THE EFFECTS OF A CHANGING CLIMATE ON SOLID WOOD FLOORING

The temperature and humidity levels in your home affect your relaxation, and you rely on heating and cooling systems to keep things cozy. But have you wondered how a changing climate affects your hardwood floors? Discover ways to minimize flooring issues and remain comfortable inside your home.

Natural Movement

Quality wood flooring are made from genuine wood, and also display all of the natural characteristics of real wood. This includes shrinking, warping, cracking and growth. Your hardwood reacts to climate change in a reliable routine, changing with the seasons as well as the relative humidity levels. When homeowners understand those modifications, and contractors make adjustments for them, all is well.

The Way Cold Weather Affects Wood Floors

When temperatures outside drop below freezing--as often happens around much of North America--our heating systems kick into high gear. Unless your home is outfitted with a whole-home humidifier, most of the moisture naturally present in the inside air disappears.

As air dries out in addition, it sucks moisture from the timber, causing the boards to shrink and possibly even crack. Blend this condition with obviously drier air on the outside (long periods of below freezing temperatures also results in significantly less moisture from the atmosphere ), and you've got an issue to deal with.

Installing a humidifier on the furnace or within the heating system frequently works to offset this condition. And you may only notice major shrinking or cracking round heating vents or floor registers, on account of the concentration of warmth from these regions.

How Hot Weather Affects Wood Floors

High levels of humidity experienced many locations across North America also transform hardwood floors. Swelling and growth happen in humid weather, because of higher amounts of moisture in the atmosphere. Your air conditioner can bring that down moisture to a more manageable amount, but other ailments battle against it and increase the level of relative humidity.

Leaks, improperly designed ventilation, shorter air conditioner running times and even indoor cooking add warmth to the already heavy atmosphere during the hot months of summer. Hardwood floors absorb this moisture and enlarge. Gaps previously opened through colder weather close in the warmth, and boards installed closely may cup.

Bear in mind that both floating wood flooring and nailed down programs experience shrinking and cracking during the cold weather and expansion in heat. Floating applications may physically move , but the installation procedure allows for that movement by design.

Why Trim is Important

Baseboard trim is set up around the base of your walls to create an appealing transition from wall to floors. In the case of hardwood flooring, this simple strip of wood plays a much more important function. This allows the boards to expand without causing cupping on your floors, and supplies enough allowance for decreasing.

Baseboard trim covers this deliberate gap and gives a smooth seam in any time of year. Make sure your wood flooring installers utilize quality trim and leave plenty of space at the edges to allow for expansion and contraction.

Climate changes in your house affect solid wood flooring. Shrinking and cracking present a problem in winter, whilst growth and cupping might become an issue in summertime. Use a quality goods and expert installers to make certain your hardwood flooring looks fantastic all year round.

How Moisture Affects Solid Wood Flooring

 Solid hardwood floors, as its name implies is made by a 100% natural solution, wood. Like all organic materials, wood reacts to fluctuations in humidity and temperature from the air around it. Wood typically reacts to those atmospheric changes by contracting and expanding. If there's excessive moisture from the atmosphere, wood will draw some of the moisture and enlarge then whenever the humidity levels are decreased, the timber will subsequently discharge the moisture stored in its construction and arrangement. Even though this is a natural process and at average levels shouldn't pose any difficulty into the timber, once the levels become intense, problems can happen.

In a normal setting, for example in a woods, temperatures and humidity vary according to the season as well as the weather on any given day. Once wood is brought into the house, despite the fact that it is shielded from the vagaries of nature, it is then subjected to the fluctuations in humidity and temperature that we choose to throw it during our day to day lives.

During winter months, hardwood floors which are installed in centrally heated houses are likely to lose moisture and contract. This contraction is a result of the dryness of the atmosphere, encouraging the timber to naturally lose its inherent moisture. The contraction that occurs in the timber during these winter weeks is highly likely to cause gaps to appear from the ground, and that, if not properly insulated may contribute to draughts.

Obviously the opposite becomes true as the weather starts to improve and also the heating is switched off. The switching from the central heating in the home and the rise in natural temperatures that signify the coming of summer means more moisture from the atmosphere, a few of which is absorbed by the floor resulting in minor expansion of the planks. Under normal circumstances, this will lead to the closing of the gaps which appeared during the drier winter months.

This organic process of expansion and contraction is unlikely to pose any type of damage or distortion to a solid wood floor. In fact, moisture degrees of anywhere between 45 and 60 percent should not have any detrimental affect on the stability or appearance of your floor. That said, humidity which is considerably above this amount could, if left unattended, cause the wood to grow in the center of every plank in addition to giving rise to inherent gaps. This distortion can prove temporary and at the industry is termed'Rewards '.

Of course the opposite becomes true as the weather begins to improve and also the heating is switched off. The switching from the central heating in the house and the increase in natural temperatures that signify the coming of summer means more moisture in the atmosphere, some of which will be consumed by the floor resulting in slight expansion of the boards. Under normal conditions, this will result in the closing of the openings which appeared throughout the drier winter months.

This natural process of growth and contraction is not likely to pose any sort of distortion or damage to a solid hardwood flooring . In fact, moisture levels of anywhere between 45 and 60% should not have any harmful effect on the stability or look of your floor. That said, humidity that's significantly above this level could, if left unattended, cause the wood to rise in the center of every plank as well as giving rise to underlying gaps. This stimulation may prove temporary and at the industry is termed'cupping'.

Oak Floorboards: Natural, Light or Dark?

Oak is a gorgeous wood, there is little doubt about that. Employed as a floor material for centuries, even when you pick the ideal bamboo flooring it might persist for a life (and maybe a great deal longer ).

Strong or engineered?

The excellent thing about oak floorboards today is they are even more versatile than they were just 20 or 30 decades ago. Why is that? It is because today once you know you want to have an oak floor you have the choice between solid and engineered oak floorboards.

What this signifies is that you are able to fit bamboo floors with complete reassurance in every room in the house, and even over under floor heatingsystem. Engineered bamboo flooring is so versatile it can also be fitted in areas where temperatures and humidity levels fluctuate significantly. Therefore, in the good old times, if you'd fitted an pine floor in a kitchen or kitchen as an instance, you'd have done so with crossed fingers that the flooring would endure the humidity and humidity ups and downs. The risk of this flooring developing unsightly gaps or worse, cupping or bowing would have been extreme on your mind and quite rightly so. Nowadays, engineered bamboo floors means you can get that good oak flooring look regardless of where you want it, and no matter how hard the requirements are.

So in summary, between engineered and solid oak flooring, you truly have an all-purpose alternative.

Choosing the right color for your own project.

Once you're clear on the fact that you desire an oak floor, it is a case of deciding which colour of oak floorboards would work best for you personally. Oak, in its normal state comes in a whole slew of colors, but with the advanced wood treatments available today, it may be made to seem almost white or almost black, in addition to everything in between. Within this report we would like to share our thoughts about which configurations light, natural and dark oak floorboards function best.

Light oak floorboards

The very popular and most logical place to match light pine floorboards is where you've a little room you want to make look bigger or a dark room where you want to make an illusion of light. The likes of those London White floors isn't only extremely versatile, it's simple to keep and magnificent to check in to boot. At West London Floor Sanding we have seen it fitted at the tiniest of rooms as well as lofty flats and in each setting (and everything in between) it looks simply stunning. It is a floor option that will make you feel cheerful and bright regardless of the season or the weather outdoors. Reminiscent of New England decks and with a real natural allure about it, you'll never tire of this one.

Natural oak floorboards

Dark walnut floors such as jet black brushed and UV lacquered option have really come into their own in the last few years and it's easy to see why. Monochrome color schemes (if that's not a contradiction in terms) are absolutely stunning and may surprisingly work very nicely using traditional/vintage furnishings in addition to contemporary. All it requires it some careful planning and works best in a space where you have lots of light. This floor would look fantastic with some fundamental bits from the likes of Ikea, combined with either an actual or reproduction Barcelona seat, originally designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich. Select this option if you want to make a real statement throughout your house. Combine it with stark white walls and a smart mix of bold coloured or black rugs and you'll be the envy of all your family and friends!

If you're swithering over which pine floorboards would work for your interior, do not hold back -- touch base and let the team at West London Floor Sanding help. We love nothing more than when customers get in contact to ask our advice!