Engineered hardwood · Cupping
Why is my engineered hardwood cupping?
Engineered floors resist moisture better than solid wood, but they still cup when the bottom of the board takes on moisture, usually from the slab or subfloor.
Also searched as: "engineered wood edges curling", "engineered floor boards concave"
What usually causes it
- Slab or crawlspace moisture
- Leaks
- Missing or failed moisture barrier
What you can check yourself
- Check for leaks and note where cupping is worst
What an independent inspection checks
- Moisture content of the flooring and the subfloor, mapped across the room
- Room temperature and relative humidity, and how they change by season
- Concrete slab moisture (ASTM F2170 in-situ RH) when the floor is over concrete
Who is responsible?
Depends on the moisture source and whether required moisture testing was done before installation.
Get your engineered floor inspected
Tell us what you're seeing and we'll explain the next step. We cover every county in Southern California and only inspect. We don't sell or install flooring.