Does cold weather affect hardwood floors?

Does cold weather affect hardwood floors?

Just as you experience dry skin and chapped lips from the dry winter air, your wood flooring can also dry out and shrink. The result? Gaps (or “cracks”) open up between the boards in your hardwood flooring.

Do wood floors shrink in winter?

During the winter, when homes are heated and the air is dry, wood flooring loses some of its moisture and contracts or shrinks as a result. It is normal that when relative humidity is lower than recommended, wood plank shrinks, therefore thin gaps can appear between wood planks.

What happens to hardwood in the winter?

Hardwood flooring is a natural product that is affected by variations in temperature and humidity. During warm, humid summers hardwood absorbs moisture and expands. Conversely, dry winter weather causes hardwood to lose moisture and contract.

Why do hardwood floors separate in winter?

Every hardwood floor endures some separation between boards. In the winter months when the home is heated and the air is dry, wood flooring releases some of its moisture and therefore shrinks. When this happens, thin cracks appear between boards. This is normal and is acceptable.

How do you protect hardwood floors in the winter?

You can still host house-full holiday parties while protecting your hardwood floor with these tips.

1. Take your shoes off at the door.
2. Place doormats and rugs at both the inside and outside of all entryways to your house.
3. Clean up melted snow and salt before it dries.
4. Use a humidifier.
5. Sweep high-traffic areas daily.

How do I keep my hardwood floors clean in the winter?

How To Keep Your Floors Clean In Winter

1. Always have thick outside mats at every entry points.
2. Place thick welcome mats or doormats inside the house too.
3. Invest in a rubber mat for drying.
4. Consider your pets specially dogs.
5. Always vacuum hardwood floors before mopping.
6. Protect the finish of your hardwood floors.

How do I keep my hardwood floors from cracking?

Here are 7 ways to stop your wood floors from being squeaky:

1. Put a Shim into the Gap.
2. Nail a Piece of Wood Along a Warped Joist.
3. Put Wood Blocks Between Noisy Joists.
4. Use Construction Adhesive to Fill Long Gaps.
5. Screw the Subfloor to the Finished Floor.
6. Floorboard Lubricants.
7. Fix the Squeak from Above.

Do floors creak more in the winter?

In the winter floor squeaks are more prevalent because the drier conditions inside a house cause materials like wood to contract which may result in movement between floor components. The drier conditions are often the same reason trim gaps and nail pops are more common in winter as well.

Are gaps in hardwood floors normal?

Generally speaking, gaps in a wood floor are normal for boards up to 2¼ inches wide if the gaps close during more humid times of the year. Normal gaps can vary in width, ranging from hairline gaps to the thickness of a quarter.

How do you dry a floor in the winter?

We’ve compiled a list of easy ways to keep your flooring investment looking great all winter long.

1. Use walk-off mats outside. Get a sturdy mat for both outside your entry doors and inside.
2. Put doormats inside, too. Some moisture is bound to get in.
3. Vacuum the salt.
4. Use the right cleaner.
5. Get your carpets cleaned.

How do I keep my floor clean in the winter?

Do hardwood floors expand in winter?

Solid hardwood floors move in sync with fluctuating conditions in their environment. They expand when the humidity increases, and contract when it decreases. During the winter months, contracting floors will often leave thin cracks or gaps between the planks.