Brazilian Cherry Flooring

Rambone

I have a client that has Brazilian cherry flooring and it's only a year old and has a very dull finish with gaps everywere. Looks like the installer had one to many on this one.
Is there any way to fix this without replacing the floor? Don't get me wrong this floor has awsum color it's 3/4 x 5" wide plank.
Here is a couple of pics on what i am dealing with.
The finish is dull and scuffed.

Ram

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Donedat

You should be able to hire a flooring contractor who will then give it an exta coat of finish. He will be able to determine what type of finish to use. He can also fill some of the gaps...although the wide plank flooring usually will show moore gapping than the narrow stuff.

By the pictures you have there, the floor doesn't look too far gone. Check at the high traffic areas such as entry, fridge, turning points in hall. If you see grey areas that is where the finish is worn down to the wood. This can be fixed locally also if the right conditions are there.

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adams,b

It look as if it was not acclimated corrrectly. Brazilion woods are very unstable and should be acclimated to the relative humidity of the house. Anyway now that it has settled and got happy you need to sand it down and trowel fill it with brazllian cherry filler. If they want it to shine, coat it with semi-gloss for a happy medium shine. It may have lost it shine because of a wax-based cleaner. If a wax-based cleaner has been used you cannot re-coat it. You must sand it down.

Teetorbilt

C'mon guys, we really need to know where you are with these questions.

If that house has been closed up for the winter with low humidity, the wood will lose moisture and shrink. It's the way wood 'works'. If you fill the gaps in this condition and then open the house for spring, the wood will expand and the floor will bubble or 'pop'.

I'd ask a lot of questions and shift to a wait & see attitude.

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Donedat

The answer is yes. It can either be sanded and refinished or a simple extra coat of finish. That header board with all the gapping can be pulled out and then a new board installed to close the gap then a simple refinish to restore it. Pulling out the whole floor just because the finish is a little dull is not necessary.

__________________
I admit...I don't know everything...but don't tell my kids I told you.

Rambone

I think you hit it on the head The installer put the floor in the same day it was delivered. The floor was installed in the winter and first of spring the floor started popping out all the filler. I think I will just sand fill and recoat.

Thanks for the input.

Ram

Rambone

I'll post the pics when it's done.

Ram

Vermacelli

I'm working on a 1-story new construction house and have a few questions along the same line. Due to past few months of rain, water has collected underneath the house leaving the soil damp for the last few weeks, common yearly occurance for the neighborhood. Before the roofing went in, it rained over the 3/4" OSB subflooring causing it to expaned and curl at the edges. Today the flooring guys came in and sanded the curled edges down and measured the humidy of the OSB which ranged from 12-20%. Approximately 2600 sq. ft. of Brazilian cherry wood, 3/4"x6" wide planks, have been acclimating inside for the last 3-days. The flooring contractor says that the humidy has to be 10% or less and that he can't guarantee the hardwood will not curl or buckle next rain season when the water collects under the house. A drainage system is currently being put in place but will not completely divert all the water. Besides waiting for the OSB to dry out, what are some of the solutions for this type of scenario and what would recommend? I'm officially the painting contractor for the job but I also help out the general contractor with issues and deal with the coordination when he's not around.

Rambone

I checked with the installer of this floor and the Brazilian was 7% and the trim on the door frame was 7.5% so he said ok to install. He never checked the floor itself for moisture and there was water in the basement. He did put tar paper down first but I am not an installer so I don't know if that's the right way or not. I have yet to refinish so the outcome unknown right now.

Ram

adams,b

6 mil poly under the house. Tape it around each peir good and make sure under the house is vented well. The humidity in the plywood sounds kinda high. The wood and the plywood need to be the same relative humidity as the rest of the house because it will be eventually. It also needs to be in a controlled environment, meaning make sure it acclimates with the a/c on. thats some of what I know good luck.