General Overview
There is nothing beautiful like hardwood flooring to make living space attractive but the moisture can ruin it all as that results into the hardwood floor buckling or cupping. The buckling in hardwood floor can cause cracks and spaces in between. Apart from the buckling, the excess moisture in the hardwood floor can also cause the crowning due to which the floor will rise in the center.
Steps To Repair Cupping In Hardwood Floors
The hardwood floors if shows the sign of cupping can be fixed by following the below-mentioned steps:
- Moisture Level: The first step is to determine the moisture level of the room with the help of a moisture meter.
- Remove Furnishing: Make the floor empty by removing all types of furniture.
- Shoe Molding And Threshold: Take out the shoe molding and threshold and cover places like heat ducts using the painter's tape.
- Vacuum: The floor needs to be deeply vacuumed in order to remove all dust and dirt.
- Sander: Sand the floor using sander attached with 36 grit sandpaper and use it in the direction of the grain to sand the entire floor. Changing the disc is recommended if it shows the signs of the wear.
- Re-Sanding: Re-sanding must be done with the help of the sander attached 40-grit sandpaper.
- Vacuuming Again: After re-sanding vacuum once again the entire room to clean all the sanding residue.
- Sand With 50-grit Sandpaper: Attach the 50 grit sandpaper to the sander and sand the floor again particularly areas damaged with the cupping and follow it by vacuum again.
- 80-grit Sandpaper: Both machines need to be attached to the 80-grit sandpaper for sanding again. Vacuum the floor again to prepare the floor for the refinishing task.
- Urethane Finish: Get any pan or small container to pour the finish into the same and apply the finish over the entire floor using long-handled lamb’s wool applicator.
- Grain Direction: The finish must be applied in the direction of the grains and allow it to dry the entire night.
- Scuffing: Once finish dries scuffing of the floor is recommended. This must be done using the long-handled pole sander having 120-grit sandpaper.
- Vacuum Again: The floor needs to be vacuumed again.
- Second Coat: Apply a second coat of the urethane finish and allow it to dry again. Scuff and vacuum floor like after first coat.
- Wipe: Wipe entire floor with the help of the tack cloth.
- Third Coat: The third coat of the urethane finish needs to be applied over the floor and again allow it to dry for the night.
- Scuff Sanding: Once the third coat is dried the scuffing using 180-grit sandpaper needs to be done. Wipe off the dust.
- Final Coat: Use a paintbrush to apply last and final coat of the urethane and let it dry for approximately three days and follow up by cleaning the floor.
- Reattach: The shoe molding and threshold need to be reattached with the floor with the help of the brad nails.