Moisture Signs in Your Flooring

7/12/2022 (Permalink)

Buckling

Solid wood floors, engineered wood, and laminate are subject to buckling when moisture levels are high. Depending on the nature of the damage, buckling is the opposite of cupping. It bows the other way, forming grooves and peaks. The boards typically lift right off the floor.

High relative humidity can result in buckling, as can moisture located somewhere below the surface of the flooring, such as concrete slabs. Water from above creates this disfigurement as well, such as leaky appliances (ex: hot water heater).

Cupping

Hardwood floors are more common subjects to cupping. Cupping boards have a concave shape, bowing inward. They can resemble the bowl of a spoon — or the inside of a cup, like the name. The sides of each board are higher than the middle sections. Solid wood floors and engineered boards can both suffer from cupping, although moisture has a different effect on each type of flooring.

The most distinguishing feature of cupping that sets it apart from other kinds of damage is the location of the moisture damage. Floorboards resemble a sandwich in cross-section. Cupping is the result of an increased moisture content that saturates the bottom of the boards. Noticeable cupping that shows up over the span of a few days is likely because of underlying water damage. What to look for: appliance leaks, leaks in the building, site grading issues, or plumbing problems. 

Crowning

Crowning, like buckling, occurs when a floorboard is higher in the center than it is on the edges. It usually happens after water is left standing on the wood or if the floor’s exposed to high humidity over a long span. Unfortunately, it’s also possible to cause crowning in an attempt to fix cupping.

[via: www.builddirect.com]

Restoration

When your floor is showing evidence of increased moisture, usually water is the source of the damage. If your flooring is not dried properly, it won't improve in appearance, can cause preventable expense of replacing the floor, or cause more damage down the road, like mold.

Calling professionals means guaranteeing the job is done right. Our certified technicians are trained with equipment that not only dries the floor but checks moisture levels to make sure drying is complete. Our franchise owner, Kyle Huston, personally sees each job to the end to make sure you're taken care of. We take pride in our community to make sure restoration is done right the first time. 

(601) 823-1100