Hardwood flooring is one of the most durable and beautiful flooring options available in most places. Whether you have a brand new wood floor or your hardwood has been around for a while, you should know what type of maintenance and repairs the floor might eventually need. Here are four of the most common hardwood floor repairs that homeowners often need.
Splits and Cracks
Splitting and cracking usually occurs in older hardwood floors that have already experienced a lot of wear and tear. The splits are generally small within a floorboard and can often be spot-repaired with nails or wood glue. Keeping an eye on cracks will allow you to repair them before they become a more significant issue. If your floor has a lot of large cracks, it may need refinishing by a professional. A split that is too large to be repaired might mean you need to replace the floorboard entirely.
Gaps
Gaps between planks show up when there are changes in humidity. When the weather is dry, the wood will shrink up; when there is a lot of moisture in the air, it will expand. This regular, seasonal movement of the wood can create large gaps between the individual floorboards. Most openings only show up at seasonal humidity changes and will go back to normal next season. However, if the gaps between boards are larger than the thickness of a dime, you should look into having some professional repairs done.
Buckling and Sagging
Buckling of a floor occurs when the floorboards become detached from the subfloor and begin shifting. Warping or sagging is when the planks twist or bend. In both of these cases, water is usually the leading cause. Standing water under the floor, a leaky pipe, or even too much humidity can make the wood floor shift and loosen. If this happens at your home, you might need the help of a professional installer to correct the issues or reattach the planks to the subfloor.
Cupping
Cupping is when the outside edges of a floorboard lift up while the center of the board sinks further down. This type of bowing results from excess moisture on the bottom of the plank and not enough moisture on the top side. Luckily, this is not a permanent issue. If you can regulate the humidity levels with a humidifier, you only have to wait for the boards to swell and sink back into place. If needed, you can enlist the help of professionals for sanding and refinishing.
Contact Central Mass Hardwood
Hardwood floors are an incredible addition to any home, and as long as you keep an eye on them, they’ll last for years to come. If your floors need a bit of attention, contact Central Mass Hardwood, the expert wood flooring contractor that can provide you with repairs, refinishing, or installment of a brand new hardwood floor. Give us a call at (508) 460-0199 or fill out an online form to learn more.