Humidity And Rain And Laminate Flooring

If your subfloor is concrete and recently laid you re likely to face more of a challenge when it comes to moisture.

Humidity and rain and laminate flooring.

These can get affected due to the high humidity levels inside the house. When cars are brought in with snow or are wet. Ideally you re looking for the moisture content of your subfloor to be 2 or less. A laminate floor expands at an approximate ratio of 1 mm per metre span in all directions in relation to a room humidity increase of around 20 to 30 from the standard uk average of 50 relative humidity.

High humidity can result in damaging different surfaces within the house such as the flooring which typically gets affected the most. This can cause your floors separate and expose gaps. As we just saw however this range can often be difficult to achieve in certain areas of the country during certain seasons. Laminate flooring may present a durable plasticized surface to your feet but it s made mostly of wood fibers and wood is sensitive to moisture.

The national wood floor association nwfa states that normal relative humidity levels should range between 30 50 to ensure successful long term performance of your wood flooring. However if you just live in a humid climate and are looking for budget friendly durable floors for your living room dining room or hallway laminate flooring might be your answer. High indoor humidity can cause issues for hardwood and laminate floors. So if you re looking for new floors for a full bathroom this is not your product.

Ideally you should aim to have a reading of somewhere between 35 and 40 humidity air or 2 3 moisture content before laying your new floor. As the humidity levels rise above 60 your flooring expands. In residential spaces the hardwood flooring and the laminate flooring are the two most common flooring options available in the market. Because laminate is installed using a tongue in groove click to lock system this expansion can push the sides of each plank into each other causing them to buckle.

First things first laminate flooring is generally not waterproof. Low humidity levels can also have an impact on your flooring. Nylon carpet for example will absorb about 5 of its weight in moisture. Understand these issues before they arise so that you can address and prevent them.

Because it expands and contracts with fluctuating. If the insulation is wet throughout and uniformly and is the kind with a paper or aluminum vapor retarder you may be suffering from condensation.