A step-by-step plan for hardwood, laminate, vinyl and tile after a leak, flood or hurricane — what to save, what to replace, and how to avoid mold.
Florida floors face leaks, storm surge and hurricane flooding. Acting in the first 24–48 hours decides whether you can save the floor or face mold and subfloor rot. Different materials respond very differently to water.
Shut off the source, and if flooding contacted outlets or the panel, kill power to the area before walking on it.
Extract water within hours. Standing water past 24–48 hours risks subfloor saturation and mold regardless of floor type.
Run fans, a dehumidifier, and AC. Pull baseboards and, for floating floors, lift a few planks at the edge to let the subfloor breathe.
Tile: usually fine if the substrate dried. LVP/SPC: waterproof but water trapped underneath must be dried. Laminate: swells and usually must be replaced. Hardwood: may be refinishable if dried within ~48 hours, otherwise plank replacement.
The floor on top can look fine while the subfloor stays wet. Have moisture metered — wet subfloor must dry to spec before any reinstall, or the new floor fails.
Photograph everything, keep damaged samples, and get a written assessment before disposal — it supports your claim.
A pro can tell you whether hardwood can be sanded/refinished or needs replacement, and which waterproof material best prevents a repeat.
From first call to last baseboard — Triangle Flooring delivers Florida-tough installations across Tampa Bay. Free measurement. Locked-in pricing. 1-year warranty.
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“Triangle Flooring did our whole Palmer Ranch home — SPC vinyl plank in living areas and bedrooms, porcelain tile in the kitchen and bathrooms. They explained why each material made sense for each room instead of pitching one product for everything. Transition strips between rooms are seamless. Crew finished the entire project in 5 days.”
“Mauricio does excellent work and takes pride in his craft. He installed laminate wood flooring in three bedrooms and we were very happy. He took the extra step to ensure the floor was level prior to laying it, using self-leveling concrete. The other flooring service I considered didn't even check for level.”
“We couldn't be more impressed with the value this company delivers. From the initial quote to the final installation, the pricing was transparent, fair, and well below what competitors offered — without any compromise on quality. Highly recommend to anyone looking for premium flooring at an honest price.”