Hello Everyone,
I am having a problem with my engineered hardwood floor [cupping, swelling at joints, and a fading, discoloration also at the joints] that was installed by the builder of my house. The floor manufacturer said the problem was not in the flooring but was in the installation. The builder, being very reputable has agreed to replace the floor. The base floor is poured concrete and the wood is glued directly to the concrete. The manufacturer said the problem was due to moisture...builder said they will treat the concrete before replacing the floor.
I think that the removal of the old floor and installation of the new floor would create a mess. The house has been newly painted and is completely furnished.
Instead of chipping the old floor out and replacing it with new…is there another way to install a new floor perhaps by installing a plywood board and installing the new floor over the plywood? If this is possible, then, how could the cement be treated for moisture?
Thanks to everyone for your help in solving this problem

Sorry to tell you this, but the wood must be removed. No getting around it. Yes, it will be a bit of a mess.
I'm wondering about the floor you describe being ONLY excessive concrete vapor emission related.
If the flooring is engineered, it takes alot to make it cup. We've been seeing Engineered wood with cupped appearance, but in reality the plys are delaminating.

I have been on a couple of engineered cupping investigations. One was delamination, as Ray explained. The other was not, but the thick wear layer, engineered did have a cupped appearence.

They are finding the thick wear layer is acting more like a solid, and the underplies, are like a plywood subfloor. So they are acting like a solid, and not an engineered, of the days when rotary peel was standard.


It is going to have to come up, and make sure they have dust control when they do it!!! It is going to be a dusty mess. The discoloration at the edges could be the sign you have the dreaded M word(mold)

I would suggest using Dependables, Vaporseal, and there patching compound to prep the slab, then W.F. Taylor adhesives, 2071 or their new MS+ adhesive.

Discoloring at the joints is a sure sign of water and/or excessive vapor emissions. Is the discoloration through-out the install or in isolated areas?

Hi Ray,The discoloration is random... thru the entire house...maybe one joint out of 15. Originally, I thought it was wear on the finish. It seems to show where one piece at the joint is a bit higher than the other jointed piece.[but not always] The color change is not on both pieces at the joint... only on one piece and is about 3/4 inch in size parallel to the joint and running the full width of the piece. Hope this helps.

Hi Floorguy, I will be sure to mention the chemicals you suggested before they do their work.

Thanks to the both of you for your answers...I will keep posting when other questions come to mind.

If this were site finished, I would define this problem as "sticker stain", not moisture.

but what the Heck.. you are getting a new floor. I suggest Concrete Moisture Testing be performed before the new floor is installed and after the existing removed...

Even if the flooring was pristine but you wanted a change ... you would still would have to rip it all out first. You can't create a sandwich like that over concrete.