Dampness in Wood Floors – Leaks

A common cause of dampness or water damage to a wooden floor is a leak in an adjoining room that travels underneath the floor and makes its way into the area underneath the wooden floor. Modern conveniences such as dishwashers, washing machines and showers are very often the cause of leaks such as this. Unfortunately, this type of problem can go unnoticed for a long time, often leading to the complete destruction of the wood floor.

Water Damage to Wood Floors – Sub Floor Issues

Some water damage issues are caused by sub floor problems. these mostly involve old or damaged damp proof membranes. Many parquet block floors were bedded in bitumen. Bitumen served not only as of the adhesive but also as the method of damp proofing. The problem is that with age bitumen becomes brittle and the wooden blocks become loose. It’s good to know that layers of bitumen on the sub floor and on the back of the blocks will be enough to prevent moisture damage. However, when our floor sanding craftsmen are repairing a wood floor like this using modern adhesives it is important to make sure that the adhesives are not only compatible with bitumen but also that any potential dampness is investigated and taken care of.

Moisture Damage to Wood Floors – Incorrect Cleaning

A third common cause of water damage to wood floors is caused by day to day cleaning. Cleaning a wood floor requires very little moisture, a small amount of a ph neutral wood floor cleaning product and the sensible use of a quality microfiber mop are all that is required to keep wood floors looking good. Allowing excess water to sit on the floor can cause water damage over time.

Water Damage to Wood Floors – Air Humidity

Many people are unaware that water damage to wood floors can also be caused by excess air humidity. Wood stays in equilibrium with the moisture in the air so if there is too much moisture in the air there will be too much moisture in the wood too. Excess humidity can occur naturally, but often humidity is caused by either the shower, tumble drier or cooker. Thankfully the solution is as simple as opening the window!