An Introduction to Installing & Maintaing Wood Floors
Wood floors are a lifetime
investment, adding value and beauty to your home or office.
As with any major improvement you should expect some disruption
and inconvenience. When having wood floors refinished or
installed make sure to give the floor contractor the time
he needs to complete the job without interference from other
trades. Other trades are allowed the necessary time to complete
their jobs, thus so should the wood floor contractor. Several
factors you should be aware of:
Pre-Installation and
Finishing Requirements
The building should be completely closed in, with outside
windows & doors in place -ALL wet trades (drywall, paint,
ceramic tile, etc.) should have completed there work Air
conditioning, heating and ventilation systems should be
operating -The temperature and relative humidity be at "normal
living conditions"- that is between 60 & 80 degrees
(F) and between 30-50 percent humidity- for a LEAST 6 days
prior to the wood flooring being delivered. The wood floor
should then acclimate to conditions at the jobsite for 3
to 5 days. Moisture testing should be the responsibility
of the wood floor and/or general contractor. Furniture,
appliances, room furnishing, and old floor coverings should
be removed from rooms where flooring is being installed.
Installation Expectations
Plastic should be used to help seal off the work
area -There will be sawing, hammering and other noise during
installation -Make sure you understand the time frame involved
& the duration of installation. -Finishing should Teak
place 5 -7 days after installation (unfinished)-you can
walk on the floor during acclimation (before sanding &
finishing) - Pre-finished floors should have at least 72
hours before heavy foot traffic.
Sanding and Finishing
Expectations
There will be noise, dust and some fumes during this process.
Even though the area is sealed off, dust from the sanding
process could & will probably infiltrate other areas
of the house -Because fumes will be present during finishing,
pilot lights must be turned off.
Keep pets away from
work area at all times
Make sure you go over the work schedule with the wood floor
contractor, know the number of days it will Teak, when the
floor can handle foot traffic, always allow scheduled work
to be completed as specified. This will ensure a good job
& the best results possible. Make sure the floor is
protected and/or measures are taken so that other trades
and/or people coming in after the wood floors are finished.
There is nothing more frustrating than some one else not
using due care & causing a good job go bad.
Radiant Floor
A radiant floor should
not produce temperatures over 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The radiant heat system
should remain in operation after installation. It should be noted any wood
flooring, as well as bamboo flooring, will expand and contract due to
temperature changes. The maximum difference in moisture content between the
subfloor and the flooring material should be no more than 3 percent. The amount
of movement depends upon the temperature, moisture content of the flooring and
subflooring (wood moves as moisture content rises and falls) and the
dimensional stability of the material. Gaps in the floor may come and go
seasonally or due to temperature changes. When choosing an installer for
application over radiant heat, look for members of the Radiant Panel
Association. Please refer to
www.radiantpanelassociation.org for more information.
Reference: National Wood Flooring Association Technical Reference Manual.
Things you SHOULD
NOT expect from a wood floor finish!
- A table top finish. Each piece of oak
flooring sands differently depending on its grain type
(plain or quartered) making it virtually impossible
for a completely flat surface.
- Dust-free finish. Since your floor is
being finished in your home it is not possible to achieve
a "clean room" environment. Some dust will
fall onto the freshly applied top finish.
- A monochromatic floor. Wood, as a natural
product, varies from piece to piece. Remember it is
not fabricated -- it is milled from a tree and will
have grain and color variations consistent with the
grade and species of flooring selected.
- A floor that will not indent. In spite
of the term "hardwood", Oak flooring will
indent under high heel traffic (especially heels in
disrepair). The finish that is applied will not prevent
the dents.
- A floor without cracks between the boards,
or within the parquet pieces. Although your new floor
may start tight together, as a natural product it will
continue to absorb and release moisture. This natural
process will cause the flooring to expand and contract
from season to season -- resulting in cracks between
some of the pieces in your floor. Some stain colors,
such as white, will show this process more than others.
Understand
that furniture, cabinetry, doors, etc., are fabricated in
a factory under ideal conditions and that they contain 1-10
different pieces of wood. Their floor is fabricated in their
own home and is made up of 300 to a thousand individually
different pieces. And that their floor is never to be duplicated
-- a truly custom floor of their own! After the job is completed,
go over the job with the estimator and/or job supervisor.
Maintenance procedures should be reviewed, along with proper
protection of furniture (place protection under legs) before
it is placed onto the new wood floor and items of concern
should be addressed. Remember, wood floors are an investment;
proper maintenance will give you years of beauty & enjoyment!
Please see NWFA (www.nwfa.org)
for more on Care and maintenance of your Hardwood Floor.
