About a year ago, we completely renovated our one floor home, hiring a local reno company. We were told to select an engineered hardwood product because we wanted the wider plank look and we live in Ontario, Canada and hence experience variable climate conditions. Not having any experience, I counted on the professionals around me (contractor, installer, interior designer, flooring supplier) to ensure the product selected would be a good choice. I was told I was just a "nervous Nelly" with all my questions and the flooring we selected would be just fine. Armstrong's wide plank, hand-plane-look engineered wood flooring in hickory was installed. When we moved in, I noticed a crackling sound, like you are walking on rice paper in addition to occasional spots where a small edge of a plank peeled/splintered off. Our reno company manager called in the flooring rep...we were to receive a colour repair kit and told there was nothing wrong with the flooring. I was never informed about humidity levels but from my own research, I bought a hygrometer to ensure the home was kept within the acceptable range even though I thought one of the reasons we were told to pick an engineered wood floor was the fact it could tolerate climate changes better than solid hardwood. Here we are a year later, the crackling sound continues and although I like the look of the flooring, it sounds like a cheap laminate. This covers the entire main floor with exception of the tiled bathrooms. After all the work, time and money we spent on our home renovation, I am so upset and disappointed with this crackling floor. I will be contacting the reno company but I would be ever so grateful to receive any insight, info, suggestions from others' experiences and professionals' opinions regarding what can be done, what should I do or say? Thank you very much.

Crackling sounds on a fastened floor are typically a loose fastener, broken tongues. On a floater thats usually a sign the flooring has no perimeter gap and is locked in somewhere. Or lack of adhesive in the groove if thats the way it was installed.