Hardwood floors are a beautiful investment to any home. Hardwood floors, with proper care, can last decades. When hardwood floors are installed in a home, the homeowner simply loves them. Therefore, when one experiences a flood or water leak on their hardwood floor, it can be devastating to say the least. When water leaks or a flood saturates a hardwood floor, there is a short window where the floors can be saved. Mike’s Custom Flooring will share how to restore and repair hardwood floors after flooding.
Hardwood Floor Repair Factors; Type of Wood & Installation Method
When water leaks or flood covers your hardwood floor, seek help from a professional. A professional hardwood water damage and repair service can react properly and much more quickly. When a professional hardwood repair service comes to your home they will first need to know what type and species of wood is on the floor. Each wood species varies on how it will react to moisture and the treatment varies slightly. Another major consideration before restoration begins is the type of installation method. Most hardwood floor are floating, nailed or glued down. How they are installed also matters during restoration. For example, glue down floors are greatly affected by moisture. In many cases, the wood will require the need to be re-glued. Floating floors will often cup and require a bit of sanding and refinishing as part of the repair process. However, most floating floors are not true hardwood and are laminate or engineered wood floors. This type of flooring uses much different restoration tactics.
Remove Moisture & Dry Wood Floors
Once the type of floor and installation method is determined, the first and most important step is removing the water and drying out the wood. Extraction machines are used to remove the water off of the floor. Dehumidifiers and fans are then used to begin drying the wood. Drying out a hardwood floor isn’t an easy task. Wood is a dense, porous material which can take up to 10 days to thoroughly dry. Even though we can speed up the drying process with fans and dehumidifiers, they still can take time to thoroughly dry. During this drying period, the floor will expand greatly and then retract as it dries. This often forces the need for repairs and even refinishing of the wood floors.
Refinishing Wood Floors After Water Damage
Once the hardwood floors are dry, one might find the waxes or polyurethane finish has been affected by the water. If so, this will require removal and then reapplication. Depending on the type of wood, the finish is often removed during the drying period, which helps the wood breath and dry out faster. Wood can sometimes crack or warp once it has finished drying. The hardwood can be sanded down and the cracks filled in with wood putty. It is then refinished with a stain and/or sealer. If certain floorboards were severely damaged, they can often be replaced before the floor is completely refinished.
When are Hardwood Floors Beyond Repair?
When restoring hardwood floors, the success depends on the condition of the flooring. The age and condition of care greatly determine if the wood floors can be restored. In some cases, improperly maintained floors require the need to be replaced versus repaired.
Hardwood Floor Repair, Installation, Refinishing & More in Charles Town & Eastern Panhandle of Berkeley & Jefferson Counties in WV | Winchester & Frederick County | Round Hill & Loudoun County | Berryville & Clarke County | Herndon & Fairfax County VA
If you had a recent flood or leaking on your hardwood floors and you want to have them restored, contact Mike’s Custom Flooring. We provide many services including water damage repair and restoration. Contact Mike’s Custom Flooring today.
