Wall of Shame: A Funny Change of Direction

Aug 1, 2017

Oob 817 Wfb As17 Wallof Shame Genia Sm

Genia Smith of Accent Hardwood Flooring in Durham, N.C., spotted this floor when her company was adding a new floor in a bedroom. "You would think the installer could have used a little subfloor blocking and run the hall all the same. Nope, joist direction change, floor direction change!" she tells us.

Shake is actually caused by a bacteria that weakens the wood; sometimes it won’t be noticeable until sanding or even finishing.

Wood Floor Q&A: What Really Causes Wood Floor Shake?

July 18, 2023

Absco's Waterborne Line-up

Relatively small gaps can appear more objectionable when the floor is stained dark and the lighter color of the wood appears in the gaps.

Understand ‘Normal’ and ‘Abnormal’ Gaps in Wood Flooring

Wood Floor Q&A: What Really Causes Wood Floor Shake?

Wood Floor Mystery #16: It’s Cupping, But There’s No Water Here, Part 2 (the Answer!)

Techniques

What We’ve Learned by Milling the Flooring We Install

From my perspective as a wood flooring contractor who also mills his own flooring, here are some factors I think more wood flooring installers should pay attention to.

See that daylight between the end of the board and the straightedge? That’s called snipe, and it comes from the milling not being set up correctly.

Expert Tips for Prepping Wood Floors and Applying LED-Cured Oils

LED Coating Solutions

Moisture

Understand ‘Normal’ and ‘Abnormal’ Gaps in Wood Flooring

Wood floor expert Howard Brickman explains the straightforward facts about wood floor gaps—when they're OK and when they aren't.

Troubleshooting

Wood Floor Q&A: What Really Causes Wood Floor Shake?

Wood floor expert Wayne Lee explains what actually causes the frustrating problem of shake in wood flooring.

Moisture

Wood Floor Mystery #16: It’s Cupping, But There’s No Water Here, Part 2 (the Answer!)

Stephen Diggins knew there had to be water somewhere in this house causing the wood flooring to cup ... and he found it when the disgusting black water ended up pouring right onto his face and down his shirt.

Moisture

Wood Floor Mystery #10: What's In These Photos? Plus the Case of the Flooring Dutchman

Wood flooring pro Stephen Diggins offers a mystery: What is shown in the photos of this old wood flooring?

Joseph A. Raymond (at right) and son Robert “Bobby” Raymond (left). I never met my grandfather, so a few years ago I combined my wood shop photo with his! Later, this popular form of woodworker’s apparel would become known as “Brickman Casual.”

Troubleshooting

Concrete Moisture Mysteries: Finding the True Invisible Culprits

The common wisdom seems to be that when there are moisture problems and the wood floor is over a slab, moisture from below is to blame—but that isn't always true.

Troubleshooting

Wood Floor Install Leads to Complaints from Downstairs

Neighbors filed a grievance with the homeowner association for audible noise when the wood flooring was walked on.

The plywood subfloor was mechanically fastened to the concrete, a violation of HOA bylaws.

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