Do hardwood floors expand in summer?

During warm and humid summers, your hardwood floor will absorb moisture from the air, swelling and expanding as a result. This expansion can create pressure between the boards, which can cause the boards to warp, cup or crack.

Do wood floors expand in the summer or winter?

Solid hardwood floors move in sync with fluctuating conditions in their environment. They expand when the humidity increases, and contract when it decreases. During the winter months, contracting floors will often leave thin cracks or gaps between the planks.

Do hardwood floors expand in heat?

In the warmer months, when the heating is switched off, the wood will expand again. This is caused by the rising moisture in the air which is absorbed by the floor. When this happens, if there have been any gaps over the winter months, they are highly likely to disappear.

Do floors expand in the summer?

During the summer, all wood floors tend to expand because wood reacts to moisture. Air with a high moisture content (MC) or high relative humidity (RH) causes wood to gain moisture. Extreme moisture can cause cupping (when the edges raise higher than the middle of the wood planks) or even buckling.

How much do hardwood floors expand?

If you plan to use solid hardwood, it is critical to include expansion gaps and proper humidity control in the rooms for best performance. The board's width has a lot to do with movement. An 8-inch wide plain sawn plank of white oak shrinks twice as much as a 4-inch board of the same cut and species.

Understanding Hardwood Floor Gaps

Are gaps in hardwood floors normal?

Generally speaking, gaps in a wood floor are normal for boards up to 2¼ inches wide if the gaps close during more humid times of the year. Normal gaps can vary in width, ranging from hairline gaps to the thickness of a quarter.

How long does it take for hardwood floors to settle?

Best Practices for Acclimating Wood Flooring

Acclimation times vary by species and product, but a rule of thumb is to acclimate wood floor products for at least three days. You're trying to reach an equilibrium between the moisture content of the wood materials and the air where the product is being installed.

Why is my wood floor expanding?

High Humidity

That's why if you live in an area that has humid weather, a wood floor is usually not recommended. Especially in small and windowless parts of your house, like the bathroom and kitchen. Your wooden floor can absorb moisture from the air, and this will cause the wood to expand and to buckle.

How do I prevent gaps in my hardwood floors?

Why is my floor bulging?

When a floor board starts to bulge, it's usually because it is warped. Hardwood floors usually warp because they have been exposed to water, or excessive humidity. The water causes the fibers in the wood to swell and shrink. A board that is severely bulged will most likely need to be replaced.

How much does hardwood expand and contract?

In and Out

In a warm, humid atmosphere, the cells reabsorb moisture from the air and expand. A board cut across the grain, or perpendicular to the growth rings, may expand as much as 1/4 inch for every 12 inches of width, while a quarter-sawn board may expand 1/8 inch.

Do hardwood floors shrink?

During the winter, when homes are heated and the air is dry, wood flooring loses some of its moisture and contracts or shrinks as a result. It is normal that when relative humidity is lower than recommended, wood plank shrinks, therefore thin gaps can appear between wood planks.

How do you fix a lifted hardwood floor?

If it's the subfloor itself that is lifting, driving shims between it and a joist is one way to prevent movement. Another it to install special hardware to anchor the floor to the joist.

How does weather affect hardwood floors?

Believe it or not, hot weather damages your hardwood floors just as much as cold weather. The high humidity levels cause your floor to absorb moisture which causes the boards to warp, cup, or crack. The cupping is especially true if there are gaps in your floor due to the cold and lack of humidity during the winter.

Does wood expand in humidity?

When humidity is high, wood absorbs moisture and swells. When humidity drops, wood shrinks. This “movement” is gradual, so you probably won't notice weekly changes.

Why are my new hardwood floors separating?

Apart from moisture and temperature fluctuations, wood floor boards can separate and develop gaps if the flooring hasn't been properly acclimatised prior to installation or if an insufficient expansion gap has been left around the room.

Are hardwood floors floating?

As a traditional solid wood floor cannot be floated either, any flooring that uses a floating installation method will most likely be of an engineered construction, which consist of a layer of hardwood overlaid upon a high-density substrate.

Should I leave gaps between floorboards?

Leaving the right expansion gap is an essential part of fitting any wooden floor. Whether it be solid wood, engineered wood or parquet block flooring, they all need an expansion gap to allow for natural movements when the wood expands and contracts with changes in the surrounding atmosphere.

How do you stop a wood floor from swelling?

If the floor is swollen from humidity, then you must set up ventilation fans to dry out the room. To speed up the process, a dehumidifier may also be set up in the room to help dry out the flooring and capture the moisture.

Why do my hardwood floors look wavy?

As wood absorbs moisture, it can swell. When hardwood flooring swells too much, individual boards will start to push out around the edges and be higher than the center—creating an indentation that runs the length of the board that gives it a “wavy” appearance.

What happens if you don't let hardwood floors acclimate?

If hardwood planks are not allowed to acclimate to their environment before installation, issues like cupping, warping, and gapping can arise.

When can I walk on new hardwood floors?

We recommend waiting 6 hours before walking on your new floors in socks. After 24 hours you can walk through with shoes on. Allow 48 hours before setting furniture and returning pets. Carpets and area rugs can be placed after 1 full week.

What is the best temperature for hardwood floors?

The safe temperature range for hardwood floors is typically between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Why is my floor separating from the wall?

It's confusing to see your floor actually separating from the wall. What causes these gaps? In general, it's caused by your home settling unevenly. This exerts pressure on the home in different ways, which may show up as a gap between the wall and the floor.

Will buckled floors go back down?

If the buckling is only minor, in many cases the boards might return back to normal. If the boards are still showing areas of damage and buckling, you'll need to replace them.