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yllom1976

hardwood floors cupping in new construction

yllom1976
9 years ago

We are completing new construction with crawlspace. 6" solid hickory hardwood floors were installed approximately a month ago over 30 pound felt paper and nailed down. We live in northern Mississippi. Dirt work was not done correctly before construction began resulting in water running & standing under house during construction. It has rained a lot. After framing, black plastic was put on ground under house and T&G pine porches. Water continued to run and sit under house. Near end of construction, the contractor had dozer work done to divert water. Floors were installed prior or about same time as that. The ground was saturated and muddy under black plastic. The plastic was pulled out to let ground dry underneath and has not been replaced yet. After paper and cardboard protecting hardwoods was removed for us to move in a week or two, we could see and feel how much the floors have cupped and buckled. Our area is humid; however, we insisted contractor wait to install floors until air was installed and running and floors had been acclimated (although maybe not properly). They were not removed from boxes or boxes were not opened. The floors also were held at hardware store outside in covered 3-sided shed for a couple of months. Contractor has told us he thinks floor will correct itself in a few days when everything dries out. We aren't so sure. Even in this humid area, I have never seen floors or porches cup and buckle like this in any other homes. Is it from water sitting under the house or from plastic being removed to dry out? Heating and air guy said water was sitting on top of plastic, also. Will floors have to be replaced?

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