The Dangers of Moisture in your Wood Floor

Wood floors are a long-lasting floor covering choice, and hold up extremely well compared to other floor covering choices. Every floor has an enemy – and when you have a hardwood floor your enemy is your moisture level. Moisture, and lack of moisture, makes a wood floor expand and contract. Every wood floor will experience a little expansion and contraction, but the severity of the effects of expansion and contraction will depend on the condition of the wood and the amount of the moisture exposure. Here are some common reactions a wood floor may experience when it is exposed to moisture:

CRACKS BETWEEN BOARDS: Moisture is good and bad. When humidity levels change, wood floors expand and contract. Most wood floors can tolerate some expansion and contraction during the change of seasons with no ill-effects. It is expected that plank floors will have a tendency to show cracks more during a dry season, however the cracks close up as moisture returns. This happens because when homes are heated, the humidity level drops down, and boards will shrink. This will leave spaces between boards until the humidity level rises. Light colors tend to make the cracks seem larger than they are, however on a 2 ½ inch oak floor, the space is no bigger than the thickness of a dime. You can easily prevent any extreme expanding and contracting by maintaining an ideal humidity level in your home. A portable humidifier, or more ideally a humidifier in your furnace, can help you keep consistent moisture levels to keep your floor healthy.

CUPPING: Severe cupping and crowing in your hardwood floor indicates a serious moisture problem that needs to be resolved. A slight cupping and crowing are just natural reactions to moisture.

Crowing and cupping have similar causes, but contrast in appearance. “Cupping” is when the edges of a plank are higher than the center. “Crowning” is when the center of the board is higher than the edge. Humidity and water exposure are the culprits. When a floor is cupping, the wood is actually swelling from the moisture. This causes the boards to push out the edges. Cupping is usually repairable. The first thing to do is identify the cause of the moisture or water exposure. This could be from something simple, such as humidity levels, or a more serious problem, such as a leaking or broken pipe. Once the source of the moisture or water is stopped, the floor can dry. Fans can quicken the process. The humidity level then needs to be controlled, and the wood flooring should dry out and return to a healthy form. Because of water damage, expect that you may need to sand or refinish the floor.

Crowning can be an after-effect of cupping. If you sand the floor too soon after repairing cupping damage and it hasn't had time to dry completely, what appeared to be even when you sanded will actually be uneven once the floor completely dries.

CROWNING: "Crowning" Is the opposite of cupping: The middle of the board is higher than the edges of the board. This can occur when the surface of the floor encounters moisture. More often, it results when a floor has been sanded too soon after it has cupped. When this happens, the top edges of the board are sanded off, and thus are lower than the rest of the board when It returns to a normal moisture content.

BUCKLING: A buckling floor is a dangerous floor. This is usually the result of heavy water exposure, such as a flood or an undiscovered broken pipe due to a vacation away from home. When your floor is buckling, it is pulling away from the subfloor. Depending on the severity, it may be able to be repaired rather than replaced.

Preventing Moisture Problems

Humidity control and limiting water exposure will prevent moisture problems from attacking your wood floor. Try not to spill water on the floor, and don't mop it with water. Use products that are made for wood floors. There may be a “floor care kit” that the manufacturer, installer or retailer can recommend. Try to clean your floors only when necessary, and avoid water and water-based products. Spot cleaning when needed rather than weekly mopping sessions will keep your wood floor healthy. Wood floors are a beautiful addition to any home. Keeping moisture levels at bay will keep your wood floor healthy, long-lasting and looking new for the lifetime of your home.