Will I Have to Replace My Floorboards If My Floor Is Uneven?

When the floor of a home is uneven, it’s never because of the floorboards themselves. When uneven floors are repaired, the focus lies on the specific foundation problem that caused the unevenness and the floorboards themselves are left untouched. However, there may be some cases in which the floorboards need to be replaced due to floor unevenness. 

When to Replace 

The longer the foundation problems continue, the more uneven the floor will become. What may start off as unevenness can turn into sagging floors and visible warping of the floorboards later on. When this happens, your floorboards can become so warped and damaged that they break apart. Even if the foundation problem is resolved, the floorboard itself will still be broken. Broken floorboards are a safety hazard because of multiple reasons, so you’ll definitely want to do something before one of them breaks. 

You should replace any broken floorboards due to how dangerous walking on splintered wood can be. If the problem is severe enough that the floorboard nails pop out, you might also have to replace the floorboard. If the damage is minor, only the nail will have to be replaced, but if the popped nail damaged the wood severely on its way out, you’ll have to get a replacement floorboard. Whether or not the floorboard needs to be replaced should be determined by professionals, so getting an inspection is advised before deciding on anything. 

When Not to Replace 

Replacing floorboards when the floor is uneven is rare, but it is not a possibility that should be discarded. Of course, this happens when the floor problems are incredibly severe. Wood is a flexible material, so it can withstand a lot before breaking. However, you should never allow the problem to get to that point. Not only because of how dangerous a broken floorboard is, but also because of the costs. 

When the floor of a home is uneven, floorboard replacement can be avoided as long as the issue is resolved as soon as trouble is detected. Whether the unevenness is caused by foundation problems or joist problems, the floorboards will not be affected as long as the problem doesn’t go on for too long. Professionals will be able to determine the health of your floorboards, so always speak to experts when looking to fix any unevenness.