A hardwood floor can help a home sell for 10% more than a house that’s the same but lacking the wood floors.
When your cherished hardwood floors have suffered water damage, it can be a stressful affair. Not only is your home losing value, but the aesthetic beauty of your hardwood is also ruined. Learning how to fix water damaged hardwood floors is vital when this happens and expediency is key to addressing the problem.
Keep reading to learn what you can do to repair water damaged hardwood floors.
What Are the Signs of Water Damaged Hardwood Floors?
If water has been left to puddle on your hardwood floor for any prolonged period of time, odds are it’s done damage.
When wood absorbs water, it starts to expand. This expansion causes the edges of the board to either turn up or the entire plank to buckle. When this happens, you can get humps, making the floor uneven.
Another possible sign that your hardwood floor has sustained water damage is if you see black or dark staining on the edges of the wood plank. This staining can be caused by mold growth, or the wood changing color from the minerals in the water.
Sanding and Refinishing
One option to restore water damaged hardwood floors is to sand and refinish the wood. However, be aware that this is no easy undertaking and takes quite a bit of elbow grease on your end.
You should also be aware that it might be difficult to get the damaged section of your hardwood to match the rest of the floor even after you’ve sanded and refinished it. This is because wood floors change color over time from a variety of factors, such as sunlight lightening or darkening its surface. When you sand hardwood, it reveals the original color the wood. Even after you apply the same staining finish to the wood, it can still come out slightly different from the color of the rest of the floor.
Replace Water Damaged Hardwood Floors
Your other option to fix your hardwood floors is to replace the affected boards and refinish the entire floor. This is best done by a professional.
Replacement planks that match your existing hardwood must first be located. This is more difficult than it sounds, as grain and texture must also be taken into consideration. Next, the planks will have to be sanded and refinished. Then, the new planks must be weaved into the existing floor to create a seamless repair.
Prevention Is Key
One of the best things you can do for your hardwood floor is to ensure it is coated in a waterproof polyurethane coating. With waterproof flooring, you’re giving your hardwood the best defense it can have against taking any damage. Preventing damage in the first place can save you a costly repair bill later on.
Know How to Fix Water Damaged Hardwood Floors
If you have a wood floor in your home, then it is essential that you are aware of how to fix water damaged hardwood floors. Odds are that at some point in the future you’ll be faced with this problem and knowing how to address the issue fast can save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.
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