how to repair a wood floor with water damage

How to Repair Water Damaged Wood Floors

1. Remove Water. Mop and soak up any surface water. ...
2. Clean the Floor. Use a wood-safe disinfectant to clean away any particulates that were present in the water. ...
3. Dry the Floor. ...
4. Sand the Floor (note: this is only for crowning or cupping floors) Gently sand down the raised edges until the floor is smooth and flush with the other boards. ...
5. Reset the Boards. ...

Full Answer

How do you fix water damaged hardwood floors?

Step 4: Fixing water-damaged floors

• Remove the surface water. Wood fibers rapidly absorb water but tend to release the water more slowly, meaning you should use a shop vacuum to start pulling out the water ...
• Clean the floor and treat moldy areas. ...
• Run drying equipment and wait until the wood fully dries. ...
• Sand the floor. ...
• Stain and refurnish. ...

How do you fix a wood floor?

You can use a few methods to stop creaks:

• Driving flooring nails at opposing angles assures they won't come loose again.
• With hardwood treads, drill pilot holes for the nails, drive the nails into the risers and countersink the nail heads.
• Fill the nail holes with wood putty.

How do you repair a damaged hardwood floor?

• Wear safety glasses and use a putty knife to remove any molding or baseboards around the perimeter of the damaged area. ...
• Laminate floors are usually put together via a locking tongue and groove system and “float” above the subfloor. ...
• Find the groove edge at one end of a room, then lift up that piece to release it from the locking action. ...

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How to repair hardwood floor water damage step by step?

Step #1. Identify the Source of the Water. It is crucial to find out the original source of water before replacing the water damaged flooring. Once you identify the source, take some steps to resolve the source of water that is damaging your hardwood floor.

Can water-damaged hardwood floors be repaired?

Depending on the severity of damage, the hardwood floors may only need to be refinished. In some cases patching is required to replace the damaged boards prior to refinishing. In the worst case scenario, the entire floor needs to be removed and replaced.

How do you fix a swollen wood floor with water?

If the floor is swollen from humidity, then you must set up ventilation fans to dry out the room. To speed up the process, a dehumidifier may also be set up in the room to help dry out the flooring and capture the moisture.

How do you fix a buckled hardwood floor with water damage?

As mentioned, weather and moisture are the most culprits of buckling wood floors. If the buckling is minimal, you can try drying the damaged area and see if it returns to its normal shape. You can also try putting a little pressure or a heavy object on top of the buckled wood to settle it back to its place.

What happens when water gets under wood floors?

When wood gets wet, the wood absorbs the water and begins to expand and eventually cup (or warp). This is when the sides of the wood flooring swell and rise higher than the center of the boards, creating an uneven surface.

How do you flatten a swollen hardwood floor?

0:231:32How To Repair A Hardwood Floor - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYour washcloth should be a little more than damp with warm water and your iron set to medium-highMoreYour washcloth should be a little more than damp with warm water and your iron set to medium-high heat lay your washcloth on the floor on the damaged. Area and start ironing the floor.

Can you fix swollen hardwood floors?

When it comes to buckled hardwood flooring options, the good news is that your floor might not need a major repair job. 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.

Will cupped hardwood floors flatten out?

For a solid floor as flooring acclimates to the space the initial cupping will subside and gapping will be the issue of the finished floor. In this case allowing the flooring to complete a heating season will likely fix the cupping as the elevated moisture will be removed by the heating and the flooring will flatten.

Can you repair hardwood floors that have buckled?

If your floor has buckled because of excessive humidity, first, you have to find the moisture conditions that allow the floor to dry to normal levels. Once the floor is dry, you can consider spot repairs and reinstallation as well as refinishing and renailing.

Can cupped hardwood floors be repaired?

To truly fix it, you must get to the source of the water damage. Once you've addressed that, you can try to get your wood floors back to their original beautiful state. For minor cupping, the fix might be as simple as returning the room to its normal humidity levels with a dehumidifier.

Can hardwood floors be saved after a flood?

If your hardwood floors experience cupping after a flood, it is possible to reverse the damage instead of having the planks replaced. Cupping appears when the planks are higher on the ends than in the middle. This hygroscopic process occurs when moisture is present and the wood swells before drying and shrinking.

How do you treat water damaged subfloor?

How to Fix a Water-Damaged Subfloor: Your 8-Step DIY GuideStart by Stopping the Water. ... Expose the Subflooring. ... Make Your Mark. ... Carefully Cut Subflooring. ... Remove Damaged Materials. ... Speed Up the Drying Process. ... Reinforce Floor Joists. ... Install Your New Subflooring.

How much does it cost to repair a water damaged floor?

Repairing water damaged floors costs $8 to $50 per square foot. That price repairs or replaces boards as necessary and blends them into your existing room. It's more expensive to repair water damage than to replace your floor if it's widespread.

An Ounce of Prevention Is Cheaper Than The Cost of Repairing Your Wood Floor

The first thing to mention is that your wood floor’s polyurethane coating is specifically intended to keep water and dirt from ever touching the wo...

How Can I Tell If I Have Water Damage on My Wood Floors?

The damaging effect of water on wood builds over time. By the time you notice a change in your wood floor, the water has already hurt the floor. On...

Where Did The Water Come from?

Before you try to repair the damage, the first question to ask is “where did the water come from?” An occasional spill won’t cause mold to form or...

The Type of Wood Flooring You Have Affects The Repair Options Available

As suggested in the Wood Flooring 101 section of our website, the type of wood flooring you have limits the range of possible repairs for your wood...

Sanding and Refinishing Water Damaged Flooring

Water-damaged boards that suffer from mild cupping or simple surface staining can be sanded down in the field, re-stained and re-coated. While this...

Replacing Damaged Flooring by Weaving in New Planks

For many water-damaged wood floors, the best way to repair the damage is to eliminate and replace the affected boards and then to refinish the enti...

How to deal with water damage on wood?

The best way to deal with water damage is to keep it from happening in the first place. Make sure you have the proper sealant to protect your wood, and don't forget to reapply it every few years.

What to do if water gathered on floor?

The water that gathered on your floor was likely dirty (especially if this water came from a floor or a leak). To remove any dirt or harmful bacteria, you brush the entire floor with a stiff, scrubbing brush.

Why does my hardwood floor feel squishy?

Your hardwood flooring shouldn't feel squishy when you take a step. If it does, odds are the structure underneath the flooring is rotted or damaged. This might mean you have a leak under your flooring or that it absorbed a lot of water from a spill or a flood.

How long does it take for a floor to dry?

Open the windows and doors to allow more airflow through the space. This drying process may take several hours or, depending on how much water seeped into your flooring, several days.

Why does wood warp?

Since wood swells up when it absorbs water, it can warp out of shape. If you notice any bubbling on the surface of the wood, curling at the edges, peeling, or otherwise odd-looking shapes, your wood is very wet (or at least was at one point).

What happens if you leave a floor alone for too long?

The longer you wait, the worse the damage will get. If you leave it alone for too long, you may end up having to replace the floor.

What causes water to stains on wood?

Stains. Water can create stains on the surface of your wood if you don't clean it off fast enough. If you can see outlines of a puddle or other types of discoloration, water is gathering on the top of your floor.

Identifying Water Types

The first step with all water damage is to find the source of the leak and stop it. You might need to turn off the supply to your home or call your plumber to help plug it. Once no more water is flooding onto the floors, you need to know just what type of water damage you are dealing with.

Signs of Water Damage on Your Floors

Next, it’s time to identify how your flooring reacted to the water. What you might assume is natural wear over time could really be telltale signs of water damage.

How to Repair Water Damaged Wood Floors

Once you’ve classified the water damage, stopped the source, and understand what type of damage you’re dealing with, you can begin to fix the floors.

Do I Need to Replace My Water Damaged Wood Floors?

In serious cases, you may need to replace your flooring. For example, if a leak occurred while you were on vacation, enough time may have passed for mold to grow — in which case the only safe option is replacing your floors. In fact, after 24 hours of water damage, mold can grow and floors could require replacement.

How to Prevent Damaging Your Wooden Floors

If you have a room prone to excess moisture, install a dehumidifier to keep the water level in the air regulated. Cover your wood floors with plenty of rugs, as it’s easier to dry cotton than wood.

Need Help? Call All Dry USA!

Never attempt home repairs if you don’t feel comfortable or safe, or it’s dangerous (as in the case of black water flooding). Don’t start nailing down floorboards or renting an orbital sander if you don’t have the proper tools or time. Home repairs can turn into large projects very quickly, but you don’t have to go through it alone.

What happens when wood is exposed to water?

When your hardwood flooring is exposed to water, it will lead to multiple unpleasant changes in the wood. The wood planks may lose their natural look or get damaged entirely.

Why does my wood floor look humpy?

If your wood floor is damaged with water, you may observe cupping of single planks or crowning of multiple planks, making them look hump. When the floor wood absorbs water, it expands. This expansion can make the whole plank or various planks buckling.

What causes wood planks to rust?

Water accumulation beneath wood planks results in mold growth. This mold combines with the tannins in woodturning color, resulting in staining. Tannins react when they come in contact with the water minerals. It leads to wood staining, or you may observe rust along the edges of a plank.

What to do if you live in a high rise building?

Consider installing a moisture barrier, if necessary, and an appropriate sound barrier, such as cork, if you live in a high-rise building. It will help avoid future problems. Now you can start the process of selecting, cutting, sizing, and installing the new wood planks.

Is hardwood flooring good for a dance studio?

From offices to the home interior to the dance studio floor, hardwood floors are an ideal pick for every space.

Can you refinish wood floors to repair water damage?

You may sand, refinish, and re-coat the wood floor to repair water damage, but is not a permanent solution. The best way to avoid and fix water damage for wood floors is to get them repaired. For this, you will have to take out the affected planks and replace them with new boards.

Can you replace planks that have water damage?

This is certain that you’ll have to replace the planks that are visually appearing damaged with water. But, there might be invisible mold, mildew, or water accumulation on the non-affected planks that may appear in the future. Therefore, you’ll also have to take additional planks out, surrounding the damaged planks.

How do I get water stains off hardwood floors?

If your hardwood floor dries with a white hazy film on the surface you might get rid of it using a soft cotton cloth and a very mild abrasive such as tooth paste, polishing compound or even tobacco ashes mixed with mineral oil. Gently rub the stained area until the haze is gone.

What do I need to make hardwood floors?

What You'll Need. Electric fan or hair dryer. Oxalic acid crystals. Cotton cloths. Mild abrasive (tooth paste, polishing compound, etc.) Painter's tape. Hardwood floors are a great choice for home flooring. Not only do they look good, they're easy to care for, resist wear and they're even eco-friendly. However, hardwood flooring does have one draw ...

Can you remove black stain from hardwood?

Unfortunately hardwood often dries with a very noticeable black stain. Sometimes the stain is just on the surface, but it could go all the way through the board in which case the stained board will need to be replaced. Removing a black surface stain is a three step process.

Be Sure To Document the Level of Water Damage

Before you do any repairs, you want to take photos of your water damage and make notes about it. This will help you with any insurance claims. You also want to do some research into the water damage itself, which can help you to prevent the same issue from occurring again and damaging your floors again.

Will Repairs Do, Or Do You Need a Full Replacement?

Sometimes, a floor is damaged so much that you simply can’t make repairs and instead need to replace the entire floor. If your moisture content is too high on every board, it doesn’t make sense to repair it. The moisture content of your boards depends on how long it was exposed to water.

Figure Out What Caused the Issue

Once again, the biggest thing you need to tackle first is figuring out what caused the water damage to begin with. Most people will know what caused the issue, like a leak in the dishwasher or a flood from a fire, but sometimes the reason isn’t always apparent.

Fix Your Water Damaged Wood Floors

The sooner you fix your damaged wood floor, the easier it will be and the better chance you have. First, you want to secure the area and clean up all of the water. You don’t want to introduce any more water while you are working on your floors.

Fixing Your Wood Floors Is a Snap

Fixing your water-damaged wood floors doesn’t have to be the nightmare it is sometimes portrayed to be. It actually isn’t a difficult process at all if you only have a board or two that is water damaged. However, if almost every board needs fixing or nailing, then you may just want to replace the entire floor for the best results.

How to replace warped wood planks?

For this step, you will need new hardwood planks to replace the warped ones you removed. Ensure the color, finish, and shine are the same for better consistency. Measure the plank needed and cut off the plank that fits the cut damaged piece.

How to remove a wood plank?

For partial removal of wood, set a circular saw to a depth of the board thickness. Make a cut parallel to the damaged part. Use a chisel, screwdriver or pry bar to pry out the cut strip or the whole wood plank. In some cases, you will need a hammer to loosen the tongue and groove joints.

Why do you need to remove planks from a floor?

You may need to remove the damaged planks from the floor if the moisture has caused irreparable warping and buckling. Do it carefully to avoid damaging the other wood planks. Depending on the extent of moisture damage, you may remove part of the plank or the whole plank.

How to tell if hardwood floor is buckling?

Signs of buckling hardwood floor. Lifting up or actual pull up from the sub-floor can be a green-light for buckling damage. Puffed-up areas on the floor or crowning, especially in moisture damage areas. Wood floor cupping or when boards turn up on the edges. Gap and cracks between hardwood planks.

Why is my hardwood floor crowning?

Its usually caused by sanding a cupped floor before it completely dries up. Moisture build-up, wet mopping, and plumbing leaks are the main cause of hardwood floor crowning.

Can moisture build up on laminate floor?

Humidity can lead to gradual moisture build-up without even realizing it. Moisture build-up may also come up as a result of flooding. Moisture generally triggers floorboards expanding, contracting and at the end lift up after water saturation. Warping problems also may occur and affect your laminate floor.

Do you need to refinish hardwood floors after replacing buckled planks?

You’ll then need to refinish the entire floor after replacing the buckled plank to maintain a uniform look. Ensure you prevent moisture from flooding or sub-floor moisture buildup, drainage problems, or leaking pipes that may cause warping and swelling on your hardwood floors.

How to get rid of mold on a carpet?

Scrub affected areas with the solution until the mold and mold discoloration are gone, then rinse with clear water, and dry the surface with an absorbent cloth.

What is laminate flooring made of?

The majority of a laminate flooring plank is made with wood pulp, much like particleboard or MDF (medium-density fiberboard). This material is highly vulnerable to water damage and swells when it gets soaked, ruining the integrity of the material. Most laminate flooring that is water-damaged must be replaced.

Can you sand a wood floor flat?

After drying a wood floor, you may have some concave or convex floorboards; this is called "cupping." Heavy sanding with a drum or orbital sander can actually "take down" some minor high areas. However, heavily cupped wood cannot be sanded down flat. It is inevitable that some floorboards may lift up completely at the ends. In this case, face-nail the floorboards back down.

Can water penetrate wood floors?

Even if you believe your wood floors are so well-finished that water cannot penetrate to the raw wood, think again. Wood floors have many infiltration points besides the top layer: between seams, through breaks in the coating, under baseboards, through heating registers, and a host of other areas.

Can standing water damage hardwood floors?

Standing water and hardwood flooring don't mix. For anyone who lives in hurricane- and flood-prone areas that have historic homes, this comes as no surprise. If major amounts of water—flood-related or not—have come into contact with your wood floor, your floors will never be quite the same as new again, but you can take steps toward saving them ...