2006-12-02 13:19:06 · 8 answers · asked by Mig54 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Decorating & Remodeling
the main problem is that they are not far enough from the walls. they need a 1/4 ' for swelling and contracting. pull up a piece of the 1/4 round to see if there is enough of a gap. plenty of gap then i suspect moisture spilled drink or you may need a dehumidifier, hope this helps
2006-12-02 13:24:35 · answer #1 · answered by BRUCE G 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The problem of hardwood floors bowing is a pretty simple thing to understand if you understand that wood is a dynamic substance that absorbs water from the air in a process known as Hygroscopic absorption. It just means that if the humidity rises around the wood a bit the wood absorbs some of the water. As it absorbs water the wood then expands or if it gives up (drys out) it contracts. This is not a uniform expansion or contraction because wood is not the homogeneous (the same) in every part of a board. There are characteristically circular differences with the growth of the tree as well as knots and other differences that react differently than other parts of the board.
The sellers of wood make a considerable effort to stabilize or cook the wood with steam ovens or even do Radio Frequency Vacuum drying to try to get wood to be stable. None of these processes are entirely successful. Wood will expand and contract with water moving in and out. It will also expand and contract pretty dynamically with temperature changes.
Over time the wood will develop a bow or if it got really wet this may happen very fast. The wood then will tend to remain in the shape it moved into. This process is reversible but is slow and difficult. If a hardwood floor gets flooded it will bow up because the expansion makes the floor too big to fit the space where it is so it will push planks up and bend out of the way in odd shapes.
There are companies who specialize in recovery of warped wood but the process is slow and difficult. Often people find it easier to replace the floor rather than recover a warped one.
Bowing of a floor can happen from heating or from water. It is all just a case of not fitting the space, or non-uniform changes in size. Things will have to shove out of the way to fit. Sometimes boards will crack.
Another cause of bowing can be unstable support under a floor. That is because beams or foundations are not stable or may not be strong enough for some reason.
2006-12-02 21:45:39 · answer #2 · answered by Arthur N 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
on a layed floor no vapor barrier underlayment and or improper humidity control in house. possible improper nailing at installation
2006-12-02 21:25:42 · answer #3 · answered by john t 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the web site for Holmes on Homes and then theres a show there about this problem
2006-12-02 21:27:49 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They should be given a round of applause?
2006-12-02 23:41:31 · answer #5 · answered by charley128 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it means that you have a moisture problem that needs to be found and taken care of
2006-12-02 22:11:52 · answer #6 · answered by cheezy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
time to replace.no way to get straight.
2006-12-02 21:23:28 · answer #7 · answered by Larry-Oklahoma 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
their old
2006-12-02 21:23:50 · answer #8 · answered by aerter12302 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋