Moisture Madness for Hillside Hardwood Flooring

Do you live on the side of a hill? Although the view is often superb, one often-overlooked challenge is the moisture that accompanies life in the hills. It's important that homeowners understand how humidity affects their hardwood flooring - especially before hardwood floor installation begins.

Moisture and Your Hardwood Flooring

As you prepare for hardwood floor installation, hillside homeowners need to understand that hardwood flooring responds to moisture and humidity differences through expansion and contraction, despite the drying, cutting and processing process the wood goes through to become floor boards. The wood flooring expands when it's hot and humid in the summer, and it contracts when it's cold and dry in the winter. Even though this seasonal movement is natural, it's best to reduce it as much as possible. We recommend adding humidity controls and making sure they work before hardwood floor installation begins. How does the science behind this work? Wood flooring is hygroscopic, meaning that it balances itself with the humidity and temperature of the surroundings; if it's dry the hardwood flooring dries out, and if it's wet it picks up the moisture. The additional moisture makes the wood swell and the loss of moisture makes the wood shrink. It's also important to note that wood flooring doesn't swell or shrink equally. A piece of wood going through a 0-28% moisture change will increase .1% along the length, and 5-15% along the width. So if you live on a hillside where there are high levels of moisture and humidity, hardwood floor installation requires planning. Be certain the right steps are taken before installation begins; make sure a moisture barrier glue is used and the flooring is well-acclimated to the space. Do you want to know more about hardwood floor installation steps to take in a home on a hill? Stop by our showroom to talk to one of our flooring experts, and don't forget to contact us for a free in-home estimate today!

Visit Our Hardwood Flooring Showroom in San Jose, CA

San Jose Hardwood Floors Showroom

Explore a vast selection of premium hardwood flooring, luxury vinyl tile (LVT), carpet and waterproof options. We’re committed to providing a pressure-free experience, offering expert guidance and honest advice—no sales gimmicks, just high-quality solutions to fit your needs.

Location:
1824 Stone Ave., San Jose, CA 95125
Get Directions

Contact:
Phone: (408) 264-3500
Email:  [email protected]

Business Hours:  Monday-Friday: 6:30am - 5:00pm
Showroom Hours: Monday-Friday: 12:00pm - 5:00pm

To schedule a weekend or evening appointment, contact Aiden McManus at (669) 400-6141 or Butch Kirk at (408) 316-5511.