Acceptable Moisture Content In Hardwood Flooring

If the moisture content of wood flooring isn t right then it can warp buckle or even delaminate causing significant damage and ruining the aesthetic value of the flooring.

Acceptable moisture content in hardwood flooring.

The fastest way to measure moisture in floors is to use a moisture meter for wood. Hardwood floors the maximum subfloor moisture level will be either 12 or 13 depending upon the manufacturer. Reaching equilibrium moisture content. Household hardwood floors should have a moisture content between 6 and 9 but the percentage will be affected by the type of wood the weight of the wood and many other factors.

Before you lay the first plank you must ensure that the moisture level in the concrete subfloor is low enough that it will not affect your flooring. But before you begin it s important to understand that moisture measurement and management is crucial to both the concrete slab and also the hardwood flooring. Flooring installers must know the moisture content of the wood flooring as well as the subfloor. Wood moisture meters for flooring applications come in two varieties.

These devices can be used to test the moisture content mc of wood flooring in mere seconds. The most accurate measurement for moisture content in wood is the oven bake out. Measuring moisture in wood flooring. 2 for plank 3 wide or more hardwood and 4 for strip 2 wide hardwood.

When you install hardwood laminate or vinyl flooring over a concrete subfloor one of the most important steps to take to ensure the lasting beauty and stability of your floors is moisture testing. Solid strip flooring less than 3 wide should have a moisture content no more than 4 percent different from the moisture content of your subflooring materials. Determining moisture content is an essential part of quality control within the flooring installation process. To make sure that the moisture content of wood flooring is in the right range many professionals use flooring moisture meters to test their wood flooring materials and.

Prior to installation wood flooring should be within acceptable range of moisture content with the wood subfloor. Some woods naturally have more extreme moisture contents ranging from 4 to 18 but oak floors are generally in the 6 to 9 range. The hardwood flooring s moisture content mc should be in balance with its surrounding ambient environment to support the. In order to ascertain these moisture values check various boards moisture content approximately 4 boards for every 100 square feet.

The relationship between the moisture content of the hardwood boards and that of the subflooring determines whether or not the wood is acceptable for installation.