Hardwood and Subfloor Drying in Milwaukee, WI

Why the subfloor decides the floor

A floor can be saved only if the subfloor is dried to target first, because the boards will move with the moisture below.

A hardwood board sits on a subfloor, and the moisture in the subfloor moves into the board from beneath. A board that is dried on its face while the subfloor is still wet will cup or lift when the moisture reaches it. The crew therefore reads the subfloor first and sets the target from those readings.

The subfloor is read at each joist bay, because water can collect in one bay while the next dries quickly. Those readings decide when the floor can be closed.

Lifting boards without losing them

Boards are lifted in order and numbered, so the ones that can be saved can be put back in their place.

Lifting a hardwood floor is done with care. The crew lifts boards in a pattern that gives access to the subfloor and keeps the tongue and groove intact where it can. Each board is numbered on its underside so it can be returned to its place if it is saved.

Boards that are too damaged to save are logged and removed. The log names each board, its condition and the reason for removal.

• Lift boards in a pattern that gives access
• Number each board on its underside
• Keep the tongue and groove intact where possible
• Log boards that cannot be saved
• Store the saved boards flat and dry

Choosing which boards to keep

A board is kept when it dries flat and its subfloor is at target, and the decision is written.

The decision to keep or replace is made with the flooring trade, not by the crew alone. A board that dries flat after the subfloor reaches target is a candidate for keeping. A board that stays swollen or cupped after drying is a candidate for replacement.

The reason for each decision goes into the scope. The insurer and the flooring trade can then follow the same reasoning.

• Flat boards after the subfloor reaches target
• Swollen or cupped boards after drying
• Boards with a lasting stain that the trade cannot remove
• The decision and its reason, in writing
• The flooring trade's view, where given

Drying the subfloor and the joist ends

The subfloor and the joist ends are dried with air movement and heat, and the readings show the target is reached.

The subfloor dries from above and below if the crawl space or basement allows it. The crew sets air movement across the open floor and manages the temperature. The joist ends are read where they meet the sill, because water can sit in the joist pocket and hold there.

The subfloor is confirmed at target before the floor is closed, and the confirmation is written into the scope.

• Set air movement across the open floor
• Read the joist ends where they meet the sill
• Manage the temperature and humidity
• Confirm the subfloor is at target
• Write the confirmation into the scope

Closing the floor and what comes next

The floor is closed by a trade once the readings are at target, and the trade gets the list of boards kept and replaced.

Once the subfloor is at target, the flooring trade lays the replacement boards or refinishes the kept boards. The trade receives the list of boards kept, the boards replaced and the readings that confirm the subfloor.

A floor closed over a damp subfloor will cup, so the crew does not sign off until the readings support the closing.

• The trade receives the board list
• The readings confirm the subfloor is ready
• Replacement boards are matched to the flooring
• The closing date is recorded
• The invoices are kept with the scope

Choosing the right moment to close the floor

The floor is closed only when the subfloor is at target and the flooring trade has the list.

Closing a floor too early is a common mistake. A subfloor that reads dry on one visit may rise again if a hidden wet area is still holding water, so the crew asks for two readings at target before the floor is closed. The flooring trade is given the list of boards and the readings.

The closing date is written into the file, and the homeowner receives a copy of the trade's completion note.

• Two readings at target before closing
• The flooring trade receives the board list
• The closing date is written into the file
• The completion note is kept with the scope
• Any later change is recorded