COMPRESSION SET

AMINCISSEMENT DE COMPRESSION

A cylindrical button of rubber of known thickness is compressed to a fixed height (typically 70% or 75% of its original height) at a defined temperature for a specified period of time. The button is then released, allowed to recover (typically for 30 mins) and the thickness is measured. Compression set is the height that is not recovered expressed as a percentage of the amount by which it was compressed. See ASTM D395

Caused when wood strips or parquet slats absorb excess moisture and expand so much that the cells along the edges of adjoining pieces in the floor are crushed. This causes them to loose resiliency and creates cracks when the floor returns to its normal moisture content.