Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - Surface cracks..Help or normal?

Installed pre finished maple (somerset) about 3 weeks ago. Surface cracks poped up on a few boards. :eek: It looks like its only on the surface (clear coat - I hope?) and the crack runs along the length (not width) and it doesnt go all the way to an edge. They are fine hair line cracks, but raised and can be felt if you run your hand across it. Is this normal? is it just on the clearcoat, or does it go all they way thru the thickness of the wood? Should I try to repair it? use steel wool to ease the edge and touch it up with poly? Or shoud I leave it alone?

Thanks in advance,

Rappy

Was HVAC system up and running before installation? Was wood placed in rooms where it was being installed for several days prior to installation to adjust to temperature and humidity? Did you install a vapor retarder beneath wood? If installed over a crawl space is it well-ventilated with no dead air spaces and polypropylene (plastic) vapor retarder over soil? Is crawl space dry? If over a basement, is it dry? Did you leave the recommended 3/4" wide expansion gap along perimeter of room? What width flooring did you install? What does your hygrometer say that the humidity level is in the room where this is a problem? It should be maintained year round between 35-55% and maintained at this year round. Did you do a moisture test of wood and subfloor with humidistat prior to installation. There can be no greater than 2% difference when installing the wider widths. With the 2 1/4" strip no greater than 4% difference is allowed.

Maple tends not to be as dimensionally stable as some other wood species. Too, the wider the board, the less dimensionally stable. Maple, especially in wider widths, is very sensitive to humidity changes and moisture and humidity issues. If ALL recommendations for jobsite conditions and installation instructions are not followed, then you can experience cupping, crowning, and/or delamination of finish. Failure to follow recommendations and instructions void warranties.

Well it is 2 1/4 strip. We did lay 15 # felt, no we did not test for moisture, it is installed in an existing family room, with HVAC. It is over a crawl space, that has plastic over the floor. It is dry, but might not have enough venting??. The bords were in the house for about 10 days before install, with approx 1/2 to 3/4 in gap along the walls. I will have to go back to the house and see what the humidity is set for in the house. The cracks are not that bad, hair line, maybe 3 in long, and do not go to the edge. 2 boards. Can they/should they be repaired?

Attempts to make repairs will more than likely cause the boards to look worse than they do now. If you have left over flooring, it is possible to replace those individual boards.