Humidity and moisture cause a variety of strange problems with your hardwood flooring. Here’s how to keep that from happening.
You might not think that the East Coast where you live is as humid as say, Hong Kong or Taiwan. But just because you aren’t living in what feels like a soup bowl, that doesn’t mean you don’t have to deal with humidity. Humidity and moisture cause a variety of strange problems with your hardwood flooring. Here’s how to keep that from happening.
Problems You Can See
Cupping: Moisture and humidity produce some noticeable effects on your hardwood flooring. You might spot the edges of your hardwood flooring start to peel away from the subfloor, even in areas where they meet the baseboard. Wood naturally expands and then contracts again on a daily basis, so if you see your floors curling like pieces of pepperoni, you shouldn’t necessarily be too alarmed at first. Once you see cracks, then it becomes a much bigger issue.
Cracking: It’s easy to assume that wood cracks more frequently in the winter since there is less humidity present. However, this problem can plague your hardwood flooring just as often in the summertime. A dehumidifier can help make a difference if that is part concerns you.
Buckling: If left unaddressed, these problems can eventually lead to buckling, where the floor starts to break away from the subfloor that serves as its base. Fortunately, although buckling is a massive problem, it tends to happen whenever a flood affects your home, and then the flood waters are not drained soon enough.
Crowning: Crowning is similar to cupping, but instead of the edges starting to stick up, the main length of the hardwood plank does instead. Humidity and moisture levels are partly to blame, but another potential reason for this happening is if a sanding job was done incorrectly. If the boards of wood are still wet when they are cut, or re-sanded, then it could lead to them crowning when they wouldn’t have any problems otherwise.
Problems You Can’t
With the Wood: Chances are, you can’t see the subfloors after installing your hardwood floors You could have layered new hardwood on top of old planks, making the original wood, such as beech, the new subfloor instead. Even though this looks beautiful, you won’t be able to spot any issues that form in the subfloor and make their way to the surface.
With Other Subfloors: There could still be problems even if you have subfloors made of asphalt, concrete, or some other material that is not wood. Proper maintenance is the key, especially if your hardwood flooring has recently suffered water damage.
Ready for a Beautiful Hardwood Floor? You Can Trust John K Eareckson & Co.!
When you work with John K Eareckson & Co. Flooring, we will ensure your hardwood floors undergo a stress-free acclimation process and that they sparkle for years to come. From a seamless and beautiful installation to years of maintenance, John K Eareckson & Co. Flooring has the expertise to care for your home’s hardwood floors. For a consultation and more information visit us online or give us a call at 410-788-4200. You can also look for us on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr.