5 ways to protect your Hardwood Floors from moisture

Moisture is the biggest enemy of hardwood floors. In no time moisture can abolish the overall look of your floor, as well as its comfort. It is important to always keep the moisture and humidity in mind before installing any sort of hardwood floor.

Woman resting her foot on the wooden floor while puppy rests in her lap.


Hardwood floors enhance the ambiance of your home, but they are not easy to maintain. To preserve the look you must give special attention and care to your hardwood floors. Let’s jump right into the different ways moisture can affect your floors and how you can protect your hardwood floor.

 

Issues caused by moisture

Moisture is easily absorbed by hardwood, and this leads to the swelling and expansion of flooring. Due to the pressure created between the boards, the floors tend to buckle, crack or cup. Although these issues are not of concern till they start spreading or worsening.

Cupping

Cupping is when the edges of the boards become bigger than the normal level of the floor. Cupping is caused due to extreme levels of humidity. Hardwood floors can be expensive to install and it is important to identify the source of cupping at the earliest to avoid bigger issues. In most houses, basements are the most humid place and it is very likely that the humidity from there is affecting the flooring.

Buckling

Buckling occurs when the floor expands to a level where the subfloor is also pulled away. It’s like walking on an inflated floor, which can be dangerous because of the uneven balance. The expansion causes gaps between the boards that need to be professionally fixed.

Crowning

Crowning and cupping are similar but the areas they affect are different. Crowning expands the center of the floor making it swell a few inches above the normal level. Another reason for crowning is also improper sanding after cupping.

 

Moisturized wooden flooring about to swell up.

Prevention from moisture

1.      Install a dehumidifier or air conditioner to maintain the humidity levels. Humidity can also be controlled through the heating system. Turning it on occasion in the summer months can help eliminate unwanted moisture.

2.      Clean your floors frequently and don’t let any stain sit there for too long. Wet stains can have a serious impact if ignored.

3.      Open your windows and let some air cross by and let some sun come in to maintain a balanced atmosphere within your home.

4.      Make sure the floor installation is done correctly, leaving free expansion space around the perimeter to avoid any future issues caused by humidity.

5.      Never completely shut down your home when leaving for longer periods, either have our fan on, your A/C on, or leave a window slightly open.

ABC Flooring provides top quality hardwood flooring service that will never disappoint you. If you’re looking for hardwood floor restoration you can get in touch with our flooring experts. Contact us now to avail the finest flooring services in all of London.

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