All wood changes in response to its environment.
It’s a constant unseen battle that goes on every season, all year long, year after year…
And the laws of physics dictate that there is only one possible outcome to this battle :
When it comes to wood vs. water,
Water wins, every time!
All wood floors will start off flat after they have been sanded and finished.
From there, wood floors will react to moisture changes: either too much moisture, or not enough.
Spoiler alert: basements are often the main culprit for first floor problems…
All wood floors respond proportionally to the change in moisture in the air, and eventually if it gets too high… voila!
Cupped floors.
Hygroscopic:
Definition: readily taking up and retaining moisture.
The ability to absorb and release moisture from the air.
Ex: dry sponges are highly hygroscopic.
Sweet Spot:
Wood floors do best when RH% air is stabilized YEAR-ROUND between 40% min and 55% max relative humidity.
It’s all about proper humidification and dehumidification.
Over many decades of wood floor experience, we’ve learned a lot of what could be done, what should be done, and, what should NOT be done.
We can change a lot of things, but try as we may, we can’t change the Laws of Physics!