Hardwood Flooring

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A

Aimster

Lifer
Jan 5, 2003
16,129
2
0
Just a real quick and simple question

Are all the pieces supposed to flush? Some of them are a little higher than others.
Bad contracting job or just the way it is?
 
A

Aimster

Lifer
Jan 5, 2003
16,129
2
0
You can slide across the floor with socks but you can feel a few pieces a litlte higher than others. not on the long sides but on the short sides.

The long sides are all flush but there are like 5-10 pieces on the short ends that stick up a little further. It's noticable if you are looking at it.

I am kind of bummed out. Talked to some people and they said it will never be 100% perfect. Just looks perfect in pictures so maybe I am expecting too much?
 
IronWing

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
72,909
34,035
136
If they are too far out of whack, such that maybe you're constantly tripping, you can get a power sander and in 120-190 short hours plane them smooth, until the humidity changes.
 
Mo0o

Mo0o

Lifer
Jul 31, 2001
24,227
3
76
Mine are flush. Although mines made from that artificial stuff rather than real wood.
 
Capt Caveman

Capt Caveman

Lifer
Jan 30, 2005
34,543
651
126
Aimster said:
You can slide across the floor with socks but you can feel a few pieces a litlte higher than others. not on the long sides but on the short sides.

The long sides are all flush but there are like 5-10 pieces on the short ends that stick up a little further. It's noticable if you are looking at it.

I am kind of bummed out. Talked to some people and they said it will never be 100% perfect. Just looks perfect in pictures so maybe I am expecting too much?
Click to expand...

Is this newly installed flooring? Prefinished or sanded/stained?
 
Mike Gayner

Mike Gayner

Diamond Member
Jan 5, 2007
6,175
3
0
I dont know how it works over there, but here a floor will virtually always be sanded smooth by the contractor. Then often coated with a protective urethane.
 
Capt Caveman

Capt Caveman

Lifer
Jan 30, 2005
34,543
651
126
Aimster said:
Brand new. Installed a week ago
Click to expand...

You were screwed over.

If they used prefinished hardwood, they should have ensured that the floor was level before installing it.

If the wood was unfinished then they did a horrible job of installing/sanding the floor to ensure that it was level.

If you live in a dry climate, it will only get worse if you don't have a humidifier.
 
Last edited:
K

*kjm

Platinum Member
Oct 11, 1999
2,222
6
81
"I am kind of bummed out. Talked to some people and they said it will never be 100% perfect. Just looks perfect in pictures so maybe I am expecting too much? "

Maybe you are???? Wood will move and expand and contract with time/temp/humidity but it should not get to a point were it is a trip hazard. They are beautiful floors just remember wood is still alive once cut.
 
M

Matthiasa

Diamond Member
May 4, 2009
5,755
23
81
If new I would complain if it's visible, and have them redo it or get a partial refund and have someone else fix it.
 
Homerboy

Homerboy

Lifer
Mar 1, 2000
30,890
5,001
126
I have 60+ year old HW floors. The short ends are perfectly flush. If you got noticeable "bumps" I'd be pretty POed
 
SpatiallyAware

SpatiallyAware

Lifer
Sep 7, 2009
12,960
3
0
The crappy part about this situation is that it will be a huge PITA for them to fix, which mean it will be a huge PITA for you to get them to fix it.


IMO it should be *fairly* flat. You might have to pay another flooring person $50 to come out and look at it before they'll fix it. They may refuse to fix it.
 
Red Squirrel

Red Squirrel

No Lifer
May 24, 2003
70,623
13,818
126
www.anyf.ca
My floor is from 1965 and very flush. The planks are seperating a bit due to winter, but pretty sure they'll go back together in summer time. I have 1 1/2 inch planks. I don't think they make em like this now. They're all very wide. What I like about mine is there are no grooves so it's actually very flat other then the places where they are separating.

I got the floors sanded and varnished before moving in. Was so worth it.
 
DrPizza

DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Mar 5, 2001
49,601
167
111
www.slatebrookfarm.com
If this is an engineered hardwood, then I think there's a quality control issue. (Inferior brand, perhaps?) If this is pre-finished real hardwood flooring, then there's a quality control issue. (inferior, cheaper?) If this is real hardwood flooring that's finished on site, then they screwed up.
 
B

Booty

Senior member
Aug 4, 2000
977
0
0
*kjm said:
Did they let it sit in the room you had it installed in for a week prior to instalation? They should have let the wood accumulate to the room.
Click to expand...

I think the word you're looking for there is acclimate.

Anyway, as others have said... brand new floor should be pretty damn near perfect. If it's prefinished, they should have made sure the subfloor was level. If it was unfinished, they should have sanded it level before finishing/sealing. I'd be upset, especially since you probably paid north of $10/sq ft (materials plus labor) to have it installed.

I just did a laminate floating floor today on a less-than-perfect surface and the seams are almost perfect. That material was less than $2/sq ft and some buddies and I put it in. No way should our job turn out better than hired professionals and true hardwood. You sure as hell shouldn't be able to see notice it just by looking at it.

I'd be looking to have it corrected, one way or the other. Good luck... sucks dealing with contractors who don't take enough pride in their work to just put in a little extra effort and make things right the first time.
 
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