wide cracks

My new hardwood floors are showing wide cracks after 6 months (a couple of quarters can fit in). Upon inspection, it was like this to begin with but the cracks were filled with wood putty that dried up and fell out. Is this normal? Are there any industry standards for acceptable cracking/installation? I've made up that the installation was shoddy.

 

Ow:

A quarter sized gap is severe with a new floor. Wait! A couple of quarters?? If this was noticable upon the installation I would have begun asking questions immediately. Most will say, "ah, not to worry, the filler will take care of it." Not true, as any seasonal movement will jar the filler loose and do as you describe.

Looks like an installer boo-boo unless the material is of a lower grade and you were aware of the consequences? Acclimation could also play a role here as well.

 

There are certain safeguards that must be taken before installing hardwood. Doors & windows must be installed and the HVAC must be running to maintain temperature and humidity at occupancy levels. There should be no standing water in crawl spaces and a polyethylene moisture barrier should be in place to cover the soil in crawl spaces. A moisture barrier should be installed beneath the hardwood flooring. There should be adequate ventilation in the crawl space with no dead air spaces. The hardwood flooring should be placed in the areas where it is to be installed and allowed to acclimate for several days to adjust to the temperature and humidity levels of the home before installation. These safeguards tend to prevent problems associated with expansion and contraction of flooring products. Crack fillers are not recommended as they tend not to stay in place due to expansion and contraction of the wood due to changes in temperature and humidity levels in the home. Wood placed in storage should be in a well ventilated and dry area before moving into the home and then allowed to acclimate. These safeguards are critical to a successful installation.