How To Repair Water-Damaged Hardwood Floors?

Water is the greatest enemy of hardwood floors as wood can be damaged extensively through water and moisture.

Despite your efforts for protection, the floors might still end up getting ruined by water and this would call for repairs to get the wood restored as much as possible.

The most suitable way to repair such floors is to remove the moisture through ventilation and drying and then sand the floors so that a fresh grain can be obtained.

Moreover, molds can also build during this process which needs to be treated immediately.

Read along to find out the complete details on this topic.

What Causes Water Damage?

The major reasons for water damage are pipe leaks and subflooring moisture.

Although it is obvious that water damage comes from water, the source is the main problem which needs to be fixed so that any further damage does not occur.

Water and humidity are the greatest reasons for wooden floors to get damaged.

No matter the root cause, moisture exposure can worsen the problem. Water damage can make the wood soggy, causing it to chip, lift, and buckle.

For instance, if ample construction adhesives were used, the high moisture content can make them lose their stickiness.

Moreover, if the nails or screws were tight and fixed into place, the water could make the wood around them warp, causing them to lose their hold over the platform.

Here are some of the most common reasons for excess water or moisture exposure to subflooring for hardwood floors causing them to buckle:

• Pipe leaks
• Wet slab
• Drainage problem
• Leaking roof
• Excessive job site moisture
• Lack of ventilation

If you live in a humid environment and have yet to take any measures against the exceptionally high humidity and moisture content, your hardwood floors will surely be damaged over time.

While many people try to take extra measures during installation, their floors still get damaged by water due to the other issues mentioned above.

Subfloor moisture is perhaps the greatest reason behind this, as hardwood floors can get moisture from underneath, which can cause them to get damaged over time due to increased moisture exposure.

As humidity levels do not remain the same all year long, you can plan the installation of your hardwood floors accordingly.

As we already know, you must give hardwood floors time before you can stain or seal them. Hence, starting the project in winter is only wise if you live in a humid environment.

Winters feature a much lower moisture content than summers, and it is highly suitable and advised to start the project in winter so your hardwood floors will be ready to be sealed as soon as spring arrives.

This can protect them from summer’s increased moisture content and save your floors from buckling up.

With a winter moisture level dropping over 20%, you can easily start your project and avoid wasting money through damages.

How To Repair Water-Damaged Hardwood Floors?

The best way to repair water-damaged hardwood floors is to give them a mold treatment, sand them from both sides and seal them again so they can’t get damaged any further by water or moisture.

However, if there are some boards which are too damaged to be restored, they must be replaced only.

Identify And Mark The Area

Before you can attempt any repairs on the hardwood floors, you first need to identify the area which has been damaged on your hardwood floors and look for the boards which show signs of water damage, such as crowning, cupping, buckling, etc.

Once you have identified the area, use chalk or a grease pencil to mark it out. Using a ruler to draw straight lines around the edges is best for better accuracy.

The damaged area needs to be categorized into the right type of damage so it can be decided which repair method is the most suitable for it.

Type of Damage

Water damage can be of various types and may result in different outcomes depending upon the type of wood, the amount of water in the wood, and the amount of time for which the wood was exposed to the water or moisture.

Each of these is a different scenario which needs to be dealt with differently to get the most desirable results.

While water damage remains the root cause of almost all types of damage to hardwood floors, some other factors need serious attention, whether you want to restore or replace your hardwood floors.

Despite having your floors stained and sealed, you can still face problems through water damage, such as:

• Buckling
• Cupping
• Stains
• Mold

It is best for you to keep in mind that these also act as signs of water damage. Hence, if you look at such issues, beware that your hardwood floors are getting damaged by water.

Identifying the issue on time would allow you to make the necessary amends immediately, saving you a lot of time, effort, and money on your hardwood floors.

While many flooring specialists recommend that you not repair water-damaged hardwood floors and replace them, it doesn’t hurt to give it a try.

We understand that hardwood flooring is an investment, and you surely wouldn’t want to spend thousands of dollars again just because some pipe leakage ruined your floors.

However, repairing such damage is not easy and is not fully possible. Water damage causes disfigurement to the hardwood floors and gives them resistance against any repair or restoration attempts.

Besides, even if you succeed in somehow restoring the hardwood floors to some extent, you won’t be able to get them back to their original form.

Moreover, if infestations damage your hardwood floors, wear and tear, or moisture, there is still a chance that your hardwood floors can be repaired and restored, provided the root cause was identified in the early stages.

In addition, if molds are growing in the damp area, the job would have increased by a major factor as you would now have to get rid of the molds first before you can get the moisture out of the wood and move towards repairing it.

However, do keep in mind that your hardwood floors will be restored to the best possible state using the methods mentioned below, but you can’t have a guarantee of complete restoration of your hardwood planks into the original form as it is simply not possible.

Extent of Damage

Identifying the damage your hardwood floors have received is crucial in choosing between repairs and restorations.

If the damage is severe but restricted to a certain area, for instance, a single room or a few planks, you can easily replace the severely damaged boards and restore the others.

However, if the entire house’s flooring has received considerable damage, such as water damage or infestations, it is best not to waste your efforts on such scenarios.

Replacing the hardwood floors is the most suitable decision at this moment. Another factor to remember is that the hardwood floors should be repaired so that their color and grain are restored.

Moreover, if you are replacing a few planks and restoring others, you must ensure that the new boards match the specifications of the pre-existing ones.

Remove Water & Dry The Floors

Once you have identified all the necessary details, it is time to fix the hardwood floors damaged by water.

First, you would need to remove any water content from the surface pooled on the planks.

Besides, water can also be present in the form of droplets or simply moisture on the hardwood floors.

Hence, it is necessary to remove it immediately so it does not seep inside to cause considerable damage.

You can do this using a kitchen towel or a dry mop to soak up all the water from the surface.

While vacuuming is not a recommended step at this stage, it can still be performed if you want to soak up the moisture from your wooden flooring quickly.

Scrub & Remove Molds

If your hardwood floors have accumulated a lot of dirt and debris on the surface, scrubbing them with a scrubbing brush is best.

You can also use a dishwashing detergent for best results. Moreover, if there are signs of molds on your hardwood floors, you would need to treat that first before further restoration of the wood.

A suitable method of treating these molds would be to use TSP (trisodium phosphate) or TSP substitute mixed with water.

You can scrub the solution into the effective area until the discoloration and molds disappear and the surface is neat and clean from underneath.

After all, rinse the floors with water, but only use a damp cloth and wring it out periodically as enough damage has been sustained through water already.

Lastly, dry the floors and ensure water content remains on the surface.

Sand The Floors

The next step is to sand the hardwood floors using high grit sandpaper. You can use sandpaper of grit 120 and go up to 180 grit if you think it is necessary.

Work along the wood grain and apply equally pressured strokes throughout the floor to achieve smooth results.

Sanding the floors can remove the damaged fibers and make the grain fresh. Besides, it can also improve the overall appearance and open up any clogged pores on the surface of the wood.

This will allow the wood to breathe again and give off any extra moisture deep-seated.

However, if the wood were damaged due to the moisture content from underneath the hardwood floors, you would need to strip off the damaged floors and repeat the entire process for the underside as well; otherwise, the same damages would be experienced again.

Get An Underlayment Layer

If your floors were damaged through moisture or leakages, it is best to install an underlayment.

This would act as a barrier against moisture and provide many other benefits, such as sound dampening, cushioning under the feet, and much more.

Therefore, protecting your hardwood floors from further damage caused by moisture or water.

Seal Again

Lastly, when all these steps are completed, seal the wood using your desired sealant for protection against water in the future.

You can also use a wood stain to give the wood a nice color and restore its texture.

Conclusion

To sum it all up, it is possible to repair hardwood floors through sanding, drying, and refinishing.

However, you need to make sure that the floors are not damaged extensively and the damage is caught on time.

To effectively repair the hardwood floors, it is necessary to get rid of the root cause rather than simply refinishing the floors as this might allow the problem to occur again.

Therefore, you must use the methods mentioned above to repair your water damaged hardwood floors right away!