Acceptable Moisture Levels For Laminate Flooring

If the moisture content of wood flooring isn t right then it can warp buckle or even delaminate causing significant damage and ruining the aesthetic value of the flooring.

Acceptable moisture levels for laminate flooring.

Testing wood subfloors. As the humidity levels rise above 60 your flooring expands. Concrete slabs and floors can be excellent subfloor surfaces for tile and other floor coverings but too much moisture in the concrete can cause problems with flooring installations. Therefore it s advisable to have a floor tested for moisture content prior to installing flooring or moisture barriers.

As a rule most parts of the united states will have a rating of about 8 moisture. 1 in most regions of the country a dry wood subfloor that is ready to work has a moisture content of 12 percent or less or down to about 6 in states with low rh relative humidity. 1 to prevent moisture migration up through concrete substrates located on and below grade and damage to installed floor coverings the concrete slab shall be protected from ground moisture and hydrostatic pressure by the use of an industry approved vapour retarder moisture barrier or waterproof membrane having a permeance of less than 0 3 perms 0 2 metric perms in accordance with astm e 96. If your subfloor is concrete and recently laid you re likely to face more of a challenge when it comes to moisture.

Drier climates can drop as low as 4. Wood subfloors are actually easy to check for moisture content just test for moisture at several locations in the room and average the results fig. To make sure that the moisture content of wood flooring is in the right range many professionals use flooring moisture meters to test their wood flooring materials and. These devices can be used to test the moisture content mc of wood flooring in mere seconds.

14 is the highest moisture reading acceptable for wood subfloors. Low humidity levels can also have an impact on your flooring. Since these companies do not specify the type of meter used either a pin or noninvasive is acceptable under their subfloor moisture testing standards toylys states that subfloor moisture content may not exceed 10. Mannington columbia mohawk quickstep unilin each state that subfloor moisture content may not exceed 12.

Wood moisture meters for flooring applications come in two varieties. Measuring moisture in wood flooring. With that said you should take a moisture reading before installing your flooring to make sure it is acceptable. What happens when humidity and laminate mix.

Laminate flooring may present a durable plasticized surface to your feet but it s made mostly of wood fibers and wood is sensitive to moisture. Ideally you re looking for the moisture content of your subfloor to be 2 or less. The fastest way to measure moisture in floors is to use a moisture meter for wood.