Reparing damaged hardwood floor

 

 

This hardwood floor was damaged from pet urine and steam cleaning the rug that was laying on top of it.The moisture content of the hardwood floor was 17% prior to removal. We removed the damaged area and took some moisture readings of the plywood.The moisture in the plywood is coming from the crawl space.The homeowners are having a company come out and take care of the issues in the crawl space.

It is very important to remember when working with water damage or pet urine damage to make sure you check the moisture content of the hardwood floor and the plywood.We have four bundles of

2 1/4 x 3/4 red oak floor reading from 7-9% and the plywood is 15-17% The N.W.F.A recommend that the be no more than a 4% difference between the hardwood floor and plywood for the width of flooring we are using.If we install the hardwood floors then it will pick up moisture from the plywood and crawl space and the floors will be cupped.

Causes for Cupping in Hardwood Floors.

Information Taken from the N.W.F.A. Technical Publication,

 

"Cupping and crowning" are common complaints that develop with high humidity. Both problems occur across the width of the flooring material.

Cupping is when the edges of a board are high and its center is lower.

It can occur after water spills onto the floor and is absorbed by the wood, but high humidity is more often the cause.

 

If the wood expands significantly, compression set can result as the boards are crushed together. deforming the

boards at the edges. Cupping is caused by a moisture imbalance through the thickness of the wood: The wood is wetter on the bottom of the board than on the top. The moisture imbalance can be proven by taking moisturemeter readings at different pin depths.

identify and eliminate the moisture source.

 

Today we done moisture readings in a 2 1/4 x 3/4 solid red oak hardwood floor the moisture content on the surface was 9% as we took readings deeper into the wood the moisture content went up to 13% the floor was cupped in all the rooms.We did find some drainage issues around the house and some pipes leaking in the crawl space.These problems need to be corrected prior to sanding the hardwood floors.Sanding a hardwood floor that is cupped,with high moisture content will cause the hardwood floor to crown when the boards dry out.
Always indentify the cause of the moisture and correct the problem prior to doing any work on your hardwood floors.  

Floor refinishing Concord, N.C.

Refinished a existing 1 1/2 x 3/4 hardwood floor in Concord, N.C. we used

natural finish with a oil base polyurethane.

Installing Brazilian Cherry floor in the Nine West shoe store in Concord Mills mall

Hardwood Floors looking cupped make sure you check the moisture content of the wood before sanding and refinishing.

Removed carpet on the stairs and landing in Huntersville,N.C. and installed strand woven bamboo treads and risers

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Hardwood floor installation in Mooresville, N.C. Installed new 2 1/4 x 3/4 red oak in the family room, sand stain and finish the new floors and the existing hardwood floors on the first level.