Fill out my online form. Humidity and Hardwood Flooring Colorado and the surrounding mountain states are among the most challenging regions for all wood products because of our extremely dry climate. The concerns of relative humidity control have been addressed by all major wood flooring manufacturers and are clearly documented by them and the National Wood Flooring Association. The following are important points to consider: It is the responsibility of the homeowner to keep the relative humidity within a constant and acceptable range. Consideration of an appropriate humidification system should be given when a home is designed, or when hardwood flooring is added to an existing home. Experts differ slightly on the range they feel is the most appropriate, but a consensus would be between 25% and 40% relative humidity. Any in-home environmental conditions at the low end of, or below, this range will probably result in drying and cracking to some extent of most woods. Without additional humidification, in-home relative humidity can drop below 20% during the heating season because our Colorado winters are so dry.

Even if the atmosphere is generally controlled within this range, there will still be some movement as the seasons change and the relative humidity moves up or down.Patio Furniture Server Wood is a natural product and its limits must be respected. Height To Hang Mirror Over DresserBecause extremely low humidity has such a profound effect on properly manufactured and installed wood flooring, manufacturers do not consider some plank separation or cracking to be defects that would be covered under their warranty.Shower Head Male Connector Engineered wood flooring is more stable than solid wood flooring and will not shrink or expand as much. However, it is still an all-wood product that will react to swings in humidity. Solid wood floors generally will expand and contract more than engineered floors resulting in larger gaps between the flooring boards during dry times of the year.

Extremely dry conditions (those below 25%) will result in gaps between solid wood planks. The size of the gaps will depend upon the size of the planks. The wider the plank, the wider the gap. Extremely dry conditions (those below 25%) will also result in gaps between engineered planks. However, they will not be as wide. Extremely dry conditions may also result in cupping of engineered planks. (Dry cupping is caused when the top of the board is dryer than the bottom.) Extremely dry conditions (those below 25%) may also result in cracks and checking in the surface of both engineered and solid planks. These are not considered defects and are not covered under manufacturer’s warranties. Contact MacDonald Hardwoods at 800.639.3006, today to speak with a flooring professional.When you're talking about problems with wood floors, nothing gets more attention than moisture and its consequences, like cupping. But lack of moisture can be just as big a problem as too much moisture.

This time of the year, when relative humidity (RH) starts plummeting to its lowest levels across most of the country, lack of moisture causes lots of problems for wood floors—and supplies plenty of business for inspectors such as myself.Everyone in the wood flooring business knows (or should know) that during winter, wood floors, especially solid floors, tend to dry out, creating seasonal gaps (formerly referred to as "cracks") between boards. When customers call and complain about the gaps, most people in the business can confidently explain why the gaps are happening and why they will probably disappear when the RH increases in spring.There are other problems caused by low RH that are not so well-known, usually involving prefinished and engineered wood floors, and we see them constantly during this time of year. For example, we were called to do an inspection in Colorado Springs, Colo., on a prefinished engineered product. The first prefinished engineered floor in the home had cupped.

The original floor was ripped out and a vapor retarder and new floor were installed. Yet, the same problem happened with the new floor. Of course, Colorado, like much of the West, is notorious for its arid climate. In this case, the RH inside was at only 4.5 percent.This floor didn't need to be protected from too much moisture! It was suffering from a problem some people refer to as "dry cupping." But the problem is really just cupping, which happens when the top of the board is drier than the bottom of the board. Typically the cause of the imbalance is excess moisture from the subfloor. But it can also happen because of excessive drying on top of the board."Dry cupping" is a problem I see all winter long with engineered products. It starts around the end of October and ramps up by January and February. The top layer—the wear layer— tends to dry out much faster than the core board material, and the thinner the wear layer, the faster it is likely to dry out. As the wear layer quickly dries, it wants to pull away from the bottom core material, which has a cross-grain construction, is a lot more stable and is securely fastened to the subfloor.

The result is the appearance of a cupped floor. Most of the time you'll notice the corners lifting or curling first.Cupping isn't the only problem that happens when engineered and prefinished floors become stressed due to low RH. Splits and checks also can appear. Splits are openings that go all the way through the board from top to bottom (you can drop a dime down it) and checks are similar but smaller (not the entire depth of the board). The stress in the boards can also cause wrinkles or ruptures in the finish.In many cases, the retailers, the contractors and the homeowners don't understand what low RH can do to a wood floor. Just like people, wood floors need normal living conditions to function properly. Typical recommendations are between 30 to 50 percent RH (ideally, 45) and a temperature between 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (ideally, 68 to 72). Looking at the other woodwork in the house, like cabinets and trim, can give you a clue as to how comfortable the RH levels are for wood in the home.