Does Vinyl Flooring Need to Acclimate?
Climates vary in temperature, elevation and humidity levels. So when it comes to building materials, acclimation is very important. But does vinyl flooring need to acclimate?
Yes, vinyl flooring should always be acclimated at least 48 hours before use. This allows the material to adjust to the new environment before the flooring installation begins.
Vinyl and many other building materials (like wood) can change shape. This is a natural process, as a variation in temperature will cause the vinyl to expand, or shrink ever so slightly.
What is Acclimation?
Have you ever climbed a mountain and experienced a shortness of breath at the summit? This happens at higher altitudes due to a lower level of oxygen in the air. As a result, your body doesn’t get enough air.
So, how does this relate to vinyl flooring? A change in elevation is just one reason acclimation is vital. Even though it looks smooth from the outside, vinyl flooring is a porous material.
That means the surface has very small spaces (or holes), which allows liquid and air to pass through. This can create disastrous results – especially if the flooring has traveled from a temperature controlled environment.
The Problem with Humidity
If you live in a humid location, you know how it can impact building materials. Humidity can change the shape of wood and even make doors harder to close as a result. It also causes problem for vinyl.
When humid air enters the porous surface, your vinyl plank flooring will begin to swell up. If the vinyl came from a cold environment into a humid one, the planks will can buckle and get stuck together.
However, if the vinyl flooring came from a humid environment into a cold setting, the opposite would occur. You might notice the planks start to space apart, creating ugly gaps on your floor.
What if I Don’t Acclimate?
Failing to acclimate your vinyl plank flooring can be very risky. If you’re lucky, nothing will happen. This would occur if the vinyl floorboards have been sitting in a similar environment to your house.
However, this scenario is highly unlikely and will probably not occur. It’s more common for vinyl plank flooring to shift if you fail to acclimate the material. As we stated above, the boards will either separate, or squeeze together.
This will either create ugly gaps in your floor, or cause them to buckle. Both cases are not only ugly to look at, but they can be dangerous. If the floor is uneven it will create it a higher chance for tripping.
How Long Does Vinyl Flooring Need to Acclimate?
It is recommended to allow vinyl flooring to acclimate for at least 48 hours, before installing. However, this is only the recommended time range. You may need to wait longer, depending on your location.
For extremely humid environments, it’s safe to wait at least 72 hours. For example, places like Florida have higher than normal humidity levels, where Nevada and Arizona have low levels of humidity.
Knowing where the flooring has been manufactured, can also help you during the acclimation process. If you live in nearby, or a similar location to where the material is coming from, you won’t need to wait as long.
How to Store Vinyl Plank Flooring
It’s absolutely crucial to store vinyl plank flooring in a dry, temperature controlled environment. The ideal temperature should be between 65-80° F with low humidity.
The most important thing is keeping the material in a safe location, where it will not rapidly change in temperature, or humidity. Extreme swings like this can cause permanent damage to the vinyl.
For example, some Northeast parts of the United States experience dry and cold winters, followed by hot and humid summers. Storing vinyl in locations like this where the climate can drastically change is bad.
Can You Store Vinyl Flooring Outside?
Vinyl flooring can be stored outside for a short amount of time, but it should never be a long-term solution. Again, problems will arise if the climate changes in temperature and humidity.
If you’re getting a large amount of material delivered to your house or job site, it can stay outside for a few hours (even a few days). The flooring should be in boxes to help keep it protected.
If not, it will be exposed to the harsh elements of nature. You definitely don’t want vinyl flooring getting rained on. Excessive amounts of water will absorb into the material and change its shape.
Can You Store Vinyl Flooring in a Garage?
This question is not so easy to answer. But it’s possible to store vinyl flooring in a temperature controlled garage. This environment will be no different from the inside of your house, so it’s safe.
But if your garage is not heated (or cooled) you might want to consider against storing vinyl in this area – at least for the long term. As we have stated before, keeping a steady temperature is ideal for vinyl.
Plus, garages are know to have heavy foot and vehicle traffic. You wouldn’t want to risk someone tripping over your building materials, or having them damaged from a car pulling into the garage.
Final Thoughts
This article began with a very straightforward question: does vinyl flooring need to acclimate? By now you should have learned that it is necessary for vinyl to acclimate.
This gives the material a chance to get used to the environment inside your house. It’s even more important if you live in a place with very extreme temperatures, or high levels of humidity.
Taking cold vinyl plank boards and moving them to a warm humid area will be a drastic change. That’s why you will need to allow the material to acclimate to this new setting for at least 48 hours – before installation.
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- Does Vinyl Flooring Need to Acclimate?
- How Long Does Vinyl Flooring Need to Acclimate?
- How to Store Vinyl Plank Flooring
- Can You Store Vinyl Flooring Outside?
- Can You Store Vinyl Flooring in a Garage?
