Ofcoarse nothing is conclusive but...

1) It is established that there was concrete grinding. Unless a dustless system was used, we all know the dust created. The customer states " I feel the cement dust from that is likely the culprit as far as the substance". You KNOW there was concrete dust in the home. Concrete powder is very light in color, ( especially on a dark floor), dried and in the grain it can almost look white.
2) " Before the installers left, they used a swiffer dust mop on the floor. The white stuff was particulary in the woodgrain areas and THEN a haze on the rest especially in sunlight".
This occurred after the installation,and is a result of cleaning, and IMO not a finish problem.

I think Perry is on to a good idea, providing it's not a manufacturing problem.



Really!

As a last resort, could someone just come in and buff the floor with a stain? Enough so it eliminates the white?

Oh, Dennis mentioned it..



Very interesting topic so as we can learn ahead of time before problems occur.

Ray:

Your profile still says Florida

I'd file a claim against Shaw's finish providing you used their cleaner first. They do brag about that finish alot.

Definetely an interesting topic that applies to numerous installs.

I can see that the "staining process" & "pen process" solves the immediate cosmetic problem. What bothers me is .... There's no finish over the stain or pen ink. I would think these areas would attract dust like a magnet, and be very tough to clean. You really couldnt apply finish to just these areas. And finish warranties are void if you apply to the entire floor.

What about a combination stain/finish at these areas ???

Also, I would first ask the installers if they used anything but just a swiffer. And I must say I am appalled...appalled that any inspector would suggest to use a permenant marker on a new floor thus voiding your warranty.

Ya ! IMO they're cleaner is what turned the concrete dust into a slurry and imbedded into the grain !!

Agreed unless the installers used something first. Next time vacuum first and find an installer with a dustless system.

Call retailer and have them call Shaw and file a claim immediately. Then call them yourself as well. It's hard to imagine the dust was still floating around after the installation of 1500sf job. Perhaps some of it was wood dust?

This is a more common problem than many of you may realize. While heavy texture/scrape exacerbates the problem, the same cleaning problems have been around a long time.

Example: I'm sure a few of you remember the white wash/ limed oak heydays of yesteryear.
These floors (at least the ones I did ) started out as unfinished oak ( red or white ) which after sanding were often bleached to lighten them further and open the grain to receive the white stain better. After staining white, we finished them with multiple coats of non yellowing floor finish. Usually either acid curing or water-borne. They looked great! The problems arose when homeowners failed to dust, sweep or vacuum before washing. The owners would take right to a damp to wet mop and attempt to clean the floors. What it did is to create real dirty water/liquid that penetrated the finish and got into the wood grain and joints and seams. After repeatedly doing this, the floors no longer looked white but some weird variation of driftwood, with all the black in the grain and joints. Usually, the only remedy was to refinish the floors. The same also happened on natural floors, to a lesser degree.

As many of you correctly concluded, it's a maintenance failure. These floors should have been thoroughly vacuumed with a powerful vacuum and a soft bristle brush head. This should have removed most, if not all, the loose white powder ( whether wood dust or concrete or sheet rock ). Only then, should a slightly damp mopping take place. Over wetting the floor does create a dirty slurry that will get into the wood and joints. It is very difficult to remove once it's been dried as it becomes solidified. It's like rubbing a paste filler into open grained wood. Whoever did this is ultimately responsible because proper maintenance instructions are included with most flooring and failure to follow proper maintenance will void any warranty. In this scenario, it's possible that repeated cleanings over a period of months may improve the appearance. Dennis' suggestion to rub stain into the floor to color the white is also worthy of trying. Rag the stain on a small section, let sit for 5 minutes and buff of by hand. I don't think taking a buffer and brush to this floor will work, due to the uneven surface and open grain. It's really sad when a nicely made and installed floor is ruined by ignorance and impatience.

Gary,
Thanks for your comments.

We had a floor inspector out last week that handles the floor manufacturer's claims. I don't know who is really at fault here, I just know that we are out almost $17,000 and the floors look terrible! The inspector said he would send in his report to the manufacturer over last weekend.

I am going on what the installer said he did in cleaning the floor, as I didn't actually SEE with my own eyes. We tried repeated vacuuming before trying any wood cleaner on it and nothing seems to help. Your comments are in line with another poster who mentioned if the installer used mineral spirits to clean up the glue residue it could mix with the dust and create a paste that embedds in the grain,etc. My hope is that whatever the inspector finds, the responsible party will make it right. Otherwise, we will have no choice but to engage an attorney. We checked out the installer and the manufacturer is a name brand. You try to do your homework, but still something can happen. We will wait a little longer but have been advised to move forward with action if we don't get a response soon.

It is not a manufacturing problem. The manufacturer MAY allow some damages on a PR basis, but they have no responsibility to do so, IMO. Too many installers fail to fully understand why they do something. EI: "Floor's dirty so I'll mop it clean" They make a bad situation worse. Installers are not the only ones to blame. I have made great eforts to lay out EXACT maintenance instructions to the homeowner, only to have the homeowner turn over the floor's maintenance to the maid service that promptly breaks out the string mop and bucket

Who can say exactly who did what? You'll have to do some investigative prying. Or just turn it over to an attorney who can promptly file suit, including attorney's fees and court costs and collection fees. Did you hire a flooring company? Or was it an individual installer? If a flooring company, they hopefully have the insurance and/or assets to make you whole. If it's an individual installer, good luck. Most guys are hand to mouth and do not have enough assets to help you, even if you get an award. The old adage, " You can't get blood out of a turnip"

Appreciate your time in responding to our problem. This homeowner doesn't have a maid--or I should say, you are talking to her! LOL! Part of the flooring we replaced had been hardwood also, so I know how to take care of hardwood floors.
My husband and I even bought a new vacuum and used it repeatedly BEFORE we ever touched it with wood floor cleaner.
The floors had this "blush" when the installers left. We honestly thought it would clean up! We never dreamed it would turn into such a nightmare. There are some other issues with the floors that we pointed out to the inspector, but the white blush is the glaring issue for this discussion. I guess I was too trusting and naive for my age. If you go by my apparent naivety, I should be about 15, not 61! ;o)
The installers were a flooring company.

This is my first time posting here and I hope its helpful.

Sheetrock dust and concrete dust aren't ordinary kinds of dust. They turn to mud and when the water dries, they leave some nasty stuff behind. That being said, I have a solution that I'd try before I try anything else.

Here's an excerpt from an article I recently published on squidoo.com



You can find the whole article here: http://www.squidoo.com/HSWMaintenance

At the bottom of the article, I have embedded links to Amazon.com where you can order IFT and Squeaky.

As a professional full-service wood flooring installer, I also offer and maintenance services such as cleaning and recoating. When I do a deep cleaning on wood floors, I use Basic's Dirt Dragon autoscrubbing machine with IFT and a thorough rinse with Squeaky.

I don't work for Basic Coatings so I have no financial motivation to recommend the products. They just work.

Good and informative post. Welcome aboard!