Hardwood Flooring Vs. Water Damage: Who Is Going to Win?
Hardwood flooring is lovely to see and it is always soft on the feet. It also leaves a fresh wood smell in your house. However, when tragedy hits, you might need to say goodbye to your hardwood flooring and that is upsetting. Water damage is serious and can ruin many of your belongings, but your flooring can be the most damaging thing in your home. That is why it is important to learn about when you can save your hardwood flooring and when you cannot.
This article is going to talk about your hardwood floor up against water damage and when to throw it away.
Solid and Engineered Hardwood, Can They Get Wet?
Water and hardwood do not mix. They are sworn enemies, so no matter how much water is on your floor, you need to get it up and off of it right away. When water mixes with hardwood, it can become warped and damaged. If you have engineered hardwood then you need to know that the main component is not water-resistant, so your flooring is going to be damaged from the water. When the floorboard begins to buckle and warp, your hardwood is damaged.
Genuine hardwood is going to absorb any water that it comes close to. When it drinks up large amounts of water, it also becomes warped and begins to discolor. This is when you might have to say goodbye to your real hardwood floors.
I’ve Put A Little Bit of Water on My Hardwood Floors, Is It Damaged?
Think about it this way, hardwood absorbs and retains all moisture it comes in contact with. The longer it is holding onto the moisture, and if there is a lot of it, then the more likely it is going to be permanently damaged. An acceptable amount of moisture that hardwood flooring can handle is between six and twelve percent, so when it has flooded and the hardwood flooring has up to or over 40% moisture content, your flooring is now ruined.
That means, the quicker you are with wiping away or vacuuming up excess water, the more likely your flooring can be saved. Small amounts of water are not something to lose sleep over because the hardwood can dry itself out and it can get back to looking like its normal self. However, when excessive amounts hit it, then you are going to need more than a few towels.
Are My Hardwood Floors Fixable or Are They Damaged for Good?
When deciding on whether or not to keep your hardwood flooring after any water damage, you need to figure out a few things first. What was the source of water, restoring a floor from a broken pipe is different than dealing with a sewage backup. First, how long has your hardwood flooring been exposed to water? Second, is your hardwood flooring real or engineered? Third, has the water seeped into the floorboards? Lastly, the finishing, can the stain on your hardwood be matched again?
Depending on your answers, you can decide on whether or not to keep your hardwood flooring after a flood. If your hardwood has been submerged in water for a long time and it has seeped into the floorboards, then you might want to rip it out and start fresh because it is never going to look the same again.
Conclusion
When it comes to flooding and your hardwood flooring, it depends on a few factors. Once you have double-checked how long the wood has been submerged, and you have had a professional in to check it, you can make a rational decision. It is important to double-check your hardwood flooring after a flood because it can soak up a lot of water and it can damage itself.
