Forget it.

Sorry nesika, Really!!


This message board didn't start out as a consumer help board. It was us, the hardwood installers hangout to talk amongst us.


So even though you may want to forget it, we will be discussing your concerns amongst us. That is the only way we as a group can and do learn new things we never knew before.

I learn something new everyday. It might not be flooring related everyday and I pretty sure everyone that comes here is a sponge for knowledge, even you.


My opinion, that is totally pure speculation until the moisture meter test I suggested above, is complete and documented, is...
The humidifier is not going to help as I see it. Compression set floors cupping issues. That is a permanent condition, it's set. It will however close the gaps your seeing.

Perry,

Can you define (in layman's terms) "compression set"? It was asked earlier, but I couldn't find an answer in this thread.

Thanks!

Compression Set -



Caused when wood strips or parquet slats absorb excess moisture and expand so much that the cells along the edges of the adjoining pieces in the floor are crushed and the strips or slats become cupped. This causes them to loose resiliency with permanent cupping and creates gaps when the floor returns to is original installation moisture content.


Sound familiar to nesika's concerns.


But like I said. All this is pure speculation, with out that varying depth moisture meter reading.


Send the check for the continuing education to. Perry Wright, 3910 Candy Dr. Austin, Texas:lol:

A few things I noticed, but I didn't read everything. Incidentally the guys offering suggestions here do it on their own free time. While their answers may not please you or be exact, please offer some respect and avoid unnecessary comments. Read our terms of service(TOS) Thanks.

http://www.hardwoodinstaller.com/hardwo ... .php?t=826

"She's guessing floor was installed in Feb of that year, and she bought house in June"

I don't know the causes. I do know one thing, no manufacturer will entertain the warranty past the orignal buyer. Who knows what the original buyer did to the floor. Maybe there was a flood nobody will claim to. Happens every now and then.

Perry Wright. Floorguy.

Both.


Look in the glossary of your techincal manuals. You do have them and use them, or is it just Ray, freelancing?


EDIT: after posting above I did a google and came up with these other sources.


http://www.nofma.org/tips4.htm

http://www.askthebuilder.com/027_Hardwo ... Why_.shtml

http://www.mlive.com/homeimprovement/in ... olton.html

http://www.woodfloorsonline.com/techtal ... ater6.html

http://www.woodfloorsonline.com/techtal ... ater6.html

http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/T ... umber.html



There are 3 more pages I didn't get to.




Ray, when can I teach one of your Hardwood classes. You sound like you have never in your life heard of compression set.

Now that we are all clear just what compression set is, lets look back on the very first original post.

Gluedown maple.


What if it is a very watery acrylic andhesive?
What if it is a multipurpous latex? or this was a new construction that had the subfloor exposed during a server rain storm


The flooring swelled enough to compression set, holding that moisture long enough.

Now after 5 years the floor has come back to the original or to the conditions of the interior and moisture content. You have gaps.

So now what is seen, is a noticably cupped floor, that has big gaps.

I keep finding your pages explaining gapping, not compression set. Maybe you should cut and paste onto the site.

Not to hijack a thread, but why, when I posted about 5" Jatoba, a year later, did you guys mention that the cupping could be from lack of room humidity???
That guy from ML live says that gapping is from compression set??

Not a year later. The entire board would have had time to acclimate by then, and it would all be the same MC, unless there is a higher MC below.

The Nofma website does not have an on-line glossary, I see.

The other links have it if you would just look.
Especially this one. http://www.woodfloorsonline.com/techtalk/glossary.html


It would be even easier if you pulled out your NWFA manual and flip to the back. It is the last white tab sticking out. It says " Glossary on it.

It is alphabetized. Look down to the words starting with the letter C.

Ray, I find it totally hilarious and quite satisfying that your have just enough back bone to go through and edit or really delete all your posts about this subject.
Good thing I replied to you with a quote when it was really needed!!!


You lost all kinds of creditability with that move. (shaking head sideways)


You were the worst opponent I have had to date, in a debate. Maybe next time teach!

Ray, with all due respect, I find it hard to believe you are a hardwood flooring inspector and do not understand the dynamics involved in compression set. If I may, it is quite simple. The wood flooring is installed. It does not matter whether or not it was properly acclimated for compression set to occur. Compression set occurs when the flooring is subjected to higher levels of moisture, whether from below or above. In essence, what happens is the floor expands to such a degree that the wood fibers crush (compress) against themselves. Often when this happens, the flooring will also cup (outside edges of flooring higher than the middle). If left in this state for very long, the flooring will often remain this way (cupped) even if dried out. Personally, I have never seen a very cupped floor flatten out all the way. The cupping may come down a bit but not back to the original state. Now if a floor has suffered compression set and cupping and then is dried out, what you can be left with is a floor with gaps because the floor has shrunk from loss of moisture BUT the gaps are there because the floor boards are slightly smaller in width due to the compression of the wood cells. The cupping can also remain, even after having been dried. Typically, this will occur with a flooded floor but can happen to any wood floor subjected to high levels of moisture, either in the form of vapor or liquid. I hope this explains the phenomena of cupping and compression set.

All of you know I'm not the brightest light bulb in the package, but in my simple thinking . . . is this the bottom line?:
Probably the problem goes back to the beginning? When the installer ignored ambient and/or wood conditions which includes not aclimating properly???
Help me! Remember, I'm kinda' thick headed due to my Germanic background.
Charlie