Moisture and Your Wood Floors

One of the biggest benefits of hardwood floors is their extremely long life. Nearly any well-maintained hardwood product can last hundreds of years. That said, wood has to be cared for. Among the biggest dangers to the integrity of hardwood flooring is moisture. Understanding the ramifications moisture has on timber will allow you to maintain your floors looking pristine during their lifetime.

How Wood Reacts and Why

It's well known that trees feature water whenever they are alive, but many don't realize that wood stores water after it is cut. Wood is hygroscopic, meaning that the fibers act like a sponge to absorb and release vapor into the surrounding atmosphere. Because of this, wood flooring, doors, cabinets, and furniture expand and contract because humidity levels rise and fall. If you've ever needed a door that sticks shut one day but shuts publicly the following, the reason is probably high levels of humidity. This motion is totally normal and happens together with wooden objects to your extent. .

Wood Species

 
Various species of wood are capable of retaining more water than others. Dimensional stability is the term frequently utilized to spell out just how much a given wood will expand and contract from ecological problems. Thought should be given to the relative humidity of your house climate when choosing a timber species. What is right for a home in Arizona may not be perfect for a house in Florida.

While a wood's density will generally provide you a reasonable idea of how stable it's going to be (with harder species offering greater equilibrium ), other factors affect this movement too. Qualities unique to the cells of a certain type of wood affect dimensional stability, as does the size of the plank. Quarter-sawn boards also typically experience less horizontal expansion compared to flat-sawn.

Understanding that the dimensional stability of wood species can allow you to make informed product decisions and help in future upkeep. (The U.S. Department of Agriculture has created a helpful matrix to assist calculate stability, clearly explained here.) It is very important to note, however, that no two pieces of wood will be the same. Accordingly, besides calculating the dimensional stability of wood materials prior to installation, care must be taken when installing those substances to stop undesirable side effects later.

Setup 

 A conscientious installer will acclimate wood to its optimum climate -- both the temperature and humidity levels where your home will typically be kept. It's ideal to conduct an air conditioner and keep up a steady temperature for four to five days before installation. Wood products should be unpacked and stacked within this space so that air can freely circulate around them.

 
When installing hardwood flooring, it's also important to make a gap across the ground's perimeter. This gap should correspond to a calculation of expansion and shrinkage, frequently half to three-quarters of an inch. This is normally covered with baseboard to hide it and also to stop debris and dust from collecting inside.

Problems

 
Poor planning, inadequate setup, and inadequate maintenance can lead to unsightly, moisture-related issues that will compromise the integrity of the floor. Some of the most common are as follows:

If a space is too tender, boards will separate to the stage that thin gaps will look between them. Even though a small amount of this is to be expected, gaps that are too big are unsightly. Additionally they become traps for debris and dust, making floors more challenging to wash. Furthermore, gapped flooring are less comfortable to walk on.

Cupping

If moisture levels are excessively large, cupping may occur. Wood boards become saturated and expand to their maximum capacity. Obviously, planks are fitted together tightly during installation. When they become completely saturated, the borders bend upward, creating a U-shape down the middle of the plank. (Especially, it is the width of the plank that contracts and expands most. Even though a similar problem referred to as"buckling" happens when flooring flake out lengthwise, this generally only results from major flooding.) Cupped flooring are quite noticeable and make an uneven surface. If left too long, cupping can permanently damage wood boards.

Crowning

 
Crowning occurs when flooring have cupped and, in a short-sighted attempt to correct this, the homeowner places down the upturned edges. While trimming is a workable option if long-term cupping has warped the planks, this must only be undertaken after humidity levels have been normalized. When floors are sanded prematurely, once the planks contract, the result can be plank borders that are lower than the centres. This, too, can make clearly uneven floors that are embarrassing to walk .

 Preventing Moisture Problems

 
Obviously, if your wood floors are already installed, you have no control over hardwood species or setup methods (unless you wish to eliminate them and start over). But there are steps you can take to prevent damage to your floors.

Responsible Upkeep

 
This may seem obvious, but maintain fluids off the flooring. When cleaning, don't wet mop. Use a broom or dry mop instead, dabbed with a manufacturer-recommended cleaner if necessary.

When spills occur, clean them as swiftly as possible. Don't allow water to stand. In the event of flooding or significant plumbing leaks, do not panic. While these may cause superficial damage, odds are they could be mended, given all water is removed immediately. Use fans to hasten the drying procedure. Consult a qualified timber professional if repairs are needed.

 Indoor Domestic Legislation

 
The easiest yet most effective measure you can take to preserve the integrity of this timber in your home is to regulate humidity and temperature levels. An excellent humidifier, dehumidifier, and air conditioner are modest investments which will help to prolong the life span of your floors almost forever.

The National Wood Flooring Association recommends that distances have been stored between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, with relative humidity levels between 30 to 50 percent. A moisture meter can be used to take normal measurements of the relative humidity of your area. (A handy set of guidelines can be found here.) Recording these measurements at regular periods will streamline the procedure for climate regulation.

Houses at risk for harm are such occupied only part of this year. If you are a snowbird or have a summer house, make sure you take action to make sure that the climate on your escape is correctly regulated. While this may add minimal expense in the short term, it will help maintain the integrity and value of your home for generations to come.