What have you seen as a consequence of using staples that are shorter than what's recommended by the manufacturer?

Here are the details:

5" wide engineered 5/8" planks
Advantech 23/32 subfloor
Radiant Heat tubing stapled up under the Advantech
Rosin Paper over the Advantech
1 1/4" long 3/16th crown staples

Manufacturer recommends 1 1/2 min and prefers 2" or glue down.

Please let me know if you need any further info.

Installation has failed and produced the classic "snap, crackle & pop" floor with vertical movement.

Thanks in advance for the replies!

And, any recovery options are appreiated too.

Sounds like the floor gained moisture and is trying to buckle from lack of enough acclimation time.

The acclimation issue has been ruled out. The flooring was onsite for many weeks prior to the installation on the same level that it was installed.

And, it the site and materials were tested (or claimed to have been) prior to the install.

This problem surfaced immediately and has exhibited the same noisy characteristics since day one. It's been more than a year now.

Any other thoughts?

Thanks!

Out of spec subfloor with high and or low areas, that didn't meet substrate flatness specifications.

Thanks, Floorguy.

Perhaps it's a combination of the short staple and the flat surface. If the staple was too short then it might be possible that it never fastened in any higher spots.

Any other views on this are much appreciated.

check the milling on the tongue and groove, I'll bet it's loose, which is why they want ya to glue it. Poor milling and an uneven subfloor will cause snap and creeking from day one

Thanks for the reply.

The milling was excellent so we've ruled that out.

In fact, two other areas were installed with the same material on the same type of subfloor using a glue-down method with excellent results.

So, perhaps the only way to determine the cause is to rip 1,000 feet out and check the subfloor prep.

Ouch!

Does anyone have an opinion on saving the boards (they appear to be in good shape) and then using glue for the second round?

If so, what kinds of isues do we need to worry about?

Drill and fill the spots that are giving under foot, unless it is everywhere.

Unfortunately it's almost everywhere.

Curious though, drill and fill with what?

Urethane glue.