Free checklist
Wood flooringWood flooring rough-in inspection checklist
Wood flooring rough-in is the last time the work is fully visible. Once the cover inspection passes and the walls, ceilings and slabs close, every defect left behind becomes a demolition bill. This checklist walks the rough-in in the order the work goes in, with the photo each item needs before it gets buried. Work is commonly verified against manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 5
- Photos required
- 8
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The flooring installer or lead checking the room, with the GC's superintendent confirming the slab and building conditions are ready.
When in the schedule
After the substrate is prepped and the wood has sat in the space to acclimate, and before the first board is fastened or glued down.
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.
Substrate
- 2 photos
Subfloor flat within tolerance
Slab or subfloor checked with a straightedge over its length, high spots ground and low spots filled to the product's flatness tolerance.
- 2 photos
Moisture tested on slab and wood
Slab moisture measured by the specified method and the wood's moisture content read with a meter, both within the product's range and within the allowed spread of each other.
Acclimation and layout
- 1 photo
Flooring acclimated to the space
Wood stored in the conditioned room long enough to acclimate, HVAC running at service conditions, moisture re-read before install.
- 2 photos
Vapor retarder or underlayment installed
Specified vapor retarder or underlayment down and lapped where required, continuous under the field with no gaps.
- 1 photo
Expansion gap laid out at the perimeter
Starting line and perimeter expansion gap set to the product's requirement at walls and fixed obstructions before the first row is fastened.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Boards laid over a slab that never got a moisture test, so the floor cups or buckles once it takes on water from below.
- Wood delivered and installed the same day with no acclimation, so it shrinks to gaps or swells to a buckle after.
- A high or low spot in the slab left unground and unfilled, telegraphing into hollow, springy boards.
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 8 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 rough-in checklist cover?
- 5 items across 2 sections, covering substrate, acclimation and layout. 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 flooring installer or lead checking the room, with the GC's superintendent confirming the slab and building conditions are ready.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- After the substrate is prepped and the wood has sat in the space to acclimate, and before the first board is fastened or glued down.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 8 of the 5 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 rough-in inspection?
- Boards laid over a slab that never got a moisture test, so the floor cups or buckles once it takes on water from below. Wood delivered and installed the same day with no acclimation, so it shrinks to gaps or swells to a buckle after. A high or low spot in the slab left unground and unfilled, telegraphing into hollow, springy boards.
- 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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