Why Wait?

• As excited as you may be about installing that beautiful new hardwood floor, you are going to have to wait at least four days from when it was delivered. Wood naturally swells and contracts with fluctuations in humidity, and usually a hardwood floor's installation site has environmental conditions unlike those where it was made or stored. Therefore, it needs to get used to -- or acclimate -- to the new environment.
  
  

Potential Problems

• Not allowing a hardwood floor to acclimate to its new environment is a recipe for expensive disaster. Potential damages include warping, buckling, cupping and gaping. Severe damage can ruin the floors.
  
  

Solid vs. Other Hardwoods

• Solid, or traditional, hardwood planks are constructed of relatively thick pieces of wood. That means they are more susceptible to moisture damage, as the planks will swell and contract more. Engineered and longstrip planks, on the other hand, are created by bonding several thin sheets of wood together in opposing directions. This construction helps neutralize contraction and expansion in the planks.