We are planning on floating about 1,500 ft2 of an Anderson 1/2" x 5" x ~4' long engineered distressed hickory plank. I bought one carton of the boards, and out of the box several of them are cupped (laying flat the center of the finished side is high). After acclimatizing in my house for about 2 weeks the cupping of the 15 boards in the box is: 2 at 3/8", 2 at 1/4", 4 at 1/8", 6 near flat, 1 bowed at 1/8". The cupping did not change much after the first 2 days.

We live in Arkansas and as it is currently February/March we keep our house at 62-65F. The humidity in the house is between 30-50%. During the summer we keep the house at around 67-69F. The flooring will be going on the second floor of the house over 3/4" OSB on 16" joist centers. The house is about 6 years old and I don't expect moisture problems.

We are floating because my wife likes the 'softness' of the floating floor. I have previously floated a laminate floor with good results. Plus, in one area I currently have a rough tile which I will take up. The is set with thinset and I can take up the tile OK with a hammer and chisel. But I am assuming I can float the floor, with good underlayment, over the remains of the thinset with a little sanding to get rid of the high points.

MY Question: Given the cupping of the boards, can I float this? I have a vision of a big bubble in the middle of my floor once all the cupped boards are glued together.

Thanks

Since I'm not a pro so take my advice for what it's worth, but the only place I would float those boards is in a lake. Could you not take the boards back and get something better?

It just sounds like a lot of grief to me, but maybe a pro will chime in with a solution.

I'm not sure of your terminology if it is correct. A cupped plank with have the two outer edges raised highr than the center. A bowed one will, when laying flat have a rise in the center and the ends touching the substrate. A bannana board when layed on it's side will have a raised center with the ends touching the substrate.

Here is an example of cupped. flat and crowned. http://www.fcimag.com/Articles/Column/0 ... 32a8c0____

My apology, the correct terminology is bowed, not cupped. The boards are not twisted, just bowed up in the middle.

I went back to the store where I bought the boards and had a second conversation with them. This this time the owner of the store was there (rather than the installer and sales rep and Shaw rep - by phone). His comment was that the problem was that I took the boards out of the box and let them set. The acclimitization process should be leave the boards in the box in the room for a couple of days; then open the box and install the boards on the same day. That way they will not have time to bow.

Unless there is some other comment, this sounds reasonable to me; so I think the problem is solved.

Thank you for your response.

Whats the interior rh now? If it is to low that could cause that. Your wood is stressing out or has already been stressed. Best thing to do is check the moisture content and compare to your rh. You should be good if your above 30 to 35% rh.


http://www.csgnetwork.com/emctablecalc.html

My interior RH at 11:30 am is 30%. The 24 hour range is 20%-35%. Yesterday was unusual because we had our house sprayed for bugs and had the windows open. Typical range recntly is 25% - 50%. Interior temperature now is 64F; 24 hour range is 60-66F.

My impression from the dealer is that the boards came from Dalton, Georgia; but that's a guess.

Ya better get that rh up to 40% and keep it there if it hickory. Besides that I would go for option # 2, and that would be to fasten it down. Buy the wife a nice pair of slippers and some runners.

How does the T&G fit, when dry laying?

Is it a fight, or can you get it together?


I can work with slight bowing, especially a fasten down. Gluing is a little more difficult, but not impossible, unless the T&G will not fit together. With the low rH I bet it will go together.

Make sure you get your end joint stagger very random and no ends close together in adjacent rows.6"-8", or more.