Dealing With A Water Damaged Wooden Floor – Expert Tips

According to the Australian Timber Flooring Association (ATFA), timber floors currently represent over 25% of the flooring market, and there is a good reason why. Natural timber floors are beautiful, functional and durable and when cared for properly, will also last a lifetime.

That’s why it’s important to deal with a water damaged wooden floor as soon as possible. The longer your timber floor is left untreated, the worse the long-term damage will be. But it can be tricky knowing the ins and outs of how to manage the process. How does water damage occur? What happens if damaged wooden floors aren’t fixed? And when should you hire a professional to help you maintain and restore your wooden floors?

For the answers to these questions and more, here is our guide to dealing with a water damaged wooden floor.

How Does Water Damage On A Wooden Floor Occur?

Over time, most of the floors in your home will be subject to a lot of wear and tear, and water damage may be one of the issues you’ll, unfortunately, have to deal with. Interestingly though, most water damage issues are not due to floods or heavy rains. Unseen puddles of water, dysfunctional appliances and excessive indoor moisture from a variety of sources can also lead to a water damaged wooden floor, as can pet’s water bowls, plumbing issues, overfilled indoor plants, and moisture that has seeped up from the sub-floor.

What Happens If The Water Damage Is Not Attended To?

Not tending to and repairing wooden floors promptly can lead to a number of bigger issues that if left for too long, can result in problems that are costly to fix and possibly even irreversible. Water trapped in enclosed sub-floor spaces can result in mould growth that can affect your family’s health, and moisture that remains in wooden floors can also spread to other areas of your home including nearby walls and carpets. Unfortunately, this can lead to even bigger problems including your entire home’s structural integrity being compromised.

What Affects The Amount Of Water Damage That Can Be Done?

Different timber floors react to water in different ways. Some are easily salvageable, while it can be impossible to save others due to the floor’s natural characteristics when it’s subjected to moisture. When it comes to repairing wooden floors with a significant amount of water damage there is often no ‘quick fix’, and the amount of restoration that’s required comes down to a number of factors including:

• #1 What timber the floor is made of
• #2 What’s underneath the floor
• #3 The volume of the water you are dealing with
• #4 When the water damage occurred
• #5 How long your timber floor has been wet

My Wooden Floor Is Water Damaged – Now What?

If you have a wooden floor that has sustained only a small amount of water damage, you may be able to treat it without the help of a professional. The first step towards saving wooden floors from water damage is to work out which areas have been affected. Once this has been determined, the next step is to remove the excess water as quickly as possible, which will stop further absorption and help minimise drying time.

Laying dry rags over the damaged area and airing out your home can help reduce the chance of seepage, saturation and damage to other objects, including skirting boards and furniture. However, if the water damage is significant, it’s probably time to seek the help of a professional.

Why Should I Hire A Professional To Fix It?

The key thing to remember when dealing with a water-damaged wooden floor is that timing is critical. The longer the floor is left untreated, the worse the long-term damage will be.

If your wooden floors have been inundated with large volumes of water, you notice deep stains or buckled floorboards, or water damage has led to rotting, the problem will involve much more than just home maintenance.

The effects of water damage on and the procedures involved in fixing a wooden floor can vary depending on the timber species of both your floor and your sub-floor, and only a professional can really determine the next steps in terms of salvaging the existing floor or replacing it with a new one.

What’s Involved In The Process Of Restoration?

If, after a thorough inspection by our expert team, we ascertain that your floor is able to be restored, we will provide you with a detailed obligation-free quote, and once approved, will start the process by ensuring your floor is completely flat and free from dents, scratches and nails.

We will then use a professional sanding machine (outfitted with a built-in vacuum to minimise dust) that will prepare your floor’s surface for the process of finishing. Here at Brisbanes Finest Floors, we have an amazing variety of colours on offer from high-gloss to satin finishes that will suit a range of uses and home designs. The result? A surface with the beauty, lustre and depth that only a polished timber floor can achieve.

Brisbanes Finest Floors has not only been restoring timber floors for local Brisbane residents for over 20 years, we are also a member of the Australian Timber Flooring Association (ATFA). The ATFA is the peak body for the timber flooring industry throughout Australia and New Zealand, and it delivers industry-specific services and technical information to both members and the community.

So before you make any big decisions about floor repairs or completely replacing your water damaged wooden floor, talk to us!

Not sure how to deal with your water damaged wooden floor? Contact the experts at Brisbanes Finest Floors today on 0411 220 488.