Log in to view the full article
The Problem
Here in Arizona, summer always brings requests for inspections about wood flooring separations, and the past two years of drought have made the problem even worse. So, it was no surprise when I received a call from a contractor to look at a floor that had developed gaps between the boards. Although the contractor felt it was not a problem, he said he needed my assistance to explain the issue to the builder.
The Procedure
About 2,300 square feet of factory-finished, engineered oak flooring had been glued down. On my visit, the floor readings were between 4 and 5.5 percent moisture content (MC), and the indoor environment was at 80 degrees Fahrenheit and 9 percent relative humidity (RH). At a meeting the day before, the future homeowner was present, along with the contractor and the builder's superintendent. About 50 gaps were measured, and they varied between 0.002 and 0.015 inch.
According to the parties involved, the homeowner was very vocal, focusing on two major points: he had the same flooring at his other home in Florida, and it never had any gaps. He said that according to the manufacturer, the floor should never have gaps, as it was engineered to withstand normal environmental conditions. He supplied a sales brochure from the manufacturer of this flooring, and it basically stated this point. He felt the flooring was both defective and poorly installed, and he would not accept it. A discussion then ensued over why the contractor disagreed, and what he proposed to correct the visual problem—filler. To this the homeowner replied, "No filler of any amount is acceptable; this floor must come out, and good material must be installed." To the surprise of the contractor, the builder agreed and instructed the contractor to do so immediately.
The Cause
In this case, the first problem was an expectation issue regarding wood in relation to its environment. Wood is a natural product and always reacts to its environment. This is true for all wood—even engineered products. Although engineered wood greatly reduces this characteristic, it still is bound by these rules. The homeowner was unrealistic to expect the wood floor to be the same in Arizona as it was in Florida. The floor's normal contraction would have diminished when the environment changed, taking on moisture from normal activities such as doing laundry and taking showers. In Arizona, I typically see normal RH from 23 to 35 percent. While this still is relatively low, it is a far different condition than was present at the time of the complaint. The temperature in Phoenix had been in the low 100s, and the RH had been below 15 percent for about a month. Turning on the air conditioning (which happened the day before the meeting) only worsened the condition.
How to Fix the Floor
The correct fix would have been to wait for the environment to change to a higher RH and MC. But unfortunately, due to ignorance, the builder and homeowner had chosen their own path—a tear out.
Filler of a small amount should be acceptable as a remedy for cracks that are seasonal in nature. The key misunderstanding from the builder and homeowner was in regard to the manufacturer's statements regarding virtual elimination of seasonal expansion and contraction. The conditions present were a far cry from "normal." However, it was too late for my assertion that the cracks would greatly diminish, if not disappear, after the indoor environment changed due to occupancy and the emergence from Arizona's very dry summer season.
In the Future
I find that education and proper expectations are two of the most important things that people selling hardwood need to understand and explain to their clients. Without these, a lethal combination is formed. Manufacturers also can help by publishing materials that paint a clear picture of the importance the floor's environment plays. In this case, none of the parties gave specific details about the installation to the manufacturer to help in their defense.
As a side note, I was called a week later during the demolition. I was told that almost all the cracks had somehow "disappeared"—they thought they had the wrong house! Better education in the first place may have prevented this decision, but under pressure, the builder erred on the side of customer service. I doubt the same mistake will happen again. Education, education, education and experienced sources who explain technical issues specific to your region should be your best friends. NWFA is a good place to start, and soon there will be NWFA certified inspectors available, too. The lesson: Educate your customers as much as you can—before problems occur.