Gaps In Hardwood Floor During Winter

The floor behaves that way because of wood s relationship with moisture in the air there s no accounting for how the customers behave although educating them about gaps.

Gaps in hardwood floor during winter.

In fact you may even see the opposite problem in summertime where they become cupped in an attempt to push away from moisture. Hardwood floor contractors should educate their clients about what to expect during the winter months. Failing to install the first board perfectly straight in a hardwood flooring installation. Explain to them that some gaps and cracks are completely normal.

In turn homeowners and business owners should do their part to. Customers begin to notice gaps between boards and the phone calls begin. During the warm and humid months of summer you are not likely to see gaps in your wood floors. Failing to keep boards straight when working.

Improperly acclimating the hardwoods prior to installation. Almost every wood floor will show some separation between boards particularly in the winter months when homes are heated and the air is dry. Large gaps in wood floors that do not close up during the summer months could be a result of excessive moisture check the crawl space below being located too close to a heating vent incorrect nail spacing or structural settlement issues. Hardwood floor gaps cracks.

However by using the 4 steps above the gaps in your hardwood floor should be minimal and are generally not noticeable. Gaps in hardwood floors can be a huge visual annoyance. For normal gaps no repairs are needed. Read up on the science behind moisture related hardwood flooring gaps.

More specifically don t let the indoor relative humidity rh drop too much in the winter months. Why do we have gaps. So to reduce winter gapping reduce the annual range of moisture levels. During winter months complaints usually start trickling in.

Hardwood gaps are generally caused by one of a few installation errors. Demonstrate proper cleaning techniques. They weren t there in the summer solid 3 4 hardwoods will expand and contract with seasonal changes in moisture. Several factors can lead to its cause.

During the winter even the most carefully installed wood floors tend to dry out and shrink. The wood shrinks because it loses moisture and gaps. Winter is the time that i get questions about gaps in wood floors showing up in solid 3 4 inch thick wood floors. A good annual range suitable for hardwood flooring is no more of a change than 15 rh annually i e.

Not only are they an eyesore they can also collect dirt and dust. Often it s a floor owner concerned with new hardwood floors separating or gapping. The planks swell and stick together. The planks swell and stick together.