Preservation
Humidity and Ventilation
Humidity and ventilation are critical considerations for your new wood
floor. A relative humidity of 35-50% is normally required for the long,
trouble-free life of your floor. Prompt air circulation is necessary
whenever the humidity level rises above 50%. Be especially careful in
the summer months and inspect your floors regularly. In the dryer
months, if the humidity level drops below 35%, use humidification to
prevent excessive dryness and possible wood shrinkage.
Control Air Conditioning and Humidity
Your air conditioning system should always be operating in the 35-50%
range of normal relative humidity. You should also have ventilation
equipment available year-round.
Excessive Tightening
Call your flooring contractor immediately when excessive tightening of
the floor becomes noticeable.
Joint Separation
When you begin to notice unusually wide cracks, call your flooring
contractor immediately. Keep Water off the Floor Surface During
inclement weather, protect your floors from tracking at exterior
doorways. Check your floor protection frequently to assure no moisture
is trapped underneath. Correct all leaks immediately. Protect your floor
from excessive condensation moisture by properly insulating interior
drains and downspouts. Any dampness within your building should be
brought to the attention of your architects and engineers.
Expansion Joints
Never block or obstruct the expansion joints around the perimeter of
your floor or at columns and inserts. They have been engineered for
natural expansion and contraction. (Please check with your flooring
contractor to see if your floor may be a system designed without
expansion joints.)
Anchoring Bleachers
Make adequate expansion provisions in floating type floor systems before
lagging fixtures, equipment or bleachers through the wood floors into
concrete.
Steel Channel Floor Systems
These floors are designed to self contain expansion and do not require
expansion voids when anchoring bleachers and equipment through flooring.
This applies to Permalock and Grip-Tite Systems only. |
