Humidity And Laminate Flooring

Humidity levels in your home are often affected by seasonal changes and laminate flooring responds by expanding and contracting.

Humidity and laminate flooring.

What happens when humidity and laminate mix. Laminate flooring is inexpensive comprised of wood composites that are pressed together for high strength and water resistance. In addition to withstanding temperature changes and humidity with ease tile floors are also great for keeping your home cool. Although it s not waterproof high pressure laminate flooring experiences little expansion and contraction.

The installation of your laminate flooring is the critical time to think about humidity. To allow for this expansion place 3 8 inch spacers along the wall to leave a consistent gap around the edges of the floor. As we just saw however this range can often be difficult to achieve in certain areas of the country during certain seasons. This material is made with special glue that reduces moisture absorption making it more impervious to humidity.

If this wood dries out excessively the clicking system may fail. The national wood floor association nwfa states that normal relative humidity levels should range between 30 50 to ensure successful long term performance of your wood flooring. If you live in a place that s both hot and humid tile floors are a no brainer. The first thing to know when learning how to lay laminate flooring is that all laminate flooring will expand and contract due to temperature and humidity fluctuations.

Wetting the floor regularly or allowing water to stand on the floor can allow moisture to seep between the planks and warp the wood. To do this arrange your boxes of flooring side by side without opening them. Before you install your flooring you must acclimate your laminate to the environment where it will be housed. Laminate floors and humidity.

Don t clean your laminate floors with excessive water. You only need a damp mop and spot cleaning for spills. First things first laminate flooring is generally not waterproof. Low humidity levels can also have an impact on your flooring.

If you want a durable flooring material and you live in a humid climate be sure to take a look at high pressure laminate. Aim to keep the humidity in your home between 35 and 55. Laminate flooring is held together by a mechanical click system made out of wood products. Because laminate is installed using a tongue in groove click to lock system this expansion can push the sides of each plank into each other causing them to buckle.

As the humidity levels rise above 60 your flooring expands. Laminate flooring mannington flooring.