Is this swirling acceptable?

[powellohio]

Hello,

I just had brand new wood floors installed and wanted to see if this amount of swirling is acceptable or is to be expected. I'm naive to what good vs. bad looks like and wanted to get feedback from this group. Thanks!!

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1YcQylq2I1EYisMQ9NQoRlF-v1QKrRspL?usp=sharing

 

[Mark Brown]

It is acceptable if you hired the lowest cost provider you could find and paid about 2 dollars a sqft. Short of that, I would have to go out on a limb and say someone should lose some limbs for that work.

 

[Mark Brown]

I am not even entirely sure how one gets cross grain circular swirls like that in a floor.... wtf did they sand it with a 16 inch orbital??

 

[C.J.]

Those are definitely buffer swirls. The darker the floor the more any imperfection will stand out but that doesn’t make that type of work acceptable. If you know you’re going with a darker floor you gotta up your attention to detail because every little thing will show. It’s too bad that buffer swirls are what’s gonna sink that job.

Are the swirls everywhere throughout the job? Or just here n there. If they’re everywhere then they prolly used too rough a grit screen. If they’re here n there then it could be they didn’t tack the floor properly, or at all, and some crap got caught in the screen and causes the swirls. Same thing can happen from a damaged screen that was used too long and wasn’t changed out.

Screens are funny. Even a 220 grit can leave swirls. Technique plays a big part in buffing. You gotta have plenty of screens on hand and I even keep used ones because they aren’t as abrasive and sometimes that’s what you need is a half ass used screen to get just the right touch. Same thing with 12 and 16 grit sanding discs, not that I’d be using those on a hardwood floor. Some jobs just call for a used disc or screen because a new one will just tear shit up.

Ever since I got my hydra sand I hardly screen anymore when blending edger and big machine sandings. I get a better finish with 100 grit discs on the hydra sand than I do with a 220 grit screen. Sounds like whoever did your floor needs to invest in one n

 

[powellohio]

Thank you all for the feedback. Very disappointed in the work that was done and finding swirls everywhere.

 

[powellohio]

Those are definitely buffer swirls. The darker the floor the more any imperfection will stand out but that doesn’t make that type of work acceptable. If you know you’re going with a darker floor you gotta up your attention to detail because every little thing will show. It’s too bad that buffer swirls are what’s gonna sink that job.

Are the swirls everywhere throughout the job? Or just here n there. If they’re everywhere then they prolly used too rough a grit screen. If they’re here n there then it could be they didn’t tack the floor properly, or at all, and some crap got caught in the screen and causes the swirls. Same thing can happen from a damaged screen that was used too long and wasn’t changed out.

Screens are funny. Even a 220 grit can leave swirls. Technique plays a big part in buffing. You gotta have plenty of screens on hand and I even keep used ones because they aren’t as abrasive and sometimes that’s what you need is a half ass used screen to get just the right touch. Same thing with 12 and 16 grit sanding discs, not that I’d be using those on a hardwood floor. Some jobs just call for a used disc or screen because a new one will just tear shit up.

Ever since I got my hydra sand I hardly screen anymore when blending edger and big machine sandings. I get a better finish with 100 grit discs on the hydra sand than I do with a 220 grit screen. Sounds like whoever did your floor needs to invest in one n

I’m finding them everywhere

 

[C.J.]

That sucks. Only way to fix it is to redo the whole floor. Did you already pay for the job? A redo may or may not be an option for some people given whatever situation they may be in. Cash settlement? You got some thinkin to do for sure.

The worst part is a skilled installer can see that before they ever put the first coat of finish or stain on.

 

[powellohio]

That sucks. Only way to fix it is to redo the whole floor. Did you already pay for the job? A redo may or may not be an option for some people given whatever situation they may be in. Cash settlement? You got some thinkin to do for sure.

The worst part is a skilled installer can see that before they ever put the first coat of finish or stain on.

Thank you for the feedback. Addressing it onsite with the installer tomorrow. Wish me luck.

 

[Mark Brown]

Your concerns are valid and if you approach it from the point of view of finding a solution (redo) and not from the point of failure and fault (obvious) it shouldn't be too hard to get satisfaction.
Either way, you are correct in your assumption that it is unacceptable and needs to be addressed.

BEST OF LUCK - see, helping

 

[powellohio]

Your concerns are valid and if you approach it from the point of view of finding a solution (redo) and not from the point of failure and fault (obvious) it shouldn't be too hard to get satisfaction.
Either way, you are correct in your assumption that it is unacceptable and needs to be addressed.

BEST OF LUCK - see, helping

Thanks!

 

[highup]

A friend does hardwood and he talks people out of staining, especially darker stains because there is zero forgiveness.
I even looked up a wood flooring site a long time ago and they even recommended against darker stain. One would think the person doing the work would understand this is more difficult and spend more time than if they were just doing a clear finish.

 

[C.J.]

One would think the person doing the work would understand this is more difficult and spend more time than if they were just doing a clear finish.

One would think. Maybe this is the first dark floor they’ve done. Maybe they let the new guy buff the floor. Maybe they ran out of time for the job? You know that is a thing for a lot of people. Last dark floor I did my final screening left swirls just like the OP’s and I ended up having to go back to 100 grit on my hydra sand and sand them all out. That cost me a half day but what is the alternative, spending another 2 to 3 days and another $500 in stain and finish to completely redo the floor?

 

[C.J.]

We gotta know, how did the meeting with the installer go?

 

[Kyle Nelson]

That looks like someone didn’t know what they were doing. Swirls shouldn’t be a “thing”