Before installing timber panels, you need to allow for the wood to acclimatize to the surrounding environment, so as to reduce the amount of movement in the panels and reach the point of Equilibrium Moisture content.
The difference between wood and metal is that Wood is hygroscopic and this means that moisture “moves in and out of wood depending on the building’s relative humidity.” The key then is to acclimatize the panels to the surrounding environment, providing a stable wood ceiling or wall, with limited movement.
To help keep the panels in the best condition, you need a controlled environment of relative humidity at 25-55% at temperatures between 5-25 degrees Celsius.
Wood is like a sponge. It even looks like a sponge under a microscope. It absorbs and gives off moisture constantly in response to the environment it lives in. Like a sponge it expands and contracts as it gains and loses moisture. With finished wood ceilings there is a risk of warp, unsightly reveals, or delaminated edge banding.
