When it comes to using wood in flooring, a little basic knowledge can go a long way. Especially if you are a business owner talking to a flooring contractor or manufacturer. Wood floors are highly desirable in both business and residential construction, especially in office spaces.
Learning how the industry measures wood can improve understanding and communication between customers, contractors, and manufacturers. When sizing both softwood and hardwood flooring, manufacturers and flooring professionals measure the material by width. But why?
The reason that sets of wood are measured by width is that wood shrinks when it dries.
Wood shrinks more across the grain than along the grain. Because of this natural behavior, the width of a wooden board changes more than its length as moisture levels change.
When sawmills cut wood, the boards generally maintain their original length. However, the width can change as the wood gains or loses moisture during storage, transportation, or installation.
If installers do not dry wood flooring planks properly before installation, gaps can develop between the boards over time. In some situations, manufacturers dry the flooring correctly, but the planks absorb additional moisture during shipping, storage, or jobsite conditions before installation.
Flooring professionals can reduce the risk of excessive gapping by selecting narrower boards and more dimensionally stable wood species. In some environments, humidifiers can also help maintain more consistent indoor moisture levels and reduce seasonal wood movement.
The bottom line is that wood will always behave like wood and shrink when it gets drier. Installers need to inform their clients about the best wood flooring material for their area and warn them about the expected seasonal gapping that will most likely occur. A flooring inspector can visit the workplace to provide more insight and information on any wood flooring issues that appear to be affected by shrinkage.
If you are worried about shrinking wood flooring or have any questions about hardwood flooring in general, consider calling Rob McNealy at Flooristics for a thorough consultation.
[…] wood flooring is properly installed, there will be small gaps created in drier months, and no gaps at all in more humid months. It’s […]