Bruce Wood Flooring Warped Due to Water Leak

About Bruce Wood Flooring

• Bruce Wood Flooring is a name brand manufacturer of hardwood floor products as well as wood laminate flooring. Bruce offers a variety of grades in hardwood floors, such as “good,” “better” and “best” grades that relate to the amount of knots and pinholes in the wood and the length of the warranty coverage, according to the Bruce website. These hardwood floors come in a variety of colors that allow homeowners to integrate the wood tones into their choice of home decorating schemes. Bruce also offers laminate wood flooring for those who want a more stain-resistant material for their home flooring.

Warped Wood Flooring

• Wood flooring is sensitive to moisture conditions in its environment. In fact, wood flooring products must be acclimated to homes for several weeks before installation to allow them to absorb the ambient moisture that normally occurs in the area. When wood floors are exposed to water from plumbing problems or roof leaks, the wood materials can cause curving of the planks that can lead to separation and cracking. This warping can be repaired in some instances when the damage is minimal. The source of the water problem must be investigated fully and repaired carefully to prevent further problems with the wood.

Repairing Water Damage on Wood Floors

• Once warping occurs on wood flooring you must assess the damage to determine how much of the floor is worth saving. The type and cost of the flooring will have an influence on what measure should be taken to repair the damage. Proper drying can take weeks or months, according to extension specialist Anne Field of the Michigan State University website. For minor repairs, nail down the warped areas first, drilling pilot holes into the wood to hold the fasteners. For larger bulges, remove strips and plane down the edges to allow them to fit back into their position. Tongue and groove flooring requires special techniques for repair. Consult with a Bruce flooring professional for help with tongue and groove repair.

Wood Floor Replacement

• For less expensive flooring, repairs may be too costly. In these cases, replacing the damaged areas with new flooring may be the best option. Matching the wood may be a problem due to the patina that develops on older flooring naturally over time. An experienced Bruce wood flooring contractor can advise you on the best measures to take to repair or replace the wood flooring damaged by water leaks in your home.