A fire in your Minneapolis bungalow can be devastating. You love the character and history of your home, especially the beautiful woodwork and the thought of losing it is heartbreaking. You may want to knowYou're if you can restore those gorgeous built-ins and trim instead of tearing everything out. The good news is, in many cases, you can!
Restoring, Not Replacing, is Often Possible
LightSpeed of Twin Cities East Metro specializes in fire damage restoration, with certified technicians trained by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). We understand the importance of preserving the unique features of your home and are experts at restoring fire-damaged wood.
How We Restore Your Woodwork After a Fire
Our process depends on the extent of the damage. Here's a breakdown:
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Charred Wood: If the wood is charred, we carefully remove the burned layer, revealing the undamaged wood underneath. We use specialized tools like brushes, scrapers, sandpaper, and sometimes even gentle media blasting (using things like baking soda or dry ice) to do this effectively.
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Blistered Finishes: Even if the wood isn't charred, the heat can damage the finish. We'll check for blistering or separation of old varnishes and shellacs. If needed, we can carefully remove the damaged finish using techniques similar to those used with charred wood.
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Cleaning Soot: Once the damaged layers are gone, we tackle the soot. Different types of soot require different cleaning methods:
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Dry, Ashy Soot: This loose soot is usually easy to remove with compressed air, vacuuming, soft brushes, or special dry chemical sponges.
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Sticky, Synthetic Soot: This type of soot requires a spray-and-wipe approach using a low-alkali cleaner or wood oil soap, always wiping with the wood grain.
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Protein-Based Soot: This stubborn soot, often from kitchen fires (think burnt food and oils), needs a stronger cleaner. We might use a detergent or oil-based cleaner and let it sit for a bit to loosen the soot before wiping. Sometimes, a light refinishing with an oil-based wood cream cleaner containing a fine grit might be necessary to ensure a uniform look. We may also need to lightly refinish nearby undamaged areas to match the repaired sections.
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Smoke Odor Removal: Smoke odors can linger in unfinished wood, like the inside of drawers, cabinets, and behind-toe kicks. We act quickly to prevent the smell from setting in. Our process includes:
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Thorough vacuuming to remove soot and debris.
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Dry chemical sponges are used to absorb the remaining soot (these sponges are designed to break down as they're used).
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Wiping down stubborn stains with a specialized degreaser.
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Sealing the wood to contain any lingering odors.
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Hybrid Solutions: Sometimes, some wood is too damaged to save, even though other parts are fine. We can carefully remove and replace only the damaged sections, using experts in reconstruction to seamlessly blend the new wood with the old.
Get Your Home Back to Normal
Don't despair over the fire damage to your beautiful woodwork. LightSpeed of Twin Cities East Metro can help restore your Minneapolis bungalow to its former glory. Call us at (612) 473-0177 as soon as you're allowed back in your home to schedule an assessment. We'll work with you to create a plan to bring your cherished home back to life.