Plank Flooring Moisture

Moisture and Wood Paneling - As with wide plank flooring, extra care is necessary for good paneling results. Proper acclimation before and maintenance after installation is critical.

All woods are hygroscopic - they absorb moisture when the air is humid, and lose moisture when it's dry. Wood cells always contain some water. Technically, this moisture content is expressed as a percentage of the weight of the dry wood: 40 to 160 percent in fresh-sawn lumber; 8 to 10 percent (optimum for dimensional stability) in hardwoods kiln-dried for paneling. Wood gains and loses moisture before and after installation, as surrounding environmental conditions fluctuate. As such, it is critical that the inside conditions be maintained to control humidity and temperature to within normal living conditions.

All the wood in your home will contract or expand according to the moisture in the air. In dry, cold weather, cracks and fine lines of separation may appear between boards. If relative humidity and temperature rises, so does the moisture content of hardwood paneling. This increase in moisture content can result in the edges of the boards rising as they press against each other from the resultant expansion. This is known as cupping.

Some minor cupping and fine crack separation is to be expected in all hardwood paneling from seasonal changes in humidity. This is normal characteristic of wood. Maintaining consistent humidity and temperature levels will minimize these changes. Wood paneling, as do people, benefit from a balance of humidity and consistent temperature in the home.

Every precaution should be taken to prepare the wood for the environmental conditions of the home prior to installation, and allow for post-installation acclimatization prior to sanding and finishing. Blind nailing and gluing should be employed with wider boards to minimize wood movement. Vapor barriers should be used were required. Expansion joints and voids should be left under baseboards around the perimeters of rooms.

However, please understand that, we cannot guarantee, with even properly installed hardwood paneling, against moisture-induced movement following installation and finishing. Post-installation environmental changes are beyond anyone's control.