Is Replacing Only One Board In My Hardwood Floor Okay?
We get this question a lot. There are many reasons, 1 plank of hardwood may need to be replaced. It could be damaged or there is a cosmetic issue you personally have with it.
Replacing only one, or even a few planks, is more than acceptable! As long as it is done right. First thing to understand is that replacing a plank, or anything, might not 100% go back together exactly the same way it did before. So make sure replacement is the best option. There are many ways to repair a plank with wood fillers and stains. Exercise this option, before biting the bullet. If you still want your wood flooring plank replaced, this is what will happen:
Determine what product you have installed. There are many types in the current day. There is engineered, solid, and all of the floating offerings. These include LVP (luxury vinyl plank) and laminate. This guide is currently talking about any real wood, solid or engineered. Real solid hardwood or engineered can be installed with just a staple/nail/ cleat, glued down, or a combination of both. If you have a flooring register, remove that cover and see if you can see the edge of the wood to the OSB or subfloor. Usually you are able to see if there is glue residue on the edge of the boards. If you have a glued down floor, it will simply take a little more effort.
Now that you have determined the product you have installed, it is time to move on to removing the plank. The best and simplest method we have found, is to do a ‘X’ cut in the wood and use a chisel to chip out the plank. Take the new plank of wood, and set a circular saw to the exact thickness, or a little less than the plank of wood. This will guarantee you will not start cutting into your subfloor and jeopardizing the integrity. Once you have cut a good ‘X’ the length of the board. Bring the chisel and hammer out and simply start removing and prying away the wood until you have removed that entire plank.
After this is done, you will need to prepare your new plank for installation. You cannot install the new plank in the same manner the original floor went in, due to the tongue and groove. It does not possibly fit. So you will need to remove the bottom groove, on the groove side of the wood. This will allow the plank to slip into the area. Once you have done this, you may need to cut the length of the board, to fit, length wise. (There may be a microbevel, check out our “Making a Microbevel on Hardwood Flooring” blog.
Now that you have removed your old plank, prepared your new plank, all that is left is installation. Do a dry fit of this plank, to make sure it fits, sits, and looks well in this area. You may need to clean up some more debris. Our recommended path of installation is to glue this plank back in, so we can eliminate the need for top nails. This also gives us some wiggle room, to make sure the plank is sitting how we like it! Please verify with the manufacturer instructions for material specific install instructions. Incase they do not recommend gluing). We use any wood construction adhesive in tube. Install a generous amount and have rags nearby incase it oozes out. Press the plank into the opening and make sure it is flat and positioned to your liking. Then let dry!
Please reach out to us, for any of your wood flooring installation questions!