Hardwood Floors August/September 2017

By Jason Spangler

make sure the wood subfloor and wood flooring acclimate to the environmental conditions in which the flooring will be installed. In most regions, a dry wood subfloor that’s ready to work on has an MC of 12 percent or less (as low as 4 percent in low relative humidity states). During the winter, an overly moist subfloor can be dried out by running the heating system for a few weeks. During the summer, air conditioning will also remove moisture from the air, but in many cases, use of a dehumidifier may be necessary to get the subfloor down to acceptable levels for installation. Ambient environmental conditions, therefore, will dictate what the MC of the subfloor and wood flooring is going to be. However, always follow the wood flooring manufacturer’s recommendation regarding MC for a proper subfloor. Moisture Meter: A Necessity Flooring installers can easily determine the MC of the wood subflooring (and, of course, the wood flooring) by using a

hand-held moisture meter. Amoisture meter should be part of every flooring contractor’s toolbox as it can provide a good representative picture of the entire subfloor. Final Thoughts Any successful wood floor installation requires proper moisture testing. Unfortunately, what many installers often fail to recognize is the MC of the subfloor. When the subfloor is overlooked, an imbalance between the MC of the subfloor and the new wood flooring can cause unsightly and costly problems. To avoid these problems, it’s always wise to use an accurate moisture meter to ensure the wood flooring materials and the subfloor are both ready for the installation. Jason Spangler has more than 20 years' experience in sales and sales management in a spectrum of industries. He currently works with Wagner Meters as the Rapid RH® product sales manager, in Rogue River, Oregon. He can be reached at jspangler@wagnermeters.com.

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