Help!!!! We just got our floor installed and it looks like this? Our floor was installed though our builder and we had the manufacturer say that since there is some stain the bevelled edges it is not a defect. I posted pictures of what our floors look like and the white lines you see is not dirt between the floor boards.

Our questions are: Is the floor suppose to look like this? Do we even have a case? Thanks in advace for your help!

see attached pics:

http://flic.kr/p/8CXHaP

http://flic.kr/p/8CXFRR

http://flic.kr/p/8D1MWy

http://flic.kr/p/8D1NHh

Ouch, is some of that reflective light? I could see a few gettin in there but the whole floor? Atsa N-O I think you got seconds unless....the sample board looks the same.

We have potlights in the hall way and the pics were taken early evening and no flash but the hallways lights were on. What do seconds mean?

The sample boards looked good.

We think they used a poorer quality of wood and when we called them to inspect this is the reply we got. But they deny it.

This is what they wrote:

This letter is in reference to a claim submitted in respect to the Red oak
(RO0305E5) flooring installed at the abovementioned residence. The nature of the
complaint was the stain is missing or lighter in the micro bevel.
The conclusion of our inspection is that the bevel is stained. But sometimes, due
the grain of the wood, the stain will show differently and gives the effect that the bevel is
lighter. The same thing is also on the each board, when you have more open grain in the
wood, the wood seems to be darker.
In conclusion, since there is some stain in the bevel, the floor does not present
any manufacturing defect. Therefore, we must regretfully decline this claim.

I would keep pushing the issue the floor should not look like that. We have seen it a couple times, luckily we caught it before we got too far. The store took the flooring back both times and found a better alternative.

Seconds is flooring that did not make the standards to be sold with their regular grade. It may have some mismilled boards or finish blemishes and it is sold as is without any warranty,

This can sometimes be caused by lighting, perspective and angle the floor is being viewed, etc. But in this case, I dont believe that to be the case.
What I suggest is: Borrow (insist) the showroom sample that you chose your floor from, bring it home and place it on top of the existing floor lining up the edge of the boards so that it appears to be a continuation of the floor. The 3/4 inch higher elevation wont make a difference to the viewing angle. If the sample displays the same characteristics, then it is merely optical (which I doubt, but its the only way to rule it out definitively.)
Sometimes, I have seen this where the light reflecting off the bevel shines higher than the surface, and causes an illusion of being lighter, but again test against the sample in the same lighting conditions.

Thank you for your replies. When we look at the individual boards, you notice the lack of stain on the edges and both put together makes it look real bad. We did stop the job and had the Lauzon rep come have a look and they said it is not defective - see letter above.

The wood was not purchased by us, since we purchased the new home through a builder so they have the "final say" so now we were told by our new home builder insurance "called TArion" to get the floor assessed by a accredited technitian, which we called and the cost is 1K to have his come out. Then we have to bring the report the board and they will decide if we have a case agaisnt them. We feel backed into a corner because the board member consist of Ottawa's biggest new home builders.

I agree that lighting plays a part but not here. It feel like we are walking on the Red brick road!

I got ten bucks that says the installers called on it when they noticed and were told to continue on, but you'll never get that in writing. And sometimes ya just don't know unless you have installed that particular product before or have seen the sample board. Could be if a large percentage of the floor is like that then it is considered normal. Usually in those situations installers never see a sample.

Since you are in Ottawa, and state that it was a large builder, I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess "Minto Homes". If this is the case, I can attest to the reputation of the builder. We do all of their low rise and some of their high rise projects in the Toronto area and have never seen them shirk their responsibility for providing a quality product to their home purchasers.
I believe the product they use in Ottawa is "Mirage" when upgraded from builder standard. Certainly the floor in tthe pictures appear to be Mirage, but cant be sure, just looking at all the shorter pieces which is a trademark for them, along with the statement that it is due to their severe selection process for perfect wood. (uh-huh)
You need to get in contact with an inspector that sometimes visits the Ottawa area as a guest speacker for the FIO (Flooring Institute of Ontario).
I realize that the cost seems exhorbitant, but without an expert opinion on whether your floor is at acceptable standards, you are standing on it alone.

You need to get an independent inspector out there to take a look. Those inspectors that work for the manufacture tend to find there is never a problem unless it was jobsite or installation related. From the photos it looks like you have a pretty cut and dry issue. It looks like a tile job with those white lines. Dont back down raise a little cain if you have to I had a similar claim years back on a hickory floor that was a dark stain and after three diffrent inspectors reports the manufacture paid the claim, inspection fees and all.

@ Dennis, Minto does have a few members on the Tarion board. We chose a small local custom home builder and they specialize is estate lots. We dealt directly with the owners of the comapny Prior to purchasing we did some reaseach but nothhing came up on them.

The floor that was installed is Lauzon. I will definatly look at Fio but TArion told us that we need to get a specislist from the National Hardwood association but we are skeptical because these inspectors are all affiliated with hardwood companies. Our local accredited specialist works for the hrdwood flooring company that installed our floor.

@floormeintucson - the flooring guys did lay 100 sft and then called my husband to inspect because they knew it was horrible. You are right, they wont say anything more but did mentioned that it was seconds. So we stop the job and had the Lauzon rep come and look at the floor. Now they are back ont he job and wont talk to my husband anymore.

@ KevinD - did you bring the manufacture to court? or did they settle base on the isnpectors reports?

Again, thank you eveyone for your comments.

Sry Jen, I forgot to mention the guy's name. It is Drew Kern, and he is an independent inspector accredited by the NWFA and will give you an unbiased opinion. He is only connected with FIO as an instructor for their seminars. He recently was commisioned by us to evaluate a problem, and his findings went against us as he determined it was an installation error. This cost us over 60 g's to remove the floor, install a new one, put all the clients expensive furniture in storage and put the family up in a hotel and meals for two weeks.
Did we squawk? No. Did we duck and run? No. Any reputable flooring contractor will fix the problem as part of maintaining that reputation. Had the problem been determined as a material defect, we would then have gone to the manufacturer for recourse, unless the problem was evident at the time of install.
Having had Drew's evaluation go against us, would I recommend him? Yes. What is needed in this industry (and others) is unbiased, unbuyable inspectors. I believe Mr. Kern to be an example of this.

@Dennis you comment is of great value to us. We have been living this nightmare for over 7 weeks now. We still don't have a main floor nor upper hall way and our furniture is crammed into the kitchen. We are eating on the couch in my husbands office and spend family moments watching tv or playing games in our bedrooms. It has been a trying period for the entire family, including my daughter. They removed doors, including the one leading to the basement.

We did mentioned to them that it would have been aprreciated if our furniture was completly out of the home and ensure security measures are taken in the house as I am pregnant and nearly fell down the stairs while tripping on the base of the upper stair landing. I also had to remove a few nails that they missed when they took out the original flooring.

i am glad to hear that he is independant. Again, thank you so much.

luzon is some high dollar stuff, surprises me they would deny this claim but I havent seen the floor in person.
Also we didnt have to go to court the manufacture new the problem was evident they just play hard because its was going to cost them. Actually your may have some of the responsibility you said the installers called after 100 sf was down, did you continue or is that where we are now? If your hubbie told them to continue then thats not good for you or your claim.

@kevind My husband told them not to continue and then we called the builder. A few days after a LAuzon rep came and sent us this letter:

This letter is in reference to a claim submitted in respect to the Red oak
(RO0305E5) flooring installed at the abovementioned residence. The nature of the
complaint was the stain is missing or lighter in the micro bevel.
The conclusion of our inspection is that the bevel is stained. But sometimes, due
the grain of the wood, the stain will show differently and gives the effect that the bevel is
lighter. The same thing is also on the each board, when you have more open grain in the
wood, the wood seems to be darker.
In conclusion, since there is some stain in the bevel, the floor does not present
any manufacturing defect. Therefore, we must regretfully decline this claim.

We disagreed with the letter and called our new home warranty company, called Tarion. They came and assessed and told us that we have 2 options, either we accept a cash settlement from the builder ( which was a low ball offer) or have the builder proceed with the installation. If after the installation we are not satisfied, then we have to hire an accrediated inspector and get a report, present the report to Tarion and they would re-assess the claim and make a jusdgement. Tarion is suppose to be there for the home ownwer, however, then board members are associated with the BIG new homes coorporation, like Minto, Tamarack, Richcraft, Cardel, ect....

So we felt pressured into getting the builder to continue with their work. We just wanted to make sure we had a valid claim before paying out more $$ for an inspector and the headaches of legal action becasue they are stading behind their product being non defective!

I know this isnt the answer your looking for but try one of the minwax stain markers to stain the bevel it's a cheap easy fix if they dont want to pony up.