Environmental Conditions and the Importance of Regulating it

( In response to a consumer in Dallas, TX concerned about environmental variations in climate and the effects on bamboo.​ )

Cory,

The NWFA states that hardwoods can be installed in environments able to maintain 35-55% relative humidity and 65-85 degrees. This fluctuates through the seasons. But, this gives us an average. Teragren, and other hardwood factories, moisture balance the flooring before it leaves the factory. Doing so places it within that range, if the laws of averages were absolute.

Because we cannot assess the environmental conditions of each and every jobsite, we follow NWFA’s guidelines. We advise that the flooring acclimate to the home. It is best to wait until both the subfloor and flooring are within a few percentage points of moisture equilibrium. This results in successful installations and fewer return visits to do repairs whenever the seasons shift.

In the end, this is why we recommend having an “artisan,” rather than an “installer”. An artisan can make all the difference in the success of a project. This is coming from someone who’s been around the community for a long time with multiple references. We are more concerned about taking the time to make it right vs. the amount of time willing to give. Their knowledge of what will or will not work in your area, would be of value.

I’ve spoken several times of NWFA and they have a search tool on their website for NWFA certified specialist. Folks that have kept up with the industry changes to be better at what they do. I encourage you to use the link below to go there, and contact a couple people that appeal to you. The certification isn’t easy and they have to go through many hours of training every year to keep their certification.

https://woodfloors.org/certified-professional-search.aspx

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Technical Manager