http://www.woodflooringguy.com/2006/12/06/gaps-2/ Ask the Wood Flooring Guy Sun, 07 Sep 2008 16:12:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 http://www.woodflooringguy.com/2006/12/06/gaps-2/#comment-968 webmaster Sat, 16 Dec 2006 17:43:07 +0000 http://www.woodflooringguy.com/2006/12/06/gaps-2/#comment-968 His response: <i>I used the instructions found here http://www.shroomery.org/38/Calibrate-Your-Hygrometer. I used the top off a small spice container. When they say a few drops, all they mean is to have wet salt that is kind of 'caked' but not a liquid-like solution. Popped it inside one freezer bag, then another and waited. After 12 hours, I found my $20 el-cheapo hygrometer was reading on the low side by 7%. (Checked the Internet and it seems a 'real' scientific-grade instrument is upwards of $750, but units like that are guaranteed to err no more than 2%). Of course, if a hygrometer is actually faulty and does not read high or low consistently by the same amount, you could get fooled. But, I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and this is close enough for what I need. The area where my hardwood floor is now reads around 38-40%, so I'm going to try to get it a bit higher and check the gaps between strips later. I'm moving on with finishing the reno and revisit these little gaps later, no sense in getting bent out of shape. Just another learning process! </i> His response: I used the instructions found here http://www.shroomery.org/38/Calibrate-Your-Hygrometer. I used the top off a small spice container. When they say a few drops, all they mean is to have wet salt that is kind of ‘caked’ but not a liquid-like solution. Popped it inside one freezer bag, then another and waited. After 12 hours, I found my $20 el-cheapo hygrometer was reading on the low side by 7%. (Checked the Internet and it seems a ‘real’ scientific-grade instrument is upwards of $750, but units like that are guaranteed to err no more than 2%).
Of course, if a hygrometer is actually faulty and does not read high or low consistently by the same amount, you could get fooled. But, I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt and this is close enough for what I need.
The area where my hardwood floor is now reads around 38-40%, so I’m going to try to get it a bit higher and check the gaps between strips later. I’m moving on with finishing the reno and revisit these little gaps later, no sense in getting bent out of shape. Just another learning process!

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