Several weeks ago, after considerable research, I decided to choose a local hardwood flooring manufacturer to supply and install hardwood in our 2nd floor house. The supplier's products were from North America and their exotics were from South America. I chose North American Red Oak (select and better). The day I picked up the wood from the supplier I was also asked to pay for all the wood. I then brought it all home and stored it indoors for 72 hours as requested. When the installers (subcontracted by the manufacturer) arrived for the installation, they ripped out my carpets and then began to install the wood. After a while they halted their work and said that there was a problem. The wood I had brought home contained 5 different species and sizes of wood. The installers spoke to the Manufacturer as did I and we were told that more wood would need to be milled and that this would take another week. After more than a week of living with dust and displaced furniture everywhere, the installers arrived again with the new wood. After a short while, they halted their work for a second time and showed me that the new colour match was not 100% perfect (but I accepted it anyhow just to get on with the job) but more importantly, they showed me that the majority of the wood planks were 12 inches long. Of course this was unacceptable and not what I had agreed to when I purchased the wood. The installers were very upset and sympathetic with my situation and promised to return to the job once the wood problem was resolved. The manufacturer was apologetic, complained about being out of pocket but promised to make more wood again. Another week later, the installers were to return on a specific day with the new wood but they failed to do so because the wood at the manufacturer hadn't been boxed. The manufacturer has not returned my calls about this latest glitch. As of yet, I have not been asked to pay the installers as the job has not been completed. I am tempted to abort this entire job and find another company to deal with. Should I pay the installer for some of their time or leave this problem for the manufacturer? Your advice please?

So many things wrong with this scenerio.

What do you mean by different species and sizes?

No wood is 100% perfect.

These guys are milling the wood and then installed immediately?

How do you know 72hrs is sufficient time for acclimation? Is this solid or engineered?

Paying the installers would be most generous of you. But, if it needs to be demo'd what then?

Perhaps my terminology is incorrect. Sorry. In the first shipment, rather than receiving Red Oak (pumpernickle colour), I received White Oak, Birch and something else, I don't remember. In addition to the different types of wood (or species?), the planks were all different widths and depths. Some were 3" wide, some more than 3" wide and the grooves on the bottom of the planks were different from plank to plank so the planks did not line up and fit together. Some were higher than others. I understand that wood is a natural product and never perfect. That is the beauty of it. I respect that. But when the pieces don't come from the same tree, are stained differently and don't line up, I think the end product on the floor is quite imperfect. As for the 72 hours acclimation period in my house, this is what the manufacturer instructed me to do. I don't know if that's enough time or not, I just followed his directions. Yes, this is solid hardwood flooring that I ordered and paid for. Did a few engineered pieces slip in somehow, who knows? The installers were very upset with the product and couldn't believe what they saw when they opened the boxes. There is one large master bedroom and a walk in closet left to lay. The majority of the wood laid in the hallway and second bedroom is acceptable. I do see some planks thrown in here and there that do not belong because they are white oak or the wrong size. Yes, there are some gaps between a few of the planks which I noticed when I wiped the floor with a cloth. I'm prepared to live with these inconsistencies because I can't imagine having it all ripped out and tossed into the garbage. The manufacturer has not responded to my phone calls or e-mail today. I have left him a message and given him until the end of this week to complete the job. Failing this, I'm afraid I will have to take legal action. I looked into consumer protection and understand my rights. The manufacturer is no longer a member of WWFA. As for paying the installers, how can I treat them unfairly for something they are not responsible for? I'm going to work tomorrow because I can't afford to take any more time off.

Sorry to hear your dealing with this rediculous situation. Sounds like time to contact an attorney, before proceeding with anything.

OK. I think I can tell you what happened, at least with the initial order. There is a growing industry within the hardwood flooring industry as a whole: Hardwood salvage companies. I have encountered these companies over the last couple years and have even had dealings with one that I feel is reasonably reputable. What happens is this:
A store will acculumate over a period of time, some extra cartons of material. This can come from jobsite returns (usually part cartons) from customer returns, usually 1-3 or 4 cartons from mis-measure, and some from having deleted product inventory at hand in too small a quantity to do anything with.
Now what happens is this, a salvage company will purchase this material at about $0.50 a foot, run it through a sanding line, then stain and finish it and re-carton the product usually in generic white or brown cartons and only a small label identifying what it is supposed to be.
The less reputable companies will only separate the material as to width and expect the client to accept the crap thats inside because of the price (usually $2.50 - $3.00 per foot)
This is BIG business in larger markets. I sold 30,000 ft (two tractor trailer loads) to a company not to long ago so there is money to be made doing this, and thats why it is a growing industry.
The better companies doing this have a separating line using people to divide the material as to species, milling compatability, etc. But even so, sometimes some minor mixing may occur due to inexperience (low paid job this would be)
I suspect you may have purchased this type of product. Can you corroborate this?

I think you've hit the nail on the head. Your analysis makes sense and seems to be the situation here since I did purchase a smaller lot of wood for a "special summer discounted" price. I believe I was charged $3.75 for better and select red oak for 560 square feet which I thought was very good having compared prices around town. Thus far there have been three deliveries of wood to my home and each delivery consisted of a product that even the manufacturer agreed was sub par. I suggested that perhaps the manufacturer should have some quality control in place but he dismissed the idea suggesting it was an anomoly. Well that would be three anomolies in a row! What initially should have been a one day job has turned into a 23 day nightmare. I am now awaiting the fourth delivery. I hope that future buyers of wood flooring are aware of hardwood salvage companies and do not make the same mistake that I have. I believe that others should be made aware and protected. Is there any way of regulating this? Any suggestions about how to protect the consumer? I'd be happy to talk to the media.

Thank you for your assessment and for clarifying the situation.

Which is why I am suspect when people buy online and take care to inspect the shipment when it arrives. I try and get people to buy from well know manufacturers for this very reason.

By all means if the flooring thats down is good then I would pay them. Which reminds me I better throw some verbage about that in my bid about getting paid next time I run into one.

I did not buy on line. I went directly to the manufacturer, chose the wood from his show room and picked it up from his site myself. I did not open up all the boxes and inspect the wood before I brought it home because I would have had to open 26 boxes. I also trusted that the product I paid for was being supplied. I will certainly know better next time.

What the heck, I dont get whats going on at all. first of all 3.75 for 3" select red oak is a fair price "if" thats what you recieved. I have never in 18 years seen select have all shorts unless it was labled as so. Second 21/4 and 31/4 sel red oak is the breadand butter of the flooring industry which means no deals to had everrrrr. Its kinda like having a sale on gasoline it just doesnt happen.

Wow, what a story. I hope Monika gets things straightened out. I wonder what the name of the supplier is? Hey, we're media of sorts. Could be a good blog story.



You had that much laying around in the warehouse Dennis?

Jeez really...I'd like to pick through Dennis's warehouse.

Ya we actually had more, but some of it was good enough to sell at deep discount to contractors who just needed something cheap for a room or two.
After that sale, I cleaned up the unfinished department and sold approx 12000 feet of various odds and ends.
This (and the pre-finished) was a few years of accumulation due to severe mis-management of the warehouse so I took it over on a tempory basis just to clean it up.
My only instruction I was given was to GET RID OF IT! The big boss didn't care if I binned it all so I figure I did pretty good by him.