A failing seam is not a new floor. Usually.
Lifted seams, buckled planks, a soft spot underfoot, water damage from a dishwasher that let go. Most of these are repairs, not replacements. We have been called out for "the whole floor needs doing" plenty of times and fixed it in an afternoon for a fraction of the quote.
We diagnose the actual cause before touching anything, because a lifted seam is a symptom. If it is a moisture problem underneath, or a floor laid with no expansion gap, replacing the boards without fixing that just buys a few months. We tell you which one you have, in writing.
What's included
- Lifted, gapped & buckled seam repair
- Water and moisture damage assessment
- Individual plank and board replacement
- Squeak and soft-spot subfloor fixes
- Transition and threshold repairs
- Honest repair-vs-replace advice, in writing
Questions
Repair & Refinishing, answered
Can a lifted or separated floor seam be repaired, or does the whole floor need replacing?
Most can be repaired. On a floating floor a separated seam usually means the floor was laid without enough expansion gap at the perimeter, or something heavy is pinning it and stopping it moving. Both are fixable without replacing the field. Replacement only becomes the honest answer when the core has swollen with water, because a swollen board will never sit flat again.
How much does floor repair cost?
Far less than replacing a floor, which is exactly why it is worth having us look before you accept a replacement quote from anyone. The cost depends on how many boards have to come up and whether the subfloor needs attention underneath. We diagnose the actual cause first and quote the repair before starting, so you can compare it against replacing.
My floor squeaks. Is that the floor or the subfloor?
Almost always the subfloor. A squeak is movement, plywood flexing against a joist, or a fastener that has worked loose. Replacing the surface floor will not touch it. The fix is to secure the subfloor to the joist at the squeak, which we can usually do from above with the finished floor lifted only in that spot.
Can you match repairs to my existing floor?
Often, if the product is still made or you have leftover boxes from the original install, always worth checking the garage first. If it has been discontinued we can sometimes lift boards from a closet or under an appliance and move them into the visible area, then put the closest available match where nobody looks. That trick saves whole floors.