Newington showroom • Serving Connecticut
Verified flooring case study • Simsbury, CT • Completed August 2026
Replace the flood-damaged kitchen hardwood and weave new boards into the intact hardwood continuing into the dining room
Residential Project · Residential Home
The problem
Flood damage had ruined 101 square feet of hardwood in this Simsbury kitchen. 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. The crew removed and disposed of the damaged section while preserving the intact hardwood adjoining it, including the floor continuing into the dining room.
The repair used 271 square feet of unfinished 2-1/4-inch Select & Better solid red oak, nail-down installed across the kitchen and part of the dining room. Instead of ending the new boards at one straight line, the board ends were staggered and woven into the retained floor so the old and new sections interlock. The connected surface was left unfinished: sanding and refinishing are planned for a later date, which is why unfinished boards were the right call now — the new and existing wood will be finished together as one floor.
The question was whether flood damage in the kitchen meant replacing the hardwood across the connected rooms. Because the damage was contained, a targeted repair saved the intact floor — one workday for the removal and installation phase, with the finishing phase still to come.
Project overview
In August 2026, Floors Now completed the installation phase of a flood-damage repair in Simsbury for a restoration-company project. The crew removed and disposed of 101 square feet of damaged hardwood while preserving the intact adjoining floor. They then nail-down installed 271 square feet of unfinished 2 1/4-inch Select & Better solid red oak across the kitchen and part of the dining room, weaving the new boards into the existing hardwood instead of creating a straight dividing seam. The removal and installation took one workday. The connected floor will be sanded and refinished at a later date.
Project facts
Project photography
Each image and caption identifies the portion of the verified project that is actually shown.
Scope of work
New unfinished boards were woven into the intact hardwood rather than ending at a straight seam.
Common questions
A straight seam draws a visible line between the old floor and the repair. We staggered the board ends and wove the new 2-1/4-inch solid red oak into the retained hardwood so the two sections interlock instead of meeting at one dividing line.
We removed and disposed of 101 square feet of damaged hardwood from the kitchen while preserving the intact hardwood adjoining the repair area. Only the damaged section came out — the rest of the connected floor stayed in place.
The replacement boards were unfinished 2-1/4-inch Select & Better solid red oak, selected as a compatible match for the retained hardwood. They were installed unfinished because sanding and refinishing are planned for a later date — the new and existing wood will be finished together as one floor.
It's a grade with fewer knots and less character variation than lower grades. Cleaner boards make it easier for a repair section to blend with the surrounding floor once everything is sanded and finished.
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.