Tag: Hardwood Floor Care

‘Did You Know’ Episode 8 – Engineered Wood Floors Have a Comfort Zone Too

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Episode 8 – Engineered Wood Floors Have a Comfort Zone Too.

Hardwood flooring is manufactured in many widths and cuts to provide a multitude of design opportunities per species of hardwood. One design element we are seeing become more popular is wood flooring that is 6” to 10” wide and is chosen for the beauty and presence it brings to a room.

In dryer parts of the country or in a market that can experience a dry heating season, a solid flooring in 6” to 10” width would make just about any installer cringe due to the potential movement that floor could go through. To minimize this movement, manufacturers have put their wider plank products onto an engineered platform and have sold them as a more stable option to its solid counterpart. In higher moisture conditions, that engineered flooring will perform better during seasonal changes by not adversely reacting to a higher moisture were a solid may show signs of cupping quickly.

For years, the industry has used an image like the one above, stating the use of solid flooring should only be used on or above grade. Whereas an engineered flooring can be used on all three grades. This is due to the engineered flooring having more dimensional stability to handle the potential of a slightly higher moisture level in a below grade situation.

To the left are the most common types of engineered flooring platforms. If correct living conditions are not maintained in the home, either too high or too low of humidity, the flooring can be stressed and you may start to see unsightly gaps, squeaks and pops as fasteners start to work free from the subfloor and in worst case scenarios, the plies of the engineered flooring starting to tear apart.

 

While an engineered floor may be able to withstand a slightly higher amount of moisture before showing signs of wood distortion (i.e., cupping or warping), in a dry environment the structure of an engineered plank will tend to hold together so well that by the time you start to see the signs, it may be too late.

Some of the platforms pictured above may handle a wider variance in humidity levels and the manufacturers who utilize the different platforms will have a range that their product performs best in. I have seen in most manufacturer’s guidelines that they require to maintain 35% to 55% humidity with a range of 60° – 80° temperature.

When an engineered plank is exposed to an extended period of dry conditions, the layers of the substrates are stressed, potentially causing irreparable damage to that plank. If held in this situation long enough, the layers can start to peel apart and may appear as ‘Dry Cupping’ as pictured below on the left. Internally, the plies are ripping apart and if examined once the plank has been removed, you will see the ‘Wood Shear’ where the plies have torn like the picture on the right.  

Dry Cupping
Wood Shear

This issue is commonly misdiagnosed as delamination. The NWFA defines delamination as “The separation of two layers/plies within a piece of engineered flooring due to the lack of an adhesive bond is typically identified as a clean separation at the glue-line.” This would be a complete, clean separation between the plies and not show torn sections as shown in the image above. A wood floor that is showing signs of dry cupping or wood shear will usually have moisture content readings that indicate that the flooring has been exposed to very low humidity conditions.

Dry Cupping and Wood Shear is not considered a manufacturer defect and is not covered by the warranty since the environmental conditions of the home were not maintained according to the manufacturer’s Maintenance and Warranty Guidelines. Here is the phrasing one engineered manufacturer has on their website regarding wood flooring and its reaction to environmental conditions:

“Wood is a product of nature. As a natural material, it will expand and contract as it gains and loses moisture. Some gaps between the boards during low-humidity seasons are normal and not considered a defect. Maintaining optimum humidity levels of 35% to 55% will minimize these occurrences. Allowing relative humidity levels to fall below 35% can result in structural damage to the floor such as large gaps, splits in the surface, distortion of the boards and structural failure”.

Maintaining these correct environmental conditions will keep these issues from happening. Start by adding a thermo-hygrometer to be able to monitor the humidity. If your current HVAC system cannot maintain these conditions, additional moisture control systems may be needed to help keep the temperature and humidity of the home within the manufacturer’s suggested environmental conditions to maintain their warranty.  

Additional information can be acquired from the manufacturer’s technical department of the products used on your floor. The National Wood Floor Association (NWFA) can be an additional resource. They can be reached at 800-422-4556 or online at www.woodfloors.org.

Download Info Bulletin #120 – Engineered Wood Floors Have a Comfort Zone Too

This article was also featured in the Hardwood Floors Magazine. Click here to see that article.

‘Did You Know’ Episode 7 – Dog Nails and Their Ability to Damage a Wood Floor

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Episode 7 – Dog Nails and Their Ability to Damage a Wood Floor.

Just as a woman’s high heels can dent and crush the fibers of a wood floor, a dog’s untrimmed nails can produce the same crushing action on the cells of a wood floor. As mentioned in the diagram below regarding high heels, your dog’s nail can exert the same psi.

As a dog slips on a finished surface, they will try to grip the surface with their nails. When doing so, the pressure applied to the wood will cause the wood fibers to dent. This may be viewed as a scratch in the finish but it is actually denting the wood. Unfortunately, even the most durable finish systems cannot make the wood harder.

Truthfully, any dog, of any size and of any age can potentially do this to a hardwood floor. A more rambunctious puppy that likes to run and play or even an older dog that likes to run to the door at the sound of a ringing doorbell would have a greater potential for this damage.

While most pet owners are unwilling to quarantine their dogs out of the living space of the home, here a few tips to minimize this damage on your hardwood floor:

  • First and foremost, keep their nails trimmed and rounded off (avoiding sharp points during trimming).
  • When choosing wood flooring for your home, choosing a denser wood specie can minimize the possibility of this type of damage. Maple, Hickory or Brazilian Cherry are great examples.
  • Higher sheen levels and darker stain colors will potentially show this damage more. Utilizing a Satin or Matte sheen level will minimize the reflection of light, thus masking the dents potentially being put into the wood.

If you are looking to repair this damage that has already happened to your floor, recoating it with Matte sheen may mask the damage. In worst case scenarios, the floor may need to be resanded to completely remove these dents.

Additional information can be acquired from the manufacturer’s technical department of the products used on your floor. The National Wood Floor Association (NWFA) can be an additional resource. They can be reached at 800-422-4556 or online at www.woodfloors.org.

Download Info Bulletin #10 – Dog Nails and Their Ability to Damage Wood Floors

Along with the Floor Care Products available through Gehl Flooring, check out these additional Floor Protection products.

‘Did You Know’ Episode 6 – Long Term Hardwood Floor Care

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Episode 6 – Long Term Hardwood Floor Care.

Today you can find many suggestions on how to maintain hardwood floors. While some old time remedies may still be relevant, it is best to follow these suggestions for the best performance of the investment. Understanding realistic expectations of wood floor maintenance up front is important. Hardwood floor owners who realize that their floors aren’t impervious to an onslaught of spills, grit and water will be happier with their floors. You can prevent most problems before they occur by following the below care and maintenance, keeping a hardwood floor looking its best and lasting longer.

Added Protection

Nothing is more discouraging than discovering scuffs or scratches on your newly finished hardwood floor. Wood is a product of nature; therefore, it can be dented or scratched by dog nails, high heels, heavy appliances and sharp objects. Most of these scratches could be easily prevented by the following these Do’s and Don’ts…

DO

  • Support furniture and heavy appliances with wide-bearing, non-staining gliders or casters.
  • Move appliances and furniture by lifting and placing in place. Try not to slide or roll them on a hardwood floor.
  • Place a quality door mat at the entrance of your home to help protect the floor from abrasive dust, dirt and grit, thus save time on unnecessary clean-up.
  • Place area rugs in high traffic areas to make long-term maintenance easier and less expensive.
  • Keep the indoor relative humidity between 30% and 50%.

Don’t

  • Don’t use wax, or other wax-based maintenance products on your wood floor.
  • Don’t use soap or other household detergents.
  • Never use a wet mop or pour water directly on the floor surface.
  • Don’t use any alcohol, or ammonia based cleaners.
  • Don’t clean newly finished floor with Wood Floor Cleaner, or any other cleaner, until the floor is fully cured. Check with your contractor or the manufacturer of the finish for cure times.

Deep Cleaning/Re-Oiling

Just like other floor coverings, your hardwood floors may become too dirty to clean with a simple cleaning. At this time, many floor covering companies offer deep cleaning options that will utilize specifically designed equipment to deep clean and scrub your floors, removing any build up left behind by the weekly cleaning. If you have an oiled floor, many manufacturers sell an oil/cleaner that should be periodically applied to your floor to maintain its appearance.

Recoating/Restoring Your Floor

With time, signs of normal wear and tear should be expected. It is natural and happens to all wood floors. To restore the luster of your floor and extend the wear layer of finish, recoat your floor with additional coats of finish (if a traditional urethane coating has been used) or the correct restoration products if your floor has been coated with a hard wax oil or penetrating oil. Make sure your contractor is using the recommended recoat system that is compatible with the finish to give the existing floor a proper deep clean and prepare it for recoating/restoration.
Recoating should be done when necessary. Don’t wait until the finish has worn through to raw wood. Call your professional flooring contractor for advice as soon as you see a wear pattern developing on your floor surface.

Accidents Happen

No matter how carefully you take care of your floor, sometimes accidents just happen. Dropped packages, sliding furniture and other things can dent or scratch any wood floor finish, regardless how tough it is. Some of these problems can be solved easily with a simple solution, while others might damage your floor too much to repair by yourself. Don’t worry; there are many talented floor contractors who will be more than happy to help repair your floor. For simple repairs, some manufacturers have repair kits available to help mask slight damage to your floor.

Throughout the Life of Your Floor

The environment of the home should be stable and maintained throughout the life of the floor. Even with correct conditions, floors will shrink and expand as seasonal changes occur. To minimize these changes, maintain a consistent temperature and humidity for your floor to perform as designed. The manufacturers of your flooring may have their own suggested perimeters but the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) states these conditions should be between 60° and 80° and 30% to 50% relative humidity. Installers take many steps to make sure the flooring is installed in the correct conditions. In extreme high or low moisture conditions, a floor can start to go through unsightly and unexpected changes and in worst cases, cause irreparable damage. Of which, in many cases, is not covered by the manufactures warrantees.

Here are a few things that can be done to help maintain the correct conditions in a home:

  • Have a way to monitor temperature and humidity in the home.
    • If the HVAC thermostat does not have the ability to read humidity, inexpensive tabletop units can be purchased at most big box stores.
  • If the levels start to go outside the zone; use a humidifier or dehumidifier to control the moisture levels.
    • Standard heating and air conditioning systems may not be effective at controlling humidity levels. Additional humidity controlling devices may be necessary.
  • Make sure humidity control devices are maintained and always working properly.

Additional information can be acquired from the manufacturer’s technical department of the products used on your floor. The National Wood Floor Association (NWFA) can be an additional resource. They can be reached at 800-422-4556 or online at www.woodfloors.org.

Download Info Bulletin #60 – Long Term Hardwood Floor Care

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