The Purchase of your new floor

The purchase and selection of Hardwood Flooring is difficult considering the various species, installation techniques and construction of hardwood flooring. Certified Flooring Inspectors are available to assist you in the buying process.

A Certified Flooring Inspector can help you decide between solid wood flooring, engineered wood, or floating wood floors; the inspector will also assist you in the proper installation methods for your particular application; nail down, glue down or floating.

Insure proper installation and Building Environment Conditions

Wood flooring products require proper acclimation to the building environment and are installed to the specification outlined by an Architect or Manufacturer. Flooring Inspectors are often commissioned to perform tests on underlayment, sub-floor and wood flooring prior to installation, and  monitor the installation process. This service has proven to save time and avoid costly failures.

Hardwood Floor Failures and Problems

Then there are the unfortunate situations requiring an Inspection, Failure Analysis, and Technical Expert Witness Report. Inspectors are specifically trained to perform necessary inspection procedures that lead to the Cause of Failure thus indicating the party (s) responsible and be your Court Expert Witness. Flooring failures may be related to Improper Specification, Improper Installation, Manufacturing Defect, Maintenance or Damage after installation.

Common Concerns Requiring Hardwood Floor Inspections

Gaps-gapping,  Cupping, Wash Boarding, Buckling, Crowning, Delamination, Splits, Cracks, Swelling, Lifting, Denting, Scratching, Soft Finish, Splintering, Checks, Wear, Sand and Finish problems.

New Homes and Re-sales: Know what you are buying.

The services of Certified Wood Flooring Inspectors are similar to Home Inspectors. Flooring inspectors  offer peace of mind to prospective buyers when their wood floors are inspected for unknown or undisclosed issues.

A typical inspection would provide moisture content of the wood floor and the flooring below, determine if the floor was properly glued and/or nailed, inspect for adequate expansion space, determine if the flooring was properly acclimated to in-use conditions before it was installed and note the overall conditions of the wood floor.

The inspector would note conditions on the exterior of the house and below the floor, such as basements and crawl spaces, to insure the required environment that will not affect the installation in the future.

What to Look for in a Certified Wood Flooring Inspector:

Recommended Inspectors are Certified by the Hardwood Flooring Industry's leading recognized associations: The National Oak Flooring Manufacturers Association (NOFMA) and The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA).