Water Damaged Hardwood Flooring Cupping

While cupping occurs when the edges of the boards are higher than the center crowning occurs when the boards being pushed together as a result of expansion caused by moisture raise up in the center.

Water damaged hardwood flooring cupping.

Fixing the water damaged floor by replacing damaged flooring. If spilled water sets on the wood flooring too long the hardwood cups quickly. The best way to avoid and fix water damage for wood floors is to get them repaired. After severe water damage it is likely that wood floors will have to be replaced.

Another sign of hardwood floor water damage is called crowning and is essentially the opposite of cupping. As referenced above is the cupping uniform and seasonal. Often times the first sign there is a problem and there is water damage is when individual planks are cupping or several begin to crown causing a hump in the floor. How to fix hardwood floor cupping make sure you have a reliable wood moisture meter so you know how much the wood moisture content has risen or can.

However heavily cupped wood cannot be sanded down flat. Is it confined to. Cupping in solid wood floors cupping occurs in solid wood flooring as a result of an elevated mc in the bottom of the flooring compared with the mc of the face. Hardwood floors need to be cleaned maintained but make sure you use as little water as possible while mopping.

Sand water damaged wood flooring. After drying a wood floor you may have some concave or convex floorboards. As the photos below suggest once the wood absorbs water it expands and this expansion reveals itself in the edges of the board turning up or whole planks buckling. Get a dehumidifier.

Wood is specifically susceptible to mold growth so it is important that you ensure that the floor and the sub floor are completely dry. Fans and dehumidifiers can help. The subfloor and the wood must be dry before you begin to repair cupped flooring. This is called cupping heavy sanding with a drum or orbital sander can actually take down some minor high areas.

If floors have cupped popped or cracked it may be an indication that the sub floor has experienced water damage as well. For this you will have to take out the affected planks and replace them with new boards. Determine where the moisture is coming from. The general effect is easy to demonstrate by putting a small strip of paper onto a small drop of water.

You may sand refinish and re coat the wood floor to repair water damage but is not a permanent solution.