hardwood floor cupping up

Even before you call a professional if you have a reliable wood moisture meter you can use to take multiple readings throughout your home youll have a much better idea of what kind of situation you have on your hands. Cupping in hardwood floors refers to a condition that causes individual planks to rise at the sides.

Cupped Hardwood Floors

Buckling hardwood floors occur when there is excessive moisture caused by flooding or a build-up in moisture from say your basements concrete slab subfloor.

. Any moisture that comes from below a subfloor or gets between the subfloor and the flooring can cause problems over time. After following the outlined steps above for removing all moisture from the area one option is to sand down the hardwood floor. It bows the other way forming grooves and peaks.

What is wood floor cupping. Hardwood floor cupping is a common issue of a hardwood surface. In many cases of slight to moderate wood floor cupping eliminating the source of the water and drying out the flooring can save the floor.

In this article we look at some of the structural problems expected or experienced and their possible. These are some of the most common causes. Due to water or humidity the edges of the wood planks get higher than the center of the board.

High Relative Humidity Even the most carefully installed flooring can be subject to hardwood cupping especially during the humid summer months. A wood floor that is placed in a house for acclimation during the time wet work such as painting and plastering is being performed may pick up moisture resulting in wood floor cupping following installation. Cupping can be a sign that your hardwood floors are susceptible to moisture problems.

The wood floor installers need to determine the moisture content correctly to avoid these problems. Watch as Jason Wright sales consultant for Wagner Meters answers these questions an. Most problems with wood floors are caused by too much moisture.

What happens when that moisture releases from the floor and it returns to its original state. Sanding a cupped floor flat before it is brought to a normal moisture content can eventually result in a crowned floor convex surface once the drying process is complete. As weve learned wood floor cupping is caused by the expansion of the floor planks due to moisture.

Lifting up or actual pull up from the sub-floor can be a green-light for buckling damage. A cupped floor develops as moisture from the underlayment or subfloor moves upward through the hardwood as the back of the wood becomes wetter than the face of the wood. Humidity buildup under a house is one of the main reason for a wood floors cupping and buckling.

Here is how to ensure that doesnt happen again. High moisture content is the main culprit. 1 check the moisture level of the wood before you begin the project using a moisture.

Fix any leaks and drainage issues that are causing it. When one side of the wood board is exposed to moisture or water that side will warp away and edges curl up. Gap and cracks between hardwood planks.

To fix this problem you have to resecure the boards to the subfloor which isnt difficult if you can get under the floor. When water seeps into a plank of wood flooring the side of the board closest to the moisture will expand. Cupping occurs when the edges of the board are higher than the center of the board creating a concave shape.

Lets take a look at some causes and how they can best be dealt with. It does this mostly in the winter. Warping cupping lippage splitting buckling and bubbling are some of the mains problems that occur on the hardwood floor.

When water is allowed to saturate a wood floor the result is a condition we refer to as cupping pictured here. Wood floor cupping can be avoided or fixed by following a few simple steps. Water on or Under the Floor.

Its one of the most easily noticeable signs of water damage and in some instances it can be repaired. Center bowing up edges down. The hardwood flooring closest to an outside wall in a bedroom is cupping downward.

Wood floor cupping or when boards turn up on the edges. Cupping develops gradually often due to inadequate acclimation of the. If the cupping is.

This happens because more moisture is absorbed by the unfinished underside of the boards causing the bottom of each board to. The floor is always dry but cold in winter. Hardwood cupping can lead to more serious issues such as cracked boards and peeling finish and could eventually cause the flooring to buckle.

Ways to Prevent Hardwood Floor Warping. In addition to ruining the appearance of a room cupped floors can lead to serious structural problems. Regarding the nature of the damage buckling is the opposite of cupping.

In both cases your floor will lose its even smoothness resulting in its surface becoming irregular. Cupping occurs when water-damaged hardwood floors begin to rise up at the edges producing a literal cupping effect. Improper or no acclimation.

Peaking Hardwoods Peaking appears much like buckling but occurs from a different cause. Ensure that no water is standing in the basement or crawl space under your house. If you can pinpoint the.

Signs of buckling hardwood floor. Puffed-up areas on the floor or crowning especially in moisture damage areas. The boards typically lift right off the floor.

High RH can result in buckling as can moisture located somewhere below the. Will it go away on its own. If your hardwood floors have a wavy appearance they are likely cupping due to we.

It may be considered to be the opposite of crowning where the center of a plank rises higher than the edges. Moisture beneath the flooring or within the individual pieces of hardwood when it was installed can result in an upward curl or cupping where the edges curl higher than the center of the wood pieces. Water on or under the floor.

It gives a wavy or cupping appearance which is known to us as hardwood floor cupping. Excessive moisture also creates buckling in solid wood floors engineered wood and laminate.

Wood Floor Cupping Cause And Effect Floor Central