Why Is The Moisture Content Of Oak Flooring Important?

2nd Jan 2015 @ 16:28

When browsing through the oak flooring market there are always number of factors that are considered to ensure you are getting the right floor for you. The moisture content of oak flooring is a point that is often overlooked, but important nonetheless.

During the production stages of oak flooring, cut air-dried oak is placed into a kiln. This dries out the timber to an appropriate moisture content. This process normally takes around 6 weeks.

For oak flooring in the UK, we recommend that the moisture content lies between 8% and 12%. Any higher moisture content than this would be too high and cause problems once laid.

Moisture Content

Some oak flooring is supplied with a moisture content that is less than 8%. Initially this may seem like a better option due to the increased dryness. This is however not the case. When these boards are unwrapped from their airtight packaging, they are likely to quickly swell in Britain’s damp air. This leads them to becoming mis-shapen, and not fit for purpose.

Once you have chosen your oak flooring with a suitable moisture content, it is important that your flooring is acclimatised to your surroundings prior to fitting. The boards should be brought into the room and stacked to allow air flow to pass through the boards. You can read more about acclimatisation in a previous blog post by clicking here.

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