Well, regarding the installer, they put in 700 sq ft of hw flooring for us 14 years ago-- no problems. They also put in another 300 or so using materials they supplied--no problems. I supplied the (faulty) material that they installed--problems. Yes they **should** have checked the moisture content, but I guess the reality is that here n southern california and with suppliers they have used for the last 20 years this is not an issue. Reclaimed wood flooring, freshly-milled by boutique shops is perhaps something of a brave new world. I will of course check the new lot of wood's MC as well as that of the sub-floor before this next install, but I would rather stick with our GC's installer and give him a second chance with this material.

I really appreciate your response. The builder took a look at the floor yesterday and readily admitted that they've never encountered this degree of gapping. He further stated that it was probably due to moisture in either the oak or the subfloor during installation. I'm sure they are going to want to try to repair, but the poly is not going to blend into the rest of the floor. The raised joist runs right through the middle of the kitchen into the great room. As far as using slivers in the other gapping, can you use a sliver when the gap extends the entire length of the house? In other words - you'd have to use really long slivers. Is this doable? I'm going to see if I can find a floor inspector. I really appreciate any help. Thanks.

Water will take the path of least resistance so it doesn't matter how far away the water source is located. If the soil was loose when your home was built the water may have formed a path back then. Over time it could have eaten the dirt that is under the concrete at the bottom of the steps and things are now starting to tip into a hole. Once water that is running towards your basement wall comes in contact with it, again, it will take the path of least resistance going downward by going between the dirt and the wall. Plan on having to seal the basement outside wall, replace the drain tile that should be near the bottom of the wall, and maybe even install a new staircase. A shop vac attached to 10 or 15 feet of 2" pvc pipe that has a couple 90 degree units attached at one end should help with keeping the gutters clear. Just hook it over the gutter, and vacuum away the leaves and water.

@tahoeshack- The radiant heat and the fact that the improper material was used is the cause of this situation. While solid hardwood can be installed directly on top of certain radiant heat systems, rift and quartersawn solid hardwood should be used. The way in which this floor is milled is what makes it the right material for radiant heat. Rift and quartered hardwood is milled in a way so that there is minimal expansion and contraction. Do you know which type of radiant heat system was installed? Do you know if the reclaimed oak was milled rift and quartersawn? How was the hardwood installed?(glue down, staple/nail, floating) 1. What is the industry tolerance for gap width? Is there one? Gaps in hardwood are to be expected. However, for there to be a 1/4" gap in the middle if your floor that was installed and finished in 2016, there must be an underlying issue for that to happen. Unless there is an underlying issue, a 1/4" is not normal especially in a floor that is a year old. 2. Is it reasonable for us to expect the floors to still look like the stairs do? The hardwood and the steps are two different entities. I think you are justified in your expectations of the floor vs. what is going on with them now. You really can not compare the steps(as the pictures seem to show full treads) to the hardwood. They are installed in different ways. 3. What is the likely cause of the crowning and gaps? What is likely causing the crowning and gaps is the type of material that was used over the radiant heat. Although I am not sure which heating system you have, rift and quartered solid hardwood would suffice as the proper material to use. 4. How do we fix the crowning and gaps? The flooring may need to be replaced(This is purely suspect as we have not been able to come out and visually see the space and all circumstances) 5. Is filling the gaps the proper solution? There are a few issues with wood filler. My first concern is them using grout/caulk- not sure what type of grout they are going to use and if by "grout" they mean "wood filler". Do not use caulk to fill in the gaps. If they are going to use wood filler, it is going to be a short term, band aid fix. The floors will continue to expand and contract and sooner or later, the wood filler will start to come out. Also, ask them how they plan to match the wood filler to the stain color of the hardwood. 6. Who should I hold responsible? This is a tough question as I have not heard both sides. 7. How do I proceed if the only remedy they have provided is the one above and refuse to do anything else? In conversations they have claimed the floors are rustic and not meant to be perfect. Reclaimed hardwood is definitely not meant to be perfect. And actually, the blemishes are what gives reclaimed hardwood its charm and character. However, i think the radiant heat is the underlying issue. Let us know how your meeting turns out and what the outcome is. Feel free to post an update here or email us customerservice@thecouturefloorcompany.com from our team here at The Couture Floor Company https://theflooringblog.com https://thecouturefloorcompany.com