Have The Following In Mind Before Buying Hardwood Flooring

This article is about to reveal important facts that wood Flooring manufacturers in Fort Collins do not report and can save you thousands of dollars on your next flooring. 

Did you know that wooden flooring also has a level of comfort? Hardwood floors will work best when the indoor environment in which they will be installed has a relative humidity range of 35 to 55% and a temperature range of 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. It's the same range of comfort for humans comfort.

1. Acclimatization: The moisture content of the wood and subfloor must be between 2 and 4 percentage points between them and the subfloor must not exceed 12% humidity. The higher the soil moisture percentage, the more problems you will have. For proper acclimation, the material should reach room temperature (65-80 degrees F) for 24 hours BEFORE Flooring in Fort Collins installation. 

This means that the heat must be on and functioning as you please before attempting to install the floor. For proper acclimatization, store the material according to the manufacturer's instructions. The instructions will specify whether to store open or closed and store it in the center of the room or on the edges. This leads to the next big question of moisture content.

2. Moisture content: What is the perfect moisture content of the actual hardwood product? Each manufacturer have slightly different moisture, but the average moisture content approved on hardwood floors should be between 6 and 9%. For example, if the moisture content of the subfloor is 12% and the hardwood floor is 9%, there will be a difference of 3% between the two wood products, which corresponds to the tolerance of authorized installation. 

Although some movements can be expected, even within this range, considerable expansion and contraction may occur outside these measures. There are several electronic moisture meters available on the market to evaluate the moisture content of hardwood and subfloor. These usually pin probe-type meters that can provide an immediate reading of the moisture level of the wood. It is very important that it is set up for the wood species you are installing and that you measure the humidity of several boxes of material and several areas of the basement throughout the area to be installed.

3. Climate control: Climate control may be the most common reason for customer discontent with hardwood purchases. It is essential to maintain the right level of temperature and humidity throughout the life of the wood installation. Improper climatic control will cause the material to swell in the summer and contract in the winter. 

Without proper air conditioning in the home, there will certainly be cracks and contractions. In the north-west, this problem is not a big problem, unless there is a device that dries the air to the extreme, like a wood stove. That is why it is always recommended to keep a pot of water on the woodstove when it is used as a heat source. The pot of water keeps the moisture in the air. Special Note: Some products made with HDF cores are more stable and less prone to expansion and contraction.

4. Floating floors: An important thing that people forget when installing floating Flooring in Fort Collins is to allow expansion of spaces around the room. As the true three-dimensional lumber expands and contracts, so do the floor. There must be enough space on the vertical surfaces, such as walls and posts, to allow this movement. The larger the area, the larger the space required. Rule 1: Always leave the expansion gap required by the manufacturer. Rule 2: If your installer says it's not necessary, turn it on and check rule number one.

You can cover all expansion spaces with wood bases, quarter-turn wood finishes or a combination of both.