So I just had floating hardwood flooring installed. They put down a 6mil vapor barrier, followed by 2mm floor muffler, and lastly the floating floor. I just took a look, and the floor isn't exactly flat (although it is solid). There are definitely some joints which are higher than others. If I try to lay a four foot straight edge across some of these joints, I get up to a 3/8 inch separation between the straight edge and the floor on one side of the joint, when it is flush on the other side.

Is this the type of thing that settles with time, is this within normal tolerance, or do I need to ask them to fix this. I don't think they checked that the subfloor was level before installation...

Thanks for your time.

-BB

Also (sorry would have edited the above post but couldn't figure out how to do it), the installers left expansion space on the walls parallel to the direction of the installed wood, but didn't leave any expansion space in the walls perpendicular to the wood install. Is this standard?

I hope you didn't pay them! No that is not standard or acceptable and will more than likely get worse over time, not better. This forum doesn't seem to get much traffic.

The site does fair to midland site traffic. About 1,700 visitors per day this time of the year..higher in the colder months. I think the unanswered posts have something to do with unfamiliarity (as in the case of your mixed species question) and basic repeated, or obvious inquiries that raise red flags in the case of this topic.

We aren't a perfect world

...but we try. Thanks for helping out.

Yes, repeated inquiries that have been answered many times, sometimes within a week might go unanswered. There's a search function here people should try and use.
Ken, might do a sticky about that. I thought I read something along those lines somewhere.

Good thought but it will probably go ignored. I see it all over the internet..even with sites that have those stickies. I'm just as guilty when I want an answer and don't have the patience to wade though hundreds of messages.

Maybe I'll work something up

I'm certain I read something to that effect some where on here Ken. I just didn't want to wade through all the stickies either.

Well maybe I can help answer the question and be a contributer to the forum.

The main problem with laminate flooring is there are many types that are thick and higher quality or thin and cheap lowest quality. When "pergo" flooring came out in the 90's, everyone installed it and they called it 'pergo' floor. That name has stuck for some time but since the. A lot of newer high quality flooring has come out.

My guess if your seeing parts of the floor raised could be a few things.

1- your sub floor is not flat. If you have a thin and flimsy flooring, that hump in the floor will transfer to the new floor. Your installer should have suggested to replace the sub floor. Could be related to water damage in the past or floor is old and popping up.

2- a higher quality , thicker floor material would have dispersed the hump over a wider area and may have not been as noticeable .

3- a poor quality install. Maybe there is a fold or a seam that overlaps in the padding/buffer that causes the floor to rise. Maybe a nail or staple is holding up the floor from the existing floor.

4- it's possible the floor is expanding but you said parallel and wood expands a ways but would expand with the grain more not opposite direction of the grain. Unless you live in a high humid area, I doubt this is the case.

I would call the installer back. The floor should be flat as flat, no humps or risies but depends on what the under floor was.

I know of no laminate mfg that does not allow more than a 3/16" in 10 foot dip at which time they instruct you to use self leveler to flatten the floor.
You are saying double that so in time deflection will most likely cause movement which will result in failure unless you are extremely fortunate.