Becoming familiar with some of the problems that can be found in hardwood flooring can help you better understand what to expect. Plus, it’ll make your flooring inspection report a bit easier to comprehend.Here are some of the main issues that professional inspectors find in hardwood and bamboo flooring:
Gapping
Abnormal spacing between abutting floor planks that were not intentionally placed and are not minimized with seasonal fluctuations in humidity/moisture. Some potential causes include improper installation, water-damaged subfloor, improper subflooring, or installation of the flooring in an environment that is more humid than the product’s moisture tolerance.
Crowning
Crowned or convex appearance in flooring planks where the center of the board is higher than the edges. This often means that the moisture content on the board’s surface is higher than its underside. One potential cause is increased humidity in the home, but crowning may also occur after a cupped or flooded wood floor has been sanded prematurely (before moisture content of the floors had stabilized).
Splintering
When a sharp fragment of the natural flooring product (hardwood, bamboo, etc.) fractures away from the face or edge of the board and protrudes from the floor board. Some floors that are manufactured with distressed, wire-brushed, hand-scraped, or otherwise textured surfaces may splinter more easily than smooth-surface floors. Dents, gouges, and damage during installation can also result in splintering.
Buckling
When flooring separates or lifts away from the subfloor. Can occur if heavy furniture is placed on the flooring and restricting lateral movement. Can also occur as a result of an increase in moisture conditions due to: wet subflooring, poor building drainage, high indoor humidity levels, plumbing leaks, wet mopping, etc.
Cupping
A dished or concave appearance of individual flooring planks where the edge(s) of the plank are raised higher than the center. Possible causes include a moisture imbalance in the thickness of the wood, an increase in moisture conditions, or installing the wood flooring in an environment that is much more humid than the manufactured product’s ideal environmental conditions.
Warping
Any variation of the intended shape of a plank of flooring from a flat or true plane. Includes bowing, crooking, and twisting. A common cause is improper handling of environmental conditions surrounding the flooring material during manufacture, acclimation period, or in transit.
