Does hardwood flooring need to be acclimated?
Both solid hardwood flooring, as well as engineered wood flooring, need to be acclimated. Wood swells with humidity, causing cupping, crowning, and worst-case scenario, warping; alternatively, when the humidity goes down, it shrinks, causing gaps. This is a vital step in preventing that situation and assuring long-lasting beauty and performance from your wood floors.
What is acclimation?
This is a process where you leave opened boxes or planks side-by-side on the floor in the room where they will be installed. It enables the wood to adjust to its new environment by bringing its moisture levels up to the room.
Ensure the room's climate stays at a temperature of 60 and 75 degrees, with humidity levels between 35% to 55%. If you do not have climate control, or if it's transported in the rain, seek the advice of the experts at our hardwood flooring company.
Remember, wood often comes from other parts of the country or even the world, but when the process is complete, both the wood and the room's climate will be aligned.
It generally takes three to five days, depending on many factors such as the geographic area, wood thickness, and subfloor humidity; the latter is important because moisture can easily travel from the sub to the surface floor.
Why does engineered wood need it? Isn’t it already stable?
While it’s true that engineered wood handles moisture better, it's also usually installed as a floating floor. With this technique, the surface hovers over the subfloor without nails or glue. Unfortunately, even the smallest amount of swelling or shrinkage can throw the floor off balance, and we don't want to take that chance.
At Casa Carpet, Tile & Wood Wholesale Distributors, we believe that every homeowner should be able to transform their home with beautiful, high-performing, long-lasting, and reasonably priced products. You can choose hardwood flooring or another surfacing material, and it's why we price so competitively and offer free quotes. Our showroom is in El Paso, TX and we service Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, Las Cruces, Alamogordo, NM and Fort Bliss.
