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Proper Relative Humidity - Hardwood
How I missed this article in the BNP/FCI magazine from last year by Micky Moore I don't know. I found the magazine at the bottom of my brief case.
But in any case this is a hot topic for down here and many other dry areas of the states. Note the part about Engineered and the HPVA. Many a engineered hardwood floor claim for delamination has been denied when it should not be. As a matter of fact, last year about this time is when I got in a heated debate with the owner of an inspection brokerage firm about delamination of an engineered product. The manufacture denied the claim, thats when I decided to stop working for them.
How many consumers have been denied claims for this? Your guess is as good as mine but it could be into the thousands. On one back-up inspection I performed, one inspector said the delamination was due to the installer hitting the nailer to hard. Little did he realize the flooring was delaminating from both tongue and grooved sides. And even on uninstalled planks OUCH!
Snip:
However, there are engineered manufacturers that recommend the use of their product only where the environmental conditions are within a specified relative humidity range, typically from 30 – 35% to 50 – 65%. You note that these are the same as with solid wood. When issues arise, particularly those associated with delamination, claims have been denied because the recorded humidity was above or below the recommended range. Both NOFMA and the HPVA (Hardwood Plywood Veneer Association) feel that properly manufactured engineered flooring should not delaminate under normal environmental conditions associated with any area in the USA. This includes the desert southwest with typically low humidity and the gulf coast and southern coast with typically high relative humidity.
Link: http://www.fcimag.com/Articles/Feature_Article/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_...
But in any case this is a hot topic for down here and many other dry areas of the states. Note the part about Engineered and the HPVA. Many a engineered hardwood floor claim for delamination has been denied when it should not be. As a matter of fact, last year about this time is when I got in a heated debate with the owner of an inspection brokerage firm about delamination of an engineered product. The manufacture denied the claim, thats when I decided to stop working for them.
How many consumers have been denied claims for this? Your guess is as good as mine but it could be into the thousands. On one back-up inspection I performed, one inspector said the delamination was due to the installer hitting the nailer to hard. Little did he realize the flooring was delaminating from both tongue and grooved sides. And even on uninstalled planks OUCH!
Snip:
However, there are engineered manufacturers that recommend the use of their product only where the environmental conditions are within a specified relative humidity range, typically from 30 – 35% to 50 – 65%. You note that these are the same as with solid wood. When issues arise, particularly those associated with delamination, claims have been denied because the recorded humidity was above or below the recommended range. Both NOFMA and the HPVA (Hardwood Plywood Veneer Association) feel that properly manufactured engineered flooring should not delaminate under normal environmental conditions associated with any area in the USA. This includes the desert southwest with typically low humidity and the gulf coast and southern coast with typically high relative humidity.
Link: http://www.fcimag.com/Articles/Feature_Article/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_...
Tags: SEO, climates, digg, dry, flooring, google, hardwood, humidification, installer, linking
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Bob Higgins on -
I'm not certain if thise will work in this situation, but it IS something that worked form me when I had an engineered wood product used for an exterior deck. A year after it was installed, some of the planks warped, and badly. Even with caveats galore, they boldly stated the product was less suspectible to warping than natural wood..and the product wouldn't warp in the conditions I have near the coast.
First they wanted to deny the claim, then they were going to replace the planks only and not cover any of the labor...I insisted they cover the cost of labor, because the strict definition of a construction defect in California is that a product was not fit for its intended purpose. We paid good money and had it installed by their directions, which they changed in the interim between the initial installation and the claim.
They tried to say that the rh was too hight during a certain period of time..to which I said..you advertise it to be used anywhere..including the coastal areas, what you are saying then is you are selling a defective product.
Simply go back into magazine articles; and many times extremes in temperatures and humidity are noted and can be expected and the manufacture will tout the efficacy of their product(s). They want to claim it..then they will be held to it...
No matter WHAT their warranty states, if they advertise it as being suitable..the warranty language becomes non-enforceable...this doesn't always work..but if diligence is paid to how the product was presented and sold..like in my case, their warranty restrictions were invalid...
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Permalink Reply by Floorguy on -
I totally agree, Bob.
Don't market and sell it as the best thing since sliced bread, and then back out on the bread part, when it is toast.
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Permalink Reply by Stephen on -
They made a product for outside decks and claimed the rh was to high? Thats insane,
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