Page 8 - CleanScience_Fall22

Wood Flooring: Recognizing Water Damage
By Nolan Wells, Ralph E. Moon, PhD and Donald Nehrig
CIntroduction
le􏰀􏰁􏰂􏰁􏰃 􏰅􏰆􏰇􏰈e􏰉􏰉􏰂􏰇􏰁􏰀l􏰉 􏰀􏰆e e􏰊􏰅e􏰋􏰌e􏰍 􏰌􏰇 􏰆e􏰋􏰇􏰃􏰁􏰂􏰎e 􏰏􏰐e􏰁 􏰏􏰇􏰇􏰍 􏰑􏰇􏰇􏰆􏰂􏰁􏰃 􏰒􏰀􏰌e􏰆􏰂􏰀l􏰉 􏰓e􏰋􏰇􏰒e 􏰏􏰀􏰌e􏰆 􏰍􏰀􏰒􏰀􏰃e􏰍􏰔 􏰕􏰇􏰇􏰍 􏰑􏰇􏰇􏰆􏰂􏰁􏰃 􏰂􏰉 􏰇􏰓􏰉e􏰆􏰖e􏰍 􏰆e􏰃􏰗l􏰀􏰆l􏰘
􏰘e􏰌 􏰏e 􏰋􏰀􏰁 􏰓e 􏰉􏰗􏰆􏰅􏰆􏰂􏰉e􏰍 􏰌􏰇 􏰙􏰁􏰍 􏰍􏰀􏰒􏰀􏰃e􏰉 􏰉􏰗􏰋􏰐 􏰀􏰉 unexpected wear patterns, cupping, swelling, surface distortion and color changes during cleaning tasks. From the professional cleaning perspective, we were curious as to when wood 􏰑ooring damage would 􏰙rst become visible.
􏰚revious research efforts on 􏰑oor moisture damage have focused on chemical stabili􏰎ation1, thickness swell performance,2, 3 additives to provide improved biological resistance4 and efforts to improve impact performance,5 with the intent of diminishing the effects of moisture absorption. This study examined wood 􏰑ooring exposed to two moisture􏰛exposure sce􏰛 narios: 1) damp concrete to reveal changes in surface appearance, mold growth, and cupping; and 2) partial water immersion to reveal the occurrence of thickness swelling and surface distortion. The responses of the different 􏰑ooring types 􏰜i.e., hardwood, engineered, laminate and bamboo) were compared to their inherent construction properties.
Flooring Types
There are four predominant 􏰑ooring types: hardwood, engineered, laminate and bamboo. The ability to distinguish between different types of 􏰑ooring may be critical for cleaning contractors or 􏰑ooring professionals during damage reporting and legal testimony.
􏰝 􏰞􏰀􏰆􏰍􏰏􏰇􏰇􏰍 􏰑􏰇􏰇􏰆􏰂􏰁􏰃􏰔 Manufacturing begins with trees cut into logs that are examined for quality. 􏰟ogs destined for 􏰑ooring are selected based on the
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