Hardwood Floors For Businesses: The Best & Worst

1/9/2017 (Permalink)

Commercial hardwood floors are among the toughest and longest-lasting floors

The Good News: Hardwood Flooring Is Hardy
At SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield, we love it when a business invests in solid hardwood floors. Hardwood floors are among the toughest and longest-lasting floors on the market, and they rarely succumb to permanent water damage. Remember this if you’re trying to flood proof your business or company or you need to pick out a new floor following severe water damage or a flood. Hardwoods are very dense so they don’t soak up moisture in the same way that a soft wood or other type of commercial flooring might.

Wood Floors Expand & Contract
Commercial and residential wood floors change with the humidity. Usually your business or home will have variations in humidity and your wood floor will respond by expanding or contracting.  You may notice the hardwood floor expands during warm, humid weather. During dry weather, wood contracts. This is a normal characteristic of wood flooring, and it never stops, regardless of the age of your hardwood floor. One of the best ways to ensure that hardwood flooring will give the performance you expect is to install humidity controls and ensure that they are functioning before the hardwood floor is installed.

What About Warping, Cupping, & Buckling?
After severe water damage a commercial hardwood floor might warp, cup, or buckle. In most cases, the SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield team can use all kinds of clever methods to reverse things like warping, cupping, and buckling. One of our techniques is to use a wood suction mat. This increases the surface area and draws moisture and hidden water from the joints of the planks. The good news? It’s relatively rare for hardwood floors to be deemed non-salvageable. You can find more on cupping and buckling at Today’s Homeowner. 

How To Spot Hardwood Floor Damage
Most commercial hardwood floors look great. They open up a space. Hardwood floors are shiny, beautiful, and arguably much cleaner and more hygienic than carpet. But water is the enemy of a hardwood floor. Be mindful the signs of potential water damage to your commercial hardwood floor and take proactive steps to keep your hardwood floors smooth and opulent for years.

Signs of commercial or home hardwood floor damage include discoloration, cupping, heaving, warping, and separation between boards. If you run your hand across the floor slats and can feel every seam between the boards, you likely have a cupping issue. A rise in elevation from the center of the wood slats signifies warping damage.

Information On Our Blog 
Every month on the SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield blog we publish educational articles on how to prevent natural disasters and deal with them quickly and effectively should they occur. 

Here For You
The team at SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield has specialized training and experience in water damage restoration services, fire damage restoration services, mold remediation, commercial services, and natural disaster cleanup. Call SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield (860-216-2785) anytime, 24/7.

We've served clients in Avon, Agawam, Bloomfield, Coventry, East Hartford, East Longmeadow, Ellington, Enfield, Farmington, Hartford, Manchester, Newington, Simsbury, South Windsor, Springfield, West Hartford, and beyond.

SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield
100 Peters Road
Bloomfield, Connecticut 06002
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Franchise Owner
Call 860-216-2785 anytime