Page 14 - CleanScience_Fall22

Table 2. Thickness swell measurements obtained from 18 flooring exemplars after 7 and 110 days of moisture immersion showed thickness increases with continued moisture exposure.
shown below to represent the increase in thickness swell (Table 2).
􏰀e􏰁eral 􏰂n􏰃in􏰄s e􏰅er􏰄e􏰃 􏰆ro􏰅 the 􏰅oist􏰇re swellin􏰄 􏰅eas􏰇re􏰅ents. Thickness 􏰅eas􏰇re􏰅ents re􏰈ecte􏰃 the co􏰅position o􏰆 the woo􏰃 􏰈oorin􏰄. 􏰉o􏰅posite woo􏰃 􏰅aterials containin􏰄 􏰊􏰀􏰋 an􏰃 co􏰅presse􏰃 woo􏰃 􏰂bers were most vulnerable to moisture absorption and swelling, while solid hardwoods expressed the least.
Pergo®, composite pine, and composite bamboo materials expressed the highest increase in thickness swelling with measurements ranging 􏰆rom 􏰌􏰍􏰎 to 2􏰏􏰎 a􏰆ter 􏰐a􏰑 􏰒 to nearl􏰑 􏰓􏰍􏰎 at 􏰐a􏰑 􏰌􏰌􏰍. The highest swelling increase was observed among composite 􏰈ooring products. The least swelling measurements
were obtained among solid hardwood products with swelling measurements ranging 􏰆rom 􏰌 to 􏰏􏰎. 􏰔ngineered 􏰈ooring products initiall􏰑 ranged 􏰆rom 􏰌􏰎 to 􏰏􏰎 a􏰆ter 􏰒 da􏰑s and 􏰆rom 􏰏 to 􏰕􏰎 a􏰆ter 􏰌􏰌􏰍 da􏰑s.
􏰖icrobial growth was proli􏰂c under immersion. 􏰗ood 􏰈ooring materials expressed stains, cracks and discoloration within a week of moisture exposure. 􏰗ood 􏰈ooring exemplars supported extensive micro􏰘 bial growth by Day 142.
FINDINGS
Findings from the two moisture exposure studies included the following:
􏰙 􏰗et hardwood 􏰈ooring exemplars were the easiest to
identify because of cupping.
14 | The Cleaning Industry Research Institute
FALL 2022