Recent FAQs about how to diagnose and fix stained, damaged, loose, buckled or scratched wood flooring.

This article series explains types of damage that occurs on various types of wood flooring in buildings

FAQs about Damaged or Marred Wood Floors

Recently questions & answers about damaged wood flooring posted originally at WOOD FLOOR DAMAGE REPAIR - topic home. Be sure to check out the wood flooring installation, troubleshooting and repair advice given there.

[Click to enlarge any image]

On 2019-01-18 by (mod) - how to diagnose "burn marks" on finished wood flooring

Erika

I agree that those look like burn marks but such marks can also be caused by

- water, pet urine, or other liquid that spilled, ran under the foot of a piece of furniture, and remained wet even after surrounding spill was cleaned-up

- burns from rotating equipment or tools

A couple of things to look at may help us diagnose these "burn marks" on your wood floor

1. What furniture was previously in place in this area?

2. How far are the marks from the wall? Are they in a traffic area or were they under furniture?

3. Take a very close look at the dark marks: is the floor finish lost or burned over those brown or black areas or is it still intact?

On 2019-01-18 by Erika J

In addition to the photo above here is another burn mark on my wood floor,.

When our rental property was vacated by the tenants, there were 2 areas with what looks like fire damage on the hardwood floors. They say they don't know how it happened and I'm trying to figure out what could cause these types of burns. Any idea?

On 2018-07-24 by (mod) - insect damage from below shows up on finished wood floor?

JR

it looks to me like an insect damage spot. If there is access below the floor you could look there for evidence of sawdust or frass pointing to carpenter ants or more likely mud tubes pointing to termites.

If you can't get under the floor in fact even if you can you probably want to call the pest control company to inspect your home and to advise you.

Let me know what you're told and we will proceed from there.

On 2018-07-24 by Jaclyn Rae

I live in an almost 100 year old house. Parts of the wood floor is developing holes, along with discoloration, and some buckling in other areas.

Who do I call for diagnosis, and repair, 32771. If the picture comes through, it is just one spot. Thank you!

On 2017-10-14 by Ghada

One area in my one year old solid oak flooring is bowing from the side. It is in the living room away from the patio door. The flooring is glued on after adding waterproofing on top of the concrete. A builder suggested that it could be underground water coming up in a weak point.

He suggested that where the patio meet the living wall, he digs a deep channel.

Waterproofs the wall by putting a ladle shaped open pipe that protects the wall and drains the underground water. It links to the main drain. Then fills the pipe to the top with pebble. Not sure if this will resolve the issue.

There is a radiator next to the damaged area but tge wall us not showing any damage to suggest a leak and I had a new boiler to can't tell if there is a leak.how can I be sure that it is the right way to resolve the issue without me having to remove the wooden floor

On 2018-10-17 by (mod) - engineered hard wood floor has started to buckle up terribly

Ginger,

In the absence of more information I can but speculate that there is damage below your floor, perhaps from water entry.

If the floor had been directly on felt or similar underlayment atop the concrete the damage would be to the flooring itself; if the flooring was laid on furring strips or "nailers" there may be a 3/4" air space below the flooring and water may have entered there.

I suspect that there's little lost in pulling up some floor in the most-damaged area to inspection the conditions and to begin tracking down the cause.

I'd like to see photos of the conditions; use the Add Image button to add a photo to a comment.

On 2018-10-17 by Ginger

after five years engineered hard wood floor has started to buckle up terribly in large area of floor it is laid over cement b
slab floor.If you walk on it you can feel it sink in. Help

On 2018-04-23 by (mod) - Bona Nordic Seal information

Mike

Here is what Bona Nordic Seal says

Bona NordicSeal is a waterborne sanding sealer that was formulated to provide a green alternative to a whitewashed floor without the use of caustic materials such as bleach.
- https://www.bona.com/en-US/Bona-Professional/Products/Coatings/Waterborne-Finishes-and-Sealers/NordicSeal/

I don't see anything in the product description about resistance to water spotting. However it may be possible to apply a matte finish top coat that will do a better job of resisting water spots. Have you tried contacting the company to ask for their recommendations?

• Bona US 2550 South Parker Rd., Suite 600 Aurora, CO 80014 USA Toll free in US and Canada: 800-872-5515
  
  

On 2018-04-23 by Mike - bleached a red oak floor then applied bona Nordic seal and 3 coats of water based novia

I bleached a red oak floor then applied bona Nordic seal and 3 coats of water based novia
Everything looks good.

But if you spill water on the floor it makes brown water spots that take about 4 hours to fade away.

Not good for houses on the beach,

The floors look terrible if a bunch of kids come in from the pool.

Even though they eventually fade, it's very unsightly for hours.

On 2018-03-16 by (mod) - wood discoloration at the external foundation edge of the job

Tony

You're on to an important and interesting question but not one we could diagnose from just your text.

Certainly I have indeed seen water-damaged laminate flooring.

I would start with a very careful inspection outdoors to find problems with the handling of roof drainage, gutters, downspouts that don't get water away from the home, then inslope grade or surface runoff problems.

If none of those bear fruit, our series of articles on wet basements and crawl spaces can also diagnose water entry around the perimeter of a slab. See WATER ENTRY in BUILDINGS - https://inspectapedia.com/Wet_Basements/Water_Entry.php

I'd like to see photos of the home exterior, interior damage, and water details.

On 2018-03-14 by tony

Just a question to see if anyone has experienced this type of engineered wood flooring damage.

This particular floor tested fine before initial installation.

About one year later, went out to investigate wood discoloration at the external foundation edge of the job. We pulled boards to find no water/moisture passage between the concrete sub floor and the wood glue at the slab. Meanwhile water intrusion from the top and side of the boards. Any idea what situation would cause this?

I have never seen anything like this, and I have seen many damaged wood flooring. There are other issues at this home.

It is situated on a canal, which eventually goes to the intracoastal. They are having other issues outside the home. When they dig a hole to install plants, they die, as the hole completely fills up with water.

No broken water pipes. The system has been pressurized and checked. Any ideas?

On 2018-02-03 by (mod) - Talcum powder, or floor wax or something else sprinkled onto the floor surface.

Talcum powder, or floor wax or something else sprinkled onto the floor surface.
or maybe loss of floor finish due to the abrasion of danders shoes/.
or of course something else that an onsite expert would recognize.

On 2018-02-02 by Maureen Clyne

What can cause a wood floor to have what looks like powder on it when it has been used for sequin or Old Time Dancing. They say they have not used anything on the floor

On 2018-01-11 by (mod) - How to repair small broken spots

Scott are we repairing stains or dings and holes?

Often a filler in a small hole looks worse than if we just clean the ding and re-finish the spot.

On 2018-01-10 by Scott

How to repair small broken spots

On 2017-12-08 by John H.

@Terrence, Sounds like you may have a moisture problem under your hardwood flooring! Is the flooring glued down to a concrete slab?

On 2017-12-08 by John H.

@Jameelah Harrell, Check out woodrepairproducts.com, Products, Touch Up and Repair, Pro Mark and Ultra Fine Grainer pens to help color the scratches(being very careful to have a pen in one hand and a soft cotton cloth in the other hand to apply the ink from the pen and immediately wipe it off.

The ink will stick to the scratch because it is roughed up while the ink on the smooth, no-scratched area, will wipe right off if you wipe immediately after applying.

If you don't wipe immediately, extra ink will adhere to the sides of the scratch and stand out. If this happens, quickly rub with water to remove the excess. You may have to reapply to the scratch again.

They also make Fil Stiks which are like crayons that can fill gauges as long as they are deep enough to have a sharper edge to them. You rub/smash the Fil Stik into the gauge and with the same type of soft cloth you wipe off the excess around the gauge.

On 2017-11-16 by Victor - A tenant is denying she damaged hardwood flooring

A tenant is denying she damaged hardwood flooring. Is there a way to age test the scratches to determine if they occurred while she lived there? (8/1/2015 to 7/10/2017)

On 2017-11-07 by (mod) - no results from hardwood floor cleaners

Mary,

Well that must have certainly been disappointing. I don't know where you live but a floor that can't tolerate any water at all without being damaged or stained sounds like not the greatest idea.

You might be able to refinish the floor by having it lightly sanded. I would then certainly look at an appropriate sealant even if you're not going to actually apply polyurethane

On 2017-11-06 by Mary Privara

Back in July we bought a house with a hardwood floor in the family room. I bought hardwood floor cleaner to clean it and noticed it just wasn't as shiny or pretty as it was before so i tried a different cleaner.

Same thing. I contacted the home owner before us to find out what she used only to find out they are unsealed floors that you aren't supposed to use water on.

Well now my floors look ridgety and kind of holy in spots where the darker patterns are in the wood.. the swirls or knots or what not . Is there any way I can repair this floor or is it time to carpet shop?

On 2017-10-23 by Hazel stainmaster carpet in a very expensive padding

Two years ago we purchased stainmaster carpet in a very expensive padding and I are home that is about 130 years old the floors were fine now the floors are rotted and only in the places that we placed the new padding in carpet what could cause this the rest of her home that has hardwood floors does not have this problem.

We had Lowe's professionally install padding and carpeting but now our floors are rotted please help and tell us what may be happening there is no leaks and her home there is no termites nor carpenter ants we are at a loss

On 2017-10-07 by Jameelah Harrell

I have deep scratches on my dark wood floor how would I repair that

On 2017-09-09 by Terrence

I failed to mention that I live in Orlando Florida. I don't know if that piece of information helps and I have high humidity because I have to leave my AC blowing all day but I have a dehumidifier blowing as well.

On 2017-09-09 by Terrence

I have a wooden floor and I have a white spot growing with black dots on top of it in several locations in my home. Can anybody help me diagnosed what is going on? I read one article online and it said something about spider has defecated on my wooden floor. I do not have a spider problem so it leaves me to wonder that it could be something totally different.

On 2017-08-24 by (mod) -

CA

The concerns here are not just a mold problem but failure to adequately clean and disinfect every surface that was contacted by sewage - leaving pathogen hazards.

I would be less concerned about water between flooring and subflooring if the floors don't buckle as that probably means that space didn't get soaked.

But at TEST CUTS for SAMPLING BUILDING MATERIALS - https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/Bulk-Sampling-Test-Cuts.php I do give procedures that can sample floor constructions from below to see if there's a significant pathogen or mold issue there.

Please review SEWAGE BACKUP, WHAT TO DO at https://inspectapedia.com/septic/Septic_Backup_Response.php

and then let me know what questions remain.

On 2017-08-24 by CA - stainmaster carpet in a very expensive padding

I live in a condo in northern NJ that was built ten years ago. Almost 2 weeks ago, my fiance and I came home to find sewage backup building up in our sink that was also leaking in a steady drip onto our hardwood floors (which we had refinished about 7 months ago w/a satin finish - around the same time we bought the place).

We immediately called a plumber who cleared the main line drain and found objects that should not have been flushed, etc, and set about drying the floor w/AC, fans etc.

We also immediately disinfected the floors with vinegar, and disinfectant cleaning supplies. The next day, we had a cleaning company come in and do a thorough clean of the whole apartment, including the floors.

We are running the AC and fans 24/7 and the humidity of the apartment is about 45% currently. However, the floors are cupped upwards from moisture damage.

Naturally, we were worried about sub-floor damage and mold. A flooring specialist came to take a look at the floors and didn't seem overly concerned about sub-floor damage.

He told us to wait 15 days while they dried and then they could be sanded and refinished. Should I seek a second opinion? I don't want to tear up floor boards if I don't have to, but I also don't want a mold problem.

Advice welcome - thanks.

On 2017-05-23 by (mod) - dog pee damage vs smell

CJ

Dog pee won't cause structural damage to wood framing but as it soaks in and creates a stink that would be a problem for many people.

See URINE ODOR REMOVAL at BUILDING EXTERIOR

On 2017-08-15 by J Colemann - dog pees frequent on my second floor deck,

If a dog pees frequent on my second floor deck, will it damage the joists

On 2017-07-14 by lee

I had bought a home that was built in 1915. It has old carpet that trapped dirt, etc. in the gaps which are different sizes due to shrinkage. How do I clean them?

On 2017-07-07 by Akil saifi

I want work in woodflooring co.
I have 10 years exp. Cont. 9756386666

On 2017-05-23 21:46:33.887149 by (mod) -

Shana

A detailed reply to your question including an opinion on cause and recommendations for repair of your (what appears to be) plastic lamiante flooring can now be found at https://inspectapedia.com/interiors/Laminate-Floor-Damage-Repair.php -

On 2017-05-19 19:00:20.829743 by Shana

Hi! I noticed a damage on my floor, it seems like a water damage. I'm not a 100% sure, as this area was carpeted. I would appreciate any assistance in finding possible reasons to this damage, as we moved in five months ago, and the place is brand new.

On 2017-05-23 by (mod) re: how to repair damaged wood or laminate flooring

Shana

A detailed reply to your question including an opinion on cause and recommendations for repair of your (what appears to be) plastic lamiante flooring can now be found at https://inspectapedia.com/interiors/Laminate-Floor-Damage-Repair.php -

You can use the page top or bottom CONTACT link to find our emails to send photos of a floor for further comment.

I'll be glad to take a look.

On 2017-05-19 by Shana

I can send u a picture of the floor, but am unsure of how to link it to my comment below. Many thanks, and am hoping to hear from u soon.

Hi! I noticed a damage on my floor, it seems like a water damage. I'm not a 100% sure, as this area was carpeted. I would appreciate any assistance in finding possible reasons to this damage, as we moved in five months ago, and the place is brand new.

On 2017-05-19 by (mod) - what's in Orange Awsome Cleaner ? How to fix small stains in wood.

Kirby

According to Menards MSDS for Orange Awsome Cleaner - a cleaner/degreaser product, its ingredients include
Orange Oil Blend
Ethoxylated Alcohol
Disodium Salt
Tetra Sodium EDTA
Hydroxy Sodium

That combination, left sitting on a finished wood surface might dissolve some wood finishes.

You'll need to wash off all of the cleaner, then probably sand that floor area before re-finishing it.

When I've repaired small areas of stained flooring like this I cleaned the area, sanded to remove any dark stains, then using a Q-tip I re-stained the floor to get a close match to surrounding wood color

. When that's dry and I like the color I re-finish the repaired area with a coating that matches the gloss level of the original or surrounding floor, typically a polyurethane semi gloss, lightly blended into surrounding floor at the repair edges.

https://www.menards.com/msds/110283_001.pdf

On 2017-05-17 by Kirby woods

We spilled orange awesome cleaner on the wood floor seems like a burn Mark don't know what to do to fix it

On 2017-05-12 by (mod) re: how to dry out the crawl space to stop floor damage

My sympathy Catherine.

Your question points out that it can be difficult to find and fix crawl space moisture or water entry sources. The most common problem is roof spillage around the foundation. A too-casual inspection of gutters and leaders or site grading very often misses details that are causing spillage there. A look inside the crawl space for water stains can also be very helpful in pointing out where water is getting in.

But even if there are no actual leaks into a crawl area, soil moisture will still want to migrate into the crawl space air and thus create dampness.

So putting dow a 6 mil poly vapor barrier over the crawl space floor is important.

Please Use the on-page search box at the top or bottom of this page to find our article series on CRAWL SPACE WATER ENTRY where you'll find a sickeningly long list of suggestions.

Take a look there as my suggestions are most-complete and better ordered than a random off-the-cuff attempt to make them up again in reply to a brief question: and then ask me again.

Daniel

On 2017-05-12 by Catherine Whitfield

We have moisture damaged floors over a crawl space for the 3rd time in 12 years.

Obviously we have not been successful in finding the source of the moisture. Other than the normal obvious sources, what should we look for?

On 2017-03-15 by (mod) re: best way to remove nails from wood flooring for wood floor salvage

Jeanette,

I use a snip tool to grab the nails from the board underside and pull the the nail the rest of the way out of the wood. I do not hammer nails "backwards" up through the board because inevitably that splits the wood on the finished side.

If your nails have heads - that is they can't be pulled down through the board, then just clip them off flush with the board underside and leave them in place.

On 2017-05-02 by Jeanette

How do I remove the long nails from 3/4 inch hardwood without doing too much damage to the wood?

On 2017-03-15 by (mod) re: hardwood floors laid with no subflooring

Anita

What's a good idea changes in the view of builders over time.
What your realtor says is of little significance considering the conflicting interests of wanting to make a sale and because what someone has seen or not seen is not a substitute for facts, standards, or knowledge.

It is certainly not unusual for homes built in the 1950's to have 3/4" thick or thicker flooring installed without a subfloor. One effect might be that floors are a bit bouncier or noisier than if a subfloor were installed.

If there are no signs of floor sagging, collapsing, structural movement, that floor construction is not likely to be an urgent problem.

But you wouldn't install ceramic tile over such a floor without stiffening it - or the tile may crack as the floor flexes.

On 2017-03-15 by Anita

I'm buying a home that was built in the 50's. When I looked up in the basement I noticed that the hardwood floors were laid with no subflooring. Is this a good idea? When I mentioned it to my realtor he said he had seen other houses like this, but I never have. Can it cause problems?

On 2017-03-15 by (mod) - ok to omit subflooring below a wood floor?

Anita

What's a good idea changes in the view of builders over time.
What your realtor says is of little significance considering the conflicting interests of wanting to make a sale and because what someone has seen or not seen is not a substitute for facts, standards, or knowledge.

It is certainly not unusual for homes built in the 1950's to have 3/4" thick or thicker flooring installed without a subfloor. One effect might be that floors are a bit bouncier or noisier than if a subfloor were installed.

If there are no signs of floor sagging, collapsing, structural movement, that floor construction is not likely to be an urgent problem.

But you wouldn't install ceramic tile over such a floor without stiffening it - or the tile may crack as the floor flexes.

On 2017-03-15 by Anita

I'm buying a home that was built in the 50's. When I looked up in the basement I noticed that the hardwood floors were laid with no subflooring. Is this a good idea?

When I mentioned it to my realtor he said he had seen other houses like this, but I never have. Can it cause problems?

...

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