Painting Ideas & Tips
  • May 23, 2018
  • Floors

How to Fix Warped Hardwood Floor?

Hardwood flooring is most common in the homes of US and Canada. But homeowners face the problem of dampness in the house that leads to damage to the floor. Prolonged water flow can cause severe problems like warp, buckle and cup the hardwood flooring. The issues caused can lead to the expensive and time-taking restoration process. Not all the damages require repair works; some can be done by merely dehumidifying the floors. The key is to identify and rectify the water leakage problem as soon as possible.

Causes for Hardwood Floor to Warp or Buckle

Wood warp causes when it gets wet and swells and dries out and contracts. The warp does not happen in fully finished wood flooring because there is no chance for the moisture to get on the floor. The hardwood floorings are protected against humidity by installing vapor barriers. If the barriers are not installed correctly, then vapor might enter the wood and cause warping. Not even wetness, excessive dryness can also cause the wood to shrink and create gaps between the boards on the flooring.

What is Cupping and Wood Floor Cupping Causes?

Cupping is a milder form of damage caused to the wooden floor. In cupping the edges of the wooden plank get curled up, and the middle of the plank shrinks. This is mainly caused due to the moisture imbalance in the room. The cupped floor does not look good in the room, but the cupping is reversible. Cupped floors can be repaired by just restoring the normal humidity conditions in the place. You need to take regular steps to restore the exterior wooden items of your house.

How to Repair Your Buckled Hardwood Floor

1. Find the Water Source Causing the Problems

The primary cause of cupping and warping is water leakages that might be present in the room of the hardwood flooring. Look for the leakages or any other reasons like spilling of the water or standing water that never got cleaned up. All these reasons can be the cause of cupping or warping of the wood in the hardwood flooring.

2. Fix Minor Warping and Cupping in the Rooms :

For fixing the minor warping problems in the wood, you need to control the moisture conditions in the place. Excessive dryness or dampness can cause the wood to warp and cause serious problems. Set up a dehumidifier in the basement where there is dampness to pull out the moisture out off the planks.

3. Sanding the Planks:

If the warping of your wood floor is due to some drastic humidity changes or a simple water spill, then sand the solid hardwood up to 1/4 inches of its current thickness.

4. Replacement of the Planks :

If the warp of the wood is medium or large, then it is better to replace the plank with a new one. If not removed, the dampness will spread to the other planks and cause them damage too. Replace the plank with the same type of wood species, color, and size. Nail down the new plank with the same installation technique used for other planks. To avoid warps in the wooden planks choose a laminate or engineered wood.

Read on this article to know more about Refinishing or Replacing of your Hardwood Floor.

Conclusion

Warping and cupping are severe problems for hardwood floors. Damage to a single plank could be a grave risk to all the other planks. So it’s essential to see that there are no warps on the floor. If there are any, necessary steps have to be taken to repair them. The homeowners can fix minor cups, but severe and significant warps can be corrected with the help of a Professional Contractor. If you are unable to find the cause of your buckled floor, Contact us for a Professional Floor Inspection for Free! If you are looking for expert floor renovation, refinishing, replacement or installations in Toronto and all over Canada Call Executive Touch Painters at (416) 410-0164 for a Free Estimate Today.