Do wood floors contract in winter?

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.

Do floors expand or contract in the winter?

Don't panic over gaps.

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.

Does cold weather affect wood floors?

If you're a homeowner with hardwood floors, you probably already know that colder weather tends to dry out wood floors. When cooler weather hits, homeowners turn on the furnace which dries out the air in your home. A lack of humidity causes the boards to shrink.

Do hardwood floors expand and contract?

Wood is a natural product and as such expands and contracts with changes in atmospheric conditions. It is for this reason that wooden floors need an expansion gap. Solid wood floors take in moisture when there is a high level of humidity in the air and let that moisture go when the humidity reduces.

How long should wood flooring acclimate?

Acclimation of wood flooring begins with proper storage at the job site. It should be cross stacked and spaced to encourage air circulation around the boards. Most manufacturers recommend materials acclimate for a minimum of three days with no maximum suggested.

WFB Contractor Blog: Wood Flooring Job Sites in Winter

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.

Does hardwood acclimate in box?

Can Hardwood Flooring Acclimate in the Box? It is possible to acclimate hardwood flooring in the box, but it will take much longer due to the lack of air circulation.

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.

Will hardwood floors settle?

You can expect the wood to respond in different ways to the humidity, temperature and light that enters the room. As a general rule, you should allow for a minimum of the four seasons to take their course before the wooden flooring is settled into its environment.

Does wood expand in the winter?

No, Wood does not expand in cold. But wood shrinks in cold. All the wood types on earth follow the same rule, expand when heat and shrink/collapse when cold. Wood shrinks in cold due to the moisture content difference between the atmosphere and the wood itself, not because of temperature variations.

Why are my wood floors cracking?

If you have cracks in your hardwood floor, the problem is likely to be low humidity and low moisture in the room, causing the wood to dry out. This could happen for a number of reasons, including: open fires, log burners, underfloor heating system running too hot, and also the frequent use of air conditioning units.

Why does my wood floor make cracking noises?

The most common reason for hardwood to make a popping sound, specifically at night, is a change in humidity. The home cools during the transition from day to night and that can impact humidity levels in the home. The popping sound can be especially loud if the fit of the wood is very tight.

How do you protect hardwood floors in the winter?

The best way to prevent harm is to ensure water and rock salt never touches your floor in the first place. You can protect hardwood by placing floor mats both inside and outside the entrances of your home. In addition, you can ask visitors to take their shoes off and place them in a tray near the door.

Why do hardwood floors separate in winter?

Every hardwood floor endures some separation between boards. In the winter months when the home is heated and the air is dry, wood flooring releases some of its moisture and therefore shrinks. When this happens, thin cracks appear between boards. This is normal and is acceptable.

How much will a hardwood floor expand?

F/S stands for Flat Sawn, and Q/S is Quarter Sawn. The higher the number, the greater the movement. There is no tremendous difference between species, so no matter what type of wood it is, a 1/2 inch expansion gap around the room should suffice for any wood floor.

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.

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.

Why does hardwood floor buckle?

Leaking appliances or moisture from a concrete subfloor can buckle your wood floors. When it gets wet and moisturized, the wood needs to accommodate the moisture. Thus, causing the hardwood planks to swell. It would need to move upward and expand, which leads to buckling of the wood floor.

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.

Why is my hardwood floor shrinkage?

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 I keep my hardwood floors from separating?

To prevent large gaps in your wood floors, stabilize your home's relative humidity by using a humidifier in the winter months. Use exhaust fans and dehumidifiers to prevent too much moisture in the summer months. Small gaps less than 3⁄32 inch in width can be filled with wood filler.

Will polyurethane fill cracks in wood floor?

Sawdust and Unfinished Floors

Mix the dust with some polyurethane and fill the cracks. Note that this method only works on an unfinished floor and will clash with pre-finished floors.

How long does pre finished hardwood flooring need to acclimate?

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.

How do you store hardwood floors before installing?

You should really store your hardwood flooring in a controlled environment, never a garage or basement. If the hardwood is being store above 50% humidity it will take in a ton of moisture and expand this will typically happen in the summer months when humidity is at it's highest.

How important is it to acclimate hardwood flooring?

It is important to acclimate solid hardwood because wood is hygroscopic. This means that it will take on moisture from the environment it is in. Taking on or losing too much moisture will cause wood to change. It can expand, shrink, check, or split because of excessive moisture changes.