Speaking of damage to the wooden floor caused by water, the wood of any type when exposed to excessive moisture is definitely going to be damaged. Wood is hygroscopic (the ability to absorb water) in nature. This feature allows it to absorb moisture from the environment causing the wood to swell and may also rot with the passage of time. In addition to increasing in size, untreated wood is susceptible to mold growth and infestation as well.
Causes of water accumulation:
There may be several causes for the accumulation of water on floorboards. A cyclone, flood, bursting of pipes, slow leakages, etc. are all the main reasons. Of all the areas in the house, the kitchen is most likely to be water damaged. If you get water on top of the floor, the grain will grow more on the top leading to crowning. On the other hand, if the water accumulates beneath due to the leakage of pipes, it leads to cupping due to the growth of grains on the bottom of the floorboard.
3 steps to fix WATER DAMAGED TIMBER FLOOR:
There are some immediate measures that should be adopted at once when you notice that wood has started to absorb moisture and is changing physically. In such a way the worsening of events can be avoided. Usually, floor sanding is the ultimate solution to restore water-damaged timber floors. Before moving towards repairing the floor, it is necessary to first find the root cause of water accumulation and then eliminate it. We have summarized here how you can tackle the water-affected floor in three steps:
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Drying the floor:
The first and foremost process is the drying of the area. Drying should be done using a dry mop, a fan, a blower, or a dehumidifier. If the intensity of water damage is low, there are chances that the wood will regain its original shape after drying. Drying is a crucial process before you start repairing the floor. For this purpose, it is advisable to call professional services to determine whether the floor has been dried completely or not. A moisture test is done for this purpose. The normal range is 6-9. A higher reading indicates that the floor has not been dried completely and needs more time.
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Maintenance and repair:
After the floor has been completely dried, the next step of repair comes. It depends on the severity of the damage caused by water to the wooden floors and how much work needs to be done. If the area is small, it is simply sanded and polished. But, if the damage is of high intensity, you might require doing the patching of the floorboards or in severe cases, the whole floor needs to be replaced.
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Refinishing and polishing:
After sanding the area comes the step of polishing. When choosing a finishing material always choose the best in quality that provides luster and protection to the floor. Make sure that there are no gaps left between the floorboards otherwise they will serve as a passage for the dirt and moisture to reach underneath the boards and cause cupping.
If you want to negate all this and want your beautiful-looking floor back please give us a call. Budget Floor Sanding is here to provide the best advice of all which is budget friendly (as the name indicates) and economical as well!
