Solid Timber floorboards & acclimatisation?

[BillyBudd]

Hey VGolfer,
you are right to be concerned by the supplier's statement that "whatever you do moisture will cause pointing/cupping"...this is the first excuse they'll use if anything does go wrong...(nuthin to do with us or the boards..Its the moisure in your house mate!). If you live in East Sydney they'll probably be right.

Anyhow, all the advice on this message board is excellent but the humidity level in your house/subfloor and how it varies across seasons will be a big determination of how flat your floor stays. You will always get some shrinkage and swelling, although this will be a lot less if you run reverse cycle airconditioning in your house most of the year.

THe best way to reduce cupping is to cut and lay your boards unfinished and upside down, screwing down every 5th one. Then leave for 6 months to acclimatise. Then unscrew, flip and nail/glue and finish.

I'm assured this works but of course no sensible Minister for Home Affairs would ever put up with this for 6 days let alone 6 months so am not speaking from personal experience here...

Anyhow, whatever you do, if things do go horriby wrong you see your boards starting to cup, either ignore it (and just like rising damp it will go away) or go buy a small humidity controlled dehumidifier ($500) and stick it in your subfloor. )

[glock40sw]

THe best way to reduce cupping is to cut and lay your boards unfinished and upside down, screwing down every 5th one. Then leave for 6 months to acclimatise. Then unscrew, flip and nail/glue and finish.

Ummm... NO.
I've seen a 130mm floor that was cut in ,laid upside down for 3 months and then flipped over and nailed off.

It looked like corragated iron. You could not walk on it the cupping was so bad.
For a good floor install, do the correct procedures for installation. DO NOT cut corners. Use membranes. Climatise only if needed. allow enough expansion joints (cork or gaps). use the correct fixings. use the correct adhesive. Don't try and save a few nails be spreading them out too far. DO NOT use liquid nails or water based glues. Only use the recommended adhesives.Get a Pro. Ensure that the installer is going to do the floor the way YOU want it. NOT the way he wants to lay it. Research the subject. Ask questions from people who know what they are talking about. NOT from a builder. NOT from an architect. NOT from a mate. BUT from a hardwood flooring professional or manufacturer.
Correct Hardwood Flooring installation is so easy.
It is the lack of site preparation and installation skill that causes the problems.

Hooroo.
Regards, Trevor
Grafton

[ThePope]

This man speak the truth...

Does your company have a good quality guide available on the net covering the ins and outs of flooring trev ?
Seems to be a need for one going by all the queries here.

[glock40sw]

G'day,Your holyness.
No, we don't.
We rely on the resources of Timber Queensland and TRADAC for all the info relating to flooring installation. They have far more experience in this field than I do.
I was only talking to our largest customer the other day. He was saying that he has no trouble at all with our flooring, yet other manufacturers were doing resupply for faulty flooring.
We have probably the tightest quality control for flooring that you can get.

EG: we run an inline moisture meter behind our moulder. every stick of flooring gets checked for moisture content. Any that are too dry or too wet get sprayed with black paint for the entire length of the piece. This makes it unusable for flooring. We split it on a sawbench and use it for edge protector strips to stop rope or chain damage to the good flooring.

We have on our main flooring production line, 6 qualified timber graderman. So each stick of flooring passes through these blokes hands and eyes. What one might miss, the next will get.

Sure it all costs money, and we don't sell the cheapest flooring. But we do sell quality.

Hooroo.
Regards, Trevor
Grafton

[ThePope]

jesus you're certainly thorough.

trouble is all that goes out the window somewhat when it gets on site and into the wrong hands

but you've done all you can at your end...

[E. maculata]

We have on our main flooring production line, 6 qualified timber graderman. So each stick of flooring passes through these blokes hands and eyes. What one might miss, the next will get.


Trevor

How the heck do you get all 6 to stay in the one spot long enough to do any work Trev?

[glock40sw]

How the heck do you get all 6 to stay in the one spot long enough to do any work Trev?

Ban smoking on site...