5 Hardwood Flooring Cupping

Solid wood floors cup as a result of elevated moisture saturation in the air.

5 hardwood flooring cupping. However raised moisture levels are not the only cause of cupping they can also be caused my lowered moisture levels depending on the type of hardwood floor installed in your home. Cupping occurs in solid wood flooring as a result of an elevated mc in the bottom of the flooring compared with the mc of the face. Wood is hygroscopic meaning that it absorbs and releases moisture. Wood is hygroscopic in nature and thereby tends to absorb moisture from its surroundings causing problems in hardwood floors.

The general effect is easy to demonstrate by putting a small strip of paper onto a small drop of water. Looking for clearance hardwood flooring. When moisture interacts with a hardwood floor the side of the boards closest to the moisture expands. This can be caused by ambient moisture or moisture under the flooring which cause the boards to expand.

This is not a common problem for climate controlled homes if a solid wood floor is installed according to the manufacturer s directions. Cupping in solid hardwood floors is caused by some serious water problems or severe humidity issues. If spilled water sets on the wood flooring too long the hardwood cups quickly. This expansion can be in the form of cupping the center of the board is lower than the edges or crowning the center of the board is higher than the edges.

The subfloor and the wood must be dry before you begin to repair cupped flooring. It is not hard to see the effect in wood flooring either. Hardwoods4less has been an llc since 2003 and specializes in direct partnerships with hardwood mills. Anything from pipe leaks to a still wet concrete slab to improper hvac usage can cause cupping.

Fans and dehumidifiers can help. Cupping in hardwood floors is caused by changes in moisture levels whether decreases in the air rh above or increases in moisture from below. Here are some of the most common hardwood flooring problems and how to overcome them. Cupping is a result of the changes in moisture in the room.

As you can see moisture and wood don t go well together. When the moisture increases the wood swells and then when it decreases the wood shrinks. We are large enough to have and finish the best prefinished hardwood flooring yet small enough to take advantage of closeout oddlot and clearance hardwood flooring specials by the truck loads. A moisture imbalance in the wood causes the boards to curve with the edges being higher than the center.

Other causes of hardwood floor cupping could include situations such as basement plumbing leaks that allow moisture to migrate up into the subfloor and into the wood flooring or the heat from a wood stove that drys out the air in the environment.