Acclimation

Acclimation:

The point of acclimating wood flooring before installation is to allow the moisture content of the wood to adjust to the installation site’s “normal living conditions”- that is the temperature, humidity conditions and moisture content that will typically be experienced once the structure is occupied. Wood flooring has a comfort level too: wood flooring will perform best when the interior environment is controlled to stay within a relative humidity range of 30 to 50% and a temperature range of 60° to 80° Fahrenheit.

NOTE: Some manufacturers do not require
acclimation for certain products prior to
installation. If the manufacturer recommends
that the wood flooring be acclimated before
installation, proceed as follows:

1)     Verify that the building is maintained at normal living conditions for temperature and humidity.

2)      Where building codes allow, permanent heating and/or air-conditioning systems should be operating at least five days preceding installation.

3)      Upon delivery, check wood flooring moisture content with a moisture meter to establish a base line for acclimation. For solid strip flooring (less than 3”), there should be no more than 4% moisture content difference between properly acclimated wood flooring and subflooring materials. For wide-width solid flooring (3” or wider), there should be no more than 2% difference in moisture content difference between properly acclimated wood flooring and subflooring materials.

4)      Moisture Testing in general gives you the ability to start or not start a job; these tests do not give a permanent condition of your substrate merely a “at the time the test was performed” indication.

5)      On Concrete Slabs: a Calcium Chloride Test will be done. Tests are to be covered and left in place for 60 to 72 hours. Typical limits for direct glue-down wood flooring (whether solid or engineered) is 3lbs/1000sf/24hr. When getting readings over 3 lbs you must use a vapor/moisture retarder.