how to repair water damaged engineered hardwood floors

Fixing the Water Damaged Floor by Replacing Damaged Flooring

• Step #1. Identify the Source of the Water. ...
• Step #2. Identify Which Planks Need to be Replaced. ...
• Step #3. Remove the Water Damaged Flooring. ...
• Step #4. Ensure that the Concrete Floor is Dry. ...
• Step #5. Install the New Hardwood Planks. ...
• Step #6. Sand and Refinish the Entire Floor. ...

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 to repair water damaged wood floors?

Wood Floor Water Damage and Repair

• Water Damage to Your Hardwood Floor. One of the most frequent problems we’re called in to address is water damage to hardwood floors. ...
• The Type of Wood Flooring You Have Affects the Repair Options Available. ...
• Sanding and Refinishing Water Damaged Flooring. ...

How to repair engineered wood floor?

• Washcloth
• Rubbing alcohol
• Cotton swabs (like Q-Tips)
• Floor repair wax in a shade to match your floor
• Plastic putty knife
• Clean cotton cloth in white, or an old-fashioned style baby diaper

How does water damage hardwood floors?

• 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.

Can you repair engineered hardwood floors?

While the veneer can range in thickness depending on the quality of the flooring, most engineered products can be sanded and refinished to restore their appearance. There are also a number of other methods for repairing these floors, depending on the scope of damage and the type of flooring in use.

What does water damaged hardwood floors look like?

Staining: Staining is simply the discoloration on the hardwood floors, due to water damage. Staining comes in two forms, white stains and black stains. White stains come in the form of white circles on your hardwood floors. They indicate that the floor's finish has been mildly damaged, due to the build-up of moisture.

Can you reverse water damage on wood floors?

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.

Will cupped hardwood floors from moisture flatten?

In some cases, if the cupping was not severe the flooring may flatten to an acceptable level with minor gapping after drying. Remember the flooring has lost moisture so some shrinkage will result. Before any repair or remediation the flooring should be checked for looseness.

How do you fix a warped engineered hardwood floor?

0:231:32How To Repair A Hardwood Floor - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipArea as long as the wood isn't gouged you might be able to get your floor looking like new. AgainMoreArea as long as the wood isn't gouged you might be able to get your floor looking like new. Again this trick is really simple all you're going to need is a steam iron. And a wet washcloth.

How long do Engineered floors last?

between 20 and 30 yearsEngineered hardwood typically lasts between 20 and 30 years. Because they do have a top layer of hardwood, like solid hardwood, they are susceptible to scratches. If scratch resistance is important to you, look for engineered hardwood floors with a scratch-resistant top coat.

What happens when engineered wood gets wet?

Water and moisture can cause the flooring to become warped and permanently damaged. Because the core of engineered wood flooring is not resistant to water, the floor will become damaged if water is allowed to soak into it.

What to do if water gets under hardwood floors?

Completely Dry the Wood While the wood flooring appears dry, water could have penetrated throughout the plank as you can't remove it with the wet vacuum. Use a dehumidifier placed at the highest setting possible to dry the floors. Place it in the center of the room and leave it on for at least 24 hours.

Can mold grow under hardwood floors?

Mold grows on organic materials in environments with high humidity or trapped moisture. Unfortunately for your hardwood floors that means they are vulnerable to damage and mold growth underneath them when there has been water or flood damage.

Will warped floors go back to normal?

Cupped flooring looks bad but it's almost always reversible. It can usually be corrected by simply restoring proper humidity inside the room, which will help balance out the moisture above and below the flooring.

Why is my engineered wood floor buckling?

Buckling (for both laminate and solid hardwood floors) can also occur if your floor has been improperly installed. Inadequate or insufficient glue, incorrect nailing or inferior subfloor construction can all result in buckling, which can start as quickly as a few days after installation.

Will warped wood go back to normal?

Applying additional moisture and heat to the opposite side of the warp can cause the wood to warp back into its original flat position, effectively “unwrapping” the piece. Minor warping can usually be corrected with heat and moisture only, but for more severe warping, you may also need to apply pressure to the wood.

Can mold grow under hardwood floors?

Mold grows on organic materials in environments with high humidity or trapped moisture. Unfortunately for your hardwood floors that means they are vulnerable to damage and mold growth underneath them when there has been water or flood damage.

How long does it take for wet hardwood floors to dry?

It may also be necessary to access the floor from below for faster drying. Effective drying of a hardwood floor is a slow process. It will sometimes take seven to 10 days for the floor to release enough water to halt the forced drying process.

How do you fix a water stain on a hardwood floor?

To remove dark water stains from wood floors, you have two options: Dip a small brush (such as a toothbrush) into a small amount of bleach and rub onto the stain. Do a second round after several hours and let the area rest until the next day. Alternatively, you can strip, sand, and reseal the area if possible.

How do you fix a wet wood floor?

The Solution:Dry the floor out. When wood gets wet, it has to be dried out, which can be done in three ways. The quick way: ... Sand and refinish. Once the floor has been dried out, hire a professional like Totta Hardwood Flooring to come sand and refinish your floor.

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 does wood change color?

First, wood flooring changes color over time as sunlight darkens or lightens the wood, depending on the species. When you sand a floor, the original color of the wood is often revealed and even when the exact same stain is applied, can appear a slightly different color.

Why does my dishwasher leak water?

For some reason, the plastic, flexible drain hoses are so cheaply made that within a few years, cracks can form that drip water down to the floor.

Why do plastic hoses crack?

Because the plastic hoses must make a bend or two, and are often longer than required, tight bends will crack over time, creating a hidden leak that can ruin your wood floor. No matter what the source of the water, the leak must be found and fixed before repairs to the flooring can be made.

Can you remove a wood plank from a subfloor?

Removing the affected hardwood planks is just the first step in mapping out the flooring to be repaired. As the top layer of wood is removed, the plywood subfloor must also be inspected to insure its integrity. If the subfloor is moldy or substantially weakened by the water, then the hardwood top layer must be pulled off, even if it appears unaffected by the water.

Can you use prefinished wood flooring?

However, if you’re replacing the damaged boards, using pre-finished flooring can make the task easier as the stain and protective coating, applied at the factory, improve both quality and consistency. It is important to note that replacing damaged planks with native materials is the surest way to guarantee a match. You should always keep some attic stock from any wood floors that you have installed.

Do you have to remove planks from existing flooring?

Just as important, because new wood will be weaved or laced into the existing flooring, rather than simply cutting in a rectangular patch from the affected area, the flooring contractor must remove planks selectively in a natural looking pattern to provide the most seamless repair possible.

Can water get into wood flooring?

That being said, water is an insidious foe of wood flooring and even if the polyurethane is in good shape, a continuous drip of water from an unknown source will find a way into the wood.

Care is better than repairing

We all know that water is the most dangerous foe of the wood. It means our hardwood floor needs a lot of care for longer life. Even if we take care properly still, there are chances of water penetration into the wood floor.

Methods of repairing

As this is about hardwood floors, there are many methods and options available for fixing water damage. Because we can cut half of an inch in the hardwood floors quickly and in this way, the damaged part can be removed easily and replaced with a healthy piece.

Procedure for Repairing

The boards that are slightly damaged with water can be sanded down in the field. And are those parts can be restained and recoated. It seems like a straightforward procedure, but it is a complicated one.

Reference

After refinishing, your room is ready to use again with the last perfect look. Follow these steps to avoid any danger.

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.

What to do when you remove the top layer of plywood?

When you remove the top layer of wood, make sure to inspect the plywood base. If you find that the plywood subfloor is weakened by water or has mold growth, then make sure to pull off the top layers.

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.

How to make old planks look new?

Sanding and refinishing will also make old planks look new and sleek as the wood loses its natural color over time due to sunlight and other factors.

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.

When is it time to install new flooring?

Once you’re sure that the concrete subfloor is dry, it’s time to install new flooring.

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.

How much water damage can you remove from solid wood floors?

With solid hardwood floors, you can sand and scrape away up to a quarter of an inch off the wood to remove water damage on the surface. This type of flooring can also have replacements for individual planks.

How to tell if a floor is water damaged?

Often times the first sign there is a problem, and there is water damage, is when individual planks are cupping or several begin to crown causing a hump in the floor. Water absorption in the wood of your floor causes expansion, which is most noticeable in the edges of the board that are turning upward or when planks begin to buckle.

What percentage of moisture is in a hardwood floor?

An acceptable or normal moisture content in hardwood flooring usually ranges between 6 and 12 percent, but flooded wood flooring can often have up to a 40 percent moisture content, which means there is severe damage. Hardwood flooring retains water and if it is left to dry on its own then the moisture retained has more time to sit causing greater damage.

Why is engineered wood not resistant to water?

Because the core of engineered wood flooring is not resistant to water, the floor will become damaged if water is allowed to soak into it. You'll know there's water under your engineered wood floor when your floorboards start to buckle and warp. Similarly, flooring made from genuine hardwood is also a permeable and will absorb any water ...

What are the factors that determine the type of flooring you have?

These determining factors include: How much time the floor has been exposed to water. The type of flooring you have, whether solid or engineered hardwood. How much damage there is and if the water has seeped into the subflooring.

Why do you use a water vacuum?

When you wipe up smaller amounts of liquid or use a water vacuum, it will help eliminate excess water from being absorbed into the hardwood and will be able to dry fully quicker. A small amount of water can be easily cleaned and can dry by itself and will gradually get back to looking normal again.

How to tell if water damage is coming from a leak?

Another warning sign that water damage has occurred is when a black or dark sta in runs along the edge of a plank or across several. When this type of stain is visible it is often due to mold growth. These water damaged signs come from a consistent water source that may have come from a leak of some kind within your home.

How to dry out a house after cleaning?

To dry everything out as much as possible after cleaning, use fans, dehumidifiers, and open the windows so that everything thoroughly dries.

Why do floorboards curl?

The bottom of your floorboards absorbs more moisture, which causes them to expand. The bottom then swells, which makes them curl up.

What does it mean when a floor is cupping?

Cupping is when the edges of the floor have lifted up and are higher on the edge than in the center. This means that the damage occurred from water vapor or direct water coming from under the floor.

Can you sand a floor that has been cupped?

If the cupping is too significant, it cannot be sanded flat. Instead, you will want to nail the floorboards back down. Unfortunately, if your floors are cupped too much, you won’t be able to nail them down or sand them. In this case, the only thing you can do is pull up the individual boards and replace them.

Can you repaint a floor with mold?

If you have a lot of mold, you will want to restrain and repaint your floors. Painted floors, in particular, are known to encourage mold growth underneath the paint. You will have to strip the paint off the floors and repaint them. Use a cleaner in between paint and wood, and always dry everything out as you go. Do the same thing with your stain.

Can wood floors be repaired?

But the good news is that it’s not impossible.

Can you replace water damaged wood floors?

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. If your floors are often exposed to moisture, you may benefit from waterproof flooring .

Why is my hardwood flooring water damaged?

Problems that cause damage to wood floors may happen due to persistent moisture over a long period. External sources are the first place to look to determine the cause.

How to tell if wood is water damaged?

Knowing how to spot the signs of water damage will help you catch the problem before significant damage occurs. Cupping and crowning are some clear signs that there is an issue somewhere.

What does it mean when your floorboards are cupped?

Each of the floorboards has a concave appearance. Cupping is the first sign that indicates there is a moisture problem in your floors.

What does crowning mean on a floor?

Crowning usually means that the moisture content at the top of the floor is higher than that at the bottom.

How much moisture does a flooded floor have?

The moisture content in any typical hardwood floor ranges between 6-12% and a flooded floor will have a moisture content of 40% ; which is why the damage can be severe.

How to get rid of mold on a carpet?

Scrub all the affected areas with the cleaner, ensuring the mold is gone together with its discoloration. Rinse the area with clean water and then dry the surface with a cloth.

Why do floorboards curl?

Since the moisture content is higher at the bottom than at the top, the bottom of each floorboard swells, making the top curl inwards while the sides of the boards swell around the center, bringing about the concave look.

Care Is Better Than Repairing

Methods of Repairing

• As this is about hardwood floors, there are many methods and options available for fixing water damage. Because we can cut half of an inch in the hardwood floorsquickly and in this way, the damaged part can be removed easily and replaced with a healthy piece. In this solid flooring, a piece can be removed and, after drying, fixed again on the floor...

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Procedure For Repairing

Reference