Page 1 - 2018-07-CFR Volume 118 - The Importance of Wood Flooring Acclimation in a Commercial Setting

Our Guest author this month is Jason Spangler, Flooring Division Sales Manager for Wagner Meters.

The topic is the importance of wood flooring acclimation in a commercial setting. With
more wood being used commercially it is imperative the product being specified and in-
stalled be understood whether solid or engineered wood. Without proper acclimation in a
controlled environment the chances of having a problem are virtually inevitable.

Jason has over 20 years' experience in sales and sales management in a spectrum of industries
and has successfully launched a variety of products to the market, including the original Rapid
RH® concrete moisture tests. Call Wagner Meters today at (800) 207-2214 and ask for Jason, or
visit www.wagnermeters.com.

Proper Acclimation of Wood Flooring
Properly acclimating the wood flooring to its environment is critical to ensuring that there won’t be mois-
ture-related problems in the future. Additionally, accurate moisture measurements of the wood need to
be taken to confirm the wood flooring has properly acclimated.
The purpose of acclimating the wood is to achieve an equilibrium moisture content (EMC) with its sur-
roundings. What happens if you don't acclimate wood floors? If the wood flooring doesn’t reach a point
of EMC with its environment before being installed, it will expand or contract based on whether it’s ab-
sorbing moisture from the atmosphere or releasing it. If the expansion or contraction is significant, the
flooring will cup, warp, crack or gap.
Unfortunately, the common “wisdom” that wood flooring just needs to sit out in the area for a couple of
weeks to acclimate, remains all too common. Acclimation isn’t measured by time, it’s measured by the
moisture content of the wood as compared to the air around it. If a contractor doesn’t know what the
EMC is in the environment, and what the actual moisture content of the wood is – he can’t know if the
wood has acclimated.

1 Commercial Flooring Report July 2018