Brand new engineered hardwood floors creaking

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

Hello everyone,

I hope someone will be able to give me some insight. We just moved into a brand new home and are having some problems with our engineered hardwood floors.

We've lived in the house about 3 months and they are becoming increasingly more and more creaky. At first it was only in a few spots but now it has become the whole entire floor, no matter where you step. In a few areas there are soft spots where the floor sinks when you step on it. The builders of the home are giving us a bit of a hard time about it, insisting that creaking is normal with this type of flooring and that the soft spots are just from a bit of tension.

On top of that, we are not hard on our floors at all and yet they scratch or dent at even the slightest upset. This, we've also been told, is just the nature of engineered hardwood. At this rate these floors will look a complete mess within 5 years and there's no way we can ever get a pet like we were hoping to.

We're wondering how much of this is true and how much of it is that our builders are telling us whatever they need to to get us out of their hair. If what they say is true I just can't wrap my head around why anyone would ever install engineered hardwood if it has this many problems.

Thanks in advance!

*edited to add the floors are Goodfellow Montpellier*

Featured Answer

PRO

Cancork Floor Inc.

6 years ago

Engineered or not...the problem is with the floor prep. New builds HATE to use the 'good stuff'. The builders want as much profit as possible = super cheap building materials and "guys" to install. They do NOT like working with 'flooring professionals'. Why? Because they cost MORE then 'dude with hammer'.

So...new build = no floor prep. This is SUPER COMMON and can void your hardwood warranty in a heart beat. As CT points out, you need to find out the installation requirements and request, in WRITING, the details of the installation from the GC. It is up to the BUILDER to PROVE that every "i" was dotted and every "t" crossed. If not, the BUILDER holds the warranty that they just VOIDED.

And just for fun...the very FIRST thing you will be asked = what is the indoor air temperature and HUMIDITY??? Things get noisy as they dry out. Humidity in your home is EXTREMELY important. Because things are getting worse (noisier) I suspect the humidity is NOT being maintained. Check your HVAC system to see where you have your humidity set at (if you have a humidistat you should be able to change the humidity at the push of a button - just like temperature). If you do not have a humidity stat, then you can go out and purchase a cheap hygrometer at any home improvement store. Should be about $30.

The installation and subfloor prep (or lack thereof) is the builder's responsibility and s/he must be able to PROVE site conditions where met. This trumps EVERYTHING.

The living conditions RIGHT NOW are the homeowner's responsibility which can void any warranty if the right conditions aren't met. That's why you need to know what YOUR HOME is doing to the flooring. If it is too dry/too humid you will need to correct that ASAP. So that no one can point a finger at you, the homeowner.

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Comments (10)

PRO
Creative Tile Eastern CT
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Contact the manufacturer directly. Get the facts straight from them in writing. Manufacturers concerns will be that the installation instructions and jobsite conditions were adhered to. Now it's in the contractors corner. Ask for the warranty that comes with the floors. You need these facts if you hope for any resolution. You can request a manufacturer rep to evaluate your situation. I suggest doing so.
PRO
Uptown Floors
6 years ago
Nice CT!

Bad or no floor prep is my guess as the product is a click floater. Unless it was stapled. Anything imaginable happens in the flooring business. Any hardwood floor will scratch and dent, but Maple doesn't hide it as other hardwoods can.
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PRO
Creative Tile Eastern CT
6 years ago
@ Concork Thanks for taking the time to type the real world scenario. Spot on. I'll take the addition / remodel over a new build any day. A million dollar home does not mean you have quality workmanship. It simply means you paid a million. "dude with hammer" Thanks for the chuckle. My statement is not intended for the quality builders as they know what I'm referring to.
cpartist
6 years ago
Here's the Installation Guide from the website.
FeatherBee
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
"New builds HATE to use the 'good stuff'. The builders want as much profit as possible = super cheap building materials and "guys" to install."

I'm with Cancork Floor Inc. ...

As soon as I read the OPs post and saw new build I just assumed they used some cheap floor, especially since the OP mentioned they scratch and dent very easily.

I have a 90s builder grade home so I know cheap lol. But I will say my old orange oak floors were solid/decent product. With the hardwood hype these days so much garbage has been produced to keep up with the demand while keeping costs down.

Good luck.
PRO
MDLN
6 years ago
Agree with above comments, my GC could not get my prefinished HW floors installed correctly by his "guys with a hammer," ended up replacing them with site finished HW. While they no longer have the soft spots, the HW installer could not manage to match the HW stain in the hallway - that he did a month prior. Am sure GC hired the cheapest guy.
Leah
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks for the responses, everyone.

Oh yeah, these guys definitely used many various "guy with hammer"s. There's no question there. I just want to make sure we get to the bottom of the issue so they don't have another "guy with hammer" throw a bandaid on it just for them to be a problem again within a year or two. We're going to hire our own floor inspector to pin point the issues so that the builders can't try to weasel their way out of rectifying it.

I don't think they'll provide any kind of written documentation of the installation details. Is this something they're required to provide? They say they'll have their original installer come and have a look but that seems to be as willing to do anything as they're going to get.
PRO
Cancork Floor Inc.
6 years ago
The inspector is the way to start. Just remember that "building law" requires the original contractor (ie. the guy building the house) be allowed ONE attempt to fix this. ONE! After that, if the "fix" doesn't do it, you can go ahead and bring in "your own professional" to deal with the problem. The cost of this professional is then reflected BACK onto the ORIGINAL contractor (ie. the Builder).

And that's when the fur FLIES! Be prepared for that. Builders HATE getting a $15K bill for someone else's work. That's the leverage you use to get the builder to fix it right THE FIRST TIME!

I would mention to him, after the NWFA Certified Flooring Inspector comes through and gives a report, that you will give the builder ONE attempt to get it right - per the law. And that should that "fix" go awry, you WILL bring in another professional to fix it - at the BUILDER'S cost!

That statement will make him perk his ears, sit up and take notice. I would be pleasant but firm. Once they know that YOU know the law, they will get down to the business of saving money by getting it fixed properly - the first time.
FeatherBee
6 years ago
Great insight Cancork Floor Inc.

Brand new engineered hardwood floors creaking

Cancork Floor Inc.

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Uptown Floors

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