Install a Beautiful, Affordable Wood Floor

(Page 5 of 5)

October/November 2006
By Steve Maxwell 
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A moisture meter is the best tool to find the moisture content of your wood flooring. This hand-held device measures the electrical resistance of wood and translates it into a percentage of moisture content. The more moisture, the lower the electrical resistance. Flooring for homes in cold climates should be in the 7 percent to 9 percent range; 10 percent to 14 percent for homes in warm climates.

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If you can’t get a moisture meter to check wood flooring before purchasing it, you can acclimate the wood to your home’s humidity level. Start by assuming that your wood is too wet, then stack it in the same room where you will install it, which gives the wood a chance to reach moisture equilibrium with the surrounding air.

The best time to acclimate wood flooring is when indoor humidity levels are at their lowest — typically in the winter. To promote air circulation, stack your flooring with thin strips of wood between each layer. Aim an oscillating fan at the pile and leave it on continuously. Each day, measure and mark the width of a half-dozen floorboards, recording their widths with a pencil on the boards themselves. Even the most moisture-mismatched wood will stabilize completely in no more than two weeks. You’ll know when it’s ready because board width will stabilize.

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Comments

  • toni 7/21/2007 10:57:15 AM

    I love this idea...however, I have not been able to find a
    lumber mill that will sell #3 lumber to me...could you advise where
    such a lumber mill might be. thanks, toni wood
    Mother Responds: Toni, not knowing where you live, you may have
    to do a bit of exploring. Contact some of the home improvement
    stores and ask first. Check to yellow pages for lumber mills in
    your area, if there are any.

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