Need Advice in Hardwood/Bamboo Flooring project.

[Saladin]

Hello Everyone,

I need an advice in how to solve a problem we recently got. We installed solid click bamboo floors in both ground level(concrete slab) and upstairs(wood subfloor). Downstairs as manufacturer recommended we laid rubber underlayment with plastic attached underneath and upstairs we laid cork underlayment as home owner requested. That wood was acclimated inside the house for almost a week. After installation was completed, in about 10 days, customer called and said that upstairs in one bedroom Bamboo floor cupped in an area of 35-40 sq.ft. We decided to repair that with new planks about week after. After, in 10 days he called again and now both upstairs and downstairs have the same issues. We dont know what to do now? I wanted to know what are the options of solving this issue.

And HOW TO AVOID THESE ISSUES IN FUTURE?

Thanks.

 

[Dan]

35-40 sf in one room only? Is there a maintenance issue?

 

[Saladin]

First he had in one room only, now he says other areas are cupped too. I want to know how to handle this. Who is liable?

 

[Ernesto]

I'd call the manufacturer and request an inspection. Are you testing the substrates for moisture?

 

[Saladin]

I had an experience in the past with calling manufacturer. They sent their representative to test the job, or so called inspection, but they said that their product was normal and asked us if i want to call an independent inspector and if he/she proves thats manufacturer fail then manufacturer would reimburse the job repair. But to do so they asked me to pay for an independent inspector $500 if i want to do that. I refused, and fixed the issue by myself.

So, now i need to know what should i do to avoid costly failures in wood floor industry.

Ernesto, to answer your question, No i didnt check the moisture content of wood floor neither subfloor. I have recently bought a moisture meter, but i dont know how to properly test both the wood and the subfloor, also some people say to measure relative humidity which i dont know how.

Please, if anyone can help to avoid moisture related problems, or if not avoid, then put myself in safe side, so customers dont blame me, so i dont have to spent $$$ to fix problems.

 

[Dan]

Cupping is caused by a moisture imbalance in the flooring product. The bottom of the flooring is wetter than the top. This is most often caused by moisture from below. One of the most basic science principals, hot goes to cold, wet goes to dry. If the substrate is wetter than the flooring, the moisture will migrate into the flooring. It will then gas off into the dry atmosphere in the room in the form of vapor. Yes, right through the finish. As this happens the bottom is still gaining moisture from the substrate. This causes the bottom of the boards to expand more than the top, making the edges of the flooring boards higher than the center.

Ernie, what'd I leave out?

What type of moisture meter did you purchase? I ask because, unfortunately, one size does not fit all.

Relative humidity is easily checked with a $20-30 digital hygrometer that will read temperature and RH. You want to take readings at floor level. Check your local hardware store.

 

[Ernesto]

Ernie, what'd I leave out?

Oh, maybe 150 pages of the wood book. heh heh It's kinda tough trying to explain everything about wood in five sentences of less.

No, seriously, how about the subfloor moisture content and wood content differential?