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Sale Extravaganza!
Beat the rush, save now before Christmas.
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Moisture and Your Hardwood Floors
Hardwood flooring will generally do better — much like humans — when the interior environment is controlled to stay within a relative humidity range of 30% to 50% and a temperature range of 15.6 to 26.7 degrees Celsius (60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit).
Most hardwood flooring manufacturers ship product with an average of six to eight percent (6-8 %) moisture content. The moisture content of wood is very much a function of the room temperature and the relative humidity. A variation of 20% in relative humidity produces a change of 1% in moisture content of wood.
In more practical and visual terms, this could mean that a 2¼" oak-floor strip could expand or contract by as much as 1/64 of an inch in width. The homeowner should therefore avoid such dramatic changes in the moisture content of wood, which can only be achieved by using a humidifier during our dry winters and a dehumidifier during our humid summers. Otherwise, changes as high as 20% in relative humidity can occur and will seriously damage hardwood flooring and, for that matter, any other solid wood furnishings in the home.
Contrary to popular belief, protective finishes cannot prevent wood from gaining or losing moisture; they merely slow down the process.
The following table will demonstrate the relation between room temperature and relative humidity. Homeowners should strive to keep the temperature and relative humidity values within the green area
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