Often at times, the general question being asked is to everyone who possesses wooden flooring is “Is it waterproof?” The simple answer to the question is NO! Wooden flooring is typically not waterproof. That is the reason most of the interior designers suggest in not using the wood in bathrooms because then it causes damage.
The wooden flooring gives a classic look altogether with the number of advantages. They are amazingly durable and practical. Many times, hardwood does survive water even in the worst damaging incidents. Hence, before installing wooden flooring in your home or workplace – you need to do proper research.
The natural woods are oak, maple, and cherry are the hardest woods and can resist the wear and tear. Reclaimed oak flooring looks amazing and is most trending these days. Another kind of wood that looks stunning but is less durable is the Brazilian wood.
Nowadays a lot of many manufacturers offer waterproof-engineered wooden flooring. Since this kind of wood is used for commercial uses and at times for home, they tend to tend towards being fire resistant.
Engineered wooden flooring tends to be resistant, often contract, and expand because of changing humidity. Nevertheless, remember, the engineered wood flooring in with plywood at the base is less reliable than the High-Density Fibreboard (HDF), which are more resistant to the water.
Hardwood Floors VS Water
Hardwood floors such as highland Manor wooden floor have a weak spot, and that is water. No! We are not talking about spilling the water that kids usually do by mistake. As long as you keep wiping it, there won’t be any damage to your floor.
The real trouble is hardwood floors cannot tolerate a significant amount of water. For instance, if pipe bursts or water flood, then you do act quickly and efficiently upon to save the wooden flooring. What’s your call is to go after professionals who will help you rapidly in drying the floors to prevent from the permanent problems.
If they are not dried entirely, then chances are the flooring becomes a victim of mold that is not acceptable. Moreover, the mold can cause some severe health issues in your home. It can lead to respiratory problem hence a professional drying is beneficial.
But if there is no structural damage, then you can refurbish the wooden flooring effectively. Refurnishing can take a long time, but it is all worth it in the end.
So, what to do in making solid wood flooring waterproof?
Are you someone who is considering installing wooden flooring in your home? Then you can protect yourself from the expensive repairs by waterproofing your floors. Unprotected wooden flooring is vulnerable to the mild due and staining. The wood is not naturally waterproof, or neither they are produced to be waterproof.
Besides, even if you apply a high quality of finish to the wooden flooring, it will become waterproof up to some extent. Nevertheless, if you are expecting it to become waterproof, then that is not possible. To facilitate the wooden flooring to be waterproof, the boards from all the corners need to be sealed first.
There are many water-resistance sealants available. Polyurethane happens to be one of them that you can apply to the existing wooden flooring. To make the wood floors, water resistance paraffin based sealant or oil can be applied to give a natural and unfinished look to the wooden flooring. Use a brush or roller to spread or for the application of sealants.
If the wooden flooring does not have finishing, then the floor will be rubbed continuously to make it smooth. For those who are planning to refurbish the wooden flooring along with waterproofing them, then using a drum sander and edger you can make it smooth. Or you can use the buffering for flattening the floor.
Using a vacuum cleaner, you can clean the floor thoroughly. Once you have cleaned, then the fine bits of dust can be left behind by removing and wiping off through a damp cloth.
A waterproof sealant must be selected depending upon the needs. If you want your flooring surface to look natural but with the firm surface, then start using penetrating oils that will harden the grain by installing a coating to the wooden flooring.
For those who want to achieve maximum water, protection should use polyurethane coatings, which are a great option. Outdoor waterproofing sealants should be the one of a kind that is used on the decks. They tend to dissolve quickly. Paraffin is waterproof but a visible sealant.
Experts suggest avoiding putting damp items on the floor. Additionally maintain the humidity at the comfortable level, which isn’t too high and low. Ensure that you use the cleaners and products that are specially created for wooden flooring for the retention from the water.
By waterproofing the flooring, you can avoid few things.
- Bow
Bowing takes place when the water damage directly sharp contraction across the surface of your wooden flooring. It will result in rising the two ends of wood slightly.
- Kink
A kink occurs when the water damage is noticeable ‘dog leg’ towards the natural grain. This kind of damage is connected with the knots that are present in the wood.
- Crook
A crook is also called wain that is visible ‘c’ shaped curve in the wooden flooring. The water damages result in a contraction at the one side length of wood.
- Cup
Similar to the bowing, cupping occurs where the impression is along the length of wood with the middle level.
- Twist
One can witness the twist across the width of wooden flooring. It is generally visible at the opposite ends of the flooring.
The bottom line of the above-written article is that no wooden flooring is waterproof. However with the advanced techniques and professionals, one can prevent the wood flooring. In addition to that, you can also follow the advice mentioned in this article.
Wooden flooring is an excellent choice since it doesn’t trap allergens making your home cleaner than before. That being said, hires a professional for the waterproof wooden flooring.