Water Damaged Hardwood Floors New York

Hardwood Floor Repair

Schedule a Virtual Consultation with our specialists or contact us at 908-232-6600 for immediate, customized advice on our flooring rejuvenation techniques. Hardwood and tile floors demand specialized care during water damage cleanup and restoration. Contrary to common belief, replacement isn’t always necessary when hardwood floors are affected by water damage. Prompt intervention is key. If our Restoration team is contacted before the floors start to buckle – which happens when nails begin to pull through due to swelling – we can often save the floor. Our Inject dry system, renowned in the industry, combined with our wood floor repair drying panels, has helped many homeowners and insurance companies avoid the high costs of total floor replacement.

How does Wood Floor Repair work?

Water Extraction Mat SystemTo fix water damage panels you see in the picture have been placed on the hardwood floor with seal placed all around. The other end of the line is connected to the larger yellow suction line. This line is connected to the Inject-dry system forming suction underneath the panels. Air will travel from between the hardwood floor through the grooves between the boards, bringing with it any moisture or water trapped. This system combined with very dry air from our LGR dehumidifiers will pull the moisture right out of the wood. When dealing with any water loss, a fast response time is a critical factor in mitigating the loss, and it is especially important in the case of hardwood floors. The longer they are wet, the greater the chance that buckling will occur. So do not wait call a water damage repair technician to fix your hardwood floor.

Here is the difference between cupping and crowning.

When water is left on a wood floor, or if excessive moisture rises from below the subfloor, it becomes trapped between the wood floor and the subfloor. Cupping occurs when the top of the wood dries faster than the bottom of the wood or when the moisture is absorbed by the underside and causes it to expand, raising the edges. The biggest mistake that can be made is to sand the floor flat while it is still retaining moisture. This leaves the wood with thinner edges than the center. After the floor dries completely the edges shrink and flatten back into position, but now since the top of the edges have been sanded, the center of each strip is higher the the edges. This is called a crowned floor.

HomeOwner Hint:

If you have hardwood or tile floors that are involved in a water damage loss be sure to ask your insurance company and your restoration company how they are going to be handled. If you are told that they will need to be replaced, ask “Why don’t you simply dry them?” This industry has been raised on a system of ripping out and replacing (dumpster feeding), instead simply performing the wood floor repair, but those days are over, there is a possibility that it can be dried in place! After most hardwood floors are dried and settle back to pre-loss condition, they are restored and don’t even need to be refinished!

Repairing Water Damaged Hardwood Floors

Water damage to hardwood floors can be caused by any number of circumstances, from children consistently getting out of the bathtub without drying off, to a leaky dishwasher, to an outright flood from a broken pipe. Whatever the reason for the discolored or disjointed floors, the first step to fixing the problem is always to act quickly.

Many smaller issues are avoidable and also easily repaired. To avoid minor damage to wood floors, be mindful of wet mopping, excess water at entryways, and overzealous settings on humidifiers. This excess water can cause crackling of the finish or even expansion or cupping of the wood.

As soon as you notice an issue with your hardwood floor, you need to act immediately to dry it out. If necessary, remove water from the floor with a water extraction vacuum. To dry the flooring, open windows and use a dehumidifier or fans to pull out the moisture. Do not apply heat to the wood as this can cause further damage. Given enough drying time, the floor may contract on its own.

There are a number of different types of water damage that can occur to hardwood floors, and each requires a different method of repair.

A white stain or haze typically indicates minimal damage to the surface of a hardwood floor. To remove this spot, use light pressure to buff the finish of the wood with a mild, abrasive cleanser and a cotton cloth. Suggested cleansers include whitening toothpaste or automotive polish.

A black stain can indicate greater issues, such as mold growth. To repair, first, make sure that the flooring is dry. Then, tape off the area so that it is isolated during the repair process. Working just up to the edges of your tape, remove the wax and finish using steel wool and sandpaper. Mix oxalic acid crystals in hot water and brush the mixture onto the stained area. Let it dry, brush it off, and repeat this process until the stain is removed. Stain the area to match the rest of the floor, and finish with sealant.

After severe water damage, it is likely that wood floors will have to be replaced. Wood is especially susceptible to mold growth, so you need to ensure that the floor and sub-floor are completely dry. Unfortunately, even getting these floors completely dry at the time does not mean that you may not experience issues with mold at a later date.

If boards have cupped, popped, or cracked, this may be an indication that the sub-floor experienced damage as well. If the sub-floor is damaged, it will also need to be replaced before you can install new hardwood flooring.

Initiate the transformation of your space immediately. Arrange a Virtual Consultation with our wood flooring specialists, or contact us at 908-232-6600 for direct support and customized advice tailored to your specific flooring requirements.

Servicing the New York Areas Of

Brooklyn, Bronxville, Hamptons, Lincoln Square, Long Island, Manhattan, Nassau County, Queens, Staten Island, Tuxedo Park, and Westchester.