Making the switch to hardwood flooring is an exciting move. It’s a timeless flooring option, and its wide range of styles can complement almost any space. However, replacing your old flooring with hardwood involves a few steps and time. If this is your first time dealing with hardwood installation, you may not be familiar with hardwood acclimation. This is an essential step in the installation process and can result in serious damage if overlooked.

Acclimation is the process of allowing the wood to reach its equilibrium moisture content in normal living conditions. Proceeding with installation without completing this process may result in excessive expansion, shrinkage, distortion, or structural damage.

It is extremely important to follow the steps below after the delivery of hardwood to your home.

1. Between 5 to 10 days ahead of time, make sure the humidity and temperature inside your home are at normal levels. The heating or air conditioning must be running consistently in the 5 days leading up to delivery.
2. Make sure the hardwood is stored in an enclosed space upon arrival. Storing them in your garage or shed will not accurately represent the normal conditions inside your home.
3. Open the boxes and lay them flat in the respective rooms of installation. You want to ensure they are exposed to as much air as possible. Although more laborious, you can also lay the hardwood out as you are going to install them. This saves time during installation and speeds up the acclimation process.
4. Generally, you will want to wait for 7 to 10 days before installation, but acclimation varies depending on the species of wood. The manufacturer will provide their own steps for acclimation, so be sure to follow those for maximum precision.

If professionals are installing the hardwood flooring for you, they will be sure to double-check the moisture con. Whether you plan on a self-install or otherwise, we would love to help you out! Call us today at (202) 872-9860 for a FREE consultation, or stop by our DC showroom anytime Monday-Friday 10am-5pm. tent when they arrive. If you plan on doing the installation yourself, you’ll want to purchase a moisture meter. Sudden swings in humidity among other factors could have impacted the acclamation process, so always check even if you followed the directions to a T.

Contact us for assistance!

Classic Floor Designs has over 40 years of experience in the Washington DC area. We take pride in our quality selection of hardwood flooring, and our experts who help make clients visions become reality