Friday, 20 June 2008
Ask the Wood Floor Guru!
If you have any questions relating to hardwood flooring then please leave a comment below. The wood floor guru resident experts will endeavour to answer your question within 24 hours! The wood floor guru relishes technical queries, specification questions and calls for help on any matters pertaining to wood floors. Just ask the wood floor guru!
Tuesday, 17 June 2008
10 Tips to avoid expansion & contraction of wood floors.
Wood Flooring - Expansion and Contraction
Expansion and contraction of wood is perfectly normal.
Wood is a natural material that seeks to be in balance with its surroundings. When the air is exceptionally warm and humid, solid hardwoods will absorb moisture and expand. Likewise, with much cooler, drier air, the wood will give off moisture and contract. This is completely natural.
Here are a few tips to help you avoid over expansion
1. Maintain relative humidity of at least 50 percent; i.e. Never leave the areas with wooden floors without heat in the autumn/winter and ventilation in the spring/summer for long periods (3 weeks or more).
2. Excess moisture anywhere in the house should be allowed to evaporate.
3. Flooring should never be installed over damp concrete or wet plywood. Even if the wood is dry, it will pick up moisture from the wet sub floor.
4. When laying a solid hardwood floor, a three-quarter inch gap should be left at the wall line for expansion (this applies to a standard size room). Skirting / mouldings will cover the gap.
5. Wash floor with a slightly damp mop not a wet mop as water left on the surface of flooring for periods of time will be damaging to the surface of the floor and may cause the floor to expand.
6. Install an engineered/semi-solid floor as these have been stabilised with several layers of plywood backing.
7. If installing an unfinished timber then allow the flooring to acclimatise in situ for approx 5 days
Here are a few tips to help you avoid contraction
1. Ventilate the area by opening a window
2. Heat the area to a moderate temperature
3. If installing an unfinished timber then allow the flooring to acclimatise in situ for approx 5 days
Expansion and contraction of wood is perfectly normal.
Wood is a natural material that seeks to be in balance with its surroundings. When the air is exceptionally warm and humid, solid hardwoods will absorb moisture and expand. Likewise, with much cooler, drier air, the wood will give off moisture and contract. This is completely natural.
Here are a few tips to help you avoid over expansion
1. Maintain relative humidity of at least 50 percent; i.e. Never leave the areas with wooden floors without heat in the autumn/winter and ventilation in the spring/summer for long periods (3 weeks or more).
2. Excess moisture anywhere in the house should be allowed to evaporate.
3. Flooring should never be installed over damp concrete or wet plywood. Even if the wood is dry, it will pick up moisture from the wet sub floor.
4. When laying a solid hardwood floor, a three-quarter inch gap should be left at the wall line for expansion (this applies to a standard size room). Skirting / mouldings will cover the gap.
5. Wash floor with a slightly damp mop not a wet mop as water left on the surface of flooring for periods of time will be damaging to the surface of the floor and may cause the floor to expand.
6. Install an engineered/semi-solid floor as these have been stabilised with several layers of plywood backing.
7. If installing an unfinished timber then allow the flooring to acclimatise in situ for approx 5 days
Here are a few tips to help you avoid contraction
1. Ventilate the area by opening a window
2. Heat the area to a moderate temperature
3. If installing an unfinished timber then allow the flooring to acclimatise in situ for approx 5 days
The Brinell Scale - Hardness Values of Wood Flooring
The Brinell Scale is the hardness value of a wood species acquired in a standard test. The higher the number - the harder the wood species. The test is carried out by pressing a 10mm steel ball against the hardwood at a force of 100kg. The indentation caused by this action is measured over many tests and then the average figure is calculated as the Brinell value. This provides useful information for customers choosing a hardwood floor for a hall or busy restaurant as it is more suitable to select harder wood flooring in heavy traffic areas.
Species Brinell Value
Pine 1,6
Birch 2,6
Euro Maple 3,2
Cherry 3,3
Walnut 3,5
Red oak 3,8
Oak 3,9
Ash 4,1
Beech 4,6
CA maple 4,8
Jarrah 5,1
Merbau 5,6
Kempas 6,0
Species Brinell Value
Pine 1,6
Birch 2,6
Euro Maple 3,2
Cherry 3,3
Walnut 3,5
Red oak 3,8
Oak 3,9
Ash 4,1
Beech 4,6
CA maple 4,8
Jarrah 5,1
Merbau 5,6
Kempas 6,0
Thursday, 12 June 2008
Welcome to wood floor guru blog!
Welcome to the wood floor guru blog! We aim to inform our readers about all aspects of hardwood flooring including installation,floor sanding, solving problems and repairs. Our team consists of very experienced professional floor fitters and directors of one of the largest hardwood flooring contractors and retailers in the UK. We welcome ideas for submissions from all parties in the hardwood flooring industry whether they be manufacturers, distributors, retailers or wood flooring contractors. We would also ask members of the web community to pose questions or air their queries. If an article is of interest or has you in total disagreement please comment and let us know!
Wood Floor Guru
Wood Floor Guru
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