Repairs · 5 min · Updated August 2026
Water-damaged hardwood in Toronto
What to do after a leak, dishwasher failure, or ice-maker line on a hardwood floor — moisture readings, board replacement, and when the floor is actually finished.
Do not sand it wet
Stop the water. Pull the rugs. Air the room. Do not rent a drum sander at 9 p.m. Sanding a wet floor is how you buy it twice. Call a shop that owns a moisture meter and a library of GTA-typical oak.
Cupping is not always death
If the boards have not separated from the subfloor and moisture is coming down, they can often dry, sand, and refinish. If tongues are broken or the field has delaminated, those boards come out. We tell you which, with readings, before we quote.
Want the number for your house?
Estimator first. Site moisture reading second. That is the only honest sequence.
Open the estimator