Water Damaged Subfloor

Common problems with water damage to subfloors include leaky fixtures such as toilets sinks water heaters and washing machines.

Water damaged subfloor. Shiplap that served as the subfloor. Pulling back more of the underlayment revealed that the water fueled damage spread more than eight feet along the wall. Once you ve repaired the leak you can focus on getting to the subfloor. If flooding occurs and there is water leaking into the sub flooring it is crucial to dry out the subfloor as soon as possible.

Remove the damaged floor material start by completely removing the damaged materials. I recommend donald durham s rockhard water putty. The first step is to absorb any water lurking on the surface of the floor. This means that wetness in the subflooring.

Your 8 step diy guide 1. Help with a water damaged subfloor 1. Unless you re dealing with the aftermath of a flood water in the subfloor has a source. Water damaged osb subfloor oriented strand board osb falls somewhere between plywood and particle board in the damage water can cause and how it responds to effective drying methods.

Use a pry bar to remove any protruding nails and vacuum up the demolition debris. It didn t take much to dig up some of the flooring plywood underlayment and the 3 4 in. Underlayment is a thin plywood or other sheet material laid on top. How to repair a water damaged subfloor 1.

Remove baseboards around affected areas and pull back carpeting to the nearest wall. Heal your floor in the case of minor subfloor damage you can simply use a flooring putty to repair the damage. Then place a dehumidifier at high settings to pull out any moisture that is still in the air. Start by stopping the water.

If the water leak is localized in one area make sure to isolate that area by either closing the door or blocking off the doorway with a plastic tarp. Use a circular saw set to 1 depth to cut the subflooring back beyond the damaged areas until you reach solid structural framing. Subflooring is not the same thing as underlayment. Subfloor water damage repair costs the cost to repair or replace plywood subfloors will be 1 50 per square foot for materials and between 25 and 30 per hour for labor.

When subflooring is exposed to excessive moisture it delaminates swells or rots compromising floor integrity and damaging coverings. The worst of the subfloor damage was found with a foot going through the floor. Subflooring is sandwiched between the joists and the walls bottom plates. It may seem obvious but your first step must be to identify the leak and fix it.