I just had new bamboo floors installed, and the sub floor was not completely level. Now I see in the middle of the floor, there is a little crown line sticking up. Is this because of the un-level floors, or is it because my installer switched directions, and when the two directions meet in the middle, it forms the crown? We did not have the money to have a leveler come out to fix the sub floor, it wasn't that bad...but was this the right method for the installer to use?

Also, there was a little gap in the floors that I wasn't happy about. He said they can just fill it in with wood putty. Is that right?

Here are the floors I had installed: http://www.lumberliquidators.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=6763&WT.mc_id=CSE_PG_07

They were stapled to plywood sub floor.

How big are the gaps? Small gaps are normal for hardwood floors (about as thick as a dime or less).

I like the floor! I am doing a similar style floor in my office.

There is only 1 small gap, as thick as a dime...but you can see the sub floor poking through since its a dark bamboo that's down.

I'm more concerned about the crown line that stick up in the middle of the floor and if the way they installed it was right...

With directional changes it's always wise to connect the two areas so there's a tongue and groove area holding it together. Was this done or are the areas simply butted to one another? Wait, sounds like the latter..

"but you can see the sub floor poking through since its a dark bamboo that's down"

Some guys do it the right way while others...

It's butted where they changed directions...but where the crown is, I don't think its butted together.

Is what they did right?

I know for sure the gap isn't right...but is wood putty the only way to fix that?

I think what your seeing down there is simply the tongue which has no stain on it. Putty is your buddy.

He shoulda slip tongued the area where he reversed direction. Does it move up and down?

Yeah I think your right about the tongue being exposed with no stain.

No it doesn't move where they reversed directions. They straight nailed down those parts and filled the holes with wood putty.

It's in the middle of the floor where there is the crown, that doesn't seem to move up or down either...I can't really tell if its tongue and grooved together (this part that sticks up does not have straight nails or wood putty). All I know is that it sticks up a little bit and its annoying =)

They way he explained it to me...is that this is where the two areas meet from changing directions and that it was the best way to lay the floor without leveling, to avoid the high and low spots.

EDIT** And they said I wouldn't have a problem with the floor buckling...it would just be more cosmetic than anything...which is what it appears to be...just cosmetic. But annoying.

What I did in a similar situation, get a super fine paint brush, get some paint and paint the "exposed" tongue portion. You won't even notice the small gaps anymore.

They said to use this marker after applying the wood putty and letting it dry: http://www.minwax.com/products/wood_maintenance_and_repair/wood_finish_stain_marker.html

what you might have is called tree topping. Where the edge of the plywood might have been slightly swollen so the boards go up then back down. I try to cut those down before the installation but they don't always come out perfect. there's only so much we can do as installers especially if there is a budget issue.

Or some matching stain, mask it off with blue tape first.

Did they belt sand the edges at all?

They didn't sand anything.

Yeah I'm pretty sure that's what it was, with our plywood sub floor. As long as they approached it the right way...I'm ok with it. I just want to know it was done right.

I would use Color Rite ( Slight movement won't affect it, better product & finish ).
A fellow on another post found out... If you tell ColorRite which Behr color ( at HD ) is the closest, they will send the matching color.

http://colorriteinc.com

Tape off both sides of the gap with blue tape. Squirt the filler in the gap, go over the top with a putty knife, pull the tape

Responding to the first post, I think the Site Administrator hit the nail on the head.
The installer changed directions in the middle of the room (he was supposed to), but there is either the wrong spline or no spline, allowing the edge to lift.