Jim Beaver wrote:
I think this goes beyond "character." The number and width of the
cracks has increased so much that virtually everyone who steps into
my house says, "What's wrong with your floors?" My contractor (not
the sub-contractor who put the floors in) says he's never seen
anything like it. I do in fact snag my socks on the cracks, often
and repeatedly. Two credit cards is now the minimum width of the
cracks--they've all widened to as much as four or five credit-card
thicknesses.
It seems to me that your floor is a bloody mess! Unfortunately. Can't say
I have a lot of experience with wood floors, only put in one but it has
*zero* gaps between planks winter or summer. And that's in Florida where
both heat and humidity vary markedly by season.
Seems to me that the gaps are way too much to be accounted for by seasonal
expansion and contraction (I'm assuming planks 2 1/4" or so). What else?
Don't know...improperly fastened maybe?
Were the joints tight after installation but before sanding? Could it be
that they weren't and sanding dust filled the joints when finished and has
worked out? Again, don't know, wouldn't think so unless they were oil
finished. In my case, I filled any gaps after installation (not many and
narrow) with a mix of sanding dust and lacquer. Those areas are still tight
too.
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The waiver I signed read as follows: "It is recommended that the
1/2" x 2" select red oak flooring have an acclimation period of two
weeks after installation. Due to time perimeters the contractor
has chosen to have the newly installed floors acclimate for only
one week and shall hold [the company] harmeless of any possible
cupping or other natural conditions."
OK, the company would seem to be off the hook. But not the contractor.
Frankly, I can't see another week's acclimation making that much difference.
Unless the stuff had been hosed down.
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There is no sign of cupping. Just wide, wide cracks between
probably forty percent of the boards in the house. The flooring
sub-contractor has stated in his defense not that this is a serious
flaw due to a shortened acclimation time, but that these cracks are
normal and will close up in the summer (when it doesn't rain for
months on end? How does that work? They're shrinking during the
most humid part of the year here in Southern California.)
Any further ideas?
I sure wouldn't consider them "normal". If push is coming to shove, it
seems to me that you need an opinion as to cause from an impartial expert.
Not another contractor but I don't know what...engineer maybe?
I'd also be measuring the total width of cracks across a given area and
checking the maximum possible seasonal expansion/contraction against that.
Good luck...
--
dadiOH
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