Wood Floor Facts

Humidity Controlled Warehouse

We purchase top quality material, and maintain good quality over that material by storing our wood in a heated warehouse and monitoring the moisture content in the wood along with the humidity levels in our warehouse facility. We usually purchase 24,000 feet of wood at any one time direct from the manufacturer. Sometimes it may become necessary to purchase from wood brokers. Both sources have similar warehouse facilities to our own, and feel it is very important to start with top quality materials prior to the start of any job.

Shrinking Floors

All wood is made up of microscopic cells. As moisture leaves these cells, they shrink, creating hairline crevices between the boards. It is normal for the interior home to become dry during the heating season, and somewhat dryer in the later months of February and March. Under these circumstances, expect cracks between the boards about as thick as a dime. Some cracks may become larger, but this would most likely be due to a structural problem, such as a shifting of the beam, loly column and plywood underneath the floors.

Buckled Floors

On the other hand, wood has the ability to gather moisture from the air. When the heating season is over and the air becomes more humid, the boards will expand and close up any hairline cracks that may have appeared during the heating season. If too much moisture is absorbed, the boards will expand to the point where they will lose their posture and buckle. A buckled floor can be the result of several factors. One factor is poor building practices such as inadequate site preparation, poor under floor ventilation, or improper nailing. In Connecticut, homes are built very rapidly and under very difficult environmental conditions that can change from day-to-day. For example, one day pleasant, followed by two days of rain, and then days of high humidity and dew points. All this unsettled weather can affect the wood floors in your home. Another situation that can cause abnormal movement in your wood floors is a wet or damp basement. This most often is not the fault of your builder, but just one of the unknowns and unfortunate conditions that can occur with a home of any age.

Keeping Dampness Out

To maintain the natural beauty of your floors it is important to maintain a constant moisture level (humidity) in your home. To achieve these conditions, we recommend the following practices:

Proper site preparation and sound building practices
Use of dehumidifier when moisture levels are high, especially during the summer months
Use of humidifiers to add moisture to the air in the winter and early spring seasons

Ventilating basement air is also very important. Opening windows on nice, dry days will remove moist air from the home. It may also be necessary to seal your concrete floor to prevent moisture from entering.

Floor Finishes

Patrick Daigle Hardwood Flooring uses high-quality urethane finishing products. Urethane finishes provide better protection and a longer-lasting luster and require less maintenance. Unlike waxed floors, urethane floors can be damp-mopped and recoated when worn to restore the natural beauty.

Although urethane-coated floors are the easiest to maintain, they don't provide the smoothest floor. If you desire a floor as smooth as a piece of furniture, then we suggest a wax finish. A furniture-like finish, however, will not withstand everyday traffic and abuse as well as urethane.

Encountered a Problem with your Wood Floor?

Call us! We can help you in any situation and supply you with answers. We have the knowledge and experience to make sound recommendations, and our expert craftspeople are eager to assist you.