Swollen Wooden Floor

Floor buckling happens most often after a floor has been flooded for an extended period of time.

Swollen wooden floor. Buckling occurs when the wood flooring actually pulls up from the subfloor lifting several inches in one or more places. If solid wood floors are fitted without an expansion gap problems which can sometimes be severe are likely to arise. Depending on how swollen the wood gets the wooden planks might even pop out of their tongue and groove fastenings. Luckily there is an easy solution to dealing with swollen hardwood floors.

Excessive job site moisture. One of the most common problems related to excess moisture is called buckling wood flooring gets separated from the subfloor that is very often accompanied by cupping or swelling. Solid wood flooring takes in moisture when there is a high level of humidity in the air and then the flooring lets that moisture go when the humidity in the atmosphere reduces again. To do this remove the baseboard or quarter round and then take the flooring apart one row at a time until you reach the swollen section of flooring.

If your hardwood floors have a wavy appearance they are likely cupping due to we. It is for this reason that solid wood floors need an expansion gap. The most common reason is lack or not enough big expansion gap around an edge of wooden floor that gap which has been covered by skirting or beading etc the common size is 10mm but best is to check floor manufacturer recommendation. Water damage can have severe consequences that results in wood floor swelling or buckling from the humidity.

Laminate flooring that swells due to moisture should be disassembled and new pieces installed. Ok depends on how bad the floor has swollen and if its real wood or mdf if mdf throw away and but new if solid wood then you can in some situation take up scotia around the edges and put in new expansion in to allow the floor to lie flat again then allow the floor to dry out till it has a moisture level of around moisture content mc from 5 to 25 percent may be determined using various moisture meters developed for this purpose you may need a dehumidifier to reduce damp. Stack the planks in order of removal to make cutting easier if it will be necessary. Wood floor cupping can be avoided or fixed by following a few simple steps.

Fortunately this is not a common occurrence. Wood is porous which means when it is exposed to moisture it can absorb that moisture and swell. When humidity is high the wood expands. Floor buckling is the most extreme reaction to moisture in a hardwood floor.

Unfortunately one day you find that your wooden front door expanded and it will no longer close smoothly.