Hello,
I work for a company building about 70 mid-high end homes a year. We have been having major problems with hardwood warranty issues. We are installing maple and we have two main problems:
1. After the homeowner moves into the house gaps begin to develop between the pieces of wood. I know this problem can be fixed by letting the hardwood “acclimate” the house for 2 weeks before installation. We just don’t have two weeks in our schedule to let the hardwood sit though. Are different species of hardwoods less prone to this gapping problem? Are other builders seeing the same problem?
2. It seems almost impossible to touch up small area of finish. If there is a couple of small scratches in the finish we end up paying to refinish the entire floor. Touchups look like small mounds finish are on top of the original finish, not part of it. Any ideas here?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Mike
Replies
Hello Mike,
Welcome to Breaktime.
First of all, let me begin by stating what I am sure you already know:
It's ALL about the SCHEDULE.
1. Being professionals of their trade, our hardwood installers would not even touch the floor unless the material (bamboo) had been properly acclimated for two weeks. Because this was a subdivision, we were able to acclimate the bamboo in the previous house and just move it the morning of install. Though it was not what they would have preferred, our floor guys were okay with this, and we didn't have any problems with gapping.
2. As far as the scratches are concerned, it sounds like you need to protect the floors after they are installed, so they don't get scratched in the first place.
That said, I am sure someone more knowledgeable about repairing scratches will have a good answer about how to repair them.
Warranty issues are always very expensive, inconvenience homeowners, and can ruin the builder's reputation, so you might want to examine your actual costs of the 2 week acclimation period, and find a way to adjust your schedule.
darcy
Hi Mike,
Iam a boatbuilder in Maine and a house fanatic, you have got to bring the flooring into a warm enviroment before instalation for more than two weeks i would say at least a month, even if it is into a warm workshop that is better than nothing. one other problem you have is that most solid maple flooring is flat sawn which moves much more than vertical grain. This problem is inhansed because you only bring it in for two weeks. Either aclimatise earlier or use enginerred flooring.
simon
Edited 2/12/2004 12:40:33 PM ET by simonc
What is engineered flooring? Do you mean Pergo? Personally I think the stuff is junk.
The wood can't even be aclimated at the warehouse. It's getting shipped in and is only warehoused a week max. Should I push back on the vendor to aclimate the hardwood for at least a month before installation?
Mike
By engineered flooring i meen a flooring that is built up from layers to insure stability with a top layer of at least 1/8 solid wood. Pergo is not engineered and is not wood! There are many manufactures out there just look in the back of Fine Homebuilding. why can't you by from the suppiler a month ahead of when you need it?
Edited 2/12/2004 4:25:34 PM ET by simonc
Edited 2/12/2004 4:27:39 PM ET by simonc
There is more to acclimating for 2 weeks in the house before installing.
If your using propane or kerosene heaters/ plaster or drywall/ painting
all affect the humidity and the floor.
I have personal opinions on how long a house should dry between phases but when building 70 a year it just wouldn't work.
_______________________________________________________
If you were arrested for being a quality builder would there be enough evidence to convict you?
Mike,
Here's a link to some info on engineered flooring. I'm assuming if you're doing 70 a year they're not high-end custom jobs, in which case I'd think engineered would be the preferred solution for you, not strip (a more premium product these days). Of course that assumption could be wrong.
If I was nearby and enterprising I'd rent a climate-controlled storage unit and sell you hardwood acclimatization services. :)
You need to: talk to your supplier and find out how the flooring is stored. If they don't keep it in a humidity controlled space, switch suppliers. Not only bring the flooring inside several weeks in advance, but break down the blocks and spread it out. Get a good moisture meter. If the subfloor and flooring are not very nearly at the same moisture content, wait. Measure the MC when the material is delivered. If its too wet, send it back. You simply can't bring in a random pile of boards at an unknown mousture content, nail them down the next day, and expect a good job. Also, installing the floor while the joint compound is still dumping a thousand gallons of water into the building isn't good. You have to wait until everything is stable.
So far as repairs, catalyzed finishes are very difficult. Water-based does not repair nearly so easy as solvent-based. Also takes more skill than swabbing on a bucket of varnish with a mop. Talk to the manufacturer of your brand. Sometimes they have recommendations or special touch-up products available. You may need to switch brands to find one you like. Finishes often take weeks to achieve final hardness. You need to protect until then.
Major name-brand prefinished flooring is often shipped drier than unfinished. Also a better and more durable finish. Fewer shrinkage problems. Also several times the material cost.