How To Properly Acclimate Hardwood Floors

Don t make the mistake of acclimating the hardwoods in a basement when they are to be installed on the first floor.

How to properly acclimate hardwood floors.

Wood floor acclimation can be achieved by cross stacking and spacing wood floor materials to encourage air circulation around the boards. In other words acclimation is the point at which the wood is neither gaining nor losing moisture. Use a chart from. Acclimation of wood flooring begins with proper storage at the job site.

During acclimation you want to find equilibrium between the wood and the air in your home. Once the facility has been confirmed to be at the expected living condition proceed with delivery of flooring. Hardwoods should be acclimated in the same room level where they will be installed. Allow wood flooring to acclimate for at least three days.

Six steps to acclimation success step 1. Make sure the room or level where the flooring will be laid is an enclosed space. Between 5 and 10 days ahead of time check to see if the temperature and humidity of the space is at normal living. How to acclimate hardwood flooring acclimation location.

Acclimation times vary by species and product but a rule of thumb is to acclimate wood floor products for at least three days. If the temperature and humidity of the room is off use a heating and or air conditioning system to. 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. Basements are moisture prone since higher humidity air is heavier and sinks.

Best practices for acclimating wood flooring. Know the type of wood flooring you re working with before it arrives and how long it takes to acclimate under normal. Most manufacturers recommend materials acclimate for a minimum of three days with no maximum suggested. To avoid distortion of shape and dimension that can eventually lead to structural damage consider the following tips for acclimating hardwood flooring like a pro.

How to store wood flooring. If the manufacturer recommends the wood flooring be acclimated before installation proceed as follows. Before installing hardwood flooring the wood needs to reach a moisture content that s in equilibrium with its surrounding environment. Upon delivery check wood flooring moisture content with a moisture meter to establish a baseline for acclimation.

Make sure that the heating and air conditioning units are in operation at least five days before delivery of the.