I have a new house, moved in about 3 weeks ago. It is a 2 story with 3/4" hardwood floors on the main floor, somewhere around 1,000 sqft of hardwood floor. This is my third house with hardwoods & I am disappointed with this one. The issues bothering me are below.

First you can see slight waves in the floor from the sanding. Its not very prominent, however you can definitely see them. Looks like gently little waves across an expanse of ocean.

Second, there are a lot of knot holes that they filled. How many? I am not sure since I have not spent the time to count, but just in the most visible areas I would guess 20 - 30. I am wondering about the quality of wood used. What is an acceptable amount for a given grade? The contractor is coming back on Friday to fill a few more holes which they missed.

Third & most important, the surface is easily scratched. You cannot even move a cardboard box across it without creating a scratch. We have been pretty carefull with this floor but already have alot of scratches. I do not think this finish will look good even 3 years from now.

After sanding the floors, I believe they placed 3 seperate coats of finish however I am not sure. While I followed the work in the house pretty closely, this was one area I am not sure on, it could have been 1 stain coat, then only 2 finish coats.

The contractor is a reputable company that does a lot of business in my area, been around for a while also. They did all of the flooring in my house (hardwoods & carpet) plus all the tile work in the kitchen & baths. This is the first I have used them for hardwoods. Either way I did not have a choice since this is who my GC uses & has for several years.

Wondering if my expectations & past good experience with hardwoods were incorrect. My first house was 90 years old & had Michigan White Oak on the floors. It was beautiful & durable even before we refinished them. (I realize I cannot compare those floors with todays floors) Second house is 10 years old, had 3 kids running around in it for 7 of those years and is just now looking like it could use a refinishing. But it still looked OK when we moved out.

Your input is greatly appreciated. Mike

 

Lets take these isuues 1 by 1

1. light waves in the floor are from chatter from the drum sander and will lesson in time but sounds like a rush sand, not taking time to screen and hardplate in between sanding grits.

2. sounds like builders grade #2 if the knots are big enough to fill like that. where i am it goes for $1.99 sq/ft right now

3. Not knowing the brand of finish or type of finish this is hard to asess. If you have been in the home for 3 weeks i will assume the floor is fully cured by now if the finish is seperateing and not scratching you have an adhesion problem that will need to be adressed.

The gc is not paying the bills you are if you wanted to use someone else to do your floors you could have.

discuss the issues with the gc and the floor guy to see if you can work something out every job is different but results should still be the same.

Phil

 

As indicated, issues tend to be quality of sanding before finishing; quality of wood, as first quality tends to be 'select & better with clear mixed in' with no knots or mineral streaks or other defects or character mixed in. If there are knot holes and they have been filled, then you have received less than first quality product and less than 'builders' grade.' This is not an installer issue. It is a GC and supplier issue.

Nothing should ever be 'scooted' across hardwood floor finish because of opportunities for scratching. Furniture should be protected with felt pads. Everything should be lifted into place. Failure to do so tends to rest with homeowner. This is not an installer issue, but a homeowner abuse and use issue.

Finish failure or product failure can not always be blamed on installers. Quality of surface finish or quality of floor covering are not installer issues. These issues tend to be between you and your GC and the manufacturer of your floor covering product. If quality of finish is an issue, then this issue needs to be taken up with GC. Then, if not a quality finish product, as recommended in the industry and proper application and drying times between coats and number of finish coats. and approved products are not used, then these tend to be issues between GC and floor finisher. Thus, the responsibility will tend to fall upon GC. Therefore, your issues should be taken up with your GC.