Wooden floor repairs cover everything from a squeaky board to borer damage, lifted boards after a leak and gaps that have opened over the years. A good repairer finds the cause first, whether it is damp, movement or old fixings, then fixes the board and blends the repair into the surrounding floor. Most repairs are small jobs, so they are priced by the room or the visit. Send one request and independent floor repairers in your area quote you directly. It is free and there is no obligation.
Common floor problems and fixes
- Squeaks: usually boards rubbing on joists or nails. The fix is screws through the board into the joist, or a lubricant between boards.
- Lifted or cupped boards: caused by moisture. Once the cause is dealt with, boards can be refixed or sanded flat, or replaced.
- Borer and termite damage: look for small flight holes, fine powder or soft timber. The area is treated, and badly eaten boards are cut out and replaced.
- Gaps: seasonal gaps are normal on the Highveld, but wide ones can be filled with strips or flexible filler.
Deep scratches and dents are often handled during floor sanding.
Find the cause before the fix
If boards cup or lift, something is feeding them moisture. A leaking pipe, rising damp, a blocked airbrick under a suspended floor or a roof leak must be fixed first, or a new board will fail too. For borer and termites, ask whether the repairer treats the timber or just replaces boards, and consider a pest specialist for active infestations. A reputable repairer is happy to show you what they found under the floor.
Matching new boards to old
Replacement boards should match the species, width and thickness. Old pine and Oregon boards can be salvaged from a cupboard or sourced from a timber merchant. New boards look pale beside old ones, so patches are usually sanded and sealed to blend in. Full blending sometimes means sanding the whole room, which is worth asking about. See floor sealing and varnishing for finishes that even out colour.
Comparing repair quotes
Ask whether the price covers the call-out, materials, finishing and clearing away old boards. Photos help a repairer give an early idea, but they will still want to see the subfloor. Repairs are priced per room or per job rather than per square metre, so describe each problem clearly. Beware of one big quote for a floor that may only need a few boards fixed.
What to include in your request
- The problem: squeak, lift, cup, gap or borer
- Which rooms and roughly how many boards
- Suspended timber floor or glued to slab
- Any leak, damp or flood that came before
- A photo of the damage and your suburb
Wooden Floor Repairs for different clients
- Homeowners: squeaks, lifted boards and borer damage fixed in bedrooms, passages and living rooms
- Flats and townhouses: small repairs done quietly and tidily, with the body corporate told about work hours
- Builders, developers and renovators: snags such as lifted boards, gaps and chipped edges put right before handover
- Landlords and letting agents: damaged boards patched between tenants so the floor does not need replacing
- Offices, practices and showrooms: worn or damaged boards fixed outside business hours in reception and meeting rooms
- Guesthouses, lodges and restaurants: guest room and lounge boards repaired fast so rooms are back in use quickly
- Shops, salons and cafés: damaged boards swapped out and blended so the shop floor looks even again
- Schools, halls, gyms and studios: loose and split boards in halls and classrooms refixed or replaced in the holidays
Frequently asked questions
Why is my wooden floor squeaking?
Can cupped or lifted boards be fixed?
Can borer or termite damage be repaired?
Do you do the repairs yourselves?
Wooden Floor Repairs by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg