Besides choosing the materials and finish for your flooring project the most important thing is acclimation. This step, if done properly, will ensure your floor remains nice and flat and avoids cupping and crowning, or worse.
Although wood flooring has not been a tree per se for a long time that does not mean it is any less organic matter. Wood has a capacity to breathe in and absorb moisture and then subsequently release it when the climate changes. This capacity for gain and loss of moisture should be happening in a way that does not affect the look or structural integrity of the materials. So how do you make sure your flooring is properly acclimated?
Here are some great links to following the proper steps to successful flooring acclimation.
Moisture and its effects on wood
Don’t be overzealous about this process
Avoid the cups and the crowns!
Don’t be tempted by the shortcuts
