How To Repair Wood Flooring Damaged By Water
Wooden floors are often chosen for their ability to elevate the elegance and sophistication of a building. However, it can be difficult to repair wood flooring if it has experienced significant water exposure from a leak, spill or flood, often necessitating professional assistance to prevent permanent damage.
In this guide we’ll outline the initial steps you should take to address the damage before seeking expert help.
1. Find The Root Cause Of The Leak
Before you can repair wood flooring that’s been damaged by water, you must find the root cause of the leak. Whilst this task can be challenging, it’s incredibly important as the sooner you can address the wet floor, the better.
Prioritising speed is essential to minimise the risk of further damage to your wooden floors. We have a series of Leak Detection Guides that may be of assistance in identifying the root cause of your leak, which can vary depending on the location and circumstances in which the leak has arose.
If you’re unsure where to start, we’d recommend reading ‘How to Find a Water Leak in Your Home‘ first. If you’ve exhausted all measures you can take to find the leak at home, it might be time to call in a professional.
Rainbow Restoration’s Trace and Access service is the optimal method to pinpoint the exact root cause of the leak, leveraging seasoned professionals who excel at identifying subtle signs that may otherwise be missed.
A cost-friendly and non-invasive technique, our Trace and Access service functions as a way for property owners to spot the source of a leak without causing any damage to their wooden floors. With the aid of professional equipment, our specialists not only pinpoint the source of the leak but also provide expert advice and recommend the most effective solution for repair.
Once you’ve identified the cause, it’s now time to assess the damage and see if it’s feasible for you to repair the wood flooring using DIY methods.
What are the Warning Signs of Wood Floor Water Damage?
Dealing with water-damaged wooden flooring promptly will be your biggest defence against costly repairs. Being aware of the first warning signs allows you to stay proactive, ensuring your wooden flooring remains healthy and maintains its charm.
The first warning sign of wooden water damage is excessive moisture on your wooden floor or in the surrounding areas. Look for darkened areas that are damp to the touch if no pools of water are immediately visible.
Wood movement is a common consequence of water exposure. Wood is a hygroscopic material which absorbs moisture from its surroundings and when wet, the individual cells swell as they fill with moisture.
As the molecular structure expands when it soaks in water from a leak or flood, this often leads to cracks, movement or displacement and further damage.
2. Assess The Damage
The next step to addressing the water damage in your wooden flooring is to assess the damage. Understanding how your wooden floors have been affected by water damage can guide you in your efforts to restore it.
Crowning
Crowning is an effect on wooden flooring that has been damaged by water. It’s usually characterised by the floorboard edges sloping downwards, forcing the middle to raise up and create a crowning effect.
This is usually caused by moisture being trapped at the top of the floor, often by direct contact with water, causing the wood to absorb it and swell.
Cupping
Cupping is seen on floorboards that have lifted in the centre, giving them a concave or cupped, appearance. This is often the first sign that you have an excessive moisture problem around your wooden flooring, either through vapour or direct water.
If you have attempted to assess the damage but remain uncertain about the extent or how to tackle it, it is strongly advised to seek professional assistance. Technicians with years of experience can identify subtle warning signs and damages that may elude an untrained eye.
3. Equipment You’ll Need
To reduce the risk of long-lasting damage to your wooden flooring, you will need to gather the following equipment:
- Gloves
- Bucket
- Stiff brush
- Dehumidifiers
- Disinfectant
- Squeegee
4. Remove Surface Water
The first step is to remove the surface water from the wooden flooring. Erasing the risk of further damage by clearing away the water is the best way to stop the floor from absorbing it.
Use a squeegee or rags to remove the water or get a water vacuum to suck any remaining moisture.
5. Scrub The Floor
Once all of the water has been removed, it’s time to scrub the floor with a stiff brush. This step is essential to avoiding more issues later down the line, as any leftover grime on the floor will cause bacteria growth.
We recommend using disinfectant at this stage. However, it’s crucial not to pour water directly onto the floor.
Take care to thoroughly dry off any remaining cleaning solution to prevent further damage.
7. Treat Any Mould
Notice any mould spots? Due to the risks associated with mould, it’s recommended to leave this to the professionals.
Rainbow Restoration’s expert Mould Removal teams are equipped to effectively and safely handle mould spots on your wooden flooring. This professional approach is crucial to prevent further damage to your wooden flooring during water damage repair, ensuring it is restored thoroughly and without any future issues.
8. Use Drying Equipment
Once you’ve handled the surface, we recommend drying the floor steadily over a longer period. This is because wooden flooring that has been dried quickly can result in weakened boards, leading them to crack and become even more damaged.
Drying shouldn’t be done using heat either. Wooden flooring is a beautiful addition to your home but it requires careful attention.
Heat can cause the boards to split and cup, so dehumidifiers, fans and strong airflow is best for drying out your wooden floors.
However, it is important to note if the outside air is on the humid side, it’s best to just use fans instead.
Rainbow Restoration has drying equipment that is designed to clear away any remaining moisture from your wooden flooring. Hire out our professional industrial capacity humidifiers, air movers and other specialist equipment to get the best outcome when drying your wooden floors.
9. Sand The Floor
Unfortunately, even after these steps have been carefully followed, you may still see some lasting damage from the water.
Some boards may be bending upwards or downwards (cupped or crowned) and will need sanding down to reduce the effect. This should only be done by someone with experience, as sanding your wood flooring without any knowledge of best practise can lead to irreparable and costly damage.
Sanding isn’t always the solution either, so some boards may need to be either re-nailed down or completely replaced.
10. Stain & Refurnish
Once these steps are complete, it’s time to restore your wood flooring to it’s former glory. Scraping any paint off the floors with an abrasive cleaner will give the right surface to refurbish the floor.
Staining and refurnishing can then begin. It’s incredibly important that this step is not overlooked as it prevents further mould growth by creating a seal, removing any existing mould growth underneath the current paint.
Mould growth may also appear under the paint on the wooden floor, so its important to remain vigilant and seek help if the wood is compromised.
How Rainbow Restoration Can Help?
Honour the quality of your wooden flooring by restoring it to its full potential with Rainbow Restoration’s water damage restoration team. Wooden floors need a professional approach due to their technical needs, so for the best results consult the help of a wood restoration expert.
Our teams have decades of experience in handling water-damaged wood flooring. Equipped with professional tools and technical expertise, they can identify concerning signs and effectively restore your wooden floors to their original condition.
To prevent costly damage, prolonged issues and the potential need for flooring replacement, Rainbow Restoration is ready to assist. Get in touch or call our 24 hour National Helpline on 01623 422488 today.