Let the floor dry completely before you proceed. But, their solutions are often easy to implement. How to Fix a Soft Spot on Laminate Floor Caused by an Uneven Sub-floor There are three methods you can try to address an uneven sub-floor causing those soft spots on your laminate floor. To fix warping or buckling laminate floor, remove the mold or baseboard near the buckled plank, remove the spacers and fit with smaller ones, trim to give expansion space, nail the baseboards and put some weight on the repaired plank to weigh it down for at least a day. If the floor doesn’t have an adequate expansion gap, you’ll have to make one. Here again, closely matching the color of the floor is the key to success with this method. The problems of lifting can be greatly reduced by proper installation of the laminate flooring. A common cause of this issue is often with weather and climate related, especially if you’re in a very wet or very dry climate. Luckily, with any problems with laminate flooring you may experience, there’s usually a good explanation. She has written DIY articles in the field of home construction and repair for eHow. Laminate floors modernize any space in a home or business and is designed to fit all interior design preferences. In this article we discuss the most common laminate flooring problems. For quick repairs of soft spots in your laminate floor use an air inflation needle or a syringe (used to blow up sports balls) on a can of spray foam. Not sure where to start? We hope the above are helpful. While considered durable, sometimes gaps, scratches, or spongy spots appear, but are easy to fix for the average DIYer. However, you can mix 2 or even 3 colors together in order to get the desired color. Laminate flooring is an excellent choice for home, combining both aesthetic qualities and ease of use. The one thing you can control is how evenly the floor will fade. Elizabeth is the 'go-to' person in her circle to help improve the design of projects and solve problems with home construction. Drill a tiny hole in the middle of the soft spot and inject the foam under the planks. Laminate flooring is a more affordable alternative to expensive hardwood flooring. This isn’t just about the health of your flooring, either. A noisy squeaky creaky laminate floor can be caused by friction in the floor joints. As a result, laminate flooring needs an expansion gap - often only about 1/4-inch wide -- all along the perimeter of the room. One of the best ways to avoid these issues in the first place comes with smart installation practices, and insisting on the highest quality flooring products from the outset. Find a pernament market in a similar color to mask minor scratches, worn edges, blemishes, and imperfections. When trodden on, the joint between two boards is strained, any movement in the joint, even the slightest, can result in a very loud squeak or creaking sound. To remedy this, try a different cleaner or use less cleaner. It’s a good idea to ask for advice at your local flooring store. Poor cleaning practices may also be responsible; although you should never use water to clean a laminate floor, some people regularly wet-mop their floor or -- worse -- use a steam cleaner. One Way to Repair Laminate … And in the case of extreme climates, taking care of heat envelope issues and moisture concerns should be a top priority as well. This is an effective cure for an uneven subfloor. With any flooring product you buy, you will come across challenges over time. THE SOLUTION IS "DRY LUBRICATION " Takes minutes, lasts for years, costs almost nothing to do. Although some homeowners may consider laminate flooring to be strong, it is actually quite susceptible to scratching. When there is a lack of room for expansion, peaking is often the result. She has been involved in many DIY projects over the years. The solution to this is implemented during installation, with an adequate expansion gap around the space where the flooring has been installed. As for the sock feet issue, sometimes a strategically placed runner can help to create the right kind of traction on the way from the living room and into the kitchen (just as an example! Laminate Flooring Problems an aggravation that you want to avoid. Combine that with boards that are a bit too close to the wall and your laminate floor will come up. Laminate floors are no exception. Sometimes that small throw rug that doesn’t have a backing isn’t such a hot idea in that high traffic area. Rob served as BuildDirect's marketing manager from 2000 to 2010. You can fix a floor that rises up in a few easy steps. Peaking. This creates an unattractive look that work against the reason you invested in laminate flooring to begin with; to look great. Attach an air inflation needle as an extension onto a can of spray foam. Small problems such as scratches can be masked with a colored marker. Natural Stone Cleaner: Are You Using the Right Product?   |   Rob Woods. ), while still leaving enough surface area for the laminate floor surface to create the kinds of effects you wanted from them. Tips and Guidelines for Repairs. All modern laminate flooring is treated with a UV-resistant layer on the surface of every board. That’s because humidity can expand or shrink your laminate boards. Wipe the damaged part of the floor with a clean, damp cloth. One of the biggest complaints about laminate floors is that the floors are streaky even after mopping. Laminate-Fix floor repair kits are sold to re-surface an area of damaged laminated plastic flooring. But, even if you’ve inherited laminate floors rather than installing them from scratch, they can still be a vital part of a long-lasting, and visually stunning element to your interiors. This is the same as screwing long screws through the floating floor, which is a big no no. For example, should somebody walk across the floor in high-heeled shoes, or drag a heavy piece of furniture, scratching and other types of surface damage can be the result. Remember water and a tiny bit of glass cleaner is more than enough to get the floors clean. How to Fix Seam Separations in Glueless Snap Together Laminate Wood Flooring. Small scratches can be rendered almost invisible with the appropriate shade of markers, wax pencils, or even crayons. The simple addition of felt sliders on the feet of furniture is another solution, especially if you find yourself moving furniture in that space a lot. Use the kind of foam that’s used for filling cracks. In addition to heading up his own marketing company these days, he remains to be a handy guy around the house to this day. This is as true of laminate flooring as anything. Common Laminate and floating floor problems: Job site related – Peaking – Buckling – Gapping – Mold and mildew – Expanding HDF – Chipped corners. Among the problems with laminate flooring, this is perhaps one of the most notable. Wearing gloves, squeeze out a small amount of the darker putty from the tube onto a paper plate. 1. As a rule laminate flooring is tough and durable, however, over time problems can arise. For the first method, you’ll need a drill with a 3/32″ drill bit, an air inflator needle used for inflating balls, and a can of expanding spray foam. Fix the Underlying Laminate Flooring Problem. Adjusting window coverings is often the next logical step. The solutions to these problems with laminate flooring surface damage are often built right in to the issues themselves. Clean the damaged area to remove any dirt from the chip or scratch. It is important to avoid wearing shoes with cleats or points on their surfaces. Contact one of our flooring experts to request a free flooring estimate when you're ready to upgrade your home's floors. For small areas of nicks, chips, scratches, cracks and some burns, you can use this product to repair surfaces on flooring as well as cabinets that used a plastic laminated surface. 3 min read 2. These typically include an aluminum block with a sticky substance on the underside and a rubber mallet. Experiment with this before attempting the final installation. But, for one reason or another, there may be such a nuisance as bloating of the laminate. Others are minor. The steps are easy but if you have never done this, consider getting professional help. The smooth surfaces of some laminate flooring products often bring about the problem of safety should it become wet. Simply remove the molding and cut a section of flooring between the floor and the walls. If the moldings are attached to the floorboards, remove the nails or detach the glue. 5. October 12, 2010   |   Laminate flooring is a beautiful addition to any home and has become very popular in recent years. Fill the holes used for injection sites with matching wood putty. If you need help choosing colors, speak with a knowledgeable associate in your local flooring store. Attach an air inflation needle as an extension onto a can of spray foam. Soft spots in a laminate floor can be caused by an uneven sub-floor or improper installation of flooring underlayment. The only things you’ll need are: a chisel, a hammer and a multi-too l. When dealing with small gaps less than 1/8th of an inch on the end of a plank or along the edge of a plank, the application of vinyl putty can provide an effective fix. Gaps in a laminate floor can be caused by an uneven subfloor, improper installation of flooring underlayment, or temperature changes. But, fading isn’t an issue you can ever completely solve. This creates an unattractive look that work against the reason you invested in laminate flooring to begin with; to look great. Spills on the floor present a safety hazard, but they can also damage the laminate boards themeselves. A laminate floor repair kit that includes specialty markers can also be purchased. One solution here is to think about how much sunlight your floor gets, and how much of the surface is exposed to it. Whenever there is a small spill of any kind on your laminate flooring, wipe it up immediately to prevent water damage from occurring over time. Use a hammer and chisel or putty knife to remove baseboards or … The repair process is basically the same. If you are faced with such an issue, here are steps to use to repair the raised laminate floors: The tools needed And most often, there’s a straightforward solution, too. When the damage becomes this unsightly, the best way to solve this problem is to replace the boards with spare boards. Use the powerful dual vacuum power of this versatile tool to grip an installed plank, then tap the handle with a rubber hammer. High humidity in the room can also seep into the laminate boards and cause swelling. To learn more, please consult BuildDirect's, Buy This, Not That: 12 Purchases You Can Make That Make a Difference, Laminate Tile Flooring: The Look of Tile Flooring For Less, Energy Efficiency And U.S Housing : Making The Green Shift, House Painting: Paint Your Way To A Home Sale. It’s worth the extra chunk of your budget in either case. Put down a layer of masking tape to protect the surface of the laminate. The received wisdom when you buy laminate flooring is to order abou 10% more than you need. Repeat as needed. The received wisdom when you buy laminate flooring is to order abou 10% more than you need. How to Fix A Laminate Floor that is Lifting. Over time, laminate flooring can fade, no matter how little sunlight it is exposed to. Site Design by ©BuildDirect 2001 – 2021, By continuing to browse this website, you agree to the use of cookies for the collection of traffic statistics and to improve the quality of our website. When the damage becomes this unsightly, the best way to solve this problem is to replace the boards with spare boards. The laminate tends to lift during the seasons when the humidity is high as the high humid shrinks or expands the laminate boards causing them to rise. For larger, deeper scratches or dents purchase a laminate repair compound kit. Both practices literally push water through the seams and into the core. For quick repairs of soft spots in your laminate floor use an air inflation needle or a syringe (used to blow up sports balls) on a can of spray foam. 2 Look for warped areas that are bending or … This is helpful when it comes to installation, and when boards are damaged during that process. Spilled liquids never are. You may need to make more than one injection site if the area is large. Soft spots in a laminate floor can be caused by an uneven sub-floor or improper installation of flooring underlayment. It’s about the health of your whole property. Depending on the quality of floor you have, this layer will slow the effects of UV rays on your floor’s surface. Let’s take a look at some of the most common problems with laminate flooring that homeowners have, and how to address them too. And in most situations laminate flooring problems can be avoided with a little extra time spent on the part of you, the salesperson and the installer. Peaking refers to a situation in which the laminate floor boards push up against each other and result in high points at the joints. Make sure the shade of putty you choose matches the floor as closely as possible. Snap-together laminate floorboards are designed to lock firmly in place, creating a smooth, uniform floor surface. Use Markers and Crayons to Hide Scratches. The first step is vigilance when it comes to spills and other slip hazards. Laminate Flooring Issues and 4 Secrets to Fix Them, 3. Some of these challenges are dramatic. Nothing is invulnerable, and certainly nothing lasts forver. Caring For Your New Floors When You Have a Dog, Don’t Skimp on Surface Sealants, Here’s Why, The Best Eco-Friendly Floor Cleaner for Porcelain, (Sub)Urban Legends: 4 Myths about Carpeted Flooring, Growing Food Year Round Locally: How Things Are Changing, A De-Cluttering Story: In Praise of Helping a Hoarder. How To Repair Laminate Flooring. Helpful tools include spacers and a jigsaw. The problem was the cabinets were attached to the counter top, which was attached to the wall. Laminate flooring gap repair kits come with all you need to solve the problem. Start with vinyl putty that’s darker than your floor, then mix with putty of a lighter shade until you achieve the desired hue. 1. But, it’s also a good strategy for this kind of damage as well. Even if laminate floors aren’t natural materials, they still need to move. You may need to replace the subfloor and the water-damaged planks to maintain a uniform look. Create expansion joints and use a dehumidifier in the room to reduce moisture content causing the bubbles and swelling. Bubbling on laminate flooring can be resulting from too much tension between the laminate planks. Fortunately, there are quick repairs to correct these laminate flooring defects and restore your floor’s beautiful appearance. First, remove the baseboards around the room and clean the floor . The best way to fix constant bubbling on laminate flooring is to get rid of excess moisture under the planks. This awesome and inexpensive tool ($9) can be used to eliminate gaps in laminate flooring, even the larger ones. There are some common laminate flooring problems out there, for sure. Unfortunately, this can happen even if the floor is completely dry, especially in socks. This kit uses a pre-colored mixture that you mix and spread over the scratch. You can also buff the floors dry with an absorbent towel after you are done mopping. Thinking about what covers your floor, like throw rugs and furniture, is also something to think about, as is frequent rotation of these elements (within reason and ability, of course) in order to even out the fading process. A small putty knife is a good tool to use for mixing. One of the easiest solutions for this problem is to use a boot with adherent sole, and to try to hide the laminate flooring gaps by hitting several times the boards.If the gaps don’t shrink you don’t have any solution other than either filling the gaps with colored paste (with a syringe), using a pull bar or re-installing the flooring after you level the base surface. Laminate Flooring Problems an aggravation that you want to avoid. 3. They thought that using short screws to attach the brackets to the floor would be ok. Due to temperature changes, the laminate floor will contract and expand. In this article we discuss the most common laminate flooring problems. Laminate floor buckling, like lifting, can be caused by changes in temperature and humidity levels. Also known as “crowning”, when laminate flooring boards lift at the seams, this is referred to as peaking. Add the lighter putty in small increments until you reach the desired shade for your floor repair. Whether it is water, fruit punch or another type of drink, should somebody slip on the mess it can be dangerous. Please select the store location nearest you to view full product selection. This method works for minor chips and scratches that can be repaired with putty or a marker specifically made to repair laminate flooring. To fix the gaps in the laminate flooring, place the aluminum block with … If two colors don’t render the right color, try mixing in a third.

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