Free checklist
Wood flooringWood flooring final inspection checklist
Wood flooring final inspection is where the punch list is either short or expensive. This checklist walks the finished work the way an owner or AHJ will see it: devices on, systems running, everything labeled. Each item gets the photo that closes it instead of reopening it. Work is commonly verified against manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 6
- Photos required
- 9
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The GC's superintendent with the flooring lead, walking the finished floor before it's protected and turned over.
When in the schedule
After the floor is installed, sanded and the finish coats are down and cured, before protection goes over it and before turnover walks.
The checklist
Every item, and the photo that proves it
The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Copy the list as is, or load it into RTI and let the gate enforce it.
Fastening and layout
- 2 photos
Fastening or adhesive coverage sound
Nailed or stapled floors fastened at the required spacing, glue-down floors solid underfoot with full trowel coverage, no hollow-sounding areas.
- 2 photos
Board gaps and alignment consistent
Boards tight with consistent seams, rows straight, no lippage between boards, end joints staggered per the layout.
- 1 photo
Expansion gaps maintained at walls
Perimeter expansion gap intact behind base and trim, floor not pinched tight at walls, thresholds or reducers allowing movement.
Sanding and finish
- 1 photo
Sanded flat and clean before finish
Surface sanded smooth and even with no drum marks, chatter or swirl, dust pulled before the coats go on.
- 2 photos
Finish coats complete and even
Specified number of finish coats applied evenly with no skips, holidays, bubbles or debris in the film, sheen consistent across the field.
- 1 photo
No cupping or hollow spots
Floor flat with no cupping, crowning or springy hollow areas, checked across the room under raking light.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Adhesive troweled thin on the glue-down field, so boards read hollow underfoot in the middle of the room.
- Expansion gap at the walls closed off tight by base or trim, so the floor has nowhere to move and peaks at a seam.
- Sanding swirl or a thin final coat that only shows under raking light after the room is furnished.
Run it with the Photo Gate
A checklist nobody can submit half-finished
Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 9 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident record behind every line.
Submission state
The gate is enforced on the server, so it holds even if the phone is offline when the walk happens.
Common questions
- What does this wood flooring final checklist cover?
- 6 items across 2 sections, covering fastening and layout, sanding and finish. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
- Who should run this inspection?
- The GC's superintendent with the flooring lead, walking the finished floor before it's protected and turned over.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- After the floor is installed, sanded and the finish coats are down and cured, before protection goes over it and before turnover walks.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 9 of the 6 items call for photo evidence. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
- What most often fails a wood flooring final inspection?
- Adhesive troweled thin on the glue-down field, so boards read hollow underfoot in the middle of the room. Expansion gap at the walls closed off tight by base or trim, so the floor has nowhere to move and peaks at a seam. Sanding swirl or a thin final coat that only shows under raking light after the room is furnished.
- Can I use this checklist in RTI?
- Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident audit trail.
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