Does hardwood flooring need to be acclimated?

Yes, both solid and engineered wood flooring should be acclimated. The floors are a big, if not the biggest, investment in your home, so you'll want them looking great and performing well for a long time; acclimation significantly decreases the possibility of water and moisture damage.

What is acclimation?

Acclimation is a process whereby you keep opened boxes of planks in the room in which it's to be installed for three to five days before installation. This helps to bring the moisture level of the wood up to that of the room; remember, trees are often harvested in different parts of the country or world, and they need to get used to their new "home."

Be sure to keep the room climate-controlled; excessive heat or air conditioning will affect the results. In addition, solid hardwood flooring is significantly affected by changes in climate by expanding and shrinking to adjust to the weather. If you have any questions, seek the advice of the experts at your hardwood flooring company.

Do I need to acclimate engineered wood?

Yes, while it is more stable and better able to handle moisture, engineered wood is often installed via the floating floor; here, the pieces will click, mat, and then hover over the subfloor without adhesives.

Since these floors are not attached to the subfloor, any movement–no matter how remote–will create an imbalance. Our goal is always to have your floors looking gorgeous, so we'll take no chances.

Since 1993, Taylor Flooring has been the premier source for quality products and superior services, including craftsman-like installations and free quotes. Whether you want hardwood flooring or some other product, or whether it's for a commercial or residential project, we'll help you find the perfect surface. We carry names like Karastan-Belle luxe, Mannington, LM, and more.