Humidity Required Before Installing Hardwood Flooring

However in some coastal areas the average rh is in the 58 to 63 range.

Humidity required before installing hardwood flooring.

Proper humidity level for your hardwood floor 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. To determine if your hardwood floors need to be acclimated you can use a wood floor moisture test. Each species has a specific equilibrium moisture content and if the levels fall significantly below or above this point problems will ensue. Some manufacturers may have a range of 40 60 rh while others may require 30 50 rh.

Ideally it should be between 7 and 9. Most people are comfortable with a room temperature between 65 75 f 18 24 c and relative humidity between 30 45. In most cases your installation will probably in a zone with rh values between 40 and 45. You do not want the relative humidity in your house to go outside this range not only for the health of your flooring but for your own health.

Before you begin installing a hardwood floor make a small investment in a quality digital hygrometer. The best living conditions for you are also best for your floors. They measure the amount of moisture in the air. In general 12 moisture or above is too wet to install flooring.

The fastest way to measure moisture in floors is to use a moisture meter for wood. For some very exotic hardwoods you may need to maintain a humidity level no lower than 40 in order to preserve the shape of the wood but this is rare. When getting readings over 75 you must use a proper vapor retarder based on the flooring manufacturer s recommendations or wait for further concrete curing. Humidity considerations for floor installers once the humidity levels rise above 55 wood flooring can begin to buckle or cup.

Relative humidity concerns the space for the engineered flooring needs to be conditioned based on the manufacturer s guidelines. The recommended humidity range for wood floors is between 45 and 55 and some fluctuation within this range is acceptable. Typical limits for wood and wood based products are 75 relative humidity. This is why it s important to measure moisture in flooring wood as well as the ambient temperature and humidity conditions before installing hardwood floors.

The moisture content of your hardwood flooring will be between 6 9 which corresponds to a relative humidity level between 30 50. These devices can be used to test the moisture content mc of wood flooring in mere seconds. Measuring moisture in wood flooring. First test the moisture level of the subfloor.