Well I got the rest of the kitchen done this weekend. Every time I start working with this flooring is kind of like hitting your self with a hammer, it feels so good when you stop. My general question is this pretty much a Bruce QC problem or is it a industry standard for refinished white oak flooring?
This flooring is bowed, twisted and warped in the long plane (like a flat bow) and some is even different width by as much as a 1/16″. Mind you not the whole box just 20-50%.
Most of the problems I can work with but even as a diy’er it will take the rest of the year to lay the living/dining room. I have some laminate ratchet straps to pull it tight and a block plane to trim the planks to width. Lowes claims I can bring back the bad boards so I am also spending a lot of time going through a couple of boxes at a time sorting out the worst.
Am I being picky or is pretty much common?
BTW it does look great once it is nailed (stapled in my case) down.
JF
Replies
Bruce is not known for quality, if you buy it from the "orange box" stores. I had a problem with their butterscotch color, and ended up purchasing the flooring from a flooring distributor. Interesting, the flooring from HD had warps, and finish problems, the batch from the distributor was better quality. I've heard HD specs out flooring in lesser grades than what's carried by flooring supply companies.
> I've heard HD specs out flooring in lesser grades than what's
> carried by flooring supply companies.I've spoken with a few employees in the know, and this is HD policy in any situation in which it enables them to cut the price below competitors.Just like WalMart, they expect manufacturers to send them their second-quality stuff at a discount, or even make a special cut-rate line for them. One employee explained that the reason they didn't handle many Porter-Cable tools was that PC wouldn't deal with them in this way.Back around 1995, I did a fair amount of work with Dal tile. Some was bought from HD, some from a local tile store. The number of defective tiles was about double in the HD batch. They were basically selling stuff that had skipped the Dal quality control process.George Patterson
Thanks for all the helpful ideas. I am stuck finishing this project as I am a lowly DIY'er but should of known better. I already told the flooring manager and store manager that there were a lot of culls in the mess they sent me (Lowes). They said no problem just make sure you have your receipt (I do) and we will gladly take back and credit every stick. I sure as heck hope they do, I won't be finished with this until early spring at best.
I am using a Bostich flooring stapler (Amazon), figured sooner or later I would resell it on Ebay when I get done. The tool works great and when I am done putting down a pice you do not want to try and remove it. I have because of my screwups had to remove a couple and without my Multi Master I would of had a bear of a time. If Iwas trying to put this CXXX down for a living I think I would tell the boss to stuff it where the sun doesn't shine.
I do like the look and when it goes down correctly it looks great. I am starting a big cull pile off to one side and as I empty a box I reload it with culls and hopefully I will have enough wood. I have about 37 boxes left to work with and a 25x25 room plus a 5x25 hall. I also find about an adverage of 2-3 long (5-7) 10-12 med 3-5's and the rest 18"-30".
I have two boxes of culls so far after I quit trying to make them work by cutting out the bad parts and routing new ends.
Thanks again
Jim F
This flooring is bowed, twisted and warped in the long plane (like a flat bow) and some is even different width by as much as a 1/16".
Sounds like the kind of material that should be discounted way way down as culled.
So what they are expecting you to do is overbuy with the idea of you sorting thru for the usable pieces and return the culls for credit?
sobriety is the root cause of dementia.
Maybe he bought the last guy's culls... :-)
Is this prefinished or what? And, what kind of tool are you using to fasten it down?
bruce has never been able to make straight boards now that armstrong ownes them they are to be big box only armstrong has already screwed up hartco and robbins in our store we do not sell of them
Was this sold as seconds? Sounds pretty frustrating. You shouldn't have to use ratchet straps on strip flooring. Nor a block plane.
Mild bows aren't usually a problem, a pnuematic floor stapler should pull the bow right out. Twisted & warped-no good.
Width variations of 1/16" aren't cool either. That really ticks me off, especially since it usually isn't noticed til the next row is installed. I'd be taking it back.
I earn a good portion of my income installing hardwood floors - its all about doing a good job in the least amount of time. With material like that, you won't accomplish either.
I installed about 1200 ft of Bruce prefinished last spring that was sold through a local lumberyard & I don't remember too many problems. I have seen lots of bad Bruce coming from Home Depot tho - Enough that I try to avoid those jobs. Could be coincidence - I'm not sure.
Mike
Edited 9/8/2007 5:55 pm by arcticcat
Pretty much standard for Bruce. After finishing a house, it is not unusual to have several boxes of unusable boards re-packed and sent back for credit. Unusable Bruce boards are in the 25% to 30% range. If you need 4 boxes, buy 5.
90% of the hardwood going out the door of the company I work for is Mirage. Waste is consistently under 10% and the finish is incredibly hard. I scraped some month old PL-Premium off some boards the other day with a pocket knife, it didn't even nick the finish.
Gord