Wood Floors After a Hurricane or Flood in Miami: Can They Be Saved?

Quick answer: Sometimes. A clean-water leak that's caught and dried quickly can often be saved. Floors soaked by outside floodwater or sewage usually have to be removed for health reasons. Act fast: stop the water, get it out, start drying with fans and dehumidifiers right away, photograph everything for insurance, and get a moisture inspection before anyone sands, refinishes or replaces the floor.

Water on your wood floor right now? Book an NWFA-certified inspection or call 908-232-6600, Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 Eastern.

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Read more: What YOU Need to Know About Water Damage in Wood Floors

The First 48 Hours

Read more: How to Prevent Water Damage in Your Wood Flooring

1. Make it safe. Turn off power to wet areas if it's safe to reach the panel.

2. Stop the water. Shut off the supply for leaks, or wait until floodwater has gone down.

3. Take photos and video of the water, the floor and anything damaged, before you move things. Your insurer will want them.

4. Get the water out with a wet vacuum, mops and towels.

5. Start drying. Run the air conditioning, fans and dehumidifiers. Take up wet rugs.

6. Call your insurer before throwing anything out, and ask what they need.

Mold can start growing within a day or two, which is why speed matters.

Clean Water Vs Floodwater

Read more: What YOU Need to Know About Floor Buckling

• Clean water (a supply line, an overflowing sink, rain through a window) gives the best chance of saving the floor if it's dried quickly.

• Floodwater and sewage carry bacteria and dirt into the wood and the floor underneath. Floors soaked by them are usually removed.

Don't Sand A Cupped Floor Too Soon

Read more: How to Know When Your Wood Floor is Ready for Buffing, Refinishing or Replacing

Wet boards often cup, with the edges higher than the middle. It's tempting to sand them flat right away, but if the wood is still wet, the boards flatten as they dry and the sanded edges end up lower than the middle. That's called crowning, and it's permanent. Wait until moisture readings in the wood and the floor below are back to normal, then decide on repairs.

Get An Inspection And Keep Records

Read more: Can We Match Your Wood Floors?

A moisture inspection tells you whether the floor and what's under it are really dry, and what can be saved. An NWFA-certified inspector can document the damage in a report you can share with your insurer. See Inspections and Consultations and Wood Floor Testing.

For more, read What YOU Need to Know About Water Damage in Wood Floors and How to Prevent Water Damage in Your Wood Flooring.

Before Hurricane Season

Read more: 8 Ways You May Be Damaging Your Wood Floors

• Know where your water shut-off valve is.

• Check seals around sliding doors and windows, where wind-driven rain gets in.

• Keep towels and a wet vacuum where you can reach them.

• Take photos of your floors now, so you have a record of their condition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Hardwood Floors Be Saved After Flooding?

Floors wet from a clean-water leak and dried quickly often can be. Floors soaked by floodwater or sewage usually need to be removed.

How Long Do Wet Wood Floors Take To Dry?

It depends on how much water got in, the type of floor and what's under it. It can take days or weeks. Moisture readings, not the calendar, tell you when it's done.

My Floor Is Cupped After A Leak. Should I Sand It Flat?

Not yet. Sanding before the wood is dry can leave the floor crowned for good once it dries. Dry it, measure it, then decide.

Does Insurance Cover Water-Damaged Wood Floors?

It depends on your policy and the cause of the water. Take photos, keep records, and call your insurer before removing anything.

Talk To A Wood Floor Expert About Your Brickell Home

Brickell Wood Floors, a Huggins Wood Floor Specialist brand, is led by Joe Avila, who brings 26 years in wood flooring and NWFA certifications (CSI, CI, CWFI, CFS). For more than a decade Joe has taught accredited continuing-education programs to AIA, ASID and IDCEC audiences. He trained at NWFA schools in advanced European techniques, including bending wood, custom herringbone and parquet design, mixing species, fuming, aniline dyes, tannic reactions and smoking. We serve Brickell and South Florida's luxury residences and ship material nationwide.

Call (908) 232-6600 (9am to 5pm Eastern), email Joe@hugginsflooring.com, book a virtual consultation, or send us a message.

Water on your wood floor? Book an NWFA-certified inspection before you sand or replace anything, or call 908-232-6600.