Why Does Hardwood Floors Buckle

Here s a situation i often hear from many that run into probelms with warped or buckled floors.

Why does hardwood floors buckle.

For starters never clean hardwood floors with excessively wet mops or cloths. If spilled water sits atop the flooring for too long or if moisture seeps into the wood from the subfloor. If there is one enemy hardwood floors have it has got to be moisture and buckling is what you get when hardwood floors have been exposed to moisture for an extended period of time. Hardwood floors buckle when the humidity levels in the lower levels of the house are too high in the crawlspace or basement explains the basement health association in the article negative effects on hardwood floors.

By way of explanation the floor has gained moisture either by the ambient conditions within the home s structure or it has flooded with water. Floor buckling happens most often after a floor has been flooded for an extended period of time. Buckling is when the hardwood floor lifts or separates from the sub floor. Furthermore certain shoes can do severe damage to hardwood floors.

Hardwood floors can also buckle in excessively humid environments. This is why hardwood is not recommended for small windowless bathrooms or kitchens. How to fix a buckled hardwood floor. Controlling the humidity through fans and ventilation may alleviate the problem but if the buckling causes the boards to warp they will need to be replaced.

Again wood absorbs moisture so wet mops will do more damage than good when cleaning. Floors buckle because they have run out of room to expand across the face of each board. Some simple tips for keeping your floors healthy and clean are essential for any hardwood floor owner. Floor buckling is the most extreme reaction to moisture in a hardwood floor.

This often arises after flooding subfloor moisture buildup drainage problems or leaking pipes.