The Importance of Relative Humidity for Hardwood Flooring

   Hardwood flooring gives your house an elegant appeal. Many homeowners would like to ensure that this appeal lasts. Did you know that relative humidity is a major factor when it comes to longevity of your hardwood floor?

Generally, wood will shrink if exposed to low humidity and if exposed to high humidity, it will expand. Therefore, to ensure that the hardwood floor lasts for a long time, you should put into consideration the effects of humidity. In this article, we focus on elaborating the importance of relative humidity for the hardwood floor. Therefore if you are looking for the best guidance when it comes to maintaining your hardwood floor, this is the right article for you.


So how does relative humidity matter when it comes to hardwood flooring? Continue reading to find out.  

What is Relative Humidity?

   Before we begin discussing the importance of relative humidity in hardwood flooring, it is fundamental that we understand what we mean by relative humidity (RH). Relative Humidity is the ratio between the amount of water vapor in the air compared to the maximum amount of water the air can hold at a given temperature. Therefore, when we talk of 40 percent RH, we mean that the air has 40% of the maximum water vapor. This is the water vapor that it can hold before turning foggy. For professional woodworkers, the RH is a constant concern.
 
The issue of Relative Humidity is not only important for the hardwood professionals. It is especially important for homeowners should to understand the relationship between relative humidity and health of their hardwood floor.  This is basically because the RH affects each individual plank.. Therefore, even after installing the hardwood floor, the homeowner should be concerned about Relative Humidity to ensure the wood floor maintains its structure and beauty for years to come. Now that we already know what Relative Humidity is all about, it is time we consider its relevance to woodworking. So how does humidity affect your wooden floor?
 
Remember that wood is a natural material and therefore reacts to changes in the environment. This happens even after the wood in milled into floor boards. Therefore, it is important to keep the humidity at the recommended levels to ensure your floor looks great forever. So how does hardwood floor react to different weather conditions like heat and humidity?

How Hardwood Floors Reacts During Winter Season, high heat low humidity

   During winter, snow and the cold weather force us to turn up the thermostat.. Have you ever thought about the effects of this heat on your hardwood floor? When you heat your home, the air becomes dry and the hardwood floor gives up some of its moisture. Therefore, the wood will contract as a result of the loss of moisture. If the home doesn’t have the proper level of moisture, you may start to notice small gaps between the wood planks. When the heat is reduced and the floor returns to the optimal moisture level the floor expands back to its original size.

How Hardwood Floors Reacts During the
Humid Season, High Humidity Levels
and hardwood Floors

   During the humid season, the hardwood floor absorbs moisture from the air. As a result, the wooden floor begins to swell and expand. When wooden floors expands, there will be pressure between the boards. Consequently, the floor will begin to cup, warp, crush the edges and even cracks. With cupping, the edges of the wooden floor are higher than the center. This might take a long time to restore the internal moisture and flatten again. In some cases, this becomes a permanent occurrence.  When cupping becomes severe, it leads to the defaced wooden floor and homeowner might be forced to change the whole floor.
 
Another common effect of absorbing moisture is crowning. This is an exact opposite of cupping. Thus, the center of the wooden floor is higher than the edges. When crowning occurs, the top edges of the board are sanded off. As a result, they become lower than the rest of the board after the normal moisture content is attained. Consequently, the floor could be ruined.

How to Prevent the Moisture Problems
in Your Hardwood Floor

   Unlike other common floor coverings, a hardwood floor can last for a lifetime after installation. However, what determines this is the maintenance given. As indicated above, it is important to maintain the right humidity to prevent these effects from occurring. But how do you do this? The indoor air humidity must be maintained at the suitable levels ( see Diagram ). Therefore, you might have to purchase a humidifier to use during the dry season. During the humid summers, use an air conditioner to maintain the acceptable humidity. To monitor the indoor conditions all year round, a combined digital temperature/moisture meter will be appropriate. Generally, the recommended relative humidity is within the range of 35%-55%.
 
Therefore, it is important for the homeowners who have installed a hardwood floor or are planning to install one, to have this knowledge on RH. Note that Relative Humidity is a major factor when it comes to maintenance of your hardwood floor.

 

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