Taking care of your hardwood floor is paramount, even when you’re not at home. Remember, wood expands and contracts when the temperature and humidity change. If you go south for the winter and leave your Rhody thermostat down at 58, you may notice gaps or other issues with your hardwood floor when you return in the hot and humid summer.
I've made a lot of videos in the Ask Ken series about the importance of acclimating wood. In short, you want to make sure that you pre-deliver the wood before installation to minimize the opportunity for expanding and contracting.
Here's the problem. Even after you acclimate the wood, if you don't maintain a fairly steady temperature and humidity in your condo or in your house, you may see some movement in the wood. This includes expansion/contraction and gaps opening up between the boards.
We think a lot about this issue on the Island because we have a population who is here during the summer. But then, during the winter, they go to Florida or where they live normally.
There is a responsibility to maintaining a wood floor. It's a temperamental material. If you want your wood floor to stay looking the same all the time, you have to maintain temperature and humidity all the time.
If you have any questions about selecting or maintaining hardwood floors, give us a call at 401-214-0285 or visit our showroom. We serve customers throughout Rhode Island and southeastern New England, including Newport, Middletown, Jamestown, Portsmouth, Bristol and more.
About Ken: Ken Fain is the co-owner of Island Carpet in Middletown, RI and a floorcovering veteran of more than 40 years. His popular 'Ask Ken' video series answers common flooring questions on a variety of topics. It has reached thousands of viewers on both YouTube and Facebook.
695 West Main Road Middletown
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