Hardwood Floor Buckling Water Damage

How to fix a buckled hardwood floor.

Hardwood floor buckling water damage.

Buckling is when the hardwood floor lifts or separates from the sub floor. A buckled floor with only minor damage can sometimes be repaired simply by removing the excess moisture but serious buckling will necessitate replacing the hardwood boards. By the time a chicagoland homeowner calls us for help the problem will almost always require refinishing and often the replacement of some or all of the damaged wood. If you see an area with minor buckling and or other slight signs of water damage it won t hurt to take the easy way out first and try this quick and simple repair.

If you notice that your wood floors are buckling you may have to remove and replace some of the hardwood planks if they have become too warped to be salvaged. Hardwood floors buckle when the humidity levels in the lower levels of the house are too high in the crawlspace or basement explains the basement health association in the article negative effects on hardwood floors. For starters never clean hardwood floors with excessively wet mops or cloths. However heavily cupped wood cannot be sanded down flat.

Moisture is the downfall of many hardwood floors. Again wood absorbs moisture so wet mops will do more damage than good when cleaning. Furthermore certain shoes can do severe damage to hardwood floors. Sand water damaged wood flooring.

Water damage to your hardwood floor. If spilled water sits atop the flooring for too long or if moisture seeps into the wood from the subfloor. Floor buckling is the most extreme reaction to moisture in a hardwood floor. Some simple tips for keeping your floors healthy and clean are essential for any hardwood floor owner.

Buckling occurs when the wood flooring actually pulls up from the subfloor lifting several inches in one or more places. Sanding can also help to fix cupping damage although if the floor is sanded excessively without removing the source of the damage it can ruin the hardwood floor. This is called cupping heavy sanding with a drum or orbital sander can actually take down some minor high areas.