Hello gang! New member here. Signed up to see if someone can help me with my problem.

My dishwasher leaked at the water inlet valve and it took several days before I realized the problem it was causing my flooring until the water started leaking through the basement ceiling drywall. The flooring is 4" wide x 5/8" thick (I think) hand scraped taun planks and they swelled and cupped and are creaking in the damaged area. I cut out the water damaged drywall in the basement ceiling above the dishwasher so the subfloor is exposed from underneath. It's been drying for several days and I fixed the dishwasher.

My question is can I screw down the loose boards from the basement side to pull down the cupping and eliminate the creaks, or should I just cut out the damaged hardwood and replace it? The cupping has gone down some, but it's not completely gone. I have enough leftover planks to do the job, but that seems like a lot of work.

I appreciate any thoughts, comments, and suggestions.

Mark

Test the moisture content of the boards that got wet and compare it to the moisture content of the flooring that did not get wet. Wait until the moisture content of the boards that got wet is equal to the moisture of the other boards. Then decide what to do. If the boards remained cupped you may not be able to flatten them with screws driven from below.....if this is the case sanding them flat may be an option although this may not stop the squeaks. How were they originally attached to the subfloor? If you can see the subfloor from the basement you should be able to see if staples or cleats were used. If they were glued this presents a different situation.

Thanks for the input.

The planks were installed with staples. I can see them coming through at certain points, but not enough to follow the seams if I decide to use screws.

How do I test moisture content?

Sanding is not an option because they're hand scraped with a distressed look. The cupping isn't horrible, but the creaking is pretty bad.

My plan is to I drill a hole from the top at one of the long side joints and stick a wire through it to find it from below. I have 1 1/4" wood screws that I will drill pilot holes and place screws every 6 or 8 inches along both sides of the joint where it's loose. Snap a chalk like to keep the screws straight.

Sound like a plan? Once I determine moisture content, that is.

Found this on amazon for $23.99.

Dr.Meter MD-812 LCD Display Digital Wood Moisture Meter for Wood, Sheetrock, Carpets and More

https://www.amazon.com/Dr-Meter-MD-812-Display-Moisture-Sheetrock/dp/B008V6I840

The thing about moisture meters is the calibration. The meters made specifically for wood are usually calibrated for Red Oak....and they provide a conversion chart for other wood species. This meter is inexpensive compared to other meters. Check the product literature to see how it is calibrated and if it will work for your flooring species. But, then again if the wood that did not get wet is your benchmark then this may do the trick.