Quote Your New Floor
107 visitors on this page
  • About - Company Profile
    •  
    		      


    Web Page Title or Product/Service Name: 2. The Effect of Humidity
    Because wood is a porous product, it tends to expand and contract as the humidity level in your home fluctuates. The wood strips that make up your floor will contract during the drier winter months when furnaces and wood stoves are in use. These dry conditions will result in gaps between the strips. The humidity of summer makes those same wood strips expand, causing the boards to tighten and buckle. There are many things that can be done to combat this problem:

    Acclimatizing your hardwood floor:
    Before your floor is installed the wood must be acclimatized to its new environment. In a new home, this takes place after the windows are installed and the furnace is operational, and after all drywall taping, painting (except the final coat), concrete and mortar work are complete. The wood is simply placed in the living area of your home for the required period of time. Currently, manufacturers are recommending a two day acclimatization period for hardwood which has been stored under good climate-controlled conditions. If someone recommends longer than a two day acclimatization period, that tells you that either the product he is selling is lower-end, or else it has been stored under less than ideal conditions, or both.

    Proper fitting of surrounding cabinetry:
    To ensure your floor has room to move, it should be installed prior to kitchen cabinets, fireplaces and other design elements. If you are placing the floor in an existing home where cabinets are already in place, you may wish to shim the cabinets up to match the thickness of your floor. Additionally, wooden door casings can be easily undercut to eliminate the need for moldings and avoid a visible gap between the wall and flooring.

    Maintaining humidity levels:
    Maintaining a year-round relative humidity level of between 40 and 50 percent will help minimize the common expansion and contraction of your wood floor. Proper ventilation and dehumidification or air conditioning in summer, and the use of a humidifier in winter can reduce drastic variations in your home's humidity levels.