Hardwood Flooring - Expansion and Contraction and what does that mean?

It is winter time again here in the Treasure Valley, and I thought this would be a good time to talk about hardwood flooring and a few characteristics that can sometimes be a little confusing.  Hardwood will expand and contract due to the moisture contact that is in all wood.  
During the winter time, and especially in Boise, Idaho with our dry climate wood will shrink, and there is a good chance that you will see some small cracks throughout your hardwood floors.  This is the contraction of the wood flooring.  This does not mean that your flooring is defective, it is just one of the realities of wood.   The gaps will start to shrink when the weather warms up in the spring and summer, and this is when the wood typically will expand in our area.  It is best after installation of new hardwood flooring to try to keep your house’s temperature consistent through the year as much as possible.  Also, running a humidifier is a great way to keep moisture in the air during the winter, or even boiling some water on your stove to counter act the dryness of the climate is a good way to minimize gaping of hardwood floors.  If you have questions about hardwood please feel free to contact us.