In a lot of people’s understanding, winter is not a season suitable for renovation.
The low temperature and humidity increase the difficulty of storing materials. The quality of the renovation work might lower, while the speed of work also might slow down. The renovation process might eventually run behind schedule.
What are the points of consideration if you are renovating your home in winter?
Maintain good ventilation
The windows facing south should be open wide, while the windows facing north should only be opened narrowly.
Avoid excessive ventilation since this gives you better control of the interior’s temperature and humidity.
Humidifiers can keep the interior’s humidity at a stable level in winter. Alternatively, you can also place a basin with water on top of the radiator.
Ventilate the interior for seven days after finishing renovation in winter. After introducing furniture, carpet and other knitted objects into the room, leave the space to air for a few days so that harmful chemicals can dissipate. Similarly, leave new wardrobes to air before hanging any clothing in them.
Also, you should consider turning on the ventilators in the kitchen and the bathroom.
Avoid using solvents like gasoline and alcohol as cleaning detergents. Instead, using cleaners that contain active cleaning agents to remove the traces renovation has left behind.
Air wooden furniture for at least 3 days
The temperature difference between the exterior and the interior can be great during winter. Whether you are laying floor tiles or wall tiles, let the material warm up in the interior before proceeding. This helps to avoid warping and dislodging.
For laying wood flooring if the interior’s temperature is high, leave less space between the planks when laying them, and vice versa.
Store wooden materials in a warm room for 3 to 5 days to lower their water content to the interior’s level. Materials like frames, wooden objects and plaster boards which support wooden structures absorb humidity and warp easily. Therefore, this prepping step is essential.
How to prevent wood from warping and disforming
Place wooden materials at least 800 mm away from any source of heat, in order to prevent warping and disforming.
Water-based paint and plastics should be stored in a higher temperature to avoid damage by coldness.
Oil-based paint and volatile chemicals should be stored in isolation and away from heat. Maintain a good ventilation at all times.
Perform checking on water-based materials as soon as they arrive at the construction site. In case of receiving denatured material, you should dispose them immediately.
Avoid thick layers of spackle
In winter, the interior’s humidity is relatively low. In a dry climate, thick spackle is likely to bubble and crack, causing the walls to look uneven.
When spackling and laying tiles in the interior, avoid radiators to prevent parts of the wall and mortar to dry quickly and crack.
