Hardwood floors can be installed in the winter, but doing so comes with some challenges. Humidity—the level of moisture present in the air—plays a key role in floor installation. If it's extremely humid when your wood floors are installed, it can cause the wood to swell.
Aside from the possible inconvenience of having your home out of commission during the holiday season, winter is not the most ideal time Because of the drying effect of the heating units or the lower moisture levels, winter is a less ideal time for hardwood flooring installation.
You probably have heard that wood expands in the humid conditions of summer and spring, and then contracts in winter dryness. For this reason, it is usually recommended that you install hardwood floors during the cold months. Because as the days warm up, the wood will expand, maintaining a good fit.
Is There a Best Time to Install Hardwood Flooring? Even though hardwood flooring can be installed any time of the year, it's usually best to do so in early Fall. Fall is the best time because it's cooler out and there's less moisture in the air, which can be detrimental to new wood floors.
The wooden planks in solid hardwood flooring will naturally contract (shrink) in response to colder temperatures.
Ideal Temperature & Humidity for Wood Floors
In general, relative humidity in the building should be between 30-50 percent year-round for optimal wood flooring performance. Temperatures should be kept between 60° and 80° Fahrenheit.
Ducts are like pipes for air, providing pathways for all the heat to go from the furnace to every last part of your house, including the floors. If they aren't flowing properly, they can leave some of the hardwood floors in your house cold, while damaging others by making them too hot.
The Winter Is the Best Time to Schedule Appointments
Since flooring contractors have fewer appointments during this time of the year, they will be more focused on your installation job, and less worrisome about losing other clients due the lack of demand for their services until the warmer months.
On average it takes 1-3 days to install hardwood floor. Typically, a 2-person crew of installers can lay 750 to 1,000 square feet of flooring per day with the average size of a job being 1,000 to 1,500 square feet.
Generally speaking, gaps in a wood floor are normal for boards up to 2¼ inches wide if the gaps close during more humid times of the year. Normal gaps can vary in width, ranging from hairline gaps to the thickness of a quarter.
During the winter, when homes are heated and the air is dry, wood flooring loses some of its moisture and contracts or shrinks as a result. It is normal that when relative humidity is lower than recommended, wood plank shrinks, therefore thin gaps can appear between wood planks.
To prevent large gaps in your wood floors, stabilize your home's relative humidity by using a humidifier in the winter months. Use exhaust fans and dehumidifiers to prevent too much moisture in the summer months. Small gaps less than 3⁄32 inch in width can be filled with wood filler.
In summer temperatures, the organic material of hardwood expands. Should you put down your floors, they're sure to look perfectly fine once the installers are done. Issues won't crop up until the winter season when your boards contract and lose the moisture soaked up in the summer.
Why You Need Underlayment
While underlayment isn't always necessary for your hardwood floors, there are always benefits to it. One of the most significant reasons to install underlayment is the added stability and durability. Underlayment provides support for your floor and helps smooth subfloor imperfections.
Prices for hardwood floors have increased anywhere from 15 to 70 percent. The increased lumber costs are due to species scarcity, fuel inflation and a lack of truck delivery.
Installing hardwood flooring averages between $6 and $12 per square foot. On average, wood flooring costs between $3 and $7 per square foot for materials and $3 to $5 per square foot for labor. An estimate for installation of 1000 square feet of hardwood flooring runs between $6,000 and $12,000.
On average, a hardwood flooring finish lasts approximately ten years. But with proper care and maintenance, it can last much longer.
Summary time line for Pre-finished hardwood flooring:
Total install time for 1,000 sf or less = 1-5 days (+ extra if floor prep is needed and/or tile rip up) Total elapsed time for 1,000 sf or less = 2- 4 weeks.
The average cost to install hardwood flooring is $4,213 with most homeowners spending between $2,311 and $6,115. On the low end, you can expect to pay $6 to $11 per square foot, and on the high-end prices range from $12 to $23 per square foot for both materials and installation.
Typically, solid hardwood flooring is between 5/16 and ¾ inches thick. Those are pretty standard thicknesses that serve most needs. Engineered hardwood can come in different thicknesses but generally, it's about the same offerings as solid hardwood.
Acclimation of wood flooring begins with proper storage at the job site. It should be cross stacked and spaced to encourage air circulation around the boards. Most manufacturers recommend materials acclimate for a minimum of three days with no maximum suggested.
Carpet vs Hardwood: The Final Verdict
According to the above, hardwood and carpet flooring are equally healthy. However, carpets are harder to clean properly, making them less ideal for people with allergies or asthma.