Tuesday, March 28, 2017

How The Weather Can Affect Your Cabinets

Most people have temperature and humidity control in their homes, but if you don’t, your wood cabinets could be affected by the weather.
 
Even if you do have a controlled system in your home, if it breaks down or isn’t working effectively, your cabinets are at risk, too. Understanding how weather conditions can affect your cabinets is important to keeping them looking good for a long time.
 
My Cozy Country Kitchen

Temperature Issues
 
To begin with, the temperature in your home can cause issues with humidity levels. It can dry out the air or leave too much moisture in it. In addition, temperature has a great effect on wood. Higher temperatures will cause it to expand, while colder temperatures will make it contract. This can lead to cracking and warping issues. This is especially true if there are major changes in the temperature of your home throughout the day.


Superior Stone & Cabinet
Humidity Issues
 
Humidity is a natural enemy of wood. Too much humidity increase moisture in the wood that makes it expand or swell. You may notice that your cabinets do not close properly when this happens. It can also affect the finish by causing peeling or bubbling. However, not enough humidity can also cause problems. If the air is too dry, the wood shrinks, which can damage wood by causing changes in its structure and shape. It can make finishes brittle, so they chip off.


Superior Stone & Cabinet

The Main Danger
 
The reason why temperature and humidity issues affect wood so much is because of moisture. Dry, hot air is lacking in moisture whereas cool, wet air is loaded with moisture. Moisture affects wood in many ways, as mentioned. It can be very damaging to wood if moisture levels are not controlled. Over time, you will notice these issues manifest in different ways, from cracking to warping. Doors may not close or fit properly anymore. Finishes may dull or start to peel off. It requires careful control of the temperature and humidity to ensure moisture isn’t given a chance to wreak havoc.
 

Via
Maintenance Tips
 
So, now you know that you have to monitor moisture levels. You can adjust your HVAC system to help maintain the proper temperature and humidity. However, if this isn’t an option, you should use humidifiers and dehumidifiers as needed to balance the moisture in the air. Before installing cabinets, make sure not to store them in an air without moisture control. Also, make smart choices in cabinet designs that will help reduce the possibility of issues developing, such as making sure all exposed edges are finished. Finally, make sure you have adequate ventilation in your kitchen to avoid excess humidity when cooking.

While you may not even think about how a humid home is affecting your wooden cabinets, it is something you should be aware of. While damage rarely occurs quickly, over time, it will lead to issues that will become apparent. The lifespan of your cabinets can be greatly reduced if you aren’t carefully about watching for moisture issues. By taking some simple steps, though, you can help to keep issues at bay and keep your cabinets in good shape.


Via

 
 Thanks to Superior Stone & Cabinet for providing the content for this post!
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This post was sponsored by Superior Stone & Cabinet

20 comments:

  1. No telling what's going on with my cabinets. But then I don't use them, so really don't worry.
    Brenda

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    Replies
    1. You're so funny that you won't use your cabinets! Well you could at least use them for cleaning products, couldn't you?

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  2. We have the same thing with our wood floors and our beadboard on the walls. In winter they shrink a bit and in summer they expand to their original state. We have a temperature/humidity controlled home and it still happens. God gave wood a mind of its own, I think. lol xo Diana

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    Replies
    1. I have that with all the door and window trim. No doubt the cold air outside and hot air inside from the woodstove do a job on the wood in my home - oh well!

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  3. Well, I never even thought about that... we don't have wood heat in our home now, but have in the past, and the wood heat will certainly bring wide temperature ranges to a home for sure. Thinking about wood swelling and shrinking makes me wonder what else is affected in the home with the humidity levels, besides the cabinets! Doors especially, I think. Enjoyed this sponsored post today, and very pretty rooms showcased in their pictures!

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    1. I'm glad you enjoyed it! I was drooling over some of those photos of those beautiful kitchens and I think I'm going to refinish the butcher block on my island now after that photo!

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  4. Hmm, this is probably what is happening with the floors...squeak and creak... One of the doors in my dining room hutch sticks from time to time. Nothing is ever simple, is it? ha! xoxo

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    Replies
    1. There's always something to fix in a home, Donna, isn't that the truth?

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  5. I have all of the above issues! I live in an 1870 house with original windows so we are constantly dealing with wood changes according to the weather change. Right now my closet door will not stay closed unless we lock it. Even my newer armoire drawer won't close. We have a humidifier on our furnace but I don't think it is doing much. Thanks for all this great info!

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    1. My pantry door won't stay latched either, AnnMarie, but I'm not sure if it's because of all the stuff I have hanging on the back of it, weighing it down!

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  6. This was an interesting post. Thanks for calling this to my attention. I'd never really considered this before.

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    1. I guess it makes sense, doesn't it? I should be more careful when I'm cooking.

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  7. LOVE the new look to your blog and I am SOOOO happy to see your name on there! Whoo Hooo...now we can call you Debbie instead of Mama or Mountie! lol Have a great night- xo Diana

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  8. Replies
    1. Remember this when you're building your new house, Vickie!

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  9. I think here in our Texas heat and humidity we get lots of shifting, settling, squeaking and even some homes get terrible foundation problems!
    This is a great post Debbie that most of us never consider and these things can really hurt our homes and their value.
    Happy Thursday,
    Jemma

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Jemma! So true, we are all about the decorating and nesting, aren't we?

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  10. We have lots of temperature change going on and it definitely affects our cabinets in the kitchen, that causes us to pause and rethink the idea of painting our cabinets. Perhaps staining or whitewash would be a better choice??

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    Replies
    1. Well, Karen, I think either way you're going to have the weather affect your cabinets so you need to just go with whatever makes you happy! I've had painted cabinets in the past, which I liked....I'm tempted to paint my cabinets and get new counters, but I'm holding off as I really want to do a lot more than that to my kitchen in the future. Good luck with your decision!

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