Which flooring can be saved after a flood: tile, laminate, vinyl or wood?

Floor by floor

Tile and terrazzo. FEMA's flood repair guide lists ceramic tile and terrazzo among materials that resist water damage. Clean the floor, rinse the grout several times with clean water to pull out the salt, and tap each tile near the walls with a screwdriver handle. A hollow sound means the tile has let go of the thinset and should be reset.

Laminate. The core is high density fiberboard. Water gets in at the seams, the edges swell and peak, and they do not go back down. The foam underlayment under a floating floor also holds water against the slab. Plan on removing it.

Vinyl plank. The plank itself may shrug off water, but water runs underneath, and many vinyl floors sit on a foam pad. FEMA says tile, vinyl and linoleum should come up if they are warped, loose or laid over foam rubber padding. Pull a few planks along the lowest wall and look.

Wood. Some wood floors, and the joists under them, regain their shape if they dry naturally, according to FEMA, and may need sanding after. Engineered wood with a thin top layer over plywood or fiberboard often delaminates.

Carpet and pad. King tide water comes up through storm drains and can carry sewage, so the pad goes, and the carpet usually goes with it.

Under the floor: the slab

Most South Florida houses sit on a concrete slab, and a slab soaks up saltwater and gives it back slowly. FEMA's guide says not to lay new flooring until the subfloor is completely dry. Put new tile, vinyl or wood over a wet slab and the adhesive fails, the grout turns white with salt, or mold grows under the new floor. The slab gets rinsed, dried with dehumidifiers and checked with a moisture meter before anything goes back down. If the house is in a flood zone, even a small floor replacement can need a permit, as our HB 803 flood zone guide explains. See how long drying takes.