Laminate flooring is a popular choice for many homeowners because it is durable and easy to care for. But before installing laminate flooring, you need to give it time to acclimate to your home. This blog post will tell you everything you need to know about how long laminate needs to acclimate.
Table Of Contents
−- How Long Does Laminate Need to Acclimate
- Why Does Laminate Need to Acclimate?
- What happens if you don’t acclimate laminate?
- How Long Does Laminate Need to Acclimate?
- The Best Way to Acclimate Laminate Flooring
- Signs that Your Laminate is Not Acclimating Properly
- What Happens if You Install Laminate Flooring Without Acclimating it First?
- Can You Put Furniture Straight Onto the New Laminate?
- How Can I Acclimate My Floors Faster?
How Long Does Laminate Need to Acclimate
Most laminate flooring needs to acclimate for 48 hours in the installation room before it can be installed. This allows the flooring to adjust to the temperature and humidity of the room, which helps prevent issues like warping and shrinking later on.
Why Does Laminate Need to Acclimate?
Laminate flooring needs to go through the acclimation process. This is when the laminate adjusts to the room’s temperature and humidity. You might be wondering if this step is necessary, and it most definitely is when it comes to laminate.
Humidity and temperature can affect laminate flooring, making it expand and contract post-installation. That’s why it’s essential to acclimate the laminate before setting it in place.
Keeping the laminate in the room where you plan to install it will adjust to the temperature and humidity, allowing you to install the appropriate amount of laminate. This will prevent any issues from arising post-installation.
What happens if you don’t acclimate laminate?
If you don’t acclimate laminate flooring before installation, you risk the planks compressing or expanding from their installed position as it adjusts to the local temperature and humidity. This can cause buckling or gaps in your flooring.
How Long Does Laminate Need to Acclimate?
Laminate flooring must acclimate to the room’s temperature and humidity before installation. While manufacturers’ recommendations vary, laminate flooring needs to acclimate in the room for at least 48 hours. If you want to be extra cautious, you can go up to 96 hours.
The Best Way to Acclimate Laminate Flooring
The best way to acclimate laminate flooring is to place the flooring in the room where it will be installed. The flooring should be placed in the middle of the room and away from any walls. The manufacturer’s instructions should be followed for acclimation times.
- Acclimate laminate floor: To effectively acclimatize floor laminate, it must lay in an unaffected region. Place laminate in the room’s center, boxes side-by-side, away from walls to minimize dampness. Refrain from unpacking each box until the 48-hour mark.
- Control home temperature and humidity: Floor laminate should be acclimated between 64 and 86 degrees and 25% to 75% humidity. If you don’t know how, hire a local HVAC technician to give you the details, including ensuring your subfloor is dry. Invest in a thermometer or humidity monitor to track the numbers yourself. There are several inexpensive solutions to regulate house humidity.
- Wait 48 hours before installing laminate: Most laminate flooring requires 48 hours to acclimatize. Extreme temperatures may need 72 hours. When in doubt, wait for one to three days, as manufacturers prescribe.
- Paint later: Avoid putting laminate flooring in newly painted or plastered rooms because of the humidity. Plan painting jobs in advance or after to avoid affecting your new floor.
Signs that Your Laminate is Not Acclimating Properly
If you notice any of the following signs, it may be an indication that your laminate flooring is not acclimating properly:
- The flooring material is buckling or warped
- There is excessive movement in the flooring after installation, resulting in creaks or pops
- The flooring is installed up against a wall, with no room for expansion
What Happens if You Install Laminate Flooring Without Acclimating it First?
Laminate flooring needs to be acclimated before installation. This is because the material is sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity. If you install the flooring without acclimating it first, there is a risk that the planks will expand or contract after installation due to the change in environment. This can cause gaps between the planks or even damage the flooring.
Can You Put Furniture Straight Onto the New Laminate?
Laminate floors are strong and durable, making them ideal for holding up heavy furniture. However, it’s best to wait at least 24 hours after installation before walking on the new floors, and furniture should be moved out of the room before installation.
How Can I Acclimate My Floors Faster?
The best way to acclimate your floors is slowly bringing them into the desired environment. This can be done by using a heating and air conditioning system to balance the temperature and humidity of the room. Another way to speed up the process is to remove the flooring from its boxes and cross-stack it in the room to which you are trying to acclimate it.
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