hardwood problem - board edges

11 years ago

Solid hardwoord floors installed last fall, nailed down, crawlspace below.

My installer used a spongy underlayment which seems to be meant for floating floors.

After the first winter (northern Cal, cold but not COLD), during which there were many many LOUD pops and crack sounds at night, the floor now has many places where boards flex and the edges of boards are both visible and feel-able. I suspect the soft underlayment is flexing and that the loud cracks were maybe tongues cracking as the wood contracted for the first time.

Is there any remedy for this? Should I be as unhappy as I am?

Tim

Comments (3)

floorguy
11 years ago
Maintaining a fairly consistent rH inside the home does wonders for the movement you have experienced.

No gapping?

Sounds like cupping and you can feel the peaks of the board joints.
gregmills_gw
11 years ago
What type of flooring did you have over the crawl space prior to having wood?
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thockin
Original Author
11 years ago
There are a few small gaps, and I'm OK with attributing that to moisture and contraction. The problem I have is that many boards flex when I stand on them, which makes my feet feel the edges.

The sub-floor in the older part of the hosue was 2x6 or similar, the newer area was plywood. This problem exist in both areas.