What is the Best Way to Repair Flooring?

Flooring is one of the elements of a home that people tend to ignore until something goes wrong. There are several reasons why it may become necessary to repair flooring. Fortunately, most flooring issues can be addressed with relatively little trouble, and without the need to call in an expert.

The exact process required to repair flooring will depend on the type of floor involved. For example, repairing a damaged section of a wood floor can be a simple task. By carefully extracting the damaged portion, it is possible to fit a replacement section using the same grade and thickness of wood into the gap. The replacement section can be secured using wood glue and finishing nails if necessary. Once in place, the floor repair requires nothing more than painting or staining the new section to match the surrounding wood floor.

In situations where the floor has begun to sag, it will take more effort to repair flooring effectively. Sags usually indicate some problem with the joists that support the flooring. By accessing the joists from the underside, it is possible to use temporary support beams to lift the sagging section of floor, replace the joist, and settle the flooring back onto the new joist.

Should accessing the joists from the underside be impractical, there is always the option of pulling up the sagging section of flooring and replacing the joist from the topside. To repair flooring in this manner, it is necessary to remove any floor coverings such as tile or carpeting, then use flooring tools such as a crowbar to remove a section of the floor. Once the joist is replaced, the floor panels or sections can be reinstalled, secured in place, and the tile or carpet placed over the now level section of flooring.

Concrete floors can sometimes be repaired with relatively little effort. Deep nicks or the appearance of cracks are examples of the more common problems with floors of this type. In order to repair flooring made of concrete, fill the nick or crack with cement and allow it to set in place. Once the set is hardened, use buffing equipment to smooth the patch out to the same level as the rest of the flooring.

If the floor repair is beyond the scope of your abilities, considering calling in a professional flooring company. Flooring services can repair flooring of any type and handle any type of restoration that may be needed along with the repair. Many flooring services offer floor refinishing or painting as a final touch to the job. While costing more than doing the job yourself, the end result can be well worth the price.