Engineered Wood Flooring Cupping Problems

Solid and engineered wood flooring can both cup.

Engineered wood flooring cupping problems.

It should be noted that very slight cupping or crowning can take place within normal humidity changes such as with those of the changing seasons and periodically. However if the cupping is due to an underlying moisture problem the floors will stay in this position until that problem is corrected. In many cases of slight to moderate wood floor cupping eliminating the source of the water and drying out the flooring can save the floor. Cupping most often appears after the floor has been installed and in some cases the floor will cup even if it was installed correctly.

As noted previously moisture movement within wood can be slow. Engineered wood flooring makes up more than half of the wood flooring sold and put to use in our industry. Installing hardwood flooring is hard thoughtful work that if done properly can yield lifetimes of warmth elegance and beauty in a home or commercial setting. But the problem is really just cupping which happens when the top of the board is drier than the bottom of the board.

The wood is wetter on the bottom of the board than on the top surface which dries quicker than the bottom. Dry cupping is a problem i see all winter long with engineered products. Having a general appreciation of features and limitations of both solid and engineered wood flooring is a necessity for those working in the world of wood floors specifically when it comes to understanding how they both perform. Typically the cause of the imbalance is excess moisture from the subfloor.

How to fix cupped hardwood flooring. To fix the issue of cupping the first and most crucial step is to assess the moisture problems. Cupping has occurred when the sides of flooring are higher than the center of the boards the surface of the board has a concave shape. Cupping is caused by a moisture imbalance through the thickness of the wood.

Take the necessary steps to stop or correct the source of the moisture problem. Just running a fan or dehumidifier for a week will not solve most problems. Cupping and crowning are two terms used in the hardwood flooring industry to describe the reaction wood floors experience when there are problems with moisture levels in the home. The planks that make up wood flooring expand and contract based on the amount of moisture in the room.

Whenever there is too much moisture the wood expands. A vapor retarder installed between the subfloor and the floorboards can help the condition by slowing moisture migration but it shouldn t be relied on as a permanent solution to moisture problems. As you eagerly anticipate a successful installation be aware that problems such as warping buckling cupping and crowning can really ruin your floor and your dream. But it can also happen because of excessive drying on top of the board.