Hardwood flooring makes for a beautiful feature in any home, where the natural hue of wood combined with its long lasting qualities has helped to make this one of the most popular materials for interior decor. Although they are hard wearing, wooden floors tend to require some maintenance work to keep them looking their best, where they can be refinished, stained and painted to rejuvenate their appearance.
Unfortunately these restoration techniques can’t always salvage heavily damaged flooring, where some signs of decay do indicate that a replacement is required. It can be difficult to know when exactly the time has come to replace instead of continuing with renovations, but it is important to recognise the signs so that damage does not spread throughout your home.
Read on for a look at the top signs your floorboards have had their day.
One of the main enemies of hardwood flooring is moisture, especially if your boards are old and they lack a modern water-resistant seal. Excessive water damage can manifest in the form of warping or softening in the wood, where problems such as localised flooding or a leaky roof can further this issue.
If you have hardwood flooring in busy areas of your home then it is inevitable that you will acquire some scratches over time. These can sometimes be buffed out and refinished to improve the appearance of the floor. But excessive scratches can be stubborn, where you may wish to replace the worst affected floorboards to improve the appearance of your interior.
One consequence of excess moisture getting into your floorboards is that it can cause them to rot. This can be spotted in a number of ways, where you may notice mouldy areas in your boards, or detect unpleasant odours. There may also be signs of cracking, splintering and weakening in your floorboards that may suggest rot has taken hold.
You may also want to look out for signs of pest infestations in your hardwood flooring, where bugs such as the common furniture beetle and the powder post beetle can make their home in your wood. Usually you will be able to see telltale boring holes in your floor if there is an infestation, where this should always be dealt with promptly by a professional.
At Just Wood Flooring, we’re fully equipped to handle all your floorboard care needs, whether you require an oak, ash or beech floor installation. We also offer a comprehensive range of hardwood floor renovation services to get your home looking good as new. Contact us directly today to find out more about how we can help.