How to Repair Water Damaged Wood Floors
Water-damaged wood floors are no doubt an eyesore for homeowners. But, what makes it even worse is when you do not act on time in repairing them because every passing minute only lets the damage grow more extensive.
Though replacing your old wooden floors can seem like a better option than getting them repaired, especially when they already look so terrible, it will cost you a whole lot more. So before you make any hasty decisions, it is important first to assess the extent of damage your wooden boards have undergone because repairing could make them look better than new and save you money as well.
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The Tools you'll Need for Repairing Water Damaged Wood Floors
Electric Sander
An electric sander can be a great help when it comes to removing old varnish or paint from the surface of your wooden boards. It will also come in handy while fine-tuning the surfaces before you apply a new coat of varnish.
Crowbar
A crowbar is a multipurpose tool that usually comes in handy for prying out nails, extracting floorboards, and loosening boards that refuse to budge an inch without too much effort. Crowbars are also good for taking up old linoleum and vinyl flooring if such things need removal as part of your restoration process.
Hammer & Batters
You'll need a hammer and batters when you want to stamp indentations into wooden floors after they've been filled with drywall screws. This method is a great way to keep furniture from moving around while you work on the floor because furniture legs usually leave indentations that become permanent unless they are undercoated.
Absorbent Cloth
You can't do without clothes in your tool kit. When removing water stains or picking up dust, an absorbent cloth is the best thing to use. You can also use it for applying varnish or stain when working with delicate materials.
Squeegee
A squeegee is an excellent tool for removing excess water from flooded wooden floors. This can be used when working on saturated boards and when they are still wet to help the surface dry faster.
Rubber Gloves
You may not be building a home but your safety is still paramount. You must not forget to use rubber gloves in your toolkit because these will protect your hands while working with hazardous materials in your restoration project.
A Screwdriver
You might need it for prying nails on wooden floors when you want to take them up or when you want to tighten them after they have been screwed down again. Also, it will help in loosening boards that might be stuck in place with hardwood flooring adhesive.
Stiff brush
The stiff brush will come in handy for removing the dust that accumulates around the baseboards and between boards.
Mild detergent, disinfectant, or TSP (trisodium phosphate)
These are good for washing away dirt and grime that have accumulated on the wooden boards. You will need them to help get rid of stubborn stains that have seeped into the crevices between planks over time.
Instructions for Removing Water from Wood Floors
Step 1
Turn off all electricity in the house or cut off the power so that you can work safely and without the worry of getting electrocuted. Work with wet floors only if there is no risk of electric shock to yourself and others living in your household.
Step 2
Get rid of excess water in your floorboards by using a shop vacuum. If you want to use this method, make sure that the suction isn't too strong, or else you'll end up with scratches on your wooden boards instead of extracting the moisture.
Step 3
Scrub the Floorboards. You can use a stiff brush to loosen dirt and grime that have gotten stuck in the cracks between boards. You may mix mild detergent or cleaner with water before scrubbing so you can be sure of easily rinsing it off once you are done cleaning. Make sure not to scrub too hard but exert just enough pressure to remove dirt without damaging the wood.
Step 4
Wipe the Floor with a Cloth: After scrubbing with a mild detergent solution, a cloth will make it easier to wipe away excess moisture from your wooden floor. You can also use a squeegee in rinsing off excess water but make sure that this is done gently without scratching the wood.
Step 5
Treat any Moldy Areas: You will need a mold and mildew remover so you can kill germs and fungi that may have taken hold in the crevices of wood floorboards. Don't use chlorine bleach to treat this kind of microbial infestation because it could react with the sap in your floors, thereby weakening them significantly. You can also apply fungicide to kill mold spores that may be hanging around the area.
Step 6
Allow the Floor to Dry Thoroughly: The biggest mistake you can make when dealing with water-damaged floors is to start working on them too soon after being soaked in standing water. Wood takes time to dry, so if you want to prevent further damage, keep the area wet only for as long as necessary. You can use fans so air can circulate within the room where your floorboards are located.
Step 7
Sand the Floor Boards. If your floorboards have been stained by standing water, you can use a sander to remove the discoloration. Be very careful not to over-sand because this can make gouges and grooves in wooden boards that may be difficult to repair later on. Sanding should not be done until after the planks have dried completely. If your floorboards are made of softwood, you can use a chemical stain stripper to get rid of water-based stains on the surface.
Step 8
Refinish the Floorboards. After sanding and washing your wood floors, they must remain smooth and clean-looking before applying lacquer or varnish. If you're dealing with water-damaged planks, the best way to refinish them is by using a chemical hardener that can fill in cracks and make the surface uniform again.
Step 9
Stain or Paint Your Floorboards if Necessary. If your floorboards are made of softwood like pine, you can use a chemical wood hardener to restore their structural integrity. Once this is done, you will be able to paint or stain the boards according to your preference. If your planks are made of oak or cherrywood, however, it's best to consult a professional before proceeding with any staining or painting procedure because these woods contain a high amount of tannin. Oak and cherry wood are more stable than pine wood, so the chance of staining or painting them improperly is significantly smaller.
In Closing
Before starting any repair, make sure that your floorboards, as well as the rest of your home, have already dried completely. If you try to do a repair before water damage has been properly dried, you're increasing the risk of irreparable damage to your floor.
Author Bio: Jessica Chapman is a writing editor at Essayontime.com. She loves traveling but also holds a strong interest in sports and politics, go now to the website to check her work out.
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