Floor Repair

Once in awhile a laminate floor may need repair due to high traffic usage. While they are normally durable, laminate flooring will undoubtedly need repaired at some point. Below is a list of common problems with laminate floors and how to repair them :

Scratching

Scratching in a common problem for laminate floor and happens as furniture is move around, or from pet claws or heel of shoes. Use felt castors on furniture to reduce inevitably scratching the floor or paw socks on pets. To fix a minor scratch in laminate floor, purchase a laminate floor repair kit from most hardware stores. Make sure to take a piece of flooring with you so you can match up the colors. Follow the directions on the package.

Peaking

This happens when the laminate floor boards push up against each other, resulting in high points at the joints. Common cause of peaking is a lack of expansion space between the laminate floor and the walls around the perimeter of the installation, or a lack of expansion space between the laminate floor and laminate moldings. If moldings in the doorways or around the perimeter of the room have been fixed to the floor, this prevents the laminate floor from expanding as it is a floating floor and must not be fixed to the sub floor or moldings at any point. 

Buckling or warping

High moisture content in the air or excessive water on the surface of the floor can lead to buckling or warping. It is important never to wet mop a laminate floor. Laminate floor installed without sufficient moisture barrier (especially if it’s on a concrete sub-floor) leads to water or dampness to rise from the sub-floor, thus causing buckling/warping. Inferior product construction may also be a cause. Ensure that a moisture barrier is installed between the floating floor and sub-floor during installation.

Gapping

When laminate flooring boards pull away from one another it results in gaps between the boards. This situation occurs if the temperature drops to a point way below what is considered normal. Always acclimatize your flooring to the room temperature and conditions of the room in which the laminate is to be installed. As oppose to removal of spacers to remedy peaking/buckling, if there are gaps between boards, increase the spacers at the wall.

Mold and mildew

In order to prevent, control, or eradicate mold and mildew, one must first identify, evaluate, and eliminate the source of excessive moisture. Prior to removing an existing flooring or installing a new floor or repairing an existing laminate floor, if there are visible indications of mold or mildew or the presence of a strong musty odor in the area where flooring is to be removed or installed, the source of the problem should be identified and corrected. 

How To Repair Wooden Floor

Common Repairs


The most common types of repairs we do consist scratches, dents, gouges, water damage, chemical/fire (sparks) burns, pet stains, plant stains, holes from preexisting cable or wire installations are all very common repairs. All of these repairs repairs require the sanding and finishing of the whole floor, not just sections. Sections of floor cannot be matched up or blended into existing areas without doing the whole floor.


Repairs can be done in almost any situation. However, the extent of the repair depends on various factors. Bud's Floor Service is limited to hardwood flooring and refinishing repairs, as well as small subfloor repairs. If there are subfloor repairs we don't feel comfortable addressing, we will let you know and you may need to call a carpenter. We have repaired and refinished floors that are over 100 years old and made them look close to new. We most certainly can help with your hardwood needs!


Repairs on finished floors are very difficult. Deep scratches and dents usually require entire floor sanding to repair the damage. Occasionally, light scratches can be touched up, but they will usually not look perfect. Floor finishes begin to change color after 6 months, which makes the repair process more costly and extensive.


Scratches, Dents, and Gouges


Dents, gouges, and scratches that are less than 1/8 inch deep can usually be repaired by sanding and refinishing. If any of these are deeper than this, the board/s will have to be replaced and the whole floor sanded and finished.
Chemical/Fire (sparks) Burns, Pet Stains, and Plant Stains


These types of occurrences can be sanded and finished unless they are too deep into the wood. All of these have the potential to have boards replace, sanded, and finished. Once again, anytime we mention sanding and finishing, it requires the whole floor, not just a section where the damage has occured.
Holes in the Floor


Nail holes, and staple holes caused from carpet installation, can be filled, sanded and finished. This is the true use of wood filler. Holes in the floor resulting from cable or speaker wire installation may be able to be filled also; however most require board replacement, sanding, and finishing.


Water Damage


Water damage can occur from many differenct sources. Refrigerators, dishwashers, toilets, water damming from rooftops, pipes leaking, and over watering of plants, are all common problems. When the damage occurs:


First, mop up all the water in sight. Find the source of water and repair immediately.


Second, place a fan blowing across the affected area.


Third, place a dehumidifier on the affected area, and if you have a humidifier on the furnace, shut it off.
If you do all of these things immediately after water incident, it is possible that the damage will be minimal and may not even require that anything be done. The things that you may see on your floor could be finish peeling or flaking off the boards, discoloration of the wood, boards cupping (warping), or gaps created when the wood is drying out. If you experience cupping immediately, do not get alarmed and have someone or yourself remove the wood. Some amount of cupping occurs in all water damage cases. Even after you have done all of the above, a dehumidifier can usually get the floor's moisture content to a 12% level. After this level is reached, the floor has to dry on its own. Here in the Chicago area 6-8% is normal for most homes, except for the Lake Michigan shore can be different. A 6% moisture content must be reached and maintained for at least 4-6 weeks prior to repair. This process can take a considerable amount of time, and each case it may be different lengths of time.

Where to Start

Repairs to hardwood floors are not as hard as you think. Besides the right tools, the most important things any homeowner should be armed with when going to repair their damaged hardwood floors are patience, time and a little knowledge. Having these things in their tool box will let the average homeowner make most repairs to damaged hardwood floors. 

The place to begin is with the knowledge. You can find many sites on the internet that will give you tips on repairing hardwood floors. Another good starting point is your local hardware store or home improvement center. Not only will they be able to give you tips on repairs to your hardwood floor but they can also suggest the proper material to use. Other great starting points are your local lumber yard or flooring dealer. If your hardwood floor is new enough, you may even have the floor repair kit that commonly comes with new hardwood flooring. At the end of this article you will find a resource list for repairing hardwood floors.