I was reading your article about acclimation and thought it made a lot of sense until I read that I should not take the planks out of the box before using. I intend to use 3/4" hickory or Brazilian cherry. Please explain. Thanks, Jim

It is actually a good thing to take it out of the boxes, or to at least open each of the boxes on both ends. This will allow the air and environment to get to all of the wood more freely and evenly.

Most manufacturers specify to acclimate their wood in unopened cartons. This way it's acclimated at a desired rate for their product. If you open the ends of the cartons...the ends of the boards acclimate at a different rate than the middle, and is not a uniform acclimation.

The reason they say acclimate in unopened cartons is because they also say your ambient temp and rh should be in the zone for at least a week prior to install. That way you wood is not coming out of the box into a harmful environment. And it should be kept in that zone if at all possible.

If you don't think you can hit the numbers they specify...then I say open the entire sides of the boxes, taping them tight while having them stacked to help keep them from bowing.

Ask a hundred installers get a hundred answers!