Patent ID: 8323740

Claim:
A process for producing preshrunk hardwood floors, said process comprising the steps of: (a) placing untreated hardwood flooring having a predetermined thickness and a predetermined width in a drying kiln; (b) operating said drying kiln for a predetermined time at a predetermined temperature for removing moisture from said hardwood flooring; (c) establishing a predetermined desired residual moisture content for said hardwood flooring placed in said drying kiln in step (a); (d) determining residual moisture content remaining in said hardwood flooring; (e) removing said hardwood flooring that was dried in said drying kiln in steps (a, b) and having said desired predetermined moisture content determined in step (d); and (f) immediately thereafter sealing pores of said hardwood flooring that was kiln dried in steps (a,b) while the hardwood flooring is still hot from kiln drying and said pores are still open, said sealing includes all exterior surface pores in such hardwood flooring so as to preserve desired moisture content remaining in such hardwood flooring and preventing such hardwood flooring from absorbing more moisture.