This project is quickly becoming a series on diy.SE. For more background, read the previous question.
I'm trying to repair my water damaged hardwood floor. I've started removing the planks (which I will now begin calling "strips" because they are so thin, only 1/8" thick) individually using the hammer and chisel approach recommended in the answers to the first question.
The new information I have for this question is as follows.
The damage appears to go beyond and beneath the first layer of wood. (The planks are only about 1/8"). Should I just keep digging out strips going deeper and deeper into the floor until I get all the damaged ones out? I am concerned about how deep the water damage appears to go. It might go all the way to the bottom of the floor into crawl space. Should I just keep digging out planks/strips? Or should I stop at some point and just patch over it. Patching over the damage just seems wrong somehow. But if it goes all the way thru, it seems like the complexity of the repair might grow exponentially.
What new advice can you give?
Fig. 1. The work area and the tools I'm currently using. Hammer, chisel, safety glasses.
Fig 2. Cross section of a strip.
Fig 3. Another strip cross section.
Fig 4. Close up view of the work area. Notice the blue cord and the vinyl material coming out and up from the floor. Is this because I am getting close to the crawl space?
Fig 5. Another close up.
Fig 6. Another close up.
Fig 7. Another close up.
Best Answer
You've got to get all of the rotten, water damaged wood out of there. Have you been down in the crawlspace yet? Looking at it from underneath will give you a better idea of the extent of the damage. It's entirely possible that the joist(s) are compromised as well.
You will need to cut the subfloor (plywood or OSB underlying the wood floor) back to the mid point of the nearest joists (the beams under the floor). And then lay in new material of the same thickness.
Once that's done, new flooring is in order. Honestly, with that thin existing "hardwood" flooring, I'd tear it all out. If you don't opt for that, linoleum may be you're best bet to match the thickness of the existing flooring. Cheap, tough and waterproof. Tile would be my preferred option if you redo the whole bathroom. If you only do the portion shown, you'll have a significant lip because it will be quite a bit thicker then that wood floor by the time you put down backerboard and such.
Not sure what that blue cord is? Does it have a wire core to it? Any chance you have electric radiant heat in there?