Each winter, as the days get icy, I get queries for advice about a common complaint. Beautiful wooden planks on floors are not laying as snugly as they had been, framing is pulling away from its place, doors don't fit as tightly. What is going on?
Wooden floors seem to be shrinking as the air in homes are heated. This shrinkage is due to the wood losing moisture content. The indoor relative humidity is usually quite low in the wintertime. As the air dries out, it draws moisture from the wood floors and the rest of the wood in the house, studs and doors included. When the weather warms, the relative humidity will go up, and the wood floors, studs, joists, and doors will swell up again. If the wood had the proper moisture content when it was installed, it should return to the original size. But, if the wood was excessively moist when installed, it may never return to the original size.
Seasonal shrinkage of wood in a home is a normal occurrence. One way to reduce this shrinking is to add humidity to your home. A central humidifier installed on your heating system will work if you have forced air heat. Otherwise, a free-standing humidifier would help. If you install or start using a humidifier, it might take weeks for the wood to absorb enough moisture to make a visitble diffeence in the shinkage you see.
If your floors do not return to normal and excessive cracking is still a problem next summer, call your contractor and tell him you think he installed a wood floor with too high a moisture content. Most good contractors will stand behind their work and make the corrections .
A couple of weeks ago I was interviewed by a writer from the New York Times about self publishing. Here is a link if you are interested. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203525404576049622180003938.html
I continue to enjoy designing homes--the people I meet and work with are inspiring. I have also been writing articles for my website, www.about-home-design.com If you have any topics that you would like to read about, please let me know.
If you have any comments or questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Bill
William J Hirsch, Jr AIA
200 Benwell Court
Cary, NC 27519
919-469-9290
hirschnc@nc.rr.com
http://www.williamhirsch.com/
http://www.designingyourperfecthouse.com/
http://www.about-home-design.com/
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