Humidity Hardwood Floor Buckling

Causes of buckled hardwood floors.

Humidity hardwood floor buckling.

If you live in a humid climate and are installing on a cement sub floor adding a moisture barrier is a must. A moisture barrier is a thin sheet of polyethylene that is laid between the subfloor and the hardwood. Without this barrier moisture can cause buckling. Fortunately this is not a common occurrence.

Before installing new flooring consider the moisture content where you live. Moisture primarily is the main cause of buckling. The flooring should be installed leaving a gap of 1 4 inch to 1 2 inch around the perimeter of the room. Otherwise you can guarantee that buckling will eventually occur.

Usually problems with buckling or cupping in a wood floor are caused by excessive humidity inside or under your house. This is when the real wood floor problems start like hardwood floor raising up often accompanied by cupping or swelling starts. If you see an area with minor buckling and or other slight signs of water damage it won t hurt to take the easy way out first and try this quick and simple repair. Buckling occurs when the wood flooring actually pulls up from the subfloor lifting several inches in one or more places.

Another important part of installation is the expansion gap. Once the root cause of peaking is identified the hardwood floor peaking problem can be fixed. Hardwood floors buckle when the humidity levels in the lower levels of the house are too high in the crawlspace or basement explains the basement health association in the article negative effects on hardwood floors. It s possible that a nonpermeable housewrap was used behind your new siding which is increasing the humidity level in your home.

Buckling is one of the most extreme reactions to moisture that can occur with hardwood flooring. Floor buckling is the most extreme reaction to moisture in a hardwood floor. Buckling is when the hardwood floor lifts or separates from the sub floor. If spilled water sits atop the flooring for too long or if moisture seeps into the wood from the subfloor it can eventually lead to a buckled.

In this case the moisture reached a level in the flooring that was sufficient to generate areas of buckling and splits in some boards. Or that the siding covered up existing foundation vents under your home. When the water that causes cupping comes from plumbing appliance or building leaks or from site grading problems it is often straightforward to diagnose the problem. A buckled floor with only minor damage can sometimes be repaired simply by removing the excess moisture but serious buckling will necessitate replacing the hardwood boards.

It happens when the floor expands beyond expansion gaps and literally pulls away from the subfloor as high as several inches.