Wood Flooring

Always attempt to clean wood floors first before making the decision to refinish the floor. Sanding removes some of the wood in the floor and can usually be done safely only once or twice in the life of the floor. Newer, laminate or composition wood flooring needs substantially less maintenance than do real wood floors.

Wood and wood type flooring installed on concrete slabs is susceptible to potential moisture and/or termite damage and should be monitored on a regular basis.

Nail Pops

Drywall nail pops are due to normal expansion and contraction of the wood members to which the wall or ceiling material is nailed, and are generally of no structural significance.

Plaster on Wood Lath

Plaster on wood lath is an old technique primarily found in homes built prior to 1940 and is no longer in general use. Wood lath shrinks with time and the nails rust and loosen. As a result, the plaster will be fragile and caution is needed in working with this type of plastering system.

Plaster on Gypsum Lath Rock Lath

Plaster on gypsum lath, also an older technique typically found in homes built prior to 1960, will sometimes show the seams of the 16" wide gypsum lath, but this does not necessarily indicate a structural fault. The scalloping appearance can be leveled with drywall joint compound, or drywall can be laminated over the existing plaster on the ceiling to correct this condition if present.

Drywall /Sheetrock

Most new homes utilize drywall or sheetrock for ceilings and walls. Minor separation at the corners can sometimes occur but this does not generally indicate a structural concern. Your building analyst will advise you if any abnormal conditions were noted regarding the sheetrock areas.