Hardwood Floor Repair in Spokane, WA

Water damage, pet scratches, squeaky boards, or missing planks — Selkirk Hardwood repairs damaged hardwood floors throughout the Inland Northwest, blending repairs seamlessly with your existing floor.

Water Damage Repair: The Most Common Spokane Floor Emergency

Water damage is the most common hardwood emergency we handle in Spokane. While Spokane is drier than western Washington, the region still sees significant precipitation, and interior water damage from burst pipes (during Spokane's freezing winters), appliance leaks, and bathroom overflow is extremely common. Acting quickly is critical — the longer water sits on hardwood, the more likely permanent warping, staining, and mold growth become.

Water damage presents in several forms:

• Cupping: Boards curved down at the edges, often caused by moisture from below. Can frequently be reversed with proper drying and eventual refinishing.
• Crowning: Boards raised in the center from surface moisture. Often corrects itself when humidity normalizes.
• Buckling: Boards lifted from the subfloor — requires replacement of affected boards.
• Black staining/mold: Requires board replacement and subfloor treatment before new boards are installed.

We assess all water-damaged floors with calibrated moisture meters before recommending repair or replacement. Floors need to dry to 6–9% moisture content before refinishing can begin. Water damage repair typically ranges from $400–$1,200 depending on extent. We document damage for insurance claims and can provide detailed adjuster reports.

Board Replacement

When boards are cracked, split, warped beyond recovery, or severely stained, they need replacement. This is especially nuanced in Spokane's older homes — South Hill Craftsmans, Browne's Addition Victorians, and Manito-area historic homes often have original Douglas fir or old-growth oak that's no longer in production.

We maintain a salvage wood inventory sourced from local demolition projects. Salvage fir and oak that has already aged and patinated often blends dramatically better with existing historic floors than new lumber. When salvage isn't available, we use new wood and color-match with stain to minimize visible transitions. Whole-room refinishing after board replacement makes repairs virtually invisible.

Board replacement typically costs $150–$400 per area depending on board count and salvage availability.

Pet Scratch Repair

Dogs and cats are hard on hardwood floors — particularly in Spokane homes where large breeds are common. Nail scratches, urine staining, and worn pathways are the most frequent issues we address:

• Surface scratches: A full refinish removes most scratching by sanding below the scratch depth — this is the most effective and seamless solution
• Deep gouges: Filled with color-matched wood filler before refinishing, then blended with surrounding boards
• Urine staining: We use a UV black light to map the full extent of urine penetration. Light surface staining sands out; deep staining that has reached the subfloor requires board replacement

Pet damage repair ranges from $300–$800 for spot treatment, or included in the cost of a whole-room refinish when the damage is widespread.

Squeaky Floor Elimination

Spokane's older homes frequently develop floor squeaks as subfloors age, joists dry out, and fasteners loosen. Squeaks are caused by wood rubbing against wood — boards against each other, boards against subflooring, or subfloor against joists.

We diagnose and repair squeaks using several techniques:

• Counter-snap screws: Driven through the flooring into the subfloor, pulling boards tight against the subfloor — done from above with no basement access needed
• Squeak-Ender brackets: Installed from below (through basement or crawlspace) to secure subfloor to joists
• Wood filler in gaps: For squeaks caused by boards rubbing, a flexible wood filler forced between boards eliminates friction

Most squeaky floor repairs cost $200–$500. Structural squeaks caused by joist problems or foundation settling are referred to the appropriate specialist.

Gap Filling

Spokane's dry winters cause hardwood boards to contract and create visible gaps. Narrow gaps (1/16" or less) are normal seasonal movement in solid hardwood and often close in summer — we recommend watching these over a full seasonal cycle before deciding to fill them. Wider or persistent gaps can be filled with flexible wood filler matched to your stain color. We never use rigid fillers that pop out when the wood expands again in summer.

Frequently Asked Questions

How quickly should I act after water damage to my Spokane hardwood floors?

Immediately. Remove standing water within the first hour if possible using towels, a wet vac, or a mop. Run fans and a dehumidifier to start drying the subfloor as well as the surface. Call us for an assessment within 24–48 hours. The difference between cupped boards that can be dried flat and boards that need replacement is often the speed of your initial response. Spokane's winters mean many water damage events happen from burst pipes — keep our number handy.

Can a repaired spot be made invisible?

Almost always — when we refinish the entire room after repairs. Board color matching is very good but not perfect due to wood patina from age and sun exposure. When we refinish the whole room, the stain and finish unify everything and repairs become invisible. Spot repairs without full refinishing will show a color difference that ranges from subtle to noticeable depending on the age of your floors. We'll tell you honestly what to expect for your specific floor.

Is it worth repairing old Spokane hardwood or should I just replace it?

Repair is almost always more cost-effective when damage affects less than 15% of the floor area. More importantly, original hardwood floors in Spokane's historic homes — particularly old-growth fir and early-cut red oak — have tight grain and character that cannot be replicated with new materials at any price. We strongly advocate for preserving original floors wherever possible. If a floor is truly beyond saving (multiple refinishes with no wear layer remaining, structural rot, or pervasive water damage through the subfloor), we'll tell you honestly — but this is much rarer than homeowners fear.