Laminated laminate - how to fix it?





Today, laminate flooring is the most popular floor covering., Because its main advantages are quick installation and ease of installation, external beauty and pleasant texture, unlimited range of colors and textures. But even people who prefer the most expensive and high-quality coating face problems with its deformation. Many consumers often find that a laminate has swelled some time after installation. How to fix this seemingly insoluble problem, we will consider in this article.

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Why does a laminate swell most often?

There are a number of reasons for the sharp deformation of such a floor covering, which mostly relate to inexpensive laminate models. These negative factors include the following situations.

Technological violations during installation

The absence of compensation gaps, which according to all rules and regulations should be at least eight millimeters. During the laying of the laminate, this fact must be taken into account, and gaps should be located between the lamellas and the wall, since they play the role of the so-called buffer.

Important! The wood used to make it can expand and contract over time under the influence of changes in temperature and humidity level. Naturally, if there are no such buffer zones, the canvas will swell due to expansion.

Moisture effect

If the coating is constantly in contact with water, then it will swell and it will have to be completely or partially replaced.

Low quality of the material itself

When buying cheap products, each consumer must understand the likelihood of such a negative outcome. Saving on the purchase, then you will have to pay twice as much for the replacement or repair of the floor.

Incorrect installation

The flooring cannot be fixed directly to the base; the laminate must always be mounted using the floating method.

Poorly executed base

If the foundation is poorly prepared, the floor can be deformed, and this will have to be corrected by its complete dismantling.

Other reasons

It happens that the laminate is swollen directly at the joints. This occurs for the following reasons:

1. The substrate does not fit. So, for example, boards with a thickness of seven millimeters are recommended to be laid on a special substrate, the thickness of which should not exceed two millimeters.

Important! If the boards are a little thicker, respectively - the substrate should be thicker, made of polystyrene or natural cork.

2. Improper coating care. If you use too much water during cleaning and dilute the moisture, then the laminate will certainly begin to swell.
3. Low-quality plate located on the inside of the lamellas. Therefore, you should buy only materials made of plates of the highest density.

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What to do when swelling the laminate?

In fact, there are many solutions to the problem. But in order to understand what to do if the laminate has swollen, you must first determine the exact cause, and only then proceed with the choice of a method for eliminating it.

How to solve the problem on our own in each specific case will be considered further.

Method 1

If the cause of the swelling is spilled water on the floor:

1. First, you need to remove the panels exactly where they were deformed.
2. Then inspect the material; water may have accumulated directly beneath it.If so, wipe dry and replace the backing.

Important! If everything is done quickly, then the boards will soon fall into place and will look as before. In case of more serious problems, it will be necessary to completely replace damaged panels.

Method 2

When the laminate began to wave due to insufficient gaps between the wall and the floor, it is necessary to correct the coating:

1. First you need to remove the skirting boards and inspect the places where the boards began to rest directly against the wall.
2. Then you need to trim the bulging elements and leave a free space of at least one and a half centimeters.
3. We cover everything with the plinth and fasten to the wall.

Make sure that the baseboard completely covers all newly formed gaps.

Important! If during installation of the laminate you have several extra slats left, do not rush to throw them away, because you may need them in case of reinstalling the floor or partially replacing it.

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Preventative measures for swelling laminate flooring

As we have already found out, do not immediately panic if the laminate is swollen. How to fix this problem also became clear. But it’s much more important to learn how to avoid deformation so as not to pay twice as much.

Follow the guidelines below and this problem will never affect you and your home:

• Get exceptionally high-quality products, which will surely be able to withstand for at least two hours the negative influence of water accidentally spilled on its surface. And this concerns not only hot, but also cold water. The fact is that cheap lamellas almost immediately begin to swell and pass spilled liquid directly under the substrate or finish flooring.
• Be sure to study the installation technology of the laminate, in particular, in the case of its implementation on its own. If you do not understand something or doubt that you have enough knowledge and skills to carry out this work, then it is better to invite a specialist who will provide you with qualified assistance. He will be able not only to give you useful recommendations and advice, but also to do all the work.
• Do not forget to carefully lubricate all joints with a means to seal them when laying the laminate. This will prevent possible divergence of the panels and reliably protect all gaps from moisture. Of course, this process will take you a lot of time, but then you will not worry about the quality of the work done in the future.
• When buying a laminate for installation in the corridor or in the kitchen, be sure to pay attention only to waterproof models to reduce the likelihood of swelling of the lamellas in the event of an unexpected liquid or systematic wetting during cleaning.
• To further protect the flooring, it is recommended that it be waxed or paraffin treated. By the way, this method has already proven itself in practice.

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Stock footage

Now you have learned what to do if the laminate has swollen, and how to prevent this phenomenon. Indeed, minor problems happen, and there are situations when it is very difficult to cope with this task. So - it is better to follow all the above recommendations and sleep peacefully. It is necessary with all responsibility to approach not only the selection and purchase, but also the laying of the floor, doing everything strictly according to the instructions using the best materials.