Laminate floor/underlay acclimatisation

[florrie]

I have recently bought some Laminate HDF flooring (1285 x 192 x 7mm) and underlay boards (590 x 850 x 7.5mm).

I have noticed that it says in various places that I need to leave the underlay in the room (unopened) for 24 hours to acclimatise and the laminate flooring 48 hours to acclimatise.

I was just wondering why you need to do this, and surely it would acclimatise better if it was open and not still in its packaging! Also, is it necessary to do this before I fit the flooring together?

Many Thanks

 

[WoodYouLike]

Instructions aren't put there just for fun!

It's best to leave the floor in its packaging, it will acclimatise to your normal house climate and it will prevent damages before you start.

And yes, you have to let the boards (even laminated) acclimatise before you fit the floor - that's the whole reason for it!

If you install the boards straight away they will adapt to your house climate then and there and could expand, shrink depending on the difference in humidity from where they came from to where they are installed.

Not really rocket science, but just the 'laws of physics' (and even Scotty couldn't change them)

 

[florrie]

Thanks for that, I wasn't sure how much they would expand in 24/48 hours and whether it would make any difference.

Got 2 days off decorating now, so thanks