I live in Western Oregon and had installed a 5" Prefinished Maple Solid Wood Floor two months ago. The floor has developed cracks in the middle of about 8 planks. Installer has not been very helpful. Much debate when installed regarding the proper installation. Product was nailed and spot glued on 1/2" plywood over 3/4" tongue and groove cedar over a crawl space. Installer did not use vapor barrier after allegedly speaking to distributor and the manufacturer(who apparently would not commit to an answer regarding spot gluing), and decided to use adhesive to prevent cupping. Now the floor is also cupping in addition to cracking. I am at a loss, installer seems to feel that he is not responsible. Is this just a problem with a 5" prefinished floor, that cannot be top-nailed or something else? I was upset that a vapor barrier was not used and an adhesive was used on solid hardwood against advise of printed Muskoka instructions - although installer and distributor felt that these instructions may not work for a 5" floor. Was told that vapor barrier should be installed in crawl space, but it was never indicated that this needed to be done before floor was installed or even shortly there after. Moisture level in crawl space is too high-over 55%. I'm in the forest. Why do we hire so-called professionals? Very frustrated. Please help.

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Just because someone collects your money for performing some work for you does not make their work habits or attitude "professional". You have some responsibility about whom you hire as well. Did you check out their referals? Did you ask to see a license? Did you see any of their work? Did you hire the first person to respond or the lowest priced installer? When consumers complain about lousy contractors, some of the blame lies with them as they did not do their homework in finding a quality contractor/installer. Just like in all professions, there are good ones and bad ones, and it takes some digging around to indentify which is which.
All NWFA member installers KNOW a vapor barrier is supposed to be installed in a crawl space. I'll bet your installer is NOT an NWFA member. And I'd also bet he didn't check the subfloor for moisture with a meter. Basically, your "installer" laid a perfectly good floor over an unacceptable subfloor and left you holding the bag. According to all industry standards, the installer is 100% responsible. If you do not have a licensing board in Oregon, then sue in small claims court.

Thanks Gary for the response. I actually did get a referral from a well respected contractor who I know and trust and who has worked with this sub-contractor for several years. I also checked out their license. All clear. Since then, I have found a new complaint which was filed about the same time as my project was going on. I also learned that the man was in a lot of pain and soon had back surgery after my project. I feel bad for the guy, but he was probably on heavy pain killers when he did my job, and I am left with a questionable floor and about 9K poorer. He does have a bond, but I will now be the 2nd party trying to get a piece. I understand that getting an NWFA inspector out here is a good choice before I proceed with going after his bond with the Oregon Contractor Board. Agree? Also, I held back about $700 for a punch list of items which were completed. Should I hold this back if I am going after his bond or am I setting myself up for a lien on my home of some other negative action? Advice?

Finally, back to the floor - regarding the cracks in the center of the wood-what's the probability that this is occurring due to the adhesive being spot applied to the subfloor? Or do you think this is just another moisture issue?

Important note on Vapor Barrier that I left out. There is a vapor barrier over the ground in the crawl space, but nothing under the subfloor. (or over the subfloor-for that matter ) I got a bid today to insulate my crawl space with vapor barrier underneath post and beam floor($1200!!! - which I would not necessarily need if the thing had been put down under my new hardwoods.)

Hmmm! 15# asphalt felt should have been installed on top of the subfloor. But it is NOT a vapor barrier, merely a retarder. And since he was gluing as well as nailing, he couldn't do that. Gluing and nailing planks are controversial. It is done but one must use an adhesive that allows for movement. And maple is a mover. IMO, a 5" solid maple plank floor in a damp or high humidity area is a very poor choice. As far as what you can do, yes, file a claim with the bonding company and hold back that $700.00 because it's likely you will NOT get full replacement cost from the bonding company, especially if there is another complaint in front of you. I wouldn't worry about a lein. If the installer files one, then he has a short period of time to "perfect" the lein, which really means suing you to collect. He would need to explain to the court why he should get paid and you get to argue you case as well. The only thing the lein will do is not allow you to refinance your home or sell it. To me, the only thing this installer did wrong is install the floor. What I mean is that you may have a situation that no wood floor will perform properly in and all would fail. He screwed up by taking the job. He probably needeed the work and the money so he took a gamble that the floor would be ok and he lost. That's why moisture meters and humidistats are so important. They tell the true story; when to install and when to walk away.

Well, it's a few months later and my floors are still cupped. My installer asked me to wait the heating season to see if they would correct themselves, so far no change. Question about the cause though. I assumed that the cupping was caused only by moisture from underneath, however I recall after my wood floors were installed, I had my Slate floor and Soapstone Tiles installed in my entryway and at 2 exit doors. When I returned from work the humidity level in my house was around 80% and my Soapstone fireplace actually emitted a crystalline substance which I was able to rub off. This was in July. My heat pump was on, but obviously they did something when they put the tile down which caused a huge jump in the moisture level in my house. QUESTION: Could this, followed by the rapid return to normal humidity (around 50%, within 4-6 hrs) in my living space cause the floors to cup? Thanks for your reply. I know I have a year to file a dispute, just trying to find out the actual cause.

Were the floors cupping prior to the tile and stone work? And BTW, that's backwards. All wet trades are supposed to complete their work BEFORE the wood flooring is even delivered. It's all in the NWFA manual.

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Chuck please think carefully about the words/phrases you use. Fart poke is not a phrase I want on our message board.

May I hazard a guess and say that they did their "spot gluing" with a water based adhesive?

Topside humidity can make movement, but it will not make cupping.

Cracking and cupping...


Interior humidity too low!!

The stone work was completed approx 2-3 weeks AFTER the hardwoods were installed by the same contractor. The floors were NOT cupped prior to the stone work. Indoor humidity levels were kept within summertime norms between 45-55% before and after installation, EXCEPT for the day I came home while the stone was being laid and the humidity was around 80%.

The installer SAID he used the BOSTIK'S(sp?) non-water based adhesive, but I can't prove that.

IMO, without tearing out a section of flooring and doing some thorough investigation, we'd all just be guessing at the cause of your installation problems. But from everything that has been said so far, the problems could and are probably multiple. Let's see if I got this right:
1) High humidity in the crawl space
2) Solid maple plank flooring glued and nailed with no vapor retartder
3) Variable humidity levels after the flooring was installed.
4) No evidence that moisture content readings were ever taken or recorded.
5) Now the floor is cupped and cracking.

I will venture to speculate that the cupping is primarily caused by excessive humidity in the crawl space. And even though you have a ground cover, because you live in a very humid area, the moisture is in the air and not coming up from the ground. But could come from both and I'd bet you have open foundation vents for the crawl space. I'll further guess that the 1/2" plywood over the solid cedar subfloor was more than the 2% moisture content variance allowed by NOFMA. The cracking of the planks in areas are due to the floors expanding and contracting from changes in the interior humidity levels and temperatures. That's my take on this situation. Had MC and RH measurements been taken prior to the installation, as we always recommend, the proper steps copuld have taken to ensure a successful installation.

cupping is a characteristic of wide planks, not a defect.
Excessive is over .020"?