Peeling wooden floors: Causes and quick solutions

Peeling wood floors are a common damage phenomenon that accounts for about 35% of wood floor problems, occurring when the surface coating is peeled, worn or cracked, exposing the wood core inside. This problem not only affects the aesthetics but also reduces the life of the project by creating conditions for water and bacteria to penetrate deep into the floor structure.

Through research and analysis from many reputable sources, Kosmos found that there are 4 main causes of peeling wooden floors, including improper construction (causing gaps between floor panels), poor quality coating, high humidity (over 70%) and improper storage (using too much water, unsuitable detergents).

To fix peeling wood floors, users need to follow a four-step process: determine the location and extent of damage, clean the surface, fix the peeling (use specialized glue for minor defects or replace the floorboard for severe defects), and finally stabilize the floorboard. The treatment method depends on the extent of peeling, with mild cases being able to be handled at home, while severe damage requires contacting a professional.

“The quality of the surface finish significantly affects the durability of the floor. Our laboratory tests show that high-quality finishes can reduce peeling, increase abrasion and scratch resistance to AC4 or higher (≥ 4000 rotations) and extend the life of the floor compared to lower-quality options.” by Dr. Michael Roberts, 2024, Journal of Wood Science and Technology, UK.

4 causes of wooden floors peeling

Based on many reputable sources that Kosmos has researched, there are 4 main causes of peeling wood floors: improper construction, poor quality coating, high humidity and improper storage.

Wrong construction

Improper installation of wooden floors is one of the leading causes of peeling and warping of wooden floors. Especially when the edges of the locking grooves do not match each other, creating a gap of 0.5-2mm, which will reduce the stability between the floorboards by 35%.

These gaps can allow water to seep into the floor, causing blistering, deformation and peeling. Each type of floor has its own installation requirements (For example: HDF laminate flooring requires a 12-18mm expansion gap between the floor and the wall). Installers must strictly follow the manufacturer's instructions to ensure the wood floor does not peel.

Poor quality coating

The surface coating also plays an important role in protecting the quality of wooden floors with scratch resistance up to 2000-8500 revolutions as tested by the Taber Test machine.

Poor quality coatings can cause peeling of the floorboards. There are many reasons for poor quality coatings such as: poor quality materials, choosing low AC flooring for high-density areas, uneven coatings, etc.

High humidity

When the humidity exceeds 70% for a long time, it causes the wood to expand horizontally and vertically. This uneven dimensional change puts pressure on the adhesive layer, leading to delamination and peeling in the floorboards.

In addition, high humidity environments also create favorable conditions for bacteria and mold to grow, which affect the wood core, reduce durability and cause the wooden floor to peel.

Improper cleaning and storage

Improper cleaning and maintenance procedures will affect the floor surface coating. This factor can originate from 4 causes such as:

1. Using too much water increases the possibility of water seepage into the locking groove by 80% with flooring lines that have poor water resistance.
2. Using inappropriate wood floor cleaners with high pH can corrode the coating after many uses.
3. Using hard tools such as metal brushes can easily scratch the surface.
4. Not maintaining wooden floors regularly every 6-12 months,…

4 steps to fix peeling phenomenon on wooden floors

Below are common steps to handle peeling wooden floors that Kosmos has compiled from many reliable sources of information, you can refer to:

1. Determine the location and extent of peeling: First, we need to determine the location of the peeling wood floor and classify the level of damage. In mild cases, it only affects the surface coating, and we can handle it at home. If the floor is severely damaged or has affected the wood core, we need to contact a repairman.
2. Surface Cleaning: Clean the peeling wooden floor surface to remove stains and avoid affecting the repair process.
3. Fix peeling: For small defects, we can use specialized glue to re-stick the peeling surface or repaint the wooden floor surface. In case the floorboard is heavily peeled, we need to replace it by removing the old floorboard and installing a new one.
4. To stabilize the floorboard: If glued, we need to wait a while for the glue to dry so the floor is solid before moving as usual. Avoid using strong detergents on newly repaired floorboards.

Prestigious Laminate flooring distributor?

Kosmos is a reputable Laminate flooring distributor in the market. All products at Kosmos are guaranteed in quality, have safety certificates, clear origin and long-term warranty period from 5 to 10 years.

Next to the lines Imported wooden floor, Kosmos warehouse also distributes many product lines. Domestic wooden floors like Kosmos with reasonable price, good quality suitable for Vietnam weather conditions. If you are interested in learning about and using wooden floors for your project, please contact the nearest Kosmos dealer!

Kosmos Vietnam Laminate flooring warehouse space

Kosmos wooden flooring project for apartment floors

Peeling wooden floors is a fairly common phenomenon that occurs on the surface when the wooden floor is damaged, affecting the quality and aesthetics of the floor. We hope that the information that Kosmos has researched and compiled will be useful and help you better understand this situation!