FOR BELOW GRADE (BASEMENT OR CONCRETE) FLOOR
Use a dehumidifier throughout the summer and winter months to keep wood movement and expansion to a minimum.
FOR ABOVE GRADE FLOOR
Use a humidifier throughout the winter months to keep wood movement and shrinkage to a minimum. ( If the floor has sight of cracking in it.)
WOOD FLOOR IS CUPPING
CAUSE & EFFECT:
Moisture imbalance through the thickness is the only cause. The material was manufactured flat and was flat when installed. Job site or occupant provided moisture is greater on the bottom of the piece than on the top. Common moisture sources and their corrections are: Airborne Relative Humidity– dehumidify air space or– humidify air space during the heating season Wet basement – ventilate, dehumidify Crawlspace – total groundcover with black plastic 6 mil; vents; add exhaust fan on timer Rain handling provisions – correct to drain away from house
Reduce excessive lawn & garden moisture, waterproof foundation Repair leaks, i.e. plumbing, roof, doors. Don’t hose patio In kitchen, the dishwasher and icemaker are notorious leakers. Expansion is also the result of site moisture and may have moved the floor tight to vertical surfaces. If so, remove flooring along the wall, or saw cut, to relieve pressure.
CURE:
Allow time. Time for the corrections to take effect – to permit the floor to improve on its own. It may become acceptable. After stabilized, sand flat and finish.
WOOD FLOOR HAS CRACKS IN IT
Wood is a natural product it will react to changes in its environment. The most common causes of separations are Mother Nature and dryness. The loss of moisture results in the most frequent reason for shrinkage of individual pieces and cracks. Most cracks are seasonal – they appear in dry months, or the cold season when heating is required, and close during humid periods. The season for cracks in your hardwood flooring is when the temperature drops, and the heat goes on continue until the winter is over.
This type of separation and close is considered normal. In solid 2 ¼" wide strip oak floors, "dry time" cracks may be the width of a dime’s thickness (1/32nd"). Wider boards will have wider cracks and the reverse is true.
The cure is to minimize humidity changes by adding moisture to the air space during dry periods. A constant Relative Humidity (RH) of 50% with a temperature of 65-75 degrees (Fahrenheit) provide stability to the floor.
PREPARATION:
Unfinished, prefinished, floaters, glue-downs, tracks, clips, and especially products like Natural Reflections and wide planking, which are sensitive to change. Heat and air conditioning should be operating ahead of installation. Products should be acclimated a minimum of 72 hours on the jobsite with boxes open for proper air circulation.
Expansion is more important tangentially, or across the grain of plain sawn lumber which is most commonly used. Though wood expands only 0.1% along the grain, longitudinally, remember that many floor squeaks come from wood rubbing against drywall and trim. Since moisture content in New England runs an average 6-12%, at an average temperature of 50.5 degrees Fahrenheit, relative humidity at around 55%, a floor that is equal in moisture to the jobsite at close to 9% would be an excellent median point for installation. With proper expansion, this floor is less likely to gap or compress.
For low humidity jobsites that will eventually become humid, use one of the following methods to avoid problems, or make a note not to install the floor super-tight, leaving natural gaps alone.
Use a .020" sheet metal spacer every 5 to 6 rows to leave small gaps
Use a .010" spacer every 3 rows
Use 'minute' spacers (.003") between each row. With Natural Reflections this can be accomplished by leaving the board
finger tight.
Note: if homeowners go on vacation, the humidity level inside the home will equalize with the outside ambient humidity. To avoid expansion, temperature should be maintained at approximately 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Wood changes approximately 5%-15% across the grain and parallel to the annular rings (tangentially) in Plain Sawn wood: the greatest possible dimensional change. Because of this, in an area that could change as much as 4% (i.e. from 7% to 11%) wood could shrink or swell as much as 1/32". Also, note that finish coatings retard, but don't prevent moisture. In actuality, leaving expansion is not only the professionally recommended method, but it will make a job go faster, neater but also reduces the risk of possible problems so as to guarantee repeat business. Door jams can be undercut which is neater and faster than scribing and no warranties are voided.
In closing, understanding among the best and the majority in the wood flooring industry that expansion is a necessity, not an accessory.
WOOD FLOOR CARE & MAINTENANCE
Today's wood floor finishes are relatively easy to maintain. Enjoy your wood floor for many years by following the simple steps listed below.
Place walk-off rugs at entrances. This will help trap grit, which can scratch your floor. The rugs should be vacuumed and cleaned on a regular basis. These rugs should occasionally be moved to provide equal oxidation throughout the entire floor, allowing the floor to age at the same rate throughout. Avoid using the rugs until 2 weeks after the finish has been applied to allow the finish to fully cure.
Place mats near high spill areas (refrigerator & sinks). Do not allow soiled rugs to stay on the floor as they can trap moisture in the wood floor. Rugs should be cleaned on a regular basis.
Never apply water on your floor. Never wet-mop your floor. A damp/dry mop is fine as long as the moisture is limited to an amount that will evaporate almost immediately. Any additional water will seep through plank cracks causing the finish to break down and wood fibers to expand. A wet rag may be used for cleaning up spills. However, be sure to dry afterward to avoid leaving any moisture on the floor.
Vacuum your floor regularly to remove grit, dirt and rocks that can scratch your floor finish.
Always use the manufacturers recommended cleaning products on your floor. If you don't know the manufacturer, use a generic hardwood floor cleaner designed for the type of finish that is on your floor.
A cleaner for surface finishes, such as urethane, is quite common and readily available. This is generally a water-based product similar to Windex. Do not use Windex, as it will leave a film. Do not use a solvent based (petroleum based products) cleaner on urethane-finished floors (surface coated). Solvents/petroleum's will soften and break down a surface finish.
Solvent type maintenance products were originally created for waxed hardwood floors and are still important products for floors that are finished with penetrating oil or wax finish. Although not as common, there is still a demand for this traditional finish. Using a water-based cleaner as in the urethane finished floor cleaners will ruin a penetrating finish. It will turn it first a white color (like a ring from a glass on a coffee table) and eventually black as it rots the wood.
Put floor protector glides under your furniture legs. This will allow your furniture to move but not scratch the floor.
Shoe Heels can exert a tremendous amount of pressure pounds per square inch. They can dent even the hardest of floors. Baseball cleats or even a dog with unclipped toenails can also damage a floor.
Refrigerators and dishwashers with bottom motors should have appliance trays installed under them to protect the floor from heat. Heat can cause the floor to have varying degrees of dryness. This may cause uneven shrinkage and cracking. These cracks, while not obvious, will collect dirt causing them to become more visible over time.
If the floor is beginning to show significant wear it may be time to recoat the floor. Contact us, flooring professional regarding your options. By recoating the floor at the first signs of wear, you will be able to bring your floor back to new condition with just a recoating. If the floor is allowed to wear into the wood, it will require the floor to be re-sanded and then coated resulting in a much higher cost.