The Floor Beneath You

Restoring Your Hardwood Floors After Water Damage Occurs

When your home suffers major water damage, the floors can be one of the areas of the building that may suffer the most impact from these issues. As a result, this may be one of the areas that will require the most work during the restoration process. 

Flooding Can Quickly Cause Severe Damage To Hardwood Floors

Hardwood floors can be an attractive and durable option, but it is a material that will be especially vulnerable to suffering damage during a flooding event. This is due to the ability of moisture to seep deep into the wood where it can quickly cause rot, swelling and discoloration. Unfortunately, these damages can start to occur almost immediately, which can make repairing and restoring wood floors an urgent matter when your building's interior has suffered water damage.

Some Flooring Damages May Not Be Repairable

While many of the damages that can occur to water-damaged wood floors can be restored, the reality is that there are many that may simply be too severe to allow for repairs. One example of this will be the issue of the wood swelling. This is a problem that will develop due to the wood swelling and increasing in size as a result of the moisture that has seeped into it. Unfortunately, wood panels that have suffered this type of damage may not be eligible for repair. Rather, they will have to be replaced in order to both restore the flooring as well as to prevent further damage from occurring. Over time, the planks that have swollen in size may be able to put enough pressure on the surrounding wood floor planks to cause them to shift positions or eventually rupture.

Resurfacing Can Be Essential For Restoring The Appearance Of The Floors

A key part of the restoration process will be a total resurfacing of the hardwood floors. While this can be a major step due to the need to sand the surface of the floors and reapply the finish, it can be instrumental in repairing the cosmetic damage to the floor. When water is able to seep into hardwood floors, it can cause black spots to form under the surface of the wood. In some cases, this is due to the wood rotting, but often, it can also be the result of mildew growing in the wood. Once the spots have formed, the only way to remove them will be to sand away the layer where they formed.

Contact a local flooring service to learn more about water-damaged hardwood floor resurfacing.