If your hardwood floors don’t look as even and smooth as they used to, it’s usually a sign that there’s too much moisture in the wood. In Jupiter and West Palm Beach, FL, we regularly have tropical rains and high humidity that can warp your floors. However, if you catch the issue early, you can prevent major damage, avoiding the need to replace ruined planks or the entire floor.

In this blog, we’ll cover how to fix warped hardwood floors, break down different types of warping, how to repair each at home, and when it’s best to call in professional help.

Already know your floors are beyond an at-home repair? Our team at Floor Coverings International® of Jupiter, FL, offers professional hardwood refinishing, repair, and replacement services. Contact us for a free in-home consultation today.

First, Why Do Floors Warp?

In many cases, hardwood flooring warps when it absorbs more moisture than it can handle. In our coastal climate, high humidity, salty air, and rain from afternoon storms or hurricanes can cause wood planks to swell and change shape if humidity in the home isn’t properly managed.

Leaks from appliances or plumbing can make the problem worse, especially if the floors weren't properly sealed or acclimated before installation.

The 3 Types of Hardwood Warping

Before you can fix the problem, it helps to know exactly what you’re dealing with. Warped hardwood can show up in a few distinct ways. You might see gentle dips, raised edges, or dramatic peaks. Identifying which type of warp you’re working with is an important first step, so you can work out the underlying issue before treating the symptoms.

These are 3 common forms of hardwood warping:

  1. Cupping is when the edges of planks curl upward. This occurs when the underside of the board absorbs more moisture than the top, which often points to moisture issues in the subfloor.
  2. Crowning is when the center of the plank rises higher than the edges. This can happen when cupped boards dry too fast or if cupped boards are over-sanded before they’re allowed to fully dry.
  3. Buckling occurs with severe lifting or separation from the subfloor. This normally happens due to standing water on the surface, persistent high humidity, or insufficient acclimation during installation.

How to Determine the Extent of the Damage

To evaluate what your hardwood needs, start by taking a close look at the floors and noting where the boards are uneven, curling, or lifting. Light cupping and gentle waves might just mean there’s extra moisture in the air, but if you see gapping, buckling, or wood pulling away from the subfloor, the damage is more serious.

You can press gently on the boards to check for softness or warping and keep an eye out for mold, discoloration, or damp smells, which are clear signs that moisture has been sitting for a while.

Here's a walkthrough checklist:

  1. Evaluate if the uneven floors are lightly warped or if the boards have started to pull away from the subfloor.
  2. Check for mold, musty smells, and soft spots in the wood.
  3. Measure moisture levels with a moisture meter or schedule professional help.

When to call flooring experts: If you’re dealing with moldy smells or floors that are severely cupped, buckling, or lifting away from the subfloor, local professionals, like our Jupiter team, can check moisture levels, repair the subfloor damage, and make sure your floors are restored safely and properly.

How to Fix Lightly Warped Hardwood

Will buckled floors go back down? Yes, minor warping doesn’t always need major repairs, and it can often be corrected by controlling the moisture and giving the wood time to stabilize.

Here are a few tips for fixing your warped floors:

  • Reduce indoor humidity with a dehumidifier or air conditioner.
  • Keep your indoor humidity under 50 percent to draw out the extra moisture in the boards and let the floors acclimate naturally for a few days.
  • Dry out the area. If the space is damp, use fans, open windows (if it isn’t humid outside), or run a ceiling fan to air out the space.
  • Clean up any spills or moisture from storms or plumbing leaks right away.

Repairing Moderate Warping

Moderate warping requires a balance of moisture control and patience. The first step is to identify the source of excess moisture and eliminate it. When you’ve found and taken care of the source, whether it’s a plumbing leak or damp crawl space, you can set up a dehumidifier and fans to pull the moisture out of the wood.

Give it two to four weeks to fully adjust, and in many cases, the wood will flatten back out on its own.

If it doesn’t, these are the next steps to consider:

Replacing individual boards:

When only a few planks are damaged, you can carefully remove, match, and reinstall damaged boards. To find the best match, use a flooring sample from the same batch or manufacturer, if possible. This ensures you get the same wood species, similar grain lines, and ideally similar wood tone.

Re-sanding:

The floors should completely dry before you start sanding because sanding the boards down too early can worsen crowning and leave permanent damage. It's best to sand the floors in several passes rather than all at once, so you can remove just enough wood to flatten the flooring.

Refinishing:

Once you have any boards replaced that need it and areas sanded to flatten the floors and expose parts of raw wood, you’ll also need a matching stain to get an even, beautiful finish. To get the closest stain match, test small samples on a broken board or a section that’s sanded down, and for a true color comparison, add a clear finish on top of the stain.

Fixing Severe Damage

When warping escalates to severe bucking, it can feel overwhelming but with professional help, there’s still hope! With this level of damage, the wood’s structure is compromised, and it’s a clear indicator that there could be more damage beneath the surface. The primary concern is the integrity of your subfloor and preventing mold from getting into your home’s foundation.

Here are some signs your floor is severely damaged and it’s time to call in the experts:

  • There's buckling or separation from the subfloor. To fix an issue like this, professionals may have to remove the flooring and reinstall it.
  • You detect mold or mildew. Beyond softening the boards and causing structural issues that can lead to rot, mold also poses health risks, which makes professional remediation the safest solution.
  • The floors need full replacement. When damage is widespread or wood is permanently deformed, it could be more cost-effective and safer to completely replace it with new flooring.

How to Prevent Warped Floors

When you’re determining how to prevent wood floors from warping, there are a handful of habits you can implement. Since excess moisture causes warping, the most important thing you can do is manage your home's indoor moisture levels.

Here are some moisture prevention tips for your Jupiter, FL, home:

  • Install dehumidifiers for the humid months.
  • Ensure proper HVAC use year-round.
  • Include moisture barriers under your hardwood during installation.
  • Clean up spills or leaks right away
  • Make sure you only use a damp mop instead of a soaking wet mop when cleaning

Protecting Hardwood From Storms and Hurricanes

In Jupiter, we get our share of summer storms and the occasional hurricane, so knowing how to prepare can protect your hardwood from unnecessary damage.

Here are some tips for preparing your home to keep your floors — and many other possessions — safe:

  • Seal doors and windows before storm season.
  • Elevate rugs and furniture from the floors if flooding is predicted.
  • Have a wet-dry vacuum on-hand to clear out the water if it does get inside.

You Deserve Smooth and Even Wood Floors

Our subtropical weather in Jupiter and West Palm Beach includes high humidity and summer storms that can affect your wood floors. In many cases, you can fix a warped wood floor due to water damage by pulling the excess moisture out with a dehumidifier or other humidity control, and allowing the flooring to adjust and straighten itself. In moderate to severe cases, sanding, refinishing, and even replacing boards may be necessary.

If your wood floors are damaged and you want help from professionals who are familiar with local humidity, our team at Floor Coverings International® of Jupiter, FL, offers skilled refinishing services. We'll discuss the project with you and answer all your concerns before we start the repair. Contact us at (561) 623-1063 or schedule a free in-home consultation today to get started. You’re floors will look like new in no time!