How Humidity Affects Wood

Wood is perhaps one of the most popular building and flooring materials around. Wood is used to make Amish furniture, elegant wood floors, build houses, make a fire, and has many other uses. Furniture made out of wood in particular is sought after by many people. When it comes to wood though, how does it hold up to humidity? Any carpenter can tell you that wood and water just don’t mix most of the time. Is humidity truly that bad for your wooden furniture? Today we explore how wood is affected by changes in temperature and humidity. Along with the steps you can take to properly care for your wooden furniture.

How even the Best Amish Furniture Made From Wood is Affected by Temperatures

Wood reacts to humidity and temperature changes. This includes inside and outside your home. High and low humidity have an affect on wood flooring, furniture, and other items made out of wood. Wood absorbs and loses moisture depending on the changing conditions of the environment it’s in.

In order for your Amish wood furniture to last it has to be kept in a stable, well maintained environment. The humidity and temperature conditions of your home have to be kept within certain ranges too. The best ranges for keeping wood in long lasting condition are usually between 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Humidity should be between 35 to 55 percent within the home as well. Wood reacts poorly to sudden changes indoors.

How Does Wooden Amish Furniture  React to Changes in Temperature and Humidity?

Wood tends to grow and shrink depending on the conditions in the weather or indoors. Wood will react to rapid fluctuations in humidity and temperature. When the humidity goes up the wood will expand and swell. Depending on the level of humidity wood has been known to expand up to two inches or more due to absorbing the moisture in the air.

What happens to the furniture if this rise in humidity continues? Well, wood can begin to buckle  due to the high humidity. This can cause furniture to become swollen, creak, strain, and in some extreme cases even break or crack. If exposed to high humidity to long the wood will become damaged. Even if the humidity is lowered to allow the wood to shrink back down. It’s now permanently damaged due to the expansion, and may even be weaker due to being swollen up from the moisture for extended periods of time. 

When the humidity descends quickly though, wood tends to shrink. When wood shrinks to much it can tend to crack or split near the ends or even at the center. Damage done to the wood due to this rapid descent in humidity is also permanent as well. While a rise in humidity may cover up some of the gaps in wood that were caused by the rapid descent of humidity, it does not fix the problem. At best gaps in the wood are covered up, but still there.

How Do I Take Care of my Wooden Amish Furniture so it Last for a Long Time?

Wood can last a long time, and if it’s well cared for even for generations. There are steps you can take in order to make sure your wooden furniture lasts as long as possible. If your home has heating and air conditioning. This will help to maintain an ideal temperature, or at least keep your home in the preferred ranges for wood. So your wooden furniture will not begin to split or crack. The temperature can change in your home, but keeping it within a steady range when it rises and falls is strongly recommended.

You may want to invest in either a dehumidifier or humidifier if the humidity in your home is to high or low. These devices keep your home within the recommended range of humidity so your wooden furniture has a reduced chance of becoming damaged. Making sure the environment of your home is not rapidly changing either ensures your wooden furniture stays in good condition too.

Taking preventative measures to make sure your wooden furniture is well cared for will help it to last for years to come. If you plan on leaving your home unoccupied for weeks at a time. You may want to make sure your air conditioning is on to keep up with the range in temperature, or your heating if you’re going to be gone during the winter. If you don’t take these preventative measures during the summer or winter when you’re gone. You could risk coming home to your wooden furniture cracking or weakened.