Warped Vinyl Tile From Water

Water damaged vinyl flooring is often unexpected.

Warped vinyl tile from water.

Most often a warped wood floor is caused by standing water or heavy moisture below the floor due to an unidentified leak or other hidden water source. A recent claimant on a floor covering inspection told me they understood that they could chalk one more continue reading about water damaged vinyl flooring. Vinyl is more resilient to water than laminate flooring because it does not absorb water and is glued down not free floating. In an area such as a kitchen or bathroom sheet vinyl flooring and water are generally a good match.

Sometimes even a nearby water source like flooding underneath the house can cause enough of a moisture imbalance to result in warping. If water seeps up under the flooring from an extremely moist concrete subfloor the adhesive can be weakened causing buckling in the floors. Luxury vinyl planks or tiles are in themselves completely water proof and cannot be damaged by exposure to moisture. During installation run a vapor barrier under the vinyl plank flooring to help prevent buckling from moisture.

Sand down the bump in your flooring until it is level with the rest of the floor. For that reason they are an excellent choice for laundry rooms bathrooms kitchens and other areas where moisture is around. Sanding down a warped floor. If a vinyl floor is affected by water damage it can be saved depending on the amount of time the water has been dwelling.

Solid wood flooring will warp and swell when water logged. This works best for warps that come from humidity or a water spill rather than from a leak that originated below your flooring. When natural wood bends in this direction it crowns or cups. Moisture weakens glue bonds and causes the edges to lift.

Since wood fibers in real wood run lengthwise the weak direction is sideways. Vinyl flooring can either be glued to the subfloor or it can float on top of it and either way moisture underneath it causes problems.