Site Finished Floor - Time period before sanding

[KathyK]

I had the problem of the cracks in the middle of the pre-finished Braz Cherry floor and they decided to pull it up and replace it with a site finished 3/4" solid Braz Cherry floor (yeah for me!!). They are just finishing up nailing the floor.

My question is why is there a wait between the time the wood is nailed to the floor to the time it should be sanded and sealed? I copied the following out of the NOFMA Tech Serv Installation Manual and it seems that it relates to acclimation, but figured that if the RH/MC was appropriate, I did not understand why waiting a minimum of 1 week would change anything. I also could have an older version of the manual.
http://www.nofma.org/Portals/0/Publi...d%20Floors.pdf
"Finishing should proceed 1-3 weeks after installation is completed. Longer periods of exposure to job site conditions can result in future problems. Finishing immediately after installation does not allow the flooring adequate time to acclimate to its new environment."

BTW: Did I tell you guys how much I am glad you are here to provide your excellent insight? If not, I should have!!

[Jerry Thomas]

Good for you Kathy, I am so pleased to hear that. I know enough about finishing to be slightly dangerous so I can't offer you any help there.

have a great day

[Flip]

Kathy, Acclimation is the function of the wood entering your shelter and assuming or adjusting to the temperature and moisture of the new surroundings. Much the same as if you came in from a cold rainstorm, you would become warm and dry. The warm and dry that you become is equal to that of the shelter, no more, no less. The wood flooring takes a predetermined time to throw off or take on the temperature and moisture of the surroundings depending on the amount of change required to be equal. The NOFMA paramiter is the time deemed enough to allow for the changes in most parts of the country, I'm sure.

[KathyK]

Thanks. This floor is looking great (compared to the problems I had before). They are doing the 1st sanding today and I am really excited to see the wood when they start putting down the finish.