Not only are they just as beautiful as the real thing–because they are the real thing–but they’re perfect for moisture-prone areas of a home, if not the entire home. W x Varying L Solid Hardwood Flooring (20 sq.ft./case) Crafted with precision and an eye for detail, Crafted with precision and an eye for detail, Bruce American Originals hardwood provides classic appeal and inspired design possibilities to transform your home. Acoustical Qualities—Backed with attached microcellular foam padding, waterproof hardwoods can tamper noise levels and also provide a layer of insulation. Not only will it resist warping issues from excessive moisture, but it will make a beautiful flooring to conceal a concrete slab. Unless the RH in your home measures zero or under, then there’s water vapor in the air. Cupping is a result of underlying water damage, typically coming from beneath the floorboards. The most distinguishing feature of cupping that sets it apart from other kinds of damage is the location of the moisture damage. 5 Common Wood Flooring Installation Mistakes, Floor Racking: How to Lay Out Plank Flooring Before Installation, By continuing to browse this website, you agree to the use of cookies for the collection of traffic statistics and to improve the quality of our website. The Pro Center. 3 months after the installation and cupping is occurring to all new hardwood floors. In extreme, fluctuating weather, it’s even common to hear a creak or two as your hardwoods adjust and the house settles, so there’s no need to worry. Even certain waterproof flooring options, such as vinyl, may prevent some accidents from becoming worse. From sustainability to easy installation that can eliminate issues like peaking, there are many reasons why homeowners should consider this flooring type. Wood floors are temperamental under the best of circumstances, which is why you’re strongly advised to hire professionals to install your wood floor unless you have experience with the DIY approach. In fact, this time, waterproof hardwood flooring was a real gamechanger. The moisture causes the wood to expand which forces the edges up. Peak Floors is your company for hardwood floor installation and refinishing in Pittsburgh. Never worry about wet footprints or leaving wet towels on the floor anymore! They expand and contract based on the weather, humidity, and other factors. With a range of colors and widths, you can create a look that is all your own. As a homeowner, if you desire real hardwood floors but want the worry-free, effortless features of waterproof flooring, waterproof hardwoods are the perfect match. For several centuries wood flooring has been the preferred floor covering in homes, but it was only affordable to the wealthiest individuals in the world. i.e. For example, if a toilet overflows and the water reaches the hardwood hallway, the hardwood planks swell with moisture. The three most common types of swelling are cupping, buckling and peaking, and each have distinct signs and characteristics that point to a particular type of issue. Although buckling hardwood floorboards form a peak, don’t confuse them with actual peaking, which is another problem entirely. Understanding each can help you determine what is going on in your home. Like solid hardwood floors, damage to engineered hardwood floors can be the result of either a one time water event or an ongoing issue. Our team has the experience you need! Peak Flooring Inc. takes pride in providing quality wood floor services and products for our customers. But with waterproof hardwoods, homeowners have a bit more peace of mind. Set a small piece of paper onto an equally small drop of water and you see the same concave shape. And it doesn’t require a burst pipe to create massive damage to these types of floors either. Because the wood needs to accommodate this excess moisture, it moves upward and the expansion causes it to buckle. Mudrooms are built for the coming and going of dirty shoes and wet coats and umbrellas. One option for homeowners is to get the individual planks and floorboards replaced, ensuring enough time to dry to normal RH levels. In fact, the use of hardwood floors in the US housing market was near 100% of housing starts between the late 1920’s until the mid 1940’s. You don’t necessarily have any control over unexpected moisture issues, such as flooding or leaking pipes, nor can you do anything about humidity or moisture in the air. With these handy devices, you can supervise temperatures and maintain levels between 40 and 50 percent all year long. Both engineered and solid hardwood floors are at risk for issues that change the shape and appearance of the wood. Prevent Hardwood Floor Cupping and Buckling with Waterproof Hardwood Floors, Raintree Flooring | Aspen Estates, First Flurry, A Buyer’s Guide: 4 of the Most Affordable Flooring Options, How to Protect Hardwood Floors from Holiday Party Traffic. Leaking roofs may also cause wood floor peaking. Although buckling hardwood floorboards form a peak, don’t confuse them with actual peaking, which is another problem entirely. But, what is hardwood floor cupping? The sides of each board are higher than the middle sections. Many times the damage is the result of a combination of both. To fix floorboard cupping, you can simply sand the floor to make it even. And that’s because Raintree is manufactured as real, genuine hardwoods with the same natural beauty. This causes a "pinch point" that can potentially lead to gapping, buckling, or end joint peaking. Considering this during the installation process is crucial. Otherwise, the wood has nowhere to go when it expands. Wood floors add a rich elegance to any space, but they’re somewhat delicate and sensitive. Cupping is the result of an increased moisture content that saturates the bottom of the boards. Call 412-480-8555 today! Even if you do incur moisture damage, there’s no need to replace your entire floor. They bow inward, resembling the bowl of a spoon — or the inside of a cup. Unlike cupping the boards will not have taken on a concave appearance. Here are the many benefits of waterproof hardwood flooring you should consider: Durable, Moisture-Resistant Construction—Waterproof hardwoods offer a rigid composite core that is more durable than engineered wood and wood plastic composite (WPC) flooring. As the name implies, the surfaces of boards that suffer from cupping have a concave shape. But with authentic hardwoods, waterproof hardwoods offer a natural, organic wood grain enhanced by only stains and textures. Relative humidity (RH) is the measurement of water vapor within the air. Organic Woodgrains without Repeats—Some waterproof floors are made to resemble wood, but consist of repeated woodgrain prints. Waterproof hardwood flooring, like Raintree, has numerous benefits that outweigh your typical engineered hardwoods and solid hardwoods of which homeowners are accustomed. Resources, education, and tools specifically designed for the Professional. Those culprits are more difficult to discover since there are no immediate changes. Those are straightforward, making it easier to pinpoint the problem. Wood floors contract and expand depending on the humidity in your home, the temperature, and the weather. However, before sanding the floor, you have to give the moisture content time to get back to normal. Not to mention, waterproof vinyl was more affordable, leaving many turned off and wondering, “what was the point?”. Warping & Buckling. With standard solid hardwoods, homeowners have to be more diligent and address spills as they happen. You may hear the house settle and the floorboards creak in weather that throws that equilibrium out of whack, but for the most part, the wood finds a happy medium. View our full event schedule to find an opportunity near you. Thick x 2-1/4 in. Call us today for a free consultation. This is a technique to fix popping floors on engineered wood. It’s where everyone gathers to cook, converse and entertain. Cupping occurs when your hardwood flooring lifts at the edges only. Here at Twenty & Oak, we love our waterproof floors, but this is one waterproof flooring that stands out above all the rest! As an owner of hardwood floors, you may need to observe humidity levels to ensure moisture will not cause immediate or long-lasting damage. Raintree alone offers 14 total styles and colors. Specifically, peaking is an expansion problem. Installation. This prevents the flooring from being able to move freely, as a floating floor is intended to do. Today, however, we have a revolutionary new flooring: waterproof hardwoods. The rich, warm tone and the grain of the wood are what make wood floors perfect for any home. You know to look for appliance leaks, leaks in the building, site grading issues, or plumbing problems. If your environment causes concern for hardwood cupping and buckling, Twenty & Oak suggests installing advanced and amazing waterproof hardwoods such as Raintree. Both engineered hardwoods and solid hardwood flooring can experience issues such as cupping, buckling and peaking. We also did not have the equipment necessary to lift our radiators to get underneath them. Contact Twenty & Oak or a trusted dealer today to see samples of gorgeous Raintree waterproof hardwoods. Made to withstand wet weather, slushy snow and other elements, waterproof hardwoods make an extra-durable, lovely addition to mudroom floors. Read More: The Best High Humidity Flooring Options. And sure, they can even resemble various woods–but at the end of the day, they’re just not the real thing. Laminates. These changes can also present a less-than-desirable change in the appearance of your wood flooring. While appealing to most homeowners, solid hardwood flooring and engineered hardwoods are highly sensitive to water and humidity. An expansion problem known as “peaking” Your floor and walls are, in a certain sense, fluid. As an alternate option, Twenty & Oak recommends the latest waterproof hardwood floors. Remove the affected hardwood, give the rest time to dry, and then replace the damaged boards. With every steamy shower or puddled bathwater, you take the risk of a more serious structural damage. Minor high spots for hardwood and laminate floor installations are easily fixed with tar paper shims. As you can see, both methods are quite the hassle and incredibly inconvenient. Humidity is another issue that impacts on hardwood floor. However, it’s when there is an extreme fluctuation in moisture that there’s a cause for concern, as the air’s water vapor levels sneakily accumulate, resulting in the swelling of floorboards that seem to appear out of nowhere. Cupping is a common problem found in hardwood floors. When Raintree was launched, new excitement for waterproof hardwoods picked up again. However, should they happen, these disasters are not exactly easy to fix. In fact, it was more of a flop. Events. Unlike buckling, which is caused by moisture damage, it’s typically caused by improper installation. Humidity and moisture almost always cause the disfigurement and warping that most often affect hardwood floors. In some homes, the wood behaves itself for a year or more, only to suddenly twist out of shape or split. It’s important to understand this in terms of installing hardwood floors, as well as determining the underlying cause of cupping and buckling. Raintree specifically offers its NINJA Pet Guard™ finish with urethane and aluminum oxide. Increased Resale Value—Installing waterproof hardwoods can increase home resale value, which means it’s a great investment. This can cause warping issues such as cupping, or in severe cases, even cracked and split planks. Browse For Beginner. With nowhere else to go, it begins to peak instead. Plano Marsh Oak 3/4 in. Style and Color Variety—Waterproof hardwoods can look as rustic or smooth as any real wood. Pipe leaks can lead to flooding or increase the moisture content on the wood floor. Downstairs half of the floor was hardwood and the other half carpeted so we converted It all to hardwood. While this effect identifies a serious leak, usually caused by household appliances such as the dishwasher or plumbing problems that can be easily addressed and fixed, the more difficult and sneakier culprit is water vapor. From pee to poop to throw up, keeping floors in shape when you have cats can present a bit of a challenge. Laminate floor peaking is a condition where the board edges are pushing together and peaking upward, forming a high spot at the joint that appears as a shallow peak. Plus, waterproof hardwoods have that rigid core layer to act as a strong barrier against any moisture or leaks. Swedish-style, wood-centric homes look fabulous when floored in wide plank flooring. When waterproof flooring first hit the market last year, it didn’t go all that great. Work the powder down into … It refers to a state when the individual wood planks appear to be higher on the edges as compared to the center of the board, forming the shape of a cup. Email: customerservice@builddirect.com, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window). It may take time, but the additional water vapor in the air will ultimately swell the floorboards. Poor installation is the most common reason that wood flooring peaks. ft. / case) Enhance your home with beautiful hardwood Enhance your home with beautiful hardwood flooring that fits your budget. Whether you do it yourself or hire a professional installer, double-check that space remains between each floorboard. Solid wood flooring takes in moisture when there is a high level of humidity in the air and then the flooring lets that moisture go when the humidity in the atmosphere reduces again. In cases where the floorboards heave upward, sanding isn’t recommended. You can also subscribe without commenting. Floorboards resemble a sandwich in cross-section. This type of installation means fewer open joints and easy repairs. Stunning styles, superior quality and excellent value – that’s the Kentwood promise. Wood floors contract and expand depending on the humidity in your home, the temperature, and the weather. If floating floors are installed without a proper moisture barrier between it and … Failure to give the wood time to dry can cause crowning. Live Edge Events . During the winter season, for example, we crank up the heat to stay warm. As a homeowner, the best flooring is worry-free, hassle-free flooring. When a floor expands against the doorway molding or wall, the boards can actually buckle up and create a tripping hazard — and certainly an aesthetically displeasing situation. Before, you had to choose between hardwoods and waterproof floors, but today, you can have both! Poor installation is the most common reason that wood flooring peaks. Buckling hardwood floors occur when there is excessive moisture, caused by flooding or a build-up in moisture from, say, your basement’s concrete slab subfloor. My hardwood floors are newly installed in the upstairs throughout. And if it looks like hardwood, even better! Since wood flooring contracts and expands along with humidity levels, getting a wood flooring installed correctly is crucial. While there are many advantages of waterproof hardwoods, one of the top benefits is its ability to withstand not only topical spills but moisture and high-humidity environments. To learn more, please consult BuildDirect's, What is Peaking, Buckling, and Cupping in Wood Floors. A second option is to sand the warped floor back to an even surface. Full of abundant character and color variation, the Bruce Plano collection celebrates the beauty of natural hardwood. Required fields are marked *, You can use these HTML tags and attributes

. Hardwood floors have a natural beauty that everyone will love. Hardwood floors will buckle if they are subjected to excess water. Wide x Varying Length Solid Hardwood Flooring (20 sq. The nature of the moisture in the air results in different types of hardwood damage. Specifically, peaking is an expansion problem. The Hardwood Floors Magazine Industry Guide is the most up-to-date business directory of NWFA members. Add Free Sample to Cart 9/16 x 7-1/2 Coffee Brazilian Oak Engineered Hardwood Flooring. It usually happens after water is left standing on the wood or if the floor’s exposed to high humidity over a long span. Dust Free Sand and Finish. So, it’s imperative to install waterproof flooring in these areas, too. In turn, this can cause warping issues, such as cupping and buckling, which gives an unsightly appearance and makes you question why you wanted hardwood floors in the first place. Browse For Experienced. But while doing so, the moisture from hardwoods evaporates and floorboards tend to contract, creating gaps between planks. If you fail to do this, the wood becomes constricted as it expands. While they look stunning in our homes, they require lots of effort to keep clean and can even be plagued by humidity and moisture. 1. Basements are notorious for moisture build-up, especially in humid climates like the South. So, it’s no surprise that this section of the home sees lots of foot traffic and drink spills. We promise you won’t be disappointed and will love them as long as your house is your home! But with waterproof hardwoods, you can have the same beauty as real hardwoods along with a practically effortless ease of installation. But this takes much more effort and isn’t always conducive to a homeowner’s everyday lifestyle. Sprinkle talcum powder over the creaking area if it is just a slight creak. Hallmark Floors is a flooring company Hallmark Floors designs beautiful, innovative, quality floors Visit a dealer today to discover why we're simply better Crowning, like buckling and peaking, occurs when a floorboard is higher in the center than it is on the edges. Hardwood floor installation can take anywhere from a few days to more than two weeks, depending on demolition, wood type, the condition of your subfloor, total square footage of the project and installation method. Laundry rooms put out tons of moisture, plus the accidental overflow of a washing machine. The air in any given space has a relative humidity, or RH reading. Enhance your home measures zero or under, then there ’ s typically caused by moisture damage your. Levels change in the air will warp more gradually have the same character and dimension, as... Of course, you take the risk of a washing machine quite well their. To cause crowning, solid hardwood flooring can experience issues such as,. 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