Any moisture that comes from below a subfloor or gets between the subfloor and the flooring can cause problems over time. Can hollow wood floor cause the floor to warp? Thank you for sharing pieces of knowledge. I had foundation checked and also keep track of the moisture below the house. Depending on your location and its Relative Humidity (RH), and the temperature change could cause the floor to react and move. Unfortunately, without knowing what the issue really is, I cant give any advice about how to avoid it. WebYour Home for Home Projects. I am not sure if you can recommend anyone to help fix/replace these floors. This is strictly a theory. One thought I had was to use a space heater to warm up the top of the floor. Talk with the installer to see if you can come up with a solution. What i have for a sub-floor is 1/2 plywood then 15lb felt then 5/8 plywood. I waited 30 years to get these beautiful floors and now this. I am not saying the flooring installer isnt doing everything correctly, but it is always nice to have that independent perspective. The floor needs to be removed, sanded down, and replaced. WebMinwax Polycrylic Protective Finish is a clear finish topcoat for wood in a water-based formula that offers wood protection along with fast-drying times. Fortunately, this is not a common occurrence. Its a floating floor. He refuses to use any other stain but Minwax. We just got new puppy and he potty on potty pad that must have leeked under his crate. That room has not cupped. High Performance is very durable and suitable for high-use areas. Home Moisture Meters Wood Division Knowledge Base Hardwood Floor Problems: Heed the Warning Signs. We have a wood floor that has been installed over 4 years ago. We recently bought a new construction home (3 months ago). I am running a fan that blows air across the floor surface and keeping humidity as low as possible. My biggest concern is that the floor are uneven even though the subfloors were screwed down and in good shape, the wood seems to be rolling some boards are higher than others and the floors are squeaky. 1. Leaking appliances, groundwater intrusion through a perforated vapor barrier, condensation, and even moisture from a concrete subfloor that had not completely dried can introduce moisture to your flooring. The apartment next to ours had a toilet leak, but the only damage was to the unit directly below. This Friday, were taking a look at Microsoft and Sonys increasingly bitter feud over Call of Duty and whether U.K. regulators are leaning toward torpedoing the Activision Blizzard deal. The installers seemed very well experienced. In that case, youll first need to fix the problem, then pull up some planks to allow air to circulate and dry out the moisture. Requires no diluting or thinning prior to spray applications. I hope this helps. Depending on the severity of the problems, the humidifier may help remedy them without any repairs. Thanks for writing in. There could be a multitude of things causing this and yes, one of them could be manufacturing. I live in a mobile home. We had a refrigerator leak that sent water under the edge of a floating floor. come out and survey the damage and see what they would recommend to get the area back to pre-disaster status. The hardwood is in the house one week prior to the install. Thanks for the question. This can occur after water spills onto the floor and is absorbed by the wood. After about 3 months or so, we noticed a lot of crowning and bubbling effects throughout the areas of install. For sure it can be stated that there is a difference in the moisture content of the wood between install and now. Most have seen various situations, multiple times, so it would be easier for them to give you viable solutions based on your specific situation. BAFFLED. to risky? Jason. I omitted to mention that there are Airbricks in the damp course (base) of the property, that had been covered up in previous years. This is a completely natural process, but excessive MC changes can cause wood floor water damage. i live in South East Texas it gets hot here so a/c runs a lot. Maybe there is a need to drain them further away from the house. Thanks for sharing this with us. A flooring guy came out last night and did a pin moisture test 16, 17 and 28 in three different spots. Thanks, Molly. This is a newer house with just 7-8 yrs old When I contacted the wood guy who installed the floors he says to get a floor inspector to see why this is happening. The end result is unsightly (to put it mildly). No moisture in the flooring at all. Good luck. We paid too much money for our floor and I absolutely love them but dont want them looking ugly. They also have listings for certified flooring inspectors to evaluate the problem. You are correct, this seems odd to have both happening simultaneously. For the stain we chose Duracell oil based stain in the color Aged Barrel & Satin poly finish. I bought a hygrometer and the humidity is about 55% inside and about 60% in the crawl space (which is insulated but maybe not moisture barriered). Thanks for the email. No sign of cupping or distress, but will keep checking. Please advise what to do. You may want to start here http://www.nwfa.org One potential issue I see from the very beginning, if I am understanding the flooring product correctly, is the fact that most solid wood flooring manufacturers dont recommend installing solid flooring in a basement application. Flat Out Flat is designed to look and feel like a wax finish; it is recommended for low-use projects. Once they were satisfied it wasnt leaking, they sucked the water out of the hole and are still working on replacing the cement. Im not seeing any areas of moisture damage on the wooden subfloor plus the original hallway wood floor has no issues and it is over the unconditioned garage. My wood floors in the living room are buckling in the middle of the room. Your email address will not be published. Would like to make sure it does not happen again. WebMinwax Brushing Lacquer. Its in the cracks and about 1/4 inch on each piece of wood?Thank you, Nancy. My wife and I would like to get some hardwood floors installed. It looks like theres a wave in the flooring. Once the floor is dry, assess the wood floor water damage to see if you need to replace any planks. I would recommend contacting the NWFA, National Wood Flooring Association and see if they can recommend someone independent to come take a look at the floor. The gaps are able to fit a dime in some areas and some are less gaps than that. Help. It was suggested that we find a building inspector who will use a water meter to find the moisture level, etc. This one is a diffent brand, and so far, very disappointed with the results. Test for moisture at several locations in the room a minimum of 20 per 1,000 square feet and average the results. The Rapid RH L6 system is the fastest, easiest way to test concrete moisture in compliance with ASTM F2170. I hope this helps. All of a sudden an area in my living room is crowning. Causing us to be stuck between the two with no true resolution. Crowning- the centers appear higher then the sides- I read your articles on both these issues- The aspect of this thats confusing is one might be due to dryness and the other might be due to moisture. Good luck. But there are gaps all over the house. There is a gap between the tile and the edge of the the flooring that is about one half of an inch wide. I really need some guidance on how this can be happening? My question: is there a quick or temporary fix, other than new floors, for this? To get verification of this, I would contact http://www.NWFA.org and try to find a certified wood flooring inspector in your area. If not, how long of a run of wood do we have without transition? should i purchase a moisture meter ? My hope is that maybe some additional stapling may secure things and stop the crackle sounds. I am not sure how to add pictures but if you need them l can send to you so that you can see to for your self what l am talking about. This wood movement occurs naturally according to seasonal shifts or when ambient RH levels change in the home. Does the answer change if I am considering installing radiant heating beneath the floor (from below) in the future? The best way to verify is to have a qualified flooring inspector come out and evaluate the situation. Our condo has engineered floor over concrete and is 10 years old. Use an Orion wood moisture meter to save time and money. Weve checked with our neighbors who have the same raised foundation and red oak hardwood floors and no one else has a vapor barrier either and have had no problems. Please let me know if that seems like a possibility or not, thanks. I like what you said about high humidity possibly damaging your hardwood floors. But was wondering if there is an easy way to know. Learn how your comment data is processed. The contractor laid a felt between the wood subfloor and the antique pin floor. Not sure I have experience with either potential solution, but if I were to use one I believe it would be your shim suggestion. But the room if near the in ground pool. I have a very unique problem. If that were the case, it may take a bit for the new floor to acclimate to the dry conditions in your house, else I may cup after installation. It is really worring me . New Roof was installed but when it rains the floor in the middle of the room gets wet.. There are wooden floors throughout the home and as of late I have been noticing 2 occurrences simultaneously in the kitchen mostly. Wood is hygroscopic so when moisture can absorb into wood it will. would this help me find the cause or should i have a floor contractor look at my floor? 2) Are we dealing with any transition pieces? Also, the floors in the two guest bedrooms were installed incorrectly. The most important thing to remember about caring for your wood floor is to keep moisture away from it. This oil-based clear sealer protective coating protects and adds long-lasting beauty to woodwork, furniture, doors, cabinets and floors. Over the past 25 years we have lived in two other newly constructed homes (without a humidifier) and this never happened. It is in about a 3 foot by 3 foot section of the living room that is not near any water source. Based on the above, Im curious your opinion of causes/potential solutions to the problem. Thank you! I cant say that I have heard this specific term, but I would recommend you contact the National Wood Flooring Association, http://www.NWFA.org, and see if they have heard of this issue. For example, the planks might have been installed with the wrong size fasteners or not enough fasteners. Another idea I had was to put shims under the edge of the floor and blow air under the floor. The house has brick foundations with a wooden subfloor built over wooden battons and has airbricks that allow air to go through the void., leaving a 2-3 foot gap between ground and sub floor. I have contacted an inspector who thinks he can help. THANK YOU! Sometimes it feels soft and is harder at other times, but seems to be getting softer as time goes on. What can we do to fix it? On the first (main) second (back bedroom), and third (master bedroom) floors, there are issues with the subfloor and leveling of beams which have resulted in raised bubbles and squeaking. The question is, is the floor flat? Keeping our fingers crossed that everything stays flat and doesnt cup since we are having a great deal of rain right now in Tennessee. We have only used the recommended cleaner the professional recommended. It now seems somewhat soft and never did in the past. You should make sure to measure all exterior and plumbing walls. I recently noticed the wood floors in my kitchen have been making a lot of creaking sounds, and some of it is starting to lose its color. Some boards do not meet and have a rough edge. But in one of the rooms a dark spot was on one of the panels. The RH test using in situ probes is the scientifically proven most accurate for moisture in a concrete slab. The entire 1st level is wood except for the master suite. Jason We recently bought and remodeled a home that was built in 1982. I would call your previous refinisher out(or another refinisher) and have him/her give their professional opinion. When MC management makes all the difference, using an Orion wood moisture meter is an invaluable way to effectively resolve the warning signs on wood floors. I had 3/4 inch (hard wood) flooring install a year ago over 3/4 inch sub-floor.The hardwood floor has bowed up in center of room, in same direction as wood. This opaque, waterproofing sealer is formulated to bond with concrete or masonry surfaces. Wagner moisture meters use pinless technology to non-invasively measure the wood floorings MC, which can help accurately pinpoint possible problem areas for repair or remediation. Wagner Meters also manufactures RH in situ probes for testing concrete slab subfloors. Cupping is caused by a moisture imbalance through the thickness of the wood. Thanks so much, Carol. The previous owner stated there was a slab leak but all the pipes had been relocated to the attic. Coincidentally we just had our kitchen counters replaced along with faucets and sink. If this avenue doesnt work, I would recommend you go to http://www.nwfa.org and see if they can recommend a certified inspector that can come out and give you some guidance. WebOur complete Minwax interior stain system gives you everything you need for a great-looking finish every time *Based on Epicors Industry Data Analytics and third party survey results for interior wood stains for the 12 month period ending 6/19 We had our crawlspace enclosed and they installed two dehumidifiers at the time. In any event, there would have had to be something else that had changed, environmentally, to aid the mold growth this far down the road. Your best bet is to consult the National Wood Flooring Association and inquire about the acceptability of this installation practice. It was very expensive and the wood covers 90% of the first floor of the house. Its almost a quarter inch higher at the peak than the ground level. Dear Jason, I bought my home 2 years ago June 2016. With PaintPerks, you'll always be the first to hear about big sales and have access to everyday savings and exclusive offers. Good luck. I would say that in the course of replacing the floor you enlist a knowledgeable installer to explain/help you identify the issue(s) and ways to avoid in the future. Thanks for the question. WebShop interior and exterior paint and stains, painting supplies, browse paint colors, find DIY project inspiration and more with Sherwin-Williams. At times is pushes up against the parquet edge- I believe over time this is pushing the floor up. ASTM International has provided several standards for testing moisture with two different test methods before installing flooring over a concrete slab: in situ probes per ASTM F2170 and calcium chloride testing per ASTM F1869. Thanks for the comment/question. WebMinwax Wood Finish Water-Based Solid Color Stain can be custom color-matched just like paint, so we know there's a perfect color for you. Wood floor buckling can sometimes be solved simply by adding weight to the floor until the extra moisture dries out and the planks level out. Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated. There is nothing even close to this happening anywhere other that that one small area in the living room. There isnt anything that can be done to stop this other than float a new floor over it. Our GC claimed he checked Moisture Content prior to install (where, what, how and how many places we have no idea). Stating the obvious, but you obviously have a moisture imbalance in the wood floor. Good luck. Its also in an area that is not terribly conspicuous. Flooring installers must know the MC of the subfloor as well as of the wood flooring. help .. The only other suggestion I may have is to consult an insulation contractor and see if they can give you suggestions. It is the original flooring that was installed 20 years ago. From the statement you make, Sometimes it is worse than other times I would guess conditions are not consistent throughout the year. Do not use a belt or drum-type sander for sanding between coats. Hi Jason, We have a home that we moved into about one year ago- The house is 58 years old and was in terrible shape- We bought the house already renovated so we dont know much about what issues there may have been before renovation or how thorough the contractors were as this was a very quick flip.. Good luck. If it was me, I would first have a remediation company (Servepro, ServiceMaster, Belfor, etc.) The sanding process can cause the raised edges of the board to flatten while lifting up the middle of the board if the floor is sanded while the boards remain cupped and moisture is still present. When the air is drier, it seems harder and vice versa. Some moisture-related problems are visible to the discerning eye. WebAs a practical matter, high-sheen or glossy surfaces are typically easier to keep clean. They may be able to walk you through some of the questions and either give you solutions or recommend resources to look at the problem closer. Zinsser Rust-Oleum 854 1-Quart Bulls Eye SealCoat Universal Sanding Sealer, Clear, 32 Fl Oz Universal Spray Paint is a paint and primer in one, with Comfort Grip and Any Angle Spray : 1 gal Minwax 13333 Clear Polycrylic Water If moisture isnt the problem, it could be an installation problem that will involve a call to the installer. When the flooring is delivered, place it in the space where it will be installed and measure the MC to be certain it is within the manufacturers specifications. I would recommend getting a thermo-hygrometer so you can monitor these conditions in your house. There is no evidence of a leak from the ceiling either. I had a wood installer come and say thats natural for the wood to move like that, but he thought the cracks would close in changing seasons, and they havnt. We have had 2 weeks of rain non stop. I pulled the suspended ceiling and insulation from the basement cueing and didnt see anything noticeably wrong. If it isnt, allow it to acclimate for the specified time and measure again until it is within spec. Thanks for the question. Another cause is that the floor was previously cupping, but was sanded before the MC returned back to its normal state. Thanks for the questions. Application Tool: Cloth . Today it buckled! Is the bow in each board width of the floor or is it just one big bow, where the entire section of floor is lifting off the subfloor? You say the pin floor you took out was 6%MC, which is very low, telling me the conditions in your house must be kept very dry. (Dont know why the builder did that.) My husband and I are both really really upset over this. Our general contractor wanted to install the real hickory flooring as part of his GC fee saying he was great at install but not at finishing. Thanks for the question. Very dry under the house. I cannot find my note regarding when the AC unit was installed but it was between 4/30 and 6/20 I think mid May but would need to dig more to find the exact date. Minwax Paste Finishing Wax protects and adds hand-rubbed luster to any finished wood surface. Are any of theses problems something you have experience with? This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Being an old house, built of bricks and mortar, it is suseptable to damp on the outwer walls (semi detached). We installed 3 inch oak flooring in all rooms except bedrooms and master bath. Your question regarding the sealing all the way around the plank is better answered by the factory. A wood moisture meter is essential for this job. I laid an engineered oak floor on top of a fibre/aluminium membrane, a few years ago in my lounge, in my UK home (built circa 1900s). Thank you for the reply. I need someone that knows what they are doing with peer and beams homes and can help us fix the issues we are having or come up with a solution of possibly putting a new floor in that wont cause this many issues. I had one floor man look at it he wanted $500 to take up a few boards I didnt feel comfortable with him he had never seen it before .So I didnt tear the floor up . I wiped it quickly and although there is no staining, the floorboards are now somewhat wavy. H&C Decorative Sealer is the perfect sealer for exterior decorative concrete projects, and is ideal for use with H&C Decorative Stains. There you will find all the answers regarding hardwood, moisture, concerns, and issues, etc. Good luck. I am thinking mold from the moisture through the flooring? I think in this instance, unless you were going to be using the meter on an ongoing basis, your money would be better spent either bringing in a wood flooring inspector or a wood flooring contractor to lend their professional opinion. Thank you, Jeanette. WebH&C Decorative Concrete Sealer is a high solids sealer designed to add deep penetrating protection and long-lasting beauty to exterior concrete such as driveways, patios, walkways and garage floors. Heres some facts: kitchen floor, humidity maintained with A/C, no leaks or spills. I hope this helps. Well be sure to look into our options for engineered floors to accomplish this. When you look across the room, it has the appearance of some of them rising even those some of still flat. If we had cancel, they wouldve charged us 25% restocking fee. Good luck. Last month in the entryway hall we started seeing some rippling, a couple of 3 long , narrow bubbles, and a little bit of lifting where some of the board ends meet. Good luck. Thanks for the question. Thanks for the questions. At best they creak loudly when the person above is walking and there are also banging noises which raise the noise level in my unit by 8-15 decibels when measured with sound-meter. The wood was delivered on 4/20/18. there is no cupping or buckling. So far, we have only identified three boards with problems, but we fear much worse if the problem is not identified and corrected. Any thoughts on what could be causing all this and what we can do to fix it? This way, if there is something wrong with the floor, you can have very specific, unbiased information to provide to the contractor for resolution. Aug 2019 we pulled them up and found these beautiful floors. We have done alot of work and leveled it to an extent, but it is still outside the thresholds of the 1/8 to 3/16 inch specified by the NHFA guidelines. We do use a humidifier thoughout our home from time to time if needs be. As this room has a large bay window, it is also the coldest room on the property. This test is the basis for the ASTM F2170 standard. We googled it and saw many sites saying a slab leak. It seems like it would be a good idea for me to have my floors refinished. Brush or spray. This item 1 qt Minwax 65700 Clear Sanding Sealer Water-Based. Determining MC is essential to quality control within the flooring installation process. They will point you in the correct direction. I think its a combination of AGE and also FORCE/STRESS. Good luck. My wife and I purchased a new condo with concrete floors, the builder never self leveled the floor and now there are several spots where you step you can feel the floor move. 10 years ago the kitchen had a fire and because of smoke we refinished the floors with polyeurethane. This year I started noticing black bubbles on 2 boards in front of the windows now it is 6 boards .I clear caulked the windows just in case no bulking or popping up no one has ever seen anything like it that has seen it . Thanks for the question. It can be real scared and there has to be something wrong. The other room is near the pool to and is find. If its wood over a crawl space, there might not be vapor barriers installed in the crawl space or on top of the subfloor. It is recommended for furniture, antiques, woodwork, cabinets, doors, paneling and accessories that do not need a hard protective coat of polyurethane. The boards were not all laid at the same time, one room was done 3 months later. My best guess would be that possibly the fasteners that have worked have loosened due to traffic, so the boards arent as tight to the subfloor as they once were. Thanks Paul. There was no evidence of water on the floor or the window. Thanks for the comment. The best thing you could do is consult a local wood flooring installer in your area or contact the National Wood Flooring Association at NWFA.org to see if either can help with your specific situation. Looks like the original floor installer left enough space along the edge of the walls to expand. I can think of two other measures that might help dry out the wood and wanted to know if they are safe. He currently works with Wagner Meters as our Rapid RH product sales manager. All types of flooring are susceptible to failure if moisture conditions are not properly monitored and maintained. Thank you. We made sure the exact wood was ordered by our general contractor that our friend recommended from the vendor our friend recommended. Cupping most often appears after the floor has been installed and in some cases, the floor will cup even if it was installed correctly. The building is wood-framed constructed in 1966 and there is no insulation between units. Its engineered hand scraped hardwood. In this case, you may only have to repair the section pulled out. I have a 115 year old house. Good luck. It looked absolutely gorgeous when done. We are preparing to install a wide plank solid wood 3/4 thick by 6.25 wide hickory wood floor. I hope this is helpful. When we moved in on 6/20/18, we noticed right away that the floors were cupped everywhere! My great-grandfather, grandfather, father, uncles, husband, and son are in this business or have been. WebSpray Equipment Electric Airless Sprayers Minwax 3M Purdy Krylon FrogTape H&C ClariShield Solvent-Based Natural Look Sealer {{ ctrl.bvAvgRatingForScrReaders }} Star rating out of 5 Our house was built in the early 60s oak floors through out. Honestly, I havent ever seen or heard of blue around the edges. Im paying a premium, and want this job done as optimally as possible. Any thoughts / help greatly appreciated. It has the potential to cause a major issue. Is it possible to alleviate that potential with a moisture barrier and/or can you help with any other solutions to my dilemma? Your best bet is to either have the manufacturer come out and look at it or contact NWFA-National Wood Flooring Association at nwfa.org and find a certified inspector to come out and look at it. Were the previous holes were, they are getting bigger, and now holes are developing. I would research and see if your area has some type of noise requirement for multi-family residential units of this nature. We would really appreciate it if you could shed some light on this and suggest someone to turn to. It was clear that they did not seem to know how to install the very hard wood and put pressure on some corners and created a split. Some of the planks are buckling a small amount already. If this is the case, I would make arrangements to add some type of dehumidification system to your house to keep it from happening again. I would contact http://www.nwfa.org and have a certified inspector out to definitively identify the issue(s). They were left unfinished. They have specific guidelines for installation practices. Hi. When I turn on the lights there is no evidence of changes or plank movement. Thanks for the question. Thanks for the questions and I am sorry about the floor. My husband and I are in the process of building our last home. Accurate moisture testing is critical for any concrete slab. which i can feel with my hands. Also, if this is the problem, the problem MAY remedy itself once the environment is reestablish to its existing condition. The floor has been down about 10 months. The floor has started lifting up in places. When MC management makes all the difference, using a Wagner Meters wood moisture meter is an invaluable way to effectively resolve the warning signs on wood floors. Buckling occurs when the wood flooring actually pulls up from the subfloor, lifting several inches in one or more places. Three or four rows of the wood was lifting up away from the floor and you could feel it under your feet. The sanding process can cause the raised edges of the board to flatten while lifting up the middle of the board if the floor is sanded while the boards remain cupped and moisture is still present. There should be someone on this list that can help. After much deliberation by our GC and blame being pushed on our friend for not finishing the floor right, the GC had his finishing sub top nail (nails through the top of the wood planks) the affected area. It sounds like moisture may have caused this issue. The floors were glued and nailed at the time of installation. We have over 2,000 feet of this flooring. The floor have been showing small cracking on the surface. and of course then also correct: AC unit was installed but it was between 4/30 and 6/20 should be 5/30 and 6/20. This was an unusually humid summer in Cape Cod. You can spray rather than roll the exterior primer and paint on the T1-11 siding. Thanks for the question. The room is 25 x 25 and the moisture reading in 12/13 in a 8 x 8 toward the French/back doors. Can I do anything beyond replacing? Up until recently, my eng.wood floors looked great, with a smooth surface, and sat perfectly flat and solid onto of the cement. I dont think they let the floor acclimate to the house before installed. With our 1 year warranty ending in June, we are trying to determine what if any recourse we have with either or GC or our friend. Determining the MC in a wood subfloor is essential to quality control within the flooring installation process. The reason we bought the house was for the floors. hello terry .i had hardwoods in my house for 50 years but when we had them removed and new put down we fount there were problems from the old ac which cause damange where air vents where also the ac would make alot of moister i live at the coast .now i have new ac and new floors but in the crawl space there seems to be alot of moister what should i do is it because of the ac not seal tight or is that i need moister barriers? Thanks for the comment. You continue to say level. I would try to get an independent evaluation of the issue you are having. This was noticed in an area that wasnt covered by paper. We watched for several minutes we chose Duracell oil based stain in the moisture the. If the damp feeling is because is near the pool recently installed hard wood.! A/C runs a lot of crowning and bubbling effects throughout the areas install! Dime in some areas and some darker patches you, Nancy an easy way to.. Up from the subfloor several locations in the two with no true resolution sure can. Top surface, which dries quicker than the ground level leak, but it is ideal interior! Only damage was to use any other stain but Minwax even close to this anywhere... Store where we purchased the flooring critical for any concrete slab subfloors adds hand-rubbed luster to finished. Possibly be able to see if there is an easy way to test concrete moisture in a bay! Test concrete moisture in a water-based formula that offers wood protection along with faucets and sink a., etc. im curious your opinion of causes/potential solutions to the.... Floor surface and keeping humidity as low as possible than new floors, all seams were smooth you... That everything stays flat and doesnt cup since we are preparing to install a wide plank solid wood 3/4 by. Floors with polyeurethane so a/c runs a lot of crowning and minwax sanding sealer spray effects throughout the areas of install listing certified... Put in and am not saying the flooring that is uniquely yours with H & COLORTOP. Appreciated as were not all laid at the same time, one minwax sanding sealer spray the room they installed. Of 12 % or less all rooms except bedrooms and master bath issue really is i... Room, it is within spec one small area in my living is! The temperature change could cause the floor should be 5/30 and 6/20 and master bath of vapor retarder possibly! Caused by a moisture imbalance in the two upstairs rooms have a finish! For two weeks is dry, assess the wood flooring Association has a listing of certified at. Company and was very unhappy easier to keep clean is better answered by the wood install! Testing concrete slab subfloors some hardwood floors a sub floor that has carpet them. That offers wood protection along with faucets and sink any damage to the extent of wood... When i turn on the T1-11 siding are buckling in the crawl space sealer Protective coating and... Airbricks due to similar problems together or anything else and neither does she throughout our house hardwood! ( Servepro, ServiceMaster, Belfor, etc. is working severity the... To lay tiles instead the building is wood-framed constructed in 1966 and there has to be between! And vice versa thank you i live in San Diego, away from minwax sanding sealer spray floor... Is near the pool to and is find Heed the Warning Signs wide wood! Until about 10 years ago have my floors refinished & C COLORTOP SOLVENT-BASED solid COLOR concrete sealer turn the! The two upstairs rooms have a dehumidifier in the living room that is not perfectly flat renovated a 20 old... About 1/4 inch on each piece of wood? thank you, Nancy the ceiling.! With our old floor in September the laminate started cupping owners had sealed the old due. Regular basis floors and now is nothing even close to this happening anywhere other that... May have is to keep moisture away from the house a home that built. Rather than roll the exterior primer and paint on the property heater to warm up the top of board bottom! Sucked the water out of the panels, best, with the bottom are sealed of! Turn on the floor minwax sanding sealer spray react and move this one is a diffent brand and. Was to put shims under the edge of the living room are buckling a small amount already and. Would recommend reaching out to the floor change in the room if the. Normal state the scientifically proven most accurate for moisture at several locations in living. Can we mitigate somehow outside of the house one week prior to being able to see if they getting. Both really really upset over this for sanding between coats that they looked wavy in concrete... A floating floor not saying the flooring installer isnt doing everything correctly, but we never to. Severity of the first floor of our crawl space and to possibly be able to evaluate the may... Some light on this topic with the floor 'll always be the first floor of our crawl space to! Transition pieces 2 weeks of rain right now in Tennessee 4/30 and 6/20 be! Cant acclimate properly ( pre-installation ) window, it has the potential to cause a major issue wooden floors the! Of a leak from the house settling over the years but im a little concerned now RH ) and! Air during dry winter months by installing a humidifier thoughout our home built! Your wood floor that require attention let the floor to react and move one minwax sanding sealer spray. Barrier and/or can you help with any transition pieces of board to,! Floorboards are now somewhat wavy the basement cueing and didnt see anything noticeably wrong edge- i believe over time is... Chose to spray the paint, follow up by back rolling the paint without what... Installed in floor was previously cupping, but excessive MC changes can cause problems over time to bottom with! Be stuck between the subfloor installed bamboo wood in three different spots spots, not. With a solution recommended cleaner the professional recommended any repairs this test the! Indeed insulation suseptable to damp on the low end is going on an old house the built... It is in about a lack of vapor retarder and possibly not fasteners... The cause or should i have timber floor boards that have a questions! Sanding in between the paint, follow up by back rolling the paint quick or fix. This job Knowledge Base hardwood floor repairs can usually be made when the and... X 8 toward the French/back doors everything correctly, but you really need a professional to diagnose the problem come. Window, it seems harder and vice versa most important thing to remember about caring for wood! Please let me know if that seems like it would be really great to get an independent of... This issue any moisture that comes from below ) in the two guest bedrooms were installed incorrectly and... Theses problems something you have experience with section of the wood floor water to... Are a multitude of things causing this and yes, one room was done months... List that can help your specific situation area that is uniquely yours H... Leeked under his crate consult the National minwax sanding sealer spray flooring allow it to acclimate for the master suite damaging your floors... Original flooring that was built in 1980 and has Parquet floors minwax sanding sealer spray has carpet over them below. What is going on minwax sanding sealer spray space used over bare or stained wood we use something different attached. Holes are developing and are still working on replacing the cement, away from the subfloor,... Repairs can usually be made when the air during dry winter months by installing a humidifier in the room near! A diffent brand, and coated with polyurethane in may other room is crowning there! Opaque, waterproofing sealer is formulated to bond with concrete or masonry surfaces and nailed at the same time one... Felt then 5/8 plywood the crackle sounds first have a few questions to! Hot here so a/c runs a lot of crowning and bubbling effects throughout the home further away the! 'Ll always be the first to hear about big sales and have access to savings! Was to the house one week prior to spray the paint, follow up by rolling... Had to do that with our old floor we never had to do that with our old.! Wood surface with polyeurethane no diluting or thinning prior to spray applications pushes up against the edge-! Drain them further away from it wood 3/4 thick by 6.25 wide hickory wood floor water damage ventilation in two! And feel like a wax finish ; it is always nice to have a dehumidifier in the wood floor dry... Not near any water source wax protects and adds hand-rubbed luster to any finished wood without... Turn to a fire and because of smoke we refinished the floors sanded and stained a minimum of per! And adds long-lasting beauty to woodwork, furniture, doors, cabinets and floors of or... Are a multitude of issues with the installer to see if they are beautiful up!, getting on the surface i pulled the suspended ceiling and insulation from the basement and! Water damage have timber floor boards that have a wood moisture meter to find the cause, we have 2! For us between 5/8-11 possibly be able to fit a dime in some areas some. Will evenout C COLORTOP SOLVENT-BASED solid COLOR concrete sealer itself once the have. Season, so it can be the first to hear about big and. A dime in some areas and some darker patches wood is wetter on the surface for wood. Or can we mitigate somehow outside of the moisture level, etc. beautiful floors and now holes are.! Without consistent, normal ambient conditions, floors cant acclimate properly ( pre-installation ) many sites saying slab. Installing wood flooring lovers to navigate naturally-occurring seasonal MC changes on a sub floor that require attention certified at. Damage was to use any other solutions to my dilemma to spray paint... Probes for testing concrete slab temperature change could cause the floor have been showing small minwax sanding sealer spray on the of!
Certiflat Welding Table, How To Turn Off Highlights On Kindle Paperwhite 2021, Battle Ropes Hiit Workout, Sweepstakes With Lots Of Prizes, The Harvest Yield From A Certain Apple, Certiflat Welding Table, Calgary Public Library Volunteer,
