3 Signs of Wood Floor Damage – Should You Repair or Replace?
The right kind of wood flooring can make your entire interior décor look even more classy. However, just like anything else made from wood, wood floors also need regular maintenance to keep looking as good as they should. How much maintenance will be necessary to keep your wood floors in good shape depends on the original wood’s quality, the quality of the installation, and local weather conditions to name just a few. If it has been a few years since the installation, keep an eye out for the following signs of damage. Early detection can help you save a lot of money.
3 Signs of Wood Floor Damage – Should You Repair or Replace?
Deep Scars, Scratches, and Indentations
Wood floors can develop deep scars, scratches, and indentations over time, or after just a single incident. The pressure from longstanding heavy furniture and heavy electronic appliances (the fridge for example) can leave permanent indentations, scars, and scratches on wood floors. On the other hand, deep grooves and scratches may develop instantly after just one misguided attempt to drag a heavy piece of furniture across the floor. If you have pets, they too may contribute to your wood floor’s detriment unwittingly. In most cases, all it takes is a repair job to get your wood floor fixed, so repair is the ideal solution in most cases.
Warping and Separating
Mild and temporary warping due to changes in weather conditions is nothing to worry too much over, especially since some species of trees produce wood that are more vulnerable to contraction and expansion than others. Nevertheless, they must still be checked for damage at least once a year during floor maintenance. However, if your wood floor is warping and the panels are separating quite visibly, that is a much more serious concern.
Significant warping and separation indicate that the wood flooring in that area of your floor has developed considerable water damage. To keep the damage from spreading and ruining the entire floor, immediate professional intervention will be necessary. To receive the best possible service, contact one of the few well-known wood floor specialists – London. If left untreated, the entire floor will begin to warp and separate. The floor will need to be replaced in its entirety if the damage turns out to be that bad.
Discolouration
Discolouration can be a sign of water damage, especially when accompanied by warping and panel separation. However, discolouration can also be indicative of overexposure to sunlight and sometimes, just age-related colour loss. Provided that your flooring specialist confirms there isn’t any considerable water damage, the floor might only need a resealing and a new finish to look just as good as before. If you see mounds of sawdust around the discoloured patches though, that could be termites.
Past a certain time, it is important to be more mindful of these signs that indicate serious wood damage. If you detect any, follow up on them with the help of experts to verify the damage. After the damage to your wood flooring has been verified, a decision must be made regarding whether to repair or replace it. That decision should be based on the kind of damage that your wood floors have developed and what the wood floor specialists recommend as possible solutions.
