Preventing and fixing common problems with wooden floors
My wooden floor has dents, scratches and marks in it
Wood is a strong and resilient material but ultimately when subjected to enough force it will show the effects – it is after all a natural product which will mark, dent and scratch over time.
Cause: High heel shoes or stones in the soles of your shoes, dropping sharp or heavy objects onto the floor, furniture or appliances being dragged across the floor.
Prevention: Remove footwear or maintain proper heel-tip protectors. Provide large felt or rubber protectors under heavy furniture legs, or alternatively use castors on future. Use the care guidelines of the flooring manufacturer to keep your floor free of dirt and grit. Try not to drop objects on your floor!
Cure: For small dents where wood fibres are not broken, cover with a dampened cloth and press with an electric iron to draw fibres up. If this doesn’t work the only other options is to sand down your floor and refinish the wood.
Gaps are appearing in my floor
Wood based products naturally expand and contract with moisture and temperature. You will typically find that during the summer or especially dry months the joints within the floor will be more noticeable and gaps may appear. There is a possibility that gaps may be installation related, if you notice gaps immediately after installation (within the first few days) this might be an indication that the product has been insufficiently locked together or that not enough time was given for acclimatisation – this is the time required to allow the product to expand or contract to match its installation conditions.
Cause: Incorrect installation is a possible cause but this will usually be obvious fairly soon after installation. The most common reason for gaps appearing is shrinkage due to a reduction in humidity and moisture. If subjected to extreme moisture, the resulting expansion of the wood can cause the edges of the wood to crush slightly, and then subsequent drying and shrinkage can present larger than normal gaps. Square edge (un-bevelled) floors show cracks more than bevelled. Most gaps or cracks are seasonal – they show in dry months or the cold season when heating is required, and close up during humid periods. This type of separation and closing is considered normal.
Prevention: Always acclimatise boards in line with the manufacturer guidelines before installation. Follow installation instructions carefully. Make sure the local living space is suitable for your flooring choice.
Cure: Uplift and reinstall. Add moisture to the air space during dry periods. A constant Relative Humidity (RH) of 50% works in concert with the manufacture of wood flooring to provide stability in the floor. Install a humidifier to control the RH levels.
My floor is lifting
Wood based products naturally expand and contract with moisture and variation in temperature. Therefore if your flooring is lifting this generally gives an indication that it has expanded beyond the amount allowed by the expansion gap around the edge of the room.
Cause: It is possible that not enough time was given for acclimatisation before being installed, or that the required expansion gap around the edge of the room was not given. Other possibilities may include prolonged exposure to water, or a relative humidity (RH) level that is simply too high for the floor.
Prevention: Fortunately the above problems can usually be fixed by simply allowing more room for expansion, by replacing the affected planks (in the case of water damage), or by simply regulating the humidity level. Always acclimatise boards according to the manufacturer guidelines. Follow installation instructions carefully and be sure to leave the adequate expansion gap. Make sure the local living space is suitable for your flooring choice.
Cure: Cut the flooring back if it pinches against any fixed points around the edge, therefore giving the required expansion gap. Control the Relative Humidity (RH) of the room to provide stability in the floor and prevent excessive expansion and shrinkage.
