Newington showroom • Serving Connecticut
Verified flooring case study • Ellington, CT • Completed September 2026
Repair the water-damaged kitchen hardwood and refinish the new and existing flooring across the project rooms and stairs
Residential Project · Residential Home
The problem
Water damage had ruined a section of the kitchen hardwood in this Ellington home. When hardwood absorbs enough water, the affected boards swell and break down past the point where sanding can save them — those boards have to come out. But damage contained to one area doesn't condemn the floors in the rest of the house.
The repair replaced 150 square feet of the damaged kitchen floor with unfinished 2 1/4-inch solid red oak, woven into the existing hardwood with staggered board ends. The repair work was completed in August 2026.
The question was whether the water damage meant replacing hardwood across the kitchen, living room, entry, bathroom, and stairs — or whether a targeted repair could save the existing floors. In September, all 581 square feet were sanded, stained, and refinished together, so the new and existing boards take the finish as a single floor.
Project overview
Water damage led to a kitchen hardwood repair in this Ellington home. Floors Now installed 150 square feet of unfinished 2 1/4-inch solid red oak, weaving the new boards into the retained floor and completing the repair in August 2026. Sanding, staining, and refinishing followed in September across 581 square feet, with the kitchen, living room, entry, bathroom, and stairs included in the project. Four photographs document the exposed kitchen repair area, two views of the woven red oak before finishing, and the completed hardwood from the entry.
Project facts
Project photography
Each image and caption identifies the portion of the verified project that is actually shown.
Scope of work
An August kitchen repair was followed by sanding, staining, and refinishing in September 2026.
Common questions
We look at how far the damage reaches. Here it was contained to the kitchen repair area, so we replaced 150 square feet with new 2 1/4-inch solid red oak and refinished 581 square feet overall. When water damage is localized and the surrounding boards are sound, a repair plus refinishing is the practical answer — widespread damage across multiple rooms is what pushes a project toward full replacement.
We cut out the damaged boards and fit the new unfinished red oak with staggered board ends, interlacing them with the existing floor so there are no straight seams. Because everything was sanded and stained together afterward, the weave disappears into one uniform floor.
Yes. The stairs were part of the 581-square-foot refinishing scope here, sanded and stained along with the kitchen, living room, entry, and bathroom so the whole connected floor finishes evenly.
The new boards were unfinished 2 1/4-inch solid red oak to match the existing floor, and since the repair and the original boards were sanded and stained together in September, they take the finish as a single floor. Matching works best when the existing floor can be refinished along with the repair.
Products and planning
Use these resources to compare the materials, preparation, and installation services involved in this project.
Flooring Advice
Focused answers for the questions that need more room than a buyer's guide.
Installation planning · 6 min read
Learn what belongs in a Connecticut hardwood flooring quote, why square footage is only the starting point, and how to compare estimates fairly.
Read the guideCare and maintenance · 6 min read
A finish-aware hardwood care plan for dust, grit, spills, furniture, rugs, sunlight, humidity, cleaning, recoating, and refinishing.
Read the guideChoosing a floor · 6 min read
Choose hardwood in the right order: construction and room fit first, then species, grade, color, finish, sheen, width, and board variation.
Read the guideColor and design · 6 min read
Plan hardwood across connected rooms using sightlines, board direction, width, tone, variation, sheen, transitions, daylight, and room conditions.
Read the guideRequest a repair review
Share the material, condition, location, and known moisture history. We will review the request and contact you about the most practical next step; this project does not guarantee that the same repair is suitable elsewhere.
Get a free estimate
Share the location, rooms, existing floors, and what you want done — refinishing or new flooring. Floors Now will review the details and follow up with a free estimate.