Humidifiers add moisture to the air, making it more comfortable for people, pets, and wood floors. Your humidifier should keep the relative humidity at that sweet spot between 35% and 55%.
According to wood flooring experts, moisture levels of between 6-9% enable wooden floors to maintain optimal performance. Therefore, if your hardwood floor is too dry, you can rehydrate it to the recommended levels using vinegar solution, a humidifier, water-based polyurethane, or oil-based urethane.
– Maintain a proper humidity level in your home by using a humidifier during the winter months. – Be aware that wood stoves and electric heat tend to create very dry conditions, so make sure to use your humidifier when these are on.
If the wood is installed too dry, when it picks up moisture from the higher humidity environment it will expand and could cause permanent cupping. The goal is to acclimate the wood to whatever the normal living conditions are and ensure the wood flooring moisture content is within 2% of the subfloor moisture content.
A humidifier is necessary for your hardwood floors if you live in an extremely cold or dry environment. You should consider getting a humidifier if the humidity levels in your area and home drop below 35% for large parts of the year. You may need only to run your humidifier during certain seasons.
You can protect your wood floors with a whole-home humidifier. Most wood flooring manufacturers require the homeowner to keep their floors in a consistent environment because wood responds to temperature and humidity changes. When the air is dry, wood shrinks.
Your hardwood floors would be at risk of warping, crowning, and buckling. So if you live in a place that happens to get humid, especially in the summer, then it's highly recommended that you get a dehumidifier. It could help you save money in the long run on repairs needed for your home.
When you're setting up your humidifier, avoid placing it near wood: on a wood floor, on wood furniture, or even near wood trim and cabinets. Just like moist air can loosen up pesky nasal secretions, it can also soften fibrous materials in your home.
Cupping occurs when the edges of the board are higher than the center of the board, creating a concave shape. In addition to ruining the appearance of a room, cupped floors can lead to serious structural problems. If the wood continues to expand and cup, it can result in gaps between the floorboards.
Depending on how much moisture, and how long the hardwood floor is exposed to it, it can do irreparable damage.
It's good waterproofing that is resistant to alcohol or oil. For wood floors, use tung oil only on unfinished wood that will allow the oil to penetrate. Apply it with a cloth, foam roller, or brush as you would for stain. Allow it to penetrate the wood for one hour, then wipe off the excess with a cloth.
Conclusion. It's challenging to learn how to rehydrate wood furniture when you have the time to do so. Just sand the wood, add linseed oil, and paint your aged and scuffed wood furniture would be enough to repair it.
You'll want to place your humidifier near where the people are, but not too near where it will get in the way. For this purpose, placing the humidifier on a shelf or table usually works fine. Just be sure that the humidifier won't damage anything in case it leaks, or it has a tray underneath it to collect water.
Here's the Hardwood Golden Rule: With both solid and engineered hardwoods, you should aim to keep humidity levels in your home between 35% and 55%. Now here's why. If the humidity level drops below 35%, it can be a problem for your hardwood.
Best Way to Shine Hardwood Floors with a Surface Finish
To clean the floors, sweep and vacuum to remove all dust and dirt. Using a wood floor cleaner of one-gallon warm water and ¼ cup of dish soap, mop the floors to remove all grime. Always wring out mop well, so water is not pooling on the floor.
Wear Spots
Use a fine-grained sandpaper for this job and make sure when you're done that the floor is as smooth as glass. While you're still in sanding mode, find a different, less-visible area of the floor—like in a closet or under the bed—and sand away a very small patch of finish and stain.
What is the Best Finish for Hardwood Floors? Polyurethane is the most popular finish for floors. It's tough enough to handle constant traffic and is resistant to almost everything. There are two types of polyurethane finish: oil-based (solvent borne) and water-based (waterborne).
Whether you're cleaning one area or all of your flooring, Murphy® Oil Soap is safe to use on hardwood floors.
Murphy oil soap will bring natural shine to your wooden floors. All you need to do is dilute it properly and follow cleaning tips mentioned above. It's unique blend of natural oils, mixed with a hint of pine scent will clean away your dirt and grime while leaving behind an anti-slip and shiny finish to your floors.
Do NOT clean your floors with Murphy's Oil Soap, Mop and Glo, Orange Glo, Swiffer Wet Mop, furniture polish such as Pledge, vinegar, ammonia, or any pine cleaners! All of these cleaners, over time, will dull and damage the finish.