Hardwood Flooring Humidity Acclimation

Before installing wood floors the flooring needs to reach a moisture content mc level that is in equilibrium with the surrounding environment.

Hardwood flooring humidity acclimation.

Please remember acclimation is the process of adjusting conditioning the moisture content of wood flooring to the environment in which it is expected to perform. As the nwfa suggests calculate what the optimal wood flooring moisture content is baseline by dividing the high season and the low season. Acclimation sometimes called conditioning is the process of allowing wood to reach its equilibrium moisture content emc within normal living conditions it is also one of the most important steps of hardwood floor installation. Improper acclimation can result in excessive shrinkage expansion dimensional distortion or structural damage.

Between 5 and 10 days ahead of time check to see if the temperature and humidity of the space is at normal living conditions. Not acclimating hardwood floors can cause excessive gaps warping buckling or cupping after the installation is complete. Make sure the room or level where the flooring will be laid is an enclosed space. How to acclimate hardwood flooring.

You do not want the relative humidity in your house to go outside this range not only for the health of your flooring but for your own health. Acclimation to the installation environment for solid wood floors should never be overlooked. Inside the boxes. Of course there are situations where wood flooring will need to acclimate.

When wood is neither gaining nor losing moisture equilibrium moisture content emc has been reached. How to test wood flooring moisture content. The moisture content of your hardwood flooring will be between 6 9 which corresponds to a relative humidity level between 30 50. While it s not as important for our engineered hardwoods due to the stability in the way they are constructed solids will expand and contract considerably given the right conditions with wide changes in relative humidity levels.

In other words let the heat or air run as it would normally for at least 5 days. Also keeping the proper relative humidity in the home is a must to ensure stability of your hardwood flooring. Failing to properly acclimate wood flooring may cause excessive expansion shrinkage dimensional distortion or structural damage. Acclimation hardwood floors how long.

This process is known as hardwood acclimation. Acclimating hardwood flooring to your environment is important make sure this has been done properly before installation. If your region has an expected emc from a low of 6 to a high of 9 the baseline moisture content of the wood would be 7 5. The question arises what is the proper way to acclimate hardwood flooring.