Let Hardwood Flooring Acclimate

Make sure the room or level where the flooring will be laid is an enclosed space.

Let hardwood flooring acclimate. This will be absorbed by the boards and may not acclimate properly. This requires some planning but if you try to acclimate your flooring in an area with fluctuating temperature it cannot acclimate to the level of your home. For most wood flooring the wood floor must be within 4 of the moisture content of your subfloor. Don t make the mistake of acclimating the hardwoods in a basement when they are to be installed on the first floor.

Between 5 and 10 days ahead of time check to see if the temperature and humidity of the space is at normal living conditions. Check your flooring with a moisture meter to ensure an accurate reading. Any moisture coming from several construction compounds such as in paints or drywall may still be present in the room. Solid wood flooring should be delivered to the jobsite and allowed to acclimate to the conditions in which it will be installed or near occupancy levels.

Most manufacturers recommend materials acclimate for a minimum of three days with no maximum suggested. Hardwood flooring should be acclimated in a controlled enclosed environment. Acclimation describes the process of conditioning hardwood floor planks so their moisture content is at the optimal level for the environment it is to be installed. If your wood flooring sits in your home too long in the winter and dries out it will expand and permanently cup in the summer or when the home reaches normal living conditions.

Basements are moisture prone since higher humidity air is heavier and sinks. Acclimation of wood flooring begins with proper storage at the job site. In other words let the heat or air run as it would normally for at least 5 days. Allow wood flooring to acclimate for at least three days acclimation times vary by species and product but a rule of thumb is to acclimate wood floor products for at least three days.

Delivery should be after major projects have been completed and thoroughly dry such as dry wall and masonry work. How to acclimate hardwood flooring. Acclimating your flooring too much to either of these seasons can cause permanent damage to your hardwood flooring. How to acclimate hardwood flooring acclimation location.

Wood floor acclimation can be achieved by cross stacking and spacing wood floor materials to encourage air circulation around the boards. Temperature and humidity should be monitored. Inside the boxes. It is a fact that wood flooring will always perform best when the environment is controlled and remains within a relative humidity range of 30 50.

You re trying to reach an equilibrium between the moisture content of the wood materials and the air where the product is being installed.