Case Study · Miami Beach
Termite-Damaged Subfloor Repair & Waterproof Vinyl Installation — Miami Beach
This elevated Miami Beach home, more than 50 years old and currently used as a short-term rental, had a solid Red Oak hardwood floor installed over the house's original wood subfloor. The property had a termite infestation in the past, already treated before this job — but both the subfloor and the Red Oak flooring still carried old termite damage that was no longer reasonably repairable. Colors Wood Floor Corp removed the damaged flooring, repaired the subfloor, and installed a new waterproof vinyl floor built to hold up as a rental property.
Damage found
What We Found
The termite infestation had already been treated before we started. What remained was the damage left behind — in the solid Red Oak flooring and in sections of the wood subfloor beneath it:
- Solid Red Oak hardwood flooring with old termite damage, no longer reasonably repairable.
- Sections of the original wood subfloor with structural holes from the same past termite activity.
- No active termites during our work — the infestation had already been treated.
Repair in progress
The Repair Process
A step-by-step subfloor rebuild before any new flooring went down:
- 1Full removal of the damaged Red Oak hardwood flooring.
- 2Inspection of the exposed wood subfloor.
- 3Removal and replacement of subfloor sections damaged by past termite activity.
- 4Plastic moisture barrier installed over the repaired subfloor.
- 53/4" plywood installed over the barrier for a solid, even, stable base.
- 6Waterproof vinyl flooring installed over the new plywood base.
Why Waterproof Vinyl for This Property
This home is used as a short-term rental, and the material decision reflected that. Waterproof vinyl was not chosen because it's universally "better" than solid hardwood — it was the right fit for this owner's specific situation:
- Lower cost than re-installing solid hardwood.
- A wood-look finish that still reads as an attractive, upscale floor.
- A waterproof material suited to the wear and tear of a rental property.
- Easier spot repairs if a section is damaged in the future.
- Lower long-term maintenance and replacement cost compared to solid hardwood.
Completed floor
The Finished Floor
New waterproof vinyl flooring, installed on the repaired subfloor, now runs through:
- The living room
- Two bedrooms
- The connecting hallway and circulation areas
All photos on this page belong to the same real repair project completed by Colors Wood Floor Corp in Miami Beach, FL. The termite treatment itself was completed before our work began and was not performed by Colors Wood Floor Corp.
Have Old Termite Damage Under Your Floor?
We'll inspect the subfloor, tell you honestly what we find, and give you a clear written estimate — no obligation.