Hardwood floors can make a home look sophisticated and elegant. Homeowners who have hardwood floors state that they chose a hardwood floor because of the warmth they spread throughout the house. Additionally, they’re easy to maintain and can last for many years.
However, like any other home furnishing item, hardwood flooring can get damaged and worn out if not maintained. Let’s examine how they can be damaged, what causes this damage, and how you can prevent it from happening.
Cracks
The most widespread damage hardwood floors face is cracks. Since wood is an element that reacts to humidity, the floors will either expand or contract due to environmental factors. This is entirely natural, and most installers have space designed to account for that. However, if it gets too cold and humidity levels get below a certain threshold, the wood will begin to crack.
An effective way to control the moisture in your home is to add a dehumidifier in your home. This will suck in moisture from the air and prevent and potential cracking.
Cupping
Another potential problem your hardwood floors could face is cupping. This is when the fringes of the wood become higher than the center. The form the floor takes resembles the shape of a cup, hence the name. Apart from looking sloppy and unattractive, cupping can also be quite dangerous and result in resident slipping and falling.
The primary cause of cupping is the same as cracks: moisture. However, another reason for cupping is that the floor has not been installed correctly. In the beginning, it might not be noticeable. However, after a while, the problem could accelerate. Therefore, it’s important to have floors installed by a reliable contractor.
Buckling
This is the most severe form of floor damage. When this happens, the wood floor rises many inches from the subfloor. Once again, the main culprit is humidity and moisture. However, groundwater intrusion or floods can also cause this extreme reaction.
Although buckling is rare, if buckling were to happen, you could straighten out your floor by having it sanded.
Are you having trouble with your wood flooring Seattle? At Five Star Wood, we provide first-rate repair hardwood floor Seattle. We offer all kinds of wooden flooring services, including installing and repairing. We can assure you that our work’s quality will be flawless, and our prices are affordable.
Contact us at (425)-802-7517 for more information.