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When water damages wood, when is it dry and fit to use?

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  • #1

    When water damages wood, when is it dry and fit to use?

    Okay, this is not a plumbing specific question, but it involves a plumbing problem and I'm sure guys in there have run into this.

    I had to leave my apartment for 11 weeks. While I was gone, the drain for my air conditioner got clogged up and water leaked into some of my carpet around the drain. Maintenance fixed the drain and called a carpet guy to spray for mold. My chest of drawers and bookcase had water damage to the bottom six inches or so. That is how far the damage is visible, as the underlying particle board soaked up the water.

    I have scrubbed off what mold was on there and have fans on the bookcase to dry that out. The wood is discolored for six inches or so, as I mentioned.

    Will the discolored wood always be discolored? Will it dry out to the point where it looks like the color of the rest of the wood, like it did before the leak? If it is dry to the touch on all portions, is it reasonable to put it back in place and load the books back on it?

    Thanks for your input.
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  • #2
    some of those cabinets are made cheaply with osb. when it gets wet the glue softens and the wood particles expand. it also compromises the load bearing of the composite. when it dries it may hold what is used to or it may just fail. I got a shelf system that didn't get wet but the constant load on it bent the shelf way down and it won't spring back.

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    • #3
      Originally posted by HayZee518 View Post
      some of those cabinets are made cheaply with osb. when it gets wet the glue softens and the wood particles expand. it also compromises the load bearing of the composite. when it dries it may hold what is used to or it may just fail. I got a shelf system that didn't get wet but the constant load on it bent the shelf way down and it won't spring back.
      This is very cheaply made stuff, made out of particle board with a veneer surface. It's never going to look like it did and I just want to use it again and make sure it's okay to use it if there is discoloration from the water.

      Once I move out in a year, this stuff is going to the dumpster.

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