Pretty typical response. You see, if you read the instructions for wood flooring, they pretty much hold the installer liable for everything. Even if the flooring is flawed, the installer is liable for installing it anyway.
Let's take a typical scenario. Customer buys low cost flooring from a retailer who subs out the installation to the lowest priced crew. The crew picks up that flooring the day of install and sets out to install it. Once on-site, shortly after beginning, the installer notices the flooring isn't fitting very well or the milling isn't spot on. But instead of stopping and notifying the store, he continues on laying the floor in hopes that the job will fly. His reasoning is if he stops, he gets paid zero for his efforts while the store, the manufacturer and the customer go round and round about the ill-fitting floor. So the installer has lost a day's work if he does the right thing. There is no incentive to perform in a professional manner and to make any money, the crew needs to get that floor down fast and move on to the next job. Such is the way it works when contracting with a retail floor covering store.

Jerry,
I do not think ringing the island with a toe kick saw would be a BAD idea. That, however, is beside the point. It would do nothing to alleviate this particular problem. I will tell you that it does not hurt my conscience one bit to butt engineered wood to vertical obstructions if that is what I need to do in order to get the finished look I want.

It really irks me to se otherwise intelligent men treat multi-ply engineered wood as though it had expansion characteristics even remotely similar to those of solid product.

I am sure there are many pertinent facts about this install to which none of us are privy. I made my assessment based upon the information given by the consumer. I know from tedious experience to take the ipso facto testimony of consumers with a grain of salt.(no offense wesrox)
Nevertheless, Wesrox states that the situation existed from day one. That alone tells me that moisture has absolutely nothing to do with the problem. Wesrox also stated that he has a 3in engineered maple down. That tells me enough to know it is a 5 ply 3/8 engineered that was put down with a floor runner. It could very well be a lack of fasteners. It might also be a problem with the floor being less than flat. If it has to do with the amount of staples, everything I have posted will have been dead wrong.

It is a crap shoot for me. I can only attest to what it is definitely NOT based upon what Wesrox has shared.

Be well,
CHU

It's a message board Chuck, contributors offer their opinions for free. The more opinions the better when you have a problem facing you.

The subject title said 2 months after install. People come on here for free advice, I asked a couple of questions and got no response back from the author. One guy brought up a good point I thought. The fasteners could make a considerable difference depending on how many layers of vinyl and 1/4" underlayment.

This could very well be a 1/2" engineered maple instead of a 3/8". If it is a 1/2" product using 1" or 1 1/4" fasteners going thru vinyl and 1/4" underlayment they won't bite into the subfloor by a great deal, and if there are 2-layers, forget about it.

If you are absolutely sure that this is a milling problem, so be it, you are entitled to your opinion and I got no problem with it. I personally think there is something else going on here.

Have a great day.

Jerry, I think you are getting to something. I have sold the columbia line for some time and just recently (At surfaces) columbia added a 5/16" maple to thier line. Prior to that, all thier maple was and with the exclusion of that new one still are 1/2" products. On top of that with the 5/16 they spec a 1" x 20 gague nail instead of the 18g they normally would with the 3/8" line.

I'm loving this banter! To clarify:

1. Crackling has been there since day one

2. Maple went on one layer of vinyl

3. I'm pretty sure the thickness is 5/8"

ok guys...back to the banter.

Can you describe the product? Can you name it? That sort of info would really be helpful.

Jerry,
Yes, it is a message board. Yes, the title involved the "two months after" line. The text of the post, however, contained an awful lot of info.

I did not base my opinion on the title. I based it upon the info given.

I maintain that whatever is going on was going on from day one. That rules out most of the clever responses.

Best,
CHU

Mowhawk 3" engineered maple 5/8" thick

It's been real real humid here for the last several days. The crackling has lessened..would that rule out the insufficient expansion issue?

Seems like it would , but, For my own curiosity what type of staple was used?

Length?
Gage?
Crown?

Are you sure it is 5/8? I have seen some 1/2in stuff from Mohawk, but the only 5/8 I have seen is that imitation Kahrs they sell. It is not a staple down product.

Have you tried baby powder?