Can You Repair Buckled Laminate Floors?

Moisture Damage

• Excess moisture results in buckling in a laminate floor. If an inadequate moisture barrier is used over a concrete subfloor, moisture can damage the boards from beneath. On the surface of the floor, water from wet shoes, melting ice and snow, appliance leaks, spills and pet accidents cause the floor to buckle if allowed to stand on the floor for long periods of time. Using a wet mop, a spray-and-mop system or a steam cleaner puts too much moisture on the floor, which causes buckling. When a laminate floor is damaged from moisture, you can remove the buckled boards and replace them with new ones if the damage is limited to a small area. For damage to large areas of the floor, you may have to replace the entire floor.

Expansion Gaps

• When installing a laminate floor, leave an expansion gap of at least ¼ inch around the edge of the room to allow for the expansion and contraction of the flooring due to changes in temperature and humidity. Without this gap, when temperature and humidity changes occur, the boards push against each other, causing the floor to buckle or peak. To correct the problem, remove the molding that is located perpendicular to the buckled area. Cut along the edge of the boards to allow for a ¼-inch gap along the wall and replace the molding. It may be necessary to place heavy objects on the raised boards to push them back into position. If individual boards are damaged from the buckling, replace them.

Molding

• After installing a laminate floor, the baseboards and quarter-round molding is replaced around the room, covering the expansion gap. It is important to nail this molding to the wall and not to the laminate floor. A laminate floor is a floating floor. If you nail the molding to the laminate, it will hold the flooring in place, and buckling will occur when any expansion or contraction happens.

Prevention

• Although you can repair a laminate floor that has buckled, if the floor is installed properly, you can prevent the problem from occurring. Before installing a laminate floor, make sure the subfloor is level within 3/16 inch within a 10-foot radius. If it is not, sand bumps and fill low areas with leveling compound. Leave the boards in the room where you are installing them for 48 to 72 hours prior to installation to acclimate them to the temperature and humidity levels of the room. If heavy objects, such as grand pianos or pool tables, are placed on a laminate floor, place them on special coasters to distribute the weight evenly. Dry up spills as soon as possible. Use a slightly damp mop and the recommended floor cleaner for cleaning your laminate floor.