Tips to Protect Harwood Floors from Weather Changes Across Seasons  

08/19/2024

Out of all flooring options, hardwood has remained a top preference for many homeowners for the last few centuries. While the beauty and elegance of hardwood floors are unmatched, these floors require a lot of attention. In order to protect hardwood floors, it is essential to understand how it changes from season to season and implement measures to prevent these changes.  

Many weather elements may affect your hardwood floor, but temperature and moisture have the maximum impact on these floors. Therefore, with changing temperature and moisture levels throughout the year, hardwood floors are also likely to change.  

While discussing the impact of weather changes on hardwood floors, a few factors must be taken into consideration.  

• When the weather is cold and the humidity is low, dryness may lead to contraction of the floor. This can easily create gaps or cracks in the planks. Normal and the best-suited humidity levels for hardwood ranges between 35%-55%. You can use a humidifier in colder months to control and achieve the desired humidity levels. Damage to planks can be prevented simply by controlling extreme fluctuations in temperature and moisture. 
• Warmer weather brings greater humidity because of higher temperatures. As hardwood floors are exposed to increased moisture, they tend to expand. If this happens over a period of time, you may observe warping or splitting of the floor. To extract excess moisture from the air, a dehumidifier may be used during the summer. Extreme fluctuation of temperature and humidity can also be addressed by consistent air conditioning.     
• Hardwood floors are also affected by consistent and direct exposure to sunlight. Depending on the type of wood used, your floor may become darker or lighter over some time. This problem can be solved to a great extent by installing window coverings or using a rug to cover the exposed areas. 
• The reaction of a hardwood floor to moisture also depends on the wood type, cut type, and whether planks have been stained or treated. Oak, cherry, and maple are considered to be great options from this standpoint.  

Importance of Acclimation  

Being a hygroscopic material, wood tends to contract or expand with fluctuations in moisture level. This can be prevented best by creating equilibrium between the flooring and the space it will inhabit, prior to installation. This process is commonly referred to as acclimation of hardwood.  

For proper acclimation of hardwood floors, be sure to avoid storage of flooring materials under uncontrolled environmental conditions. Wood planks must be stored in enclosed buildings and the humidity and temperature of the building should be similar to normal living conditions. After the delivery of the wood planks, check the moisture content using a moisture meter. Also, before the flooring is installed, permanent air conditioning or heating systems should operate for at least five days prior to floor installation.  

Some best practices for hardwood floor acclimation are mentioned below. 

• The acclimation period should be at least three days. 
• Flooring materials must be broken into smaller lots for acclimation. 
• The acclimation time is higher for engineered and site-finished wooden floors. 
• Acclimation of all tropical wood species requires more time and care. 
• Always follow the recommendation of the manufacturer 

If you want to know more about the acclimation of your hardwood floor, please contact the expert technicians at Enoak.