Wood based products naturally expand and contract with moisture and variation in
temperature.
Cause:
Therefore if your flooring is lifting this generally gives an indication that not
enough time was given for acclimatisation, or due to improper installation techniques
i.e. not fitted with the required expansion gap.
Other possibilities may be related to the environment, such as prolonged exposure
to water, or a relative humidity (RH) level that is simply too high to allow the
floor to function properly.
Fortunately this can usually be fixed by simply allowing more expansion and contraction,
or by replacing the affected planks (depending upon the cause of the issue), or
by regulating the humidity level.
Prevention;
Acclimatise board to the manufacturers guidelines. Follow installation instructions
carefully and leave the adequate expansion gap. Make sure the local living space
is suitable for your flooring choice.
Cure:
Cut the flooring back if it’s pinch against any fixed points, therefore re-installing
the expansion gap. Add moisture to the air space during dry periods. A constant
Relative Humidity (RH) of 50% works in concert with the manufacture of wood floors
to provide stability in the floor. Install a humidifier to control the RH levels.
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