One of the secrets to a long-lasting hardwood floor is proper acclimation. In this post, we explain why letting your wood adjust to its new home is so important—and how to do it right.
Why It Matters:
Wood is a living material that naturally expands and contracts with changes in temperature and humidity. Allowing your hardwood to acclimate prevents issues like warping or gapping after installation.
The Process:
• Unload the wood and spread it out in the room where it will be installed.
• Keep the room’s temperature and humidity stable to typical living conditions during the acclimation period.
• Check moisture content with a moisture meter and allow the flooring to reach Equilibrium Moisture Content (EMC)**
• Typically, letting the wood sit for 3-7 days is recommended before installation.
The Takeaway:
Spending a few extra days on acclimation can save you time and money in the long run by preventing costly installation issues.
** Equilibrium Moisture Content (EMC) is the moisture level at which wood neither gains nor loses moisture when exposed to a specific environment. It occurs when the wood’s internal moisture content balances with the relative humidity and temperature of the surrounding air.
EMC is critical in hardwood flooring because wood is hygroscopic—it expands when absorbing moisture and contracts when losing it. If flooring is installed at a moisture content significantly different from the EMC of the environment, it can lead to issues like cupping, gapping, or warping over time.
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