Ultimate Guide to Saving Water-Damaged Hardwood Floors
SOS! Water and Wood Don’t Mix.
Let’s face it—seeing water pooling on hardwood floors or returning from a trip to find a water leak is awful. Whether it’s a leaky dishwasher, a burst pipe, or Mother Nature, water damaged hardwood floors can turn your pride and joy into a wavy, warped mess.
It doesn’t have to be a leak – Long-term exposure to moisture can also damage a hardwood floor. The floor may have been installed incorrectly, so moisture from the slab or water under a pier and beam foundation can cause cupping.
This is a step-by-step guide to handling water damage like a pro.
🚨 Step 1: Emergency Response
When disaster strikes, quick action is your best friend:
- Stop the water at its source—shut off that water main if necessary!
- Get that water out ASAP. Grab towels, mops, wet vacs—whatever you’ve got.
- Bring in the big guns: fans, blowers, and dehumidifiers. Point them directly at your affected floors and crank them up. In severe cases, a water mitigation service may be in order. If you need a recommendation, give us a call.
Remember: Every minute counts when water meets wood!
💧 What’s Happening to Your Floors?
Ever heard of “cupping”? It’s what happens when water seeps into your hardwood. The bottom of each board soaks up more moisture than the top (protected by finish), causing the edges to rise higher than the centers. The result? An unmistakable washboard effect. they’re doing the wave.
⏳ Step 2: The Waiting Game
Drying water-damaged floors properly takes patience.
After about a week of drying, call in a professional flooring contractor for moisture testing. They’ll tell you if you need to keep waiting (spoiler alert: you probably will). You can move forward with repairs only when moisture readings stabilize throughout your floor.
Pro Tip: Never sand your floors before they’re completely dry! Jump the gun, and you’ll end up with “crowning”—the opposite of cupping—where the middle of each board rises higher than the edges. In worst-case scenarios, we’re talking about floors that have buckled several inches off the subfloor so the replacement might be your only option. When this happens, you’ll need to tear out the damaged sections and ensure everything underneath is bone-dry before installing new flooring.
✨ Step 3: Bringing Back the Beauty
Once your floors are thoroughly dried, it’s restoration time! Depending on the severity:
- Minor damage: A simple refinishing might do the trick
- Moderate damage: Replace individual boards before refinishing
- Severe damage: Complete replacement (we’re sorry!)
🛡️ Prevention:
Let’s make sure this doesn’t happen again:
- Clean spills immediately—even small ones!
- Keep your finish fresh—a good polyurethane coating is like a raincoat for your floors
- Say no to wet mopping—slightly damp is as wet as you should go
- Inspect plumbing regularly—catch leaks before they catch you
- Use pros for appliance installation—DIY is great, but not when water lines are involved
- Have a house-sitter during vacations, especially in winter (frozen pipes = bad news)
- Turn off your water main during extended absences—the ultimate peace of mind!
Need more tips?
Give us a call at 214-399-1770. www.TexasHardwoodFooring.com
What our Customers say:
“We had a water leak, and it became apparent some of our hardwoods were damaged and needed replacement; we put our faith in Jesse and his crew. He was very helpful in walking us through the entire process with Jesse’s invaluable guidance and advice. Most importantly, he was our advocate when dealing with our Homeowner’s insurance carrier in making sure the claim went smoothly. It feels like we have literally just bought a new house! The hardwoods look amazing, and we couldn’t be happier”
Bryan P. – Dallas
Jesse and his team were great! From the first consultation following a dishwasher leak, to dealing with the loss adjusters to installation of a new floor, Texas Hardwood Flooring was a pleasure to work with and provided a really good quality service. We could not be more pleased with our new floor. Definitely worth five stars!
Alan D. – Dallas
