Our winter weather has certainly been wild, wacky, and extreme. Let’s review:
in December it rained (almost) every day, in January we experienced
unseasonably low temperatures (single digits and teens) and then Snowpocalypse
2014. Our heat is running 24/7 and some
of us have had busted pipes and water damage.
Unfortunately, this extreme weather is taking a toll on our flooring. We are getting lots of questions about
hardwood floors and how to correct and repair these problems. Here are some of the most common questions
and our answers:
Why is my
hardwood floor buckling?
Buckling is the result of wood floors swelling and having
nowhere to go but up off the subfloor.
Like a lot of problems with wood, moisture is to blame. Flooding is the easiest cause to detect
because it is easily seen. Sometimes you
can avoid buckling in these situations if you dry the floor out quickly but
allowing water to sit for any length of time will cause damage to the wood. Another reason for buckling is high humidity.
Solution:
Replacement.
Why are
my hardwoods cupping/warping?
When the edges are higher than the center of the boards
this is called cupping. This is caused
by moisture. A leak, flood, or large
spill will cause a wood floor to warp.
Solution: Maintain
recommended humidity levels (more about how to do this later) and wait and see
if the floor will correct itself. If
not, refinish or replace.
Why do I have gaps in my hardwood floors?
It is normal for a home to become drier during the winter months, causing wood planks to shrink.
Properly made and installed hardwood floors can be expected to have
normal gaps during the winter season and close back up during the summer. However, large gaps in wood floors that do
not close up in the summer months could be related to a faulty install or
faulty job site conditions. When gaps
like these exist the moisture content of the floor is significantly lower than
when the floor was installed. As this
excess moisture is lost, shrinkage of the floor occurs.
Solution: Maintain
recommended humidity levels in the home.
If this does not solve the problem, replace.
Why do my
hardwoods squeak?
Squeaks are created by movement. It is usually not your hardwood floor that is
squeaking, it is the subfloor. Your
subfloor (plywood or particle board) is separating from the floor joists. The
subfloor squeaks as it moves up and down.
Solution: Sometimes a
repair (shimming) is possible. Otherwise
replacement of subfloor and flooring.
Why are
my hardwood floors dull?
Improper cleaning is usually the cause of hardwood floors
starting to dull. Areas that are high
traffic are more prone to dulling, especially if they are not swept
regularly. Grit can definitely dull a
floor’s shine. Harsh cleaners can also
dull a floors finish. Avoid “all
purpose,” wax and vinegar based cleaners on a hardwood floor. A build-up of cleaner (especially Oil Soaps,
but any cleaner will leave a residue if you use too much of it) also dulls the
finish on the wood floors.
Solution: Have the
floor professionally cleaned and buffed.
If this does not improve the appearance, recoat or refinish the floor.
Why is my
hardwood flooring scratching?
Wood is not immune to normal wear and tear, like
scratching. Scratches in the wood can be
caused by a number of things, like pets, furniture, high-heeled shoes,
etc. Some finishes are more scratch
resistant than others, and higher gloss finishes will show scratches more
easily than satin/matte finishes. Scratches
in wood are almost inevitable, but steps can be taken to avoid them. The use of walk-off mats at all exterior
doors, keeping dog’s nails trimmed short, putting felt tips on furniture legs,
and decorative area rugs will all help with keeping scratches to a minimum.
Solution: Recoat or
refinish the floor.
More
About Humidity
You probably noticed that many of these problems are
related to moisture and humidity and wonder why. Wood is the only thing that we
install that was once alive. Wood is a
porous material with a natural cellular structure that expands and contracts
depending upon the amount of moisture and relative humidity present in the
surrounding atmosphere. Even after a
tree has been cut and milled into planks, the vessels are still present in the
wood. It's this quality that makes hardwood floors so absorbent.
The more
moisture there is in the air, the more moisture hardwood floors can absorb.
When hardwood planks soak up moisture, they expand and swell up. When the
humidity level drops below 35%, any moisture within the hardwood planks dries
up, consequently causing the planks to shrink. You can safeguard your floors
from this predicament by maintaining a steady indoor humidity level.
If you have hardwood floors in your home you should also
have a hygrometer. This is a device that
measures the relative humidity in the area.
Prices average around $15 for a basic model at stores like Walmart and
Radio Shack. You will need more than one
if you have hardwood floors in multiple rooms or levels of your home.
Humidity levels affect your health and comfort, as well as
your hardwood floors. Fortunately, the recommended humidity levels are the same for you as for your floors. The ideal indoor humidity level range is 35%
to 55%. Avoid fluctuations in relative
humidity of more than 10 to 20%. Also maintain consistent room temperatures
between 60 and 75 degrees. The important
thing is to avoid extremes.
Hardwood floors are a "must have" in most Atlanta homes. And many of our best sellers are on sale this month. Handscraped hardwoods are as pretty as they are practical. The scraping, distressing, and color variation hides scratches and wear well, so these floors are great for an active family. Our River Ridge 5" wide handscraped birch is only $5.77 per sq ft installed during our New Year New Look flooring sale.
