I recently install 5 inch red oak flooring, it sat for 2 weeks and acclimated to the room it was installed in.
I have finshed the installation and sanding of the floor and was pleased with both steps.
This past week I stained the floor and I am seeing places where the wood is "peeling" or splintering up.

I have not applied the clear coat yet, just the stain.

This was my first hardwood project, I used flooring from a clearance depot, this was rated as a #3, so it did have quite a few defects, but I was OK with filling a few knots or defects. Is this a result of an inferior product or something else?

Any thoughts on why this may be happening or more importantly how bast to fix it?

I appreciate any input.

Thanks

CastleWorks

Sounds a lot like wind shake. If its separating along the cathedral grain pattern lines then there are a few options. ONe super glue them back down and proceed with top coats or pull the boards and replace them. #3 common can get pretty rough , a wind shake board will rattle if you hold it loose when you tap it.

Kevin,

Thank you, I will try my glueing them back down first before replacement.
Now that you mention it I am certain a few of them did "rattle" and that made me scratch my head a little.
I have not experienced widn shake before.

Thanks

CastleWorks

wind shake is caused by high wind stress while the tree is still alive. the tree is bent so much the wood separates along the growth rings. The boards are hard to catch during manufacturing and some get through all grades. A good installer knows to not put those in if at all possible due to the problem you have at hand.

You say you acclimated the wood for two weeks. What was the moisture content of the wood after it was acclimated. What was the ambient humidity levels before, during and after acclimation?
Wood that is high in moisture content and then put in a very dry state of "acclimating" in extreme low humidity can also exhibit what you are experiencing.
I have seen wood acclimated where the moisture content was 4% and less which exhibited some of the symptoms you describe.
Acclimation should ideally be somewhere between the 6% to 9% it is manufactured at.