How to fix swollen wood floor – The easiest way to save money
Hardwood floors are high-maintenance and prone to water damage. A surefire indication that the floor needs repairs is a puffed wood floor.
It is a good idea to call in a carpeting technician, but you may do it yourself and avoid the high service charge.
High humidity and water damage are the leading causes of wood swellings on floors. Getting rid of the excess moisture is the best way to prevent buckling. Run a dehumidifier over the area after laying thick towels on top to soak up any moisture. After that, apply a vacuum to the swollen part until it reduces.
Eliminating the source and replacing the panels may be your best option if the buckling is widespread on your floor. Drainage of any excess moisture or even screwing down the floor may not solve the issue.
Why is my wood floor swelling and bulging?
Because of poor installation, high humidity, or temperature fluctuations, wood floors may expand and bulge. The primary offender behind wooden floors’ swelling and bulging, however, is water.
Your floor may bulge, swell, and seem uneven due to the high moisture content of the subfloor. The concrete beneath the flooring or the surrounding air may absorb water from wood, which is naturally porous.
Moisture within your flooring might be amplified by appliance leaks, spills, or extremely humid circumstances. Moisture has to be accommodated on the floor, which may cause uneven expansion and bulging on the affected surface.
Improper installation of wooden floors may cause them to swell or bulge. The harm may also come from the subfloor, which may suffer from a poor material choice and improper installation techniques, causing it to lose its original form. Your flooring might be damaged in large areas, resulting in degraded living conditions.
Natural reasons of wood expansion and swelling include temperature changes and thermal expansion. When heated, wood grows. During the summer, when temperatures are high, you’re more likely to see bulges and bumps in your wood floors.
When wood is exposed to water for long periods, it becomes more prone to swelling. Because of their greater density than comparable sizes of softwoods, hardwood floors are more likely to swell.
Denser woods are more prone to deformities from swelling and shrinkages over time because their cell walls can hold more moisture.
How to fix a swollen wood floor
If the damage isn’t too severe or you want to save money, you can fix a waterlogged wood floor without the aid of a professional.
The size of the swelling, the degree of damage, and the principal cause for bulges on your wooden floor all play a role in ideal repair processes. Some floors may need to be replaced in severe cases.
1. Assess the extent of the damage
To determine the primary reason of the damage as well as the amount of swelling and bulging, you’ll need to inspect your floor. Color discolorations and mold may appear between the planks of a water-damaged bulge. Other sources of floor wear may lack the same indicators as water.
To assist you select the finest repair approaches for your floor, you may use tape or non-permanent markers to highlight impacted portions. You might also identify underlying concerns that are causing your floor to deteriorate during a condition assessment.
For instance, you may check if the main source of extra moisture collecting on your floor is a leaky water pipe underneath your flooring by checking for leaks beneath your flooring.
A bulge in your wood floor might be caused by moist concrete. Assessment helps you address the problem and prevent future problems from occurring.
You may now repair your floor using the following procedures after finishing the check.
2. Remove excess moisture from your floor surface
Wood floors commonly expand upwards because of high moisture levels. The severity of the mounds can be decreased by drying your wooden floor, which will restore it to its original form.
To dry your wooden flooring, you may employ a variety of methods. These approaches are ideal for a home installation, are practical, and need minimal expert help.
Here are some great ideas.
a. Use a steam iron to remove swellings.
For unfinished wood, steam irons are preferable. These may be put to good use on finished wood floors. Minor repairs are ideal for this process.
A wet washcloth and a steam iron are required. Position your hot steam iron box over the bulge and place a wet washcloth over the bulging surface.
The idea is to get rid of moisture from your floor by using the heat from the iron. To avoid floor damage while “ironing” the bulge, use a damp washcloth to protect the floor.
Until your flooring is completely dry, repeat the process two or three times.
b. Use a vacuum cleaner to dry your floor.
Over time, vacuum cleaners eliminate swelling by sucking out excess water between floor panels.
Depending on the amount of moisture you want to remove, put a wet vacuum over the affected surface for about 20-30 minutes. For liquid stains on a floor surface, wet vacuums are best. Any moisture in the wood pores and fibers is drawn up by the vacuum, which dries it.
Pay attention to areas where moisture is likely to build up. It’s important to include regular wet vacuuming into your floor maintenance routine.
c. Use a dehumidifier to remove excess moisture.
Excess humidity from the surrounding environment is removed by a dehumidifier. To repair swollen wood flooring, you can also use a dehumidifier. It will take some time, however, for actual results to be seen.
Plug in your dehumidifier, switch it on, and wait for the machine to do its job while strategically placing it over the afflicted floor surface. When the swelling affects a large floor area, dry air is used to replace moist air with dry air, which is ideal.
Regularly using a dehumidifier may help to prevent wooden floor swelling. Other methods, such as heaters, may be used in conjunction with it to get faster outcomes.
3. Turn on your AC and dehumidifier
Swellings on your flooring can be avoided by using heat control measures. Buckling or swelling of your wooden floors may be caused by temperature and moisture fluctuations.
Wood may shrink due to low winter temperatures. Because of the low temperatures, most hardwood floors begin to sag in the winter.
The damage caused by environmental extremes is mitigated, and your flooring stays in excellent shape regardless of the season or prevailing environmental circumstances, thanks to proper indoor climate management methods.
Practical examples of successful climate management include the following:
- Using an AC
- Dehumidifiers
- Standardizing room temperatures year-round is crucial.
- Acclimation.
4. Sand the swollen floor
If you have swollen wood floors, sanding may help you temporarily fix them. While the damage may continue if you don’t correct the underlying issue, you can reduce bulges by sanding off the excess grain from the timber.
Remove any finishes from the wood and prepare your affected surface before sanding. Oversanding your flooring may cause unappealing dents and ruin parts of the flooring, so avoid it.
When it comes to a swollen wood floor, sanding is one of your options, albeit it isn’t very effective. Before trying to reduce swellings by sanding, try out some other highly successful techniques.
5. Replace the swollen floorboard
It might be difficult to restore some swellings using other techniques. In situations like this, floor board replacement is a feasible option. It might, however, be expensive or inconvenient.
While a flood board replacement can be done on your own, it is best to hire a contractor. The worst scenario is when the problem isn’t fixed properly.
Can you screw down a buckled wood floor?
Screws may be used to repair a warped or bent wood floor. However, if you lack technical expertise, your wooden flooring may be ruined.
Attach a screw no more than 1.25 inches into the floor and place a weight on the affected part in order to secure it.
As the weight flattens the afflicted surface, the concept is to allow the screw to hold down your flooring.
Ways to prevent hardwood floors from swelling
To prevent your hardwood floors from swelling, you can adopt a few tips. The majority of these procedures preserve the wood floor from moisture.
To avoid hardwood floors from swelling, follow these simple steps.
- As soon as water stains appear on your floor, remove them.
- To clean hardwood floors, use a wet vacuum. Don’t use too much water when mopping or cleaning.
- To clean hardwood floors, use non-abrasive buffers.
- Floor installation must be done properly.
- The floor must be painted.
- For high humid circumstances, use a dehumidifier.
- On hardwood floors, avoid heels and show with cleats.
Conclusion:
Water may be collecting inside the wood if the floor is swollen. Over time, this moisture may cause swelling and damage to the flooring. You’ll have to use a dehumidifier or drying agent to remove excess water from the wood in order to fix this problem. To avoid moisture damage to the flooring, apply a sealant or finish.
Also read: Stunning Floor to Ceiling Windows Install, Cost and Ideas
Shery
