Defective Flooring

[Russell E. Napper]

I have a builder client who has a bad batch of engineered flooring which is bowing and cupping after installation on a concrete slab. The flooring has been tested for moisture and normal, the concrete has been tested for moisture and normal and the flooring company has continued to say there is noting wrong with the product. The installer is very professonal with years of installing this product with no other problems. The flooring is bowing and cupping before and after installation resulting in the joint pulling apart and an uneven floor. Any ideas on continued testing of the wood product and any good ideas on a testing lab that could do the test?

Thanks
Russ

[James E. Braun, CMI]

What is the moisture reading when you scan the top of the flooring and what brand name moisture meter are you using?
Every manufacturer I know requires a vapor barrier between the concrete and the floor. You should see the barrier when the trim along the wall is removed. Just because you do see a barrier, does not mean it is installed correctly. This publication is how they are general installed http://na.pergo.com/Images/how_to/In...ials_Guide.pdf .

Mold is bad about growing on the underside of the floor planks when a barrier is not installed properly.

I was sick in bed this weekend and I was watching a home improvement show and they actually was gluing the floor planks directly to the concrete. Some so called experts need to be slapped. Sad but true.

[Stephen W. Stanczyk]

Concrete slab. Was this a basement or slab on grade?

[Russell E. Napper]

Not that bad, there is a moisture product installed and this is an engineered wood floor with moisture level less than 10%. I'm thinking that since this is south Texas, the flooring is picking up moisture from the atmosphere.

[Robert W. Jude]

is there enough room for expansion along the edges?

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

How long has the flooring been installed? How does the warranty read?

[Barry Adair]

did the installer follow and acclimate the material prior to install?

what are the indoor temperature & humidity levels?

i use
http://www.wunderground.com/US/TX/Bulverde.html

scroll down to
History & Almanac

and get all the daily info i may need for documentation...

[Robert W. Jude]

usually the flooring materials are supposed to be left in the room for 24-48 hours before installing to give them acclimation time.

[rachine safire]

If you have any problem with your flooring, then your flooring company has to compensate it if their products are in the guarantee period. So you can claim on them or if there is no problem with the product, then your flooring may be absorbing moisture from the atmosphere.

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