Flooring

12.19

Strip Hardwood Flooring Is Cupped (High Edges)

Acceptable Performance/Condition
Strip hardwood flooring shall be installed without cupping.

Warranty
One -Year Work and Materials
Damage caused by improper maintenance is excluded from the warranty.
Cupping caused by excessive humidity due to failure by the homeowner to maintain adequate ventilation is excluded from the warranty.

Action
One complete heating and cooling season should be allowed as the problem may remedy itself.
Cupping identified at the time of the walk-through shall be repaired. Cupping that occurs after the walk-through and is proven to result from defective work or materials shall be repaired.

Remarks
Identify any damaged hardwood flooring on the Certificate of Possession Form to avoid any dispute about whether the damage was caused by the builder. Cupping of hardwood strip flooring results from excessive moisture when the humidity below the finished flooring material is substantially higher than above.
The homeowner has a responsibility to maintain indoor humidity levels through
humidification, ventilation, air conditioning or dehumidification to prevent permanent,
irreversible damage.
A hygrometer can be used to monitor indoor humidity levels.
The immediate sanding of a cupped floor without first allowing it to correct itself may cause even more damage.
This condition commonly occurs when houses do not have adequate ventilation and can, under certain circumstances, result from defects in work or materials.