This has been a really bad experience. A family friend is a flooring contractor, so we went him to do our hard wood floor job. Big mistake! We had an American Walnut floor installed and site finished. After the first time they finished the job, there were ripples all across the floor and you could see sanding circles. They came out and finally agreed to resand the floor. After the second refinish job the ripples were even worse and there was hair and burrs in the finish and they didn't finish to the edges. At first the "friend" said that once we had curtains up and our furniture in you wouldn't really notice the ripples. After finding the hair and all the burrs, he agreed to refinish the floor again with a new crew. They just finished the 3rd time and the floor is still rippled and there are burrs all over the place and there is stuff in the finish in a couple places. After the first job the "friend" said the ripples might have been caused by the floor being laid across the joists instead of in the same direction, but I asked before the job started if it mattered what direction it was laid. My husband is just done with it. Our 3 day job has now turned into 3 weeks.

Am I being overly critical? Is it normal to have ripples in Walnut? Are little burrs normal, that's what I'm calling them don't know the correct term, but they seem like bubbles that kinda burst and left a little burr. He told me we would have a smooth as glass finish. Oh yea, and it was supposed to be dustless. There's dust half way up the walls in the dinning room! Any suggestions how how to proceed?

Thanks for your help!!!

Woods floors are not furniture and one should expect minor flaws in site finished floors. However, those flaws should not be readily apparent. If you have to get on your hands and knees to find or see the flaws, you are being too critical. But if you can see them everywhere from a standing position, then the job is of inferior quality. If after a couple of attempts to get it right, the first contractor is unable to provide a decent looking floor, you will need to hire someone else. I hope you haven't paid him completely. Explain to him you are not satisfied and why. Then look for the BEST floor finisher in your area and pay him whatever he charges to fix the mess. Deduct that amount from what you owe the first contractor.

it's my understanding that wood floors are supposed to be laid perpendicular to the floor joists...not in the same direction. i'd seriously have to question this "friend's" experience with floors.