We just had 2700 sqft for Bruce Hardwood installed our home sits on pier and beam foundation. Over the last few months it has started to cup and buckle. We are in Texas and have had a lot of rain. The installer did not put a moisture barrier under the subfloor and there is a lot of moisture under our home. They used the right felt paper over the subfloor so I don't know why this is happening. Please help!!!

You answered your own question.



Poor drainage=water under the house+ no polyethylene vapor barrier installed on the ground as required= cupped and buckled floors.

If we install the barrier under our home can we expect to see the floor go back to there original look? I thought the felt paper would protect the floors it doesnt? What can i do to save my floors. Upstairs is about 500 sqft and it did not cup it looks great.

It should help. Don't hesitate! Not surprised about upstairs where there is no moisture.

Go to this link, and DL the crawl space design, pdf..

You will be surprised what you find there. It is a gold mine.


http://www.buildingscience.com/search?S ... rawl+space

1) Make sure all the rain gutters are connected to pipe that carries the runoff away from the foundation.
2) Make sure the dirt slopes away from the house.
3) If there is a hill near you, you may need a french drain installed to collect water running toward your home underground.
4) Use a sump pump to get all the standing water out from under your house, NOW!
5) After removing all the water, use some high velocity fans in the crawl space to help dry things out.
6) once the ground is dry (this will take awhile), install an 8 mil polyethylene plastic vapor retarder under the entire house. Weight it down with sand, bricks, chunks of concrete, gravel, etc. Just NO WOOD!

Do all this now. Your floors MAY go back down somewhat but they typically don't go back all the way. The upstairs wasn't subjected to all the moisture UNDER the house. Felt paper is NOT a moisture barrier. It is simply a vapor retarder. Enough moisture under a home and solid floors will cup and buckle.

The cupping, if no damage to the edges, may improve upon repairing the moisture source.
maybe get fans blowing under the house? Blow it dry may help.

Like Gary said, do all you can to improve drainage away from the home.