The Spruce / Sarah Lee
Standing water andhardwood flooringdon’t mix.
For anyone who lives in hurricane- and flood-prone areas that have historic homes, this comes as no surprise.
Wood’s cellulose fibers rapidly soak up water but release that water more slowly.
The Spruce / Sarah Lee
Therefore, you should start pulling off the water with your shop vacuum as soon as possible.
The secret to preventing mold and mildew growth is the same as withcarpeting: Eliminate the dirt.
It’s not just water that causes mold and mildew; it’s the combination of water and dirt.
The Spruce / Sarah Lee
This is easiest with a wide flooring attachment on the vacuum hose.
It also helps to use a squeegee to gather the water as you suck it up.
Scrub the entire floor and all related woodwork (baseboards, stairs and newel posts, etc.)
The Spruce / Sarah Lee
with a stiff brush, rinsing the brush frequently in the bucket.
Do not pour the water onto the floor (there’s no reason to addmorewater to the problem).
This provides cross-ventilation to move the moisture out.
The Spruce / Sarah Lee
Warning
It is important to dry the floor steadily but slowly.
Wood flooring dried too quickly can crack.
Heavy sanding with a drum ororbital sandercan actually “take down” some minor high areas.
The Spruce / Sarah Lee
However, heavily cupped wood cannot be sanded down flat.
It is inevitable that some floorboards may lift up completely at the ends.
In this case, face-nail the floorboards back down.
The Spruce / Sarah Lee
see to it all of the woodtop and bottom surfacesis as dry as possible before sanding.
Dry the floor as described above after cleaning.
This material is highly vulnerable towater damageand swells when it gets soaked, ruining the integrity of the material.
The Spruce / Sarah Lee
Most laminate flooring that is water-damaged must be replaced.
The Spruce / Kevin Norris
The Spruce / Kevin Norris
