As wooden flooring is a natural product, it will react naturally to changes in the environment that it is in. Wood will adjust in shape and size according to the particular climate and atmosphere.
For example, in a dry climate your hardwood floor will lose moisture and shrink, conversely in a humid climate your hardwood floor can absorb the moisture in the air and expand. These are all natural processes but it is important to allow your hardwood floor to adjust and acclimatise to its surroundings prior to installation to avoid these changes occurring once the floor has been laid.
Both solid hardwood flooring and engineered hardwood flooring need to acclimatise to their surroundings. Solid wood flooring should be left for at least 7 days, whereas engineered wood flooring should be left for at least 72 hours.
How to let my hardwood floor acclimatise to its surroundings...
• Ensure your hardwood floor is delivered to your house in plenty of time to allow time for acclimatisation before installation is due to start.
• Place the packaged floor boards into the room or area where it is going to be installed.
• Do not leave the packs of flooring on a damp floor. Make sure all wet work, plastering, etc. is fully finished and dry.
• Leave the hardwood flooring to adjust to the specific conditions of the room for the recommended amount of time.
