Before any hardwood floor is installed there are certain procedures that should be done, which will have a tremendous impact on its future durability and performance.
For instance, the hardwood floor should be delivered to the job site a few days prior to the date that the installation job scheduled to start.
Once the hardwood floor arrives on site, the bundles must be “crate stacked”.
To “crate stack” the flooring, there is no need to open the individual bundles. As they are placed on the job site, ensure the first row raised off the floor. Place the flooring bundles parallel to one another with space to allow air flow between. The next level should be stacked perpendicular following the same pattern.
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Additionally, we always recommend having the hardwood floor checked for moisture content, due to the possible changes in humidity during transport. Whoever is installing the hardwood floor should come to the job site prior to the installation and measure the moisture content of the top wear layer of the wood flooring. A few planks picked randomly from different bundles should be checked to make sure that the moisture content is within normal, which is between 6% and 9 %. If not, the hardwood floor will need to acclimatize on site for a few days under normal room conditions prior to installation.
When installing a wood floor over a Radiant in-floor heat, or any other system of underfloor heating, the heating system must be on, at a normal living temperature, for at least 2 weeks prior to the flooring arriving on site.
However, the heating system must be turned off the night before and during the installation process.
Upon completion of installation, the room should be brought back to a normal living temperature at an increased rate no greater than 2 degrees per 24 hours.
The same procedure should be followed every year when the in-floor heating system is turned
Crucial in any hardwood floor performance and durability is the site relative humidity levels; it MUST remain consistent throughout the year, within the range of 35% to 55%.
For further information, please visit our website Trends and Trades – Floors & Walls
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