NWFA’s New ‘Involved Parties’ Definitions
The NWFA has released the 2012 Installation Guidelines, and on page 3 the guidelines now include a statement about “Involved Parties.” This is to help identify the roles of each party when it comes to...
View ArticleVideo: My Thoughts at the End of the Expo
The NWFA Expo in Dallas this year was a great show. Here are my quick thoughts as the show was coming to a close at the Gaylord Texan:
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To Fill or Not to Fill?
I went to an inspection where the client expressed their concern regarding snagging their socks on the wood floor. The inspection showed compressed filler (filler push-up) that was raised above the...
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Yes, I Screwed Up My Own Install
I was contracted to install a 3/8” red oak prefinished engineered wood floor. This was to be installed during the client’s six-week vacation. With a six-week window, I was going to use this job as...
View ArticleCertified or Certifiable?
Kevin Mullany has apparently touched a nerve with his recent Hardwood Floors article "Inspections Are Supposed to Help Our Industry, Not Hurt It." It is a compelling, multi-faceted topic. So here goes...
View ArticleA Modest Proposal for the Inspection Business
The stakeholders in the inspection business are: the Consumerthe General Contractorthe Flooring Contractor/Retailerthe Distributorthe Manufacturerthe Inspection Service provider(s)the NWFA. If each...
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Mysterious Plywood Subfloor Moisture ... Or Not?
Have you ever come across a situation like this? Here it is:The flooring contractor was waiting for the subfloor moisture content (MC) to decline before proceeding with a plank floor installation....
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Spot the Problem in this Repaired Wood Floor
Can you spot the problem with this floor from a recent inspection?I’m sure most of you immediately spotted that the left side of the photo is white oak and the right side is red oak (clearly marked in...
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Scary Job-Site Scene
I was on a job recently and took this photo. What do you think is wrong with this scene?At first glance you might not see anything wrong, but what if I tell you this is how the job site was left...
View ArticleEngineered Wood Flooring: Stable or Not?
The Hardwood Floors Magazine online forum always seems to have heated discussions on various topics. The current discussion on delamination of engineered is a classic example of an “apples” versus...
View ArticleAre You Relying Too Much on RH Readings?
I spend a lot of my time looking at issues with buildings, and in the process I see a lot of wood floors. The floors are great sources of information, maybe not quite in the style of tree-ring...
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Mystery Marks in the Wood Floor
Have you come across marks this when you go to resand a wood floor? Do you know what they are?They are from an inexperienced carpeting installer using a carpet stretcher. The marks will not sand out...
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A Common Cause for Humps & Squeaks
I inspect many floors where joints between subfloor panels are an issue. If the panels expand and push together, the edges can lift up, causing humps or squeaks in the floor. Most subfloor panels are...
View ArticleExtreme RH & Engineered Wood Floors
Recently Jim Decker left a question on one of my blog posts: “How long can an engineered floor be subjected to low RH or high RH and not be affected?”Jim, thanks for the setup for an interesting topic....
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Is OSB a Bad Subfloor Material?
I had another call last week about loose floors over OSB. The hardwood flooring could be pulled up by hand with minimal force. OSB panels are often used instead of plywood as subflooring. I don't hear...
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What's Wrong With This Power Hookup?
What’s wrong with this photo?Have you ever gone out to the job and the electrician didn't wire you up a 220 outlet? It's bad enough to jump the main with alligator clips (like in this photo), but it's...
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Blending in Wood Floor Repairs
I get calls for inspections all the time on wood floor repairs someone did, often after water damage. Typically what’s happened is they added new flooring to replace the damaged wood flooring but now...
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How to Succeed in this Business by Learning to Work Smarter … & Key West
It is important to fine-tune your daily habits to prepare for potential problems by making decisions and judgments more simple and learning what to focus on and what to ignore. This is part of the 8...
View ArticlePsychrometics, or How I Knew it Was a Really Cold Winter
I could tell that it was a cold winter without even looking at the thermometer. I had so many phone calls and emails about gaps in floors. The comments ranged from "Our floors are two years old, and we...
View ArticleVideo: Roy Wraps Up the 2014 NWFA Expo
As the 2014 NWFA Expo in Nashville was about to wrap up I talked with Hardwood Floors' Andrew Averill about the show:
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