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NO. The basement has carpet. The wood floor is on the first floor, above the basement.
5" Pre Finished Solid Hickory Floors Cupping
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I've painted 100s of new construction houses that had hardwood floors. I only remember one where the HVAC was hooked up prior to the floor installation. 95% of them were for the same set of builders so if there had been any issues with the hardwood flooring I would have heard about it. I've also never known of a builder checking the moisture content of the subfloor unless there was a major problem [plumbing leak or where weather some how got in]
The correct method is what the manufacturer specifies as the correct/allowed method.
Its like the old saying --- "if all else fails, follow the instructions".
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Sorry you're not understanding my situation. And I really don't want to argue with you, but If a builder OR installer is not checking moisture content of the subfloor and the hardwoods before installation, they are not doing their jobs. Period. I'm not really here to debate why the floor cupped. I know why, that's not up for debate. The floor was inspected by an NWFA certified FLOORING inspector with 25 years of experience and has inspected over 14,000 floors. He is very expensive, (but worth it) I just needed the real reason why the floor was cupping. Before he even started his inspection, he said I may, or may not like his results, because the wood doesn't lie. I had the same questions as many of you: is there a leak? Is the humidity level too high in the house? Am I doing something to cause this??? It was none of the above. His results show the moisture content of the subfloor was too high. The 16 page report shows all the moisture readings (over 60 throughout the house) with the same result. The subfloor moisture is to high compared to the hardwood moisture content. This results in cupping, especially in solid hardwood with wider planks and not being installed with a glue and nail assist. His reports will hold up in a court of law. I really don't want to have to go to court and spend 10 grand in lawyers fees I can't recoup. The courts are so backed up it could take well over a year for a hearing.
I'm just looking for some good opinions from people who have done sand and finish on a prefinished floor. Or maybe just a total rip out and reinstall is a safer option as to avoid crowning. Unfortunately, I have 1500 sq ft. so its pricey!
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Oddly enough, the mfg instructions do not say it has to be glued.
It's the NWFA that strongly recommends any plank 5" or wider be glued with nail assist. Mine unfortunately were not.
I have yet to find any installer that would install a 5" wide plank and not glue it. They would not do the job if it's not glued.
Is there a vapor retarder between the flooring and subfloor? Was it installed with cleats or staples? How about lowering the humidity level in the basement and going through an entire season to see what happens. My neighbor had flooring installed on the first floor over an unfinished basement. He didn't control the basement humidity and the first floor flooring cupped like yours. He had it sanded and refinished and was told to control the basement humidity.
Unfortunately a lot of tradesman will not postpone/refuse a job because of less than 100% favorable conditions.
Unfortunately a lot of tradesman will not postpone/refuse a job because of less than 100% favorable conditions.
A dehumidifier may help in keeping the humidity down.
Lower humidity will tend to shrink the boards and probably reduce cupping.
Solid flooring plus dehumidifier was once recommended to me by the owner of a flooring store.
(That's when I knew I was going to go with engineered hardwood)
Lower humidity will tend to shrink the boards and probably reduce cupping.
Solid flooring plus dehumidifier was once recommended to me by the owner of a flooring store.
(That's when I knew I was going to go with engineered hardwood)
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Was there any do's and dont's information about moisture of the Hickory or subfloor that came with the shipment ?
I haven't seen information regarding moisture % of either , and that must be one hellofah meter to read moisture through 2 pieces of wood of different moisture %'s much less a greater than 2% .
I haven't seen information regarding moisture % of either , and that must be one hellofah meter to read moisture through 2 pieces of wood of different moisture %'s much less a greater than 2% .
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Aqua bar paper and they used 2" staples. My basement is completely finished.
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It was a Delmhorst pin meter. It has 2 pins that you have to hammer through the hardwood flooring to get an accurate reading of the subfloor. So it leaves 2 small holes wherever you test. picture attached...
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I looked at those meters selling points but didn't see anything about that 2 layer test procedure . Possibly missed it .
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In my opinion , if there isn't records of the moisture % of each of those 2 layers of wood when the flooring was installed 1.5 years ago , you would have more success putting tooth paste back in the tube than winning a court case .
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Interesting...I'm learning alot about flooring and humidity here, as all my work has been in dry climate.... BUT my daughter has just moved at x-mas to Wilmington NC...I've only had one visit.... but her home may be informative here. Basically it is a vote / argument for dehumidification...much as SPS suggests.
She is on a raised perimeter foundation and the foundation crawl space as built is/was very completely vented and vapor covered with 6 mill plastic. She sits high and there is no water shed issue involved.
But despite the original build very well vented, all the crawl venting has been carefully sealed off,, and she has a big dehumidifier in the crawl space now that is on a humidstat and drains outside.
She is virtually all hardwood flooring, but as I recall probably 3" and I think (as I recall) not prefinished. I do not know whether it was glued. It is in great shape. I see no indication that it was ever refinished.. but I did not directly inspect for those indications.
Now this is not an exact parallel as the OP... and perhaps it is overkill for her circumstance... and I do not know what is customary in NC humidity... but it seems to me to be a continuing humidity issue verse a one time issue of acclimation or damp subflooring.
Just commenting....
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If the house was not conditioned during construction the RH and DP of the air in the house would have been equal to those outdoor conditions . Siri can tell us those numbers ,
The moisture retarder does not stop moisture from moving through it ....it only slows its movement. The flooring is cupping because the bottom of the boards contain more moisture than the top. Moisture will move from the area with higher moisture content to the area with lower moisture content. The bottom of the boards will lose moisture to the basement only if the basement has a lower humidity level than the first floor humidity level.
My point was, I think there is moisture there now, not from the install a year and a half ago. Ive seen boards cup then flatten out after drying. If that moisture retarder cannot stop moisture from the basement/subfloor, whats the purpose of it in the first place?
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If you believe the moisture is caused by the basement floor place a small sample of wood above the floor a few inches . Check the sample for original moisture and monitor it for moisture once / week for a month .
I suggest a remote thermometer hygrometer if you don't have one . Not advertising but i've found the thermometer / hygrometer below to give accurate results .
ThermoPro Digital Hygrometer.
I suggest a remote thermometer hygrometer if you don't have one . Not advertising but i've found the thermometer / hygrometer below to give accurate results .
ThermoPro Digital Hygrometer.
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