What to do if the laminate is swollen: causes and remedies for swelling. Why does the laminate swell at the joints

With such a popular and generally durable flooring as laminate, problems can arise. One of these troubles is the swelling of individual boards. The RMNT website will tell you why laminate flooring can swell and how to deal with this problem yourself.

To begin with, let's deal with the reasons why the laminate may swell:

1. There is no gap between the boards and the wall. There must be a gap of at least 1 centimeter wide! Then you close it with a plinth and nothing will be visible. The gap between the laminate and the wall is needed as a margin in case the flooring expands due to temperature and moisture. In addition, the gap serves as ventilation, preventing excessive moisture build-up on the laminate.
2. The technology of laying the laminate is broken. The portal site provided detailed instructions for laying the laminate with your own hands. We highly recommend sticking with it! A poorly prepared base, an incorrectly chosen substrate, fastening individual boards with nails, a wet floor can cause the coating to swell after a few days.
3. Moisture ingress into the gaps between the boards, as well as excessive humidity in the room. If something is spilled on a regular laminate, the consequences can be disastrous. And you need to wash it only with a slightly damp cloth or mop.

Now let's talk about solving this problem. If your laminate is swollen due to the fact that you forgot to leave a gap between the wall and the coating, you need to proceed as follows:

1. Remove skirting boards.
2. Find the places where the laminate rests against the wall, there is no gap.
3. Very carefully with an electric jigsaw, trim the lamellas in this place so that a gap of at least 1 centimeter remains.
4. Remove everything from the floor covering that may prevent it from straightening up, and it is desirable, on the contrary, to press the swollen area with something heavy enough.
5. Wait until the laminate takes its original shape, the swelling will disappear.

Important! Do not forget that you also need to leave a gap around the heating pipes, do not put the laminate close to them, cut a little more than necessary.

Important! Fasten door locks and other elements directly to the floor screed. And skirting boards - only to the wall, not to the laminate, in order to prevent swelling.

If one of the laminate boards is completely damaged as a result of improper installation, it must be changed:

1. Bring a new bar to this room and leave it there for at least a day to adapt to the conditions.
2. Now you need to start dismantling the entire row of boards. We start by dismantling the plinth, then we remove the boards one by one, from the wall, gradually getting to the damaged one.
3. All boards are numbered, so that later they can be laid in the same order.
4. Replaces damaged or damaged, swollen boards.
5. We carry out the laying in the reverse order and put the plinth in place.

If you spilled something on the laminate and it swelled for this reason, you need to act quickly:

• Remove damaged boards immediately.
• Leave the slats to dry. If the laminate was of good quality, it is likely that it will take on its original appearance. Otherwise, you will need to change the boards.
• Don't forget to wipe off the water that got under the boards and replace the backing that has also been damaged by the liquid.
• Re-install the removed laminate.

If the coating has been lying for several years, then it is very difficult to choose the lamellas exactly according to the texture and color! The laminate was actively exploited, the color has definitely changed. In this case, we advise you to castling - dismantle the boards from under the cabinet or table, put them in a conspicuous place, and mount new ones there. And it will be very difficult for an outsider to see the differences between the old and new lamellas.

To date, laminate is the most popular floor covering that can be assembled or dismantled independently without the help of special workers. But there are a number of reasons due to which the uniformity of the floor covering can be disturbed, for example, as a large amount of water gets on its surface.

You should not panic, there are many ways to eliminate the deformation after damage. It is not necessary to call the repair service, as having studied the issue, you can easily deal with this problem yourself.

Eliminate bloating with an iron.

This is the most effective and easiest way to eliminate swelling under the laminate, but there are a few nuances that must be observed:

• The laminate must be of high quality, as a bad laminate does not respond to such actions and will most likely require dismantling and replacement.
• There must be no water in the substrate.
• You will need a metal ruler and an iron.

To eliminate swelling on the laminated surface, you need to put the iron on medium or below medium heat. We put a metal ruler on the strip of joints of two panels, most often swelling occurs there, and iron it until the moisture has completely evaporated and the irregularities are straightened. It is very important to observe the temperature regime, overheating of the surface can lead to damage to the laminated panels.

How to avoid bloating?

Before laying the laminate, it is best to put a specialized film under it, this is more necessary for those who live on the first floor so that the moisture coming from the basement does not lift the laminate. The joints of the plates should be thoroughly glued with special adhesive sealants so that moisture does not get under the plinth.

In order to prevent accidental swelling of the laminate, you should follow the basic rules for caring for it:

• If the class of panels is 31 or 32, then cleaning is allowed only with a broom or vacuum cleaner (not water-based);
• Class 33 and 34 materials can be cleaned with a combination of dry and wet cleaning.

Output

If a swelling appears on the laminate, it should be urgently eliminated, the neglect of the condition can lead to the replacement of one or even several plates. Often, in order to obtain the same color tone when replacing, it is allowed to remove the plates from closed places located under furniture or carpets. If a source of moisture ingress is detected, it is necessary to eliminate it and seal the coating. If the floor was damaged by the carelessness of the owners, then you should try to exclude these situations.

You made repairs, laid a laminate and, oh horror, after a while found that your laminate floor was swollen. Why? Looks like it was installed by a professional. What is the reason? The first thing that comes to mind is that the laminate is bad, fake. Do not rush to draw the wrong conclusions and throw angry judgments at the store. The reason is most likely a violation of the laying technology.

There are several reasons for bulging laminate flooring.

No gaps between the assembled floor and walls

All laminate manufacturers recommend making a technological indent from the walls of at least 8 mm. This is due to the fact that the laminate is made from wood raw materials and "breathes", either expanding or contracting depending on the season and the climate in the room. If the gaps are met, the canvas expands without resting against the walls, while its appearance remains unchanged. If there are no gaps, the canvas, when expanded, rests against the wall and rises in the middle (bends). When you press it, the floor springs - bends when you step on it and bends again when you remove your foot.

Eliminating such swelling is easy. The main thing is to do it in time, until the floorboards are deformed and take an irregular shape. To eliminate this stacker error, remove the plinth, take out the last row of planks and cut off about 1 cm with a jigsaw or hacksaw. Lay the row again.

Check if the floorboard rests against the heating pipe. In this case, finish the edge by hand with a chisel or round file, widening the cut.

The assembled canvas will level out, taking on its original form, within 1-2 days.

Swelling of joints from moisture

Lack of waterproofing film

Here, the reasons can be both improper operation of the laminate floor, and installation error. All manufacturer's instructions state that all types of substrates, except for wood, must be laid with a durable waterproofing film with a minimum thickness of 0.2 mm.

This is due to the fact that the base material (especially the self-leveling floor) releases moisture for a long time. The film is required to isolate the contact of the laminate with moisture. In this case, all the moisture from the newly made base will gradually go into the concrete, and the laminate will remain dry. In new houses, it is recommended to lay the film even on a concrete base, since all structural elements release moisture into the room.

If the master did not fulfill this condition, then after a while you will become the owner of the swollen edges of the floorboards over the entire area of ​​the laid floor. And, sadly, it can no longer be fixed. The laminate is damaged, cannot be restored, and its complete replacement is required.

strait

If the floor is partially damaged by the spill, the damaged boards must be replaced immediately, until the rest of the floorboards are deformed. To do this, it is necessary to disassemble the floor to the defective panels, remove them, make a thorough inspection of the place, most likely, there will be water under the floorboards that have become unusable. It is necessary to remove it, wipe it dry, replace the substrate in this place.

Damaged board should be removed. If there are no replacement panels left in stock, you will have to buy a whole pack of the desired decor, since they are not sold individually - it's still cheaper than replacing the entire floor.

1. If you hire a master "from outside", on the advice of friends, on an ad, be sure to conclude a contract for the performance of laying work indicating the warranty period and sanctions in case of damage to the material. Otherwise, a negligent master will then blame everything on the "poor quality of the laminate", and you will not be able to compensate for the losses.

2. During the operation of the laminate floor, make sure that there is no contact of the floor with water. In the event of a spill, clean up the water immediately and wipe everything dry. Some brands of laminate flooring have waxed locking elements - such floors can withstand up to 24 hours of contact with water in the event of a spill. Therefore, when buying, pay attention to this indicator. However, wax protection does not guarantee the safety of the floor in case of violation of the laying technology. If a waterproofing film is not laid, such a laminate will not withstand a long moisture test.

In my professional work, I have come across many reasons why the laminate is swollen and walks after installation. Most of the cases, no matter how ridiculous it sounds, self-eliminate. This applies to slight unevenness of the floor and curved laths of the laminate. However, there are many situations associated with a violation of the flooring technology or an excess of moisture in the base.

It must be understood that a laminate or parquet board is a floating coating that is not attached to the base with screws and glue. Therefore, it is assumed that the laminated parquet will be pressed through to some extent when walking. This measure is difficult to explain in words. Sometimes they ask: why does the laminate walk, but it actually lies normally.

Let me tell you the cases from a personal example that I had to deal with.

No matter how blasphemous it sounds in relation to manufacturers, but often the crooked laminate becomes the reason for the festivities.

There was a case, they called us for a bulkhead of the coating. True, there was an Amberwood parquet board, but this does not change things. I asked if there were spare boards for re-flooring and got an affirmative answer.

The wall plinth was not installed and we immediately began to dismantle the parquet. When removing, immediately drew attention to the boards, curved boat. Here, the reason for the walks, the walking of the coating was obvious - the crooked planks.

In a parquet board, the top layer usually consists of precious wood - harder, and the bottom stabilizing layer - of needles. These two layers have different tensile strength and hygroscopicity. Therefore, if the storage conditions are violated and excess moisture is absorbed, such a deformation occurs.

After examining the spare parts of the parquet, they abandoned the bulkhead due to the futility of the lesson. First, they were uneven. Secondly, the whole floor was shaking.

With laminate, things should be different - this material consists of recycled homogeneous wood pulp. To stabilize the board, a laminated layer is applied on both sides. One is decorative with a protective film, the second is from the bottom of the board. The bottom layer provides moisture insulation and stability of the entire composite. It should be so, but at regular intervals, the laminate planks are still curved in the packages. This applies not only to inexpensive coating brands, but also from the premium segment.

On one flooring contract, I showed a customer that the laminate was badly curved. But even in such cases, no one has yet canceled the flooring in my practice. This is not beneficial to anyone: neither the owners of the apartment, nor the masters. It is expensive and time-consuming to change the entire batch, and the defect is eliminated over time.

After finishing installing an inexpensive laminate floor, I was asked why does laminate walk around, especially around the edges? Another person took the job. I had to explain a second time that the panels were crooked, showing the remaining slats.

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the floating floor always walks a little along the edges of the premises - this is the first and last row of coverage.

The planks of the middle rows are pressed against the floor under the mass and due to the displacement of the seams, a partial straightening occurs. Therefore, in the middle of the room, the laminate walks less than at the edges.

These were not exceptional cases, this happens quite often. Not everyone pays attention to this shortcoming, which manifests itself to a greater or lesser extent.

Laminate walks, walks when walking - fix

If the laminate walks, walks for this reason, then there is no need to disassemble and re-lay anything. After some time, the floating floor will settle down on its own.

The coating will lie firmly on the base under its own weight. The process will be strengthened by the arranged furniture and the installation of a wall plinth along the edges of the room. In addition, the laminate matures over time and takes a shape that repeats the relief of the base.

Laminate walks, walks, the reason is an uneven base

According to the tolerances on the base for laying the laminate, a difference of 2-3 mm per 1 linear meter is allowed. In new buildings, the concrete screed is usually quite straight, although not always. Evenness must be checked using a rule or level, preferably 2 meters long. This makes it easier to identify bumps and pits. Most often, drops come across near heating pipes and in the area of ​​​​doorways. Particular attention should be paid to doorways, as this is a key place with high traffic.

But most often we observe an uneven foundation in old houses of the Soviet era. At that time, accuracy in the finishing of buildings was not important.

The floors can be parquet or concrete - it doesn't matter. We install laminate flooring in such houses on a regular basis. Not all buyers of my services can afford to level the base. Not only due to financial difficulties, but also because of the small amount of free time and cramped living conditions. Therefore, we produce flooring over the old coating without quality guarantees.

Laminate walks, walks due to uneven floor - fix

There are two ways out of the situation that the laminate is walking. One radical is to level the base. But if you didn’t decide right away, then it’s unlikely that when the repair is done, you want to make a mess again.

The second solution is to do nothing. Laminate is not linoleum, which immediately takes on the relief of surface irregularities. But over time, it is able to settle under its own weight and the weight of furniture, taking the form of a base.

The disadvantage of laying laminate on an uneven floor is a change in the geometry of the joint and the appearance of cracks. And the formation of gaps leads to faster wear of the key connection.

The laminate is swollen - what to do ?!

The phrase “laminate is swollen” usually means either

• that he ran into a wall and formed a big wave
• or that the laminate is swollen at the joints from water ingress and bubbles have occurred.

Unlike the previous problems, this one is more serious and cannot be eliminated on its own. What needs to be done in this case, I will now describe.

When the laminate is swollen, further operation of the floor threatens the final breakdown of the locks. Visually, such a consequence of a violation of technology in styling looks like a wave or a bubble. It is usually located in the middle of the room, sometimes with a slight offset in one direction. When walking on it, pressure is created and the ball moves. Sometimes this miracle of technology moves away from the floor by 2-3 cm, once they saw how such a wave was about 10-15 cm.

This unique case was in a country house. When clarifying the reasons, we learned that the laminate was laid on a fresh screed. Judging by the circumstances, the masters laid it without gaps from the partitions. Otherwise, I can not explain such a huge swelling. In addition, the laminated coating rested against plastic heating pipes. For this reason, we refused to correct someone else's work, fearing that the laminate would crush two thin tubes with all the consequences.

This situation comes from the illiteracy of the performers. Masters are generalists, they say: “Listen, I’m doing everything right now. People fly into space, and here they put a laminate. ” And they do it ... without the necessary technological gaps from the walls. The coating stands normally for some time, and then, having gained moisture, it expands and rests against the partition. Since the laminate cannot push through the wall, it begins to rise up.

This can happen even if the master made a small gap, but after the screed was installed, he did not withstand the required time for its complete drying. More moisture was absorbed into the coating and, as a result, the laminate rested against the interior ceiling.

Laminate is swollen - how to fix it ?!

It is quite difficult to fix a swollen laminate that has rested against the wall, but it is possible. The first thing to do in any case is to remove the wall plinth. We dismantled the plinth and made sure that the laminated coating really stuck into the concrete partition.

• It is necessary to carefully remove the laminate without damaging the locks. You need to file 5-10 mm on each side. It is difficult to dismantle the coating, since it rested against the wall and can be pulled out with a special bracket only by breaking the panels. The depth of the situation depends on how much the rows of boards are buried in concrete. If there is no stock of material and a key connection with plastic inserts, it is better not to try it yourself at all. As a last resort, at the discretion of the called specialist.
• The second option involves the use of technical equipment - an electric chisel (renovator). This is an electric or battery tool, like an angle grinder (grinder), only for finer work. The nozzle is applied semicircular with small teeth. I will say right away: sawing through is physically very difficult. You need to press hard on the tool and your hands begin to itch from high vibration. I usually saw through and finish with a sharp chisel. The semi-circular saw blade becomes unusable, the chisel needs to be re-sharpened.

Please note that after the operation, the laminate or parquet floor will not immediately return to its original horizontal position. It will take some time, about a week, before the coverage is 90% level. And it will finally fall into place a little later. So have a little patience.

It should also be understood that after such a colossal load on the key joint, its deformation and fracture begin. Therefore, the appearance of a creak is possible.

The laminate is swollen at the joints from the water - how to fix it ?! Method number 1.

When operating the coating in the kitchen, corridor, and even the room, the laminate at the joints can swell from water. The reasons are different: a child knocked over a mug of water, a cat decided to try a new floor, frequent and plentiful washing of laminated parquet, wet shoes, leakage of a heating battery.

And just as regularly the question arises about the possibility of replacing damaged panels without parsing the floor and with partial dismantling.

I often receive calls about replacing or fixing this marriage. I turn down people who haven't used my laminate flooring service, even if I'm not currently working, and here's why. Next will be a story: what to do, how to fix or replace a laminate that is swollen from water, and why I refuse this work.

Reason #1

After a certain time has passed after laying, especially if there were differences in humidity, and they were, since such a situation happened, the key joints of the coating gain moisture. That is, in some places the castle becomes thicker from the absorbed liquid, in others it remains dry.

In case of a serious leak, it is additionally necessary to inspect the substrate and base. In the presence of excessive moisture, the insulation and the base must be dried.

If it is necessary to replace several swollen planks, work with the lock in places, cutting to the desired thickness. Butt joints, as a rule, already do not hold well between themselves and in other boards. If you still decide to fix the laminate, swollen from the water in this way yourself, try not to change the order of the stacked laminated panels. This will give a more acceptable result.

I'm speaking from personal experience, as I've been doing this kind of work for a long time. Interestingly, in one case a customer brought in a stack of laminate flooring to replace their cold garage. As you understand, the panels were damp and I did not find out when we agreed by telephone, otherwise I would not have gone. Damp boards affected the quality of the final work for the worse. But it all seems not so complicated if there was no reason number 2.

Reason #2

The second reason for my "not wanting" to fix the laminate, swollen from water, is the difficulty of clarifying the circumstances. How the furniture stands, in order to understand from which part you can start disassembling, the direction of laying the laminate. And the installed door block clamps the door frame. To start disassembling the laminate without breaking the locks, you will most likely need to break the contour around the door pillars with a chisel. And, of course, remove the threshold and wall plinth. It will be a blessing if it is not gluey.

If you plan to replace a laminate swollen from water yourself, you need to take into account the above reasons and add them to the total complexity of the work.

But that's not all, as there is reason number 3.

Reason #3

There are two more nuances that prevent the replacement of a laminate swollen from water at the joints. But we will combine them into one heading.

It is not known what experience the master worked with, and how well the flooring was made. A person could break the locks during assembly. And the structure is holding until it began to be dismantled. Accordingly, after even a carefully carried out installation, you can not fold it back qualitatively.

The second nuance is the mandatory knowledge of the key connection and the brand of the floor. With a laminated coating, everything is clear - each brand has its own individual joint and another laminate, although the same in thickness and dimensions, most likely will not work.

And the locking system is different in assembly. For example, the 5G locking system (Classen laminate) is very difficult to disassemble without breaking the lock. This point should also be taken into account when deciding whether to replace panels that are swollen with moisture. And take your time.

Replacing one or several planks of laminate, which is swollen from water, can be done by disassembling part of the floor covering. However, the risks of possible failure must be weighed against the actual need for replacement.

Laminate Swollen From Water - Fix Method #2 (Indiscriminately)

On the Internet, you can find the described methods for fixing when the laminate is swollen from water, without parsing the entire floor. I decided to contribute to the description of this technical process. As in any story, the scribblers who understand little about the topic show the tip of the iceberg. Without a description of the details that could affect both the customer's expectation of the final quality of work, and the meaning of this procedure in general.

The brave narrator boldly describes how to fix the laminate without parsing the floor, by dismantling one board. However, without going into details. We will correct this defect.

How to cut a laminate board?

The laminate board to be replaced is cut along the inner contour, stepping back a few centimeters from the edge. The suggested tool used might be:

1. MFI (multi-functional tool), he is also an electric chisel, he is also a renovator.
2. UShM (angle grinder), she is a grinder
3. Electric jigsaw?????
4. Drill with a drill, chisel.

1) We take an MFI with a semicircular nozzle. We cut the laminate panel along the inner contour along the perimeter from four sides. After the end of the operation, we pull out the cut. We remove the remains of the panel with a chisel and a construction knife, carefully picking out so as not to damage the whole lamellas.

2) The same action can be done with the help of a grinder. It should be noted that there will be more dust and burning.

3) It's impossible to do this with an electric jigsaw.. This method of using the tool was indicated by a would-be specialist.

4) Using a drill with a drill, drill holes along the contour, and break the distance between them with a chisel using a hammer. And clean the remains with a chisel and a knife. I note that with only such a tool, most likely, your level of building skill does not correspond to the task being performed. So it's better not to take it.

If there is a warm infrared or electric floor under the laminate, which is separated only by the underlay, work to replace swollen boards in this way cannot be carried out!

After cutting out the panel, you need to pay attention to the substrate and what is under it. If the base is damp, it needs to be dried. Otherwise, fungus and mold may form in the future.

Initially, the in-situ replacement method for bulging laminate refers to quartz vinyl tiles, which are less prone to expansion. We have adapted this method for laminated coating, but there are many questions.

Putting the new panel back in place

If everything is clear in the first paragraph of correcting a swollen laminate indiscriminately, then in the second part it is much more difficult ...

So, we cleaned the cut-out space from chips, preferably by vacuuming. Got a new laminated board.

Method 1

From three sides of the bar, it is necessary to cut off the locks (from two ends and one long part). This must be done, otherwise you will not be able to insert the plate.

Then we insert the panel with a key connection along the long part into the laid row. Attention, we do not smear anything with glue in advance, we do not remove the substrate yet.

The fact is that the new board may not fall into place. Since laminate flooring is made from sawdust, it is subject to expansion and contraction due to changes in humidity and temperature. Therefore, the nominal dimensions may vary.

If this happens, note where you need to remove the excess. It is better to do this with sandpaper on the nozzle for MFI or angle grinder. Made to size? Great, let's move on to the next step.

Further, your actions depend on the evenness of the floor and the type of substrate. With soft insulation, it is better to remove it, otherwise the board to be replaced is guaranteed to walk relative to adjacent planks. And the base should be primed and smeared with one-component glue. If the substrate is solid (for example, cork), you need to check how the new laminate board cut from the locks will fit the old floor in height. Namely, will there be steps?

Even if there are no steps, insert the panel, walk around the place being restored. If the result is normal, grease the ends of the board and the substrate with glue of the “Moment” type. But. most likely, the panel will walk. Evaluate the result, if it does not suit you, you will need to cut off the lining and apply glue along the height instead.

Level the new board to the maximum with the rest of the laminates and fix it with a load. As you understand, neighboring dies lying on the substrate can be pressed against the repaired part and there will be no new floor. I note that if the laminate is laid with a chamfer, the difference is not so noticeable.

I have two questions about this method.

If the laminate is swollen at the joints from moisture, even a small amount, then at least two boards swell, or even three. Which complicates the task, respectively, 2-3 times. And all these operations risk leading to mechanical damage to adjacent whole panels.

And will it be as good as the customer wants?

Method 2

The second way to fix a laminate that is swollen with moisture is unrealistic, but I watched a video once.

3 men come with vacuum suction cups. The specified board is cut out, the remains are removed by the above methods. Manipulations are made to cut out part of the locks.

The key joints must be cut off the combs on the new plate and on the old ones also the combs on both sides. Then generously lubricate the lock parts with glue of the Moment type.

Men from both sides lift the stacked layer of laminate with suction cups, and the third lays the board in the right place. Then the edges are pressed tightly to fix on the glue and pressed with a load around the perimeter.

And again there are a couple of questions

Where to get three healthy men with suckers and how much it can cost. In general, the option is unrealistic.

The laminate is swollen, the reason is the lack of an expansion joint

In general, this is a continuation of the topic about the situation with the laminate, resting against the wall. The conditions just change a little.

According to the manufacturer's instructions, the coating can be assembled in a single sheet for a length not exceeding 8-10 meters, depending on the manufacturer. Further, it must be separated by a docking threshold. This must be done, since each linear meter of a floating floor can breathe by about 1 mm. That is, with a flooring length of 15 meters, during the period of switching off and on heating, the coating can expand up to 15 mm. .

That's all in theory, in practice it's a little different, as we regularly produce floating laminate flooring. And claims to me and my partner on the swollen coating have never been received. I think it's a matter of properly set gaps. But it should be remembered that there is no guarantee for this installation method.

Laminate walks, walks because of the thick substrate

Laminate can walk and walk because of the thick and soft substrate. The punching effect occurs because a soft pad, for example 5 mm thick, shrinks in the order of 3 mm. When walking on such a floor, a drawdown is noticeably felt. Let me remind you that manufacturers of floating wood-based floors recommend using insulation no more than 3 mm thick.

When using a coniferous substrate with high hardness, the laminate walks. This happens because its curvature occurs regularly. Over time, it takes on the relief of the base under the weight of the laminate and the arranged furniture.

Laminate walking or swollen - a few more reasons

The reason for the laminate floor to rise and walk can be incorrectly installed thresholds fixed through the coating to the concrete without widening the holes. Door bumper, sliding wardrobe doors, or rather a guide rail.

To avoid swelling of the floor, when installing fenders or wardrobe rails, it is required to expand the hole in the laminate by drilling with a larger diameter drill.

The coating can walk if the room is narrow or small, for example, a long corridor or storage room. The mass of the assembled floor is small and it can walk and ride.

Also, the floating floor can walk if the assembly technology of the rows is violated. Due to non-compliance with the spread of the end seams, the installed laminated parquet loses its rigidity.

There are exceptions: if the corridor is small, 1.5 by 1.5 meters in size. Although nail it to concrete, it will not swell from expansion due to changes in ambient humidity, since the coefficient of expansion for such an area is very small.

Unfortunately, faced with such numerous violations, I did not think of saving everything. And there are few specific photos, and it is difficult to search among several thousand photos. As far as possible, I will supplement this story. I hope the descriptions will seem quite detailed to you in order to correct the problem that has arisen due to the fact that the laminate is swollen, walking or walking.

Laminate harmoniously combines excellent performance and decorative qualities. Installation speed, practicality, a wide selection of textures and colors are the main advantages over other flooring options. Despite the ease of care for the material, surface deformation may occur, so it is important to know what to do if the laminate is swollen from water, how to fix such a nuisance.

Correct determination of the cause of damage will help to carry out repairs and eliminate defects in a timely manner. The main factors, the impact of which leads to the swelling of the laminate, are:

• violation of installation rules - laying elements implies the presence of gaps. The size of the compensation distance from the lamellas to the wall depends on the area of ​​​​the room and is 8-12 mm. The need for gaps is based on the content of natural wood raw materials in the material, which is subject to contraction, or expansion under the influence of moisture or temperature changes;
• the influence of water - in the case of immediate removal of moisture from the web and drying, severe damage does not form. Only with prolonged exposure to moisture can swelling of the surface be formed. Subsequently, swollen lamellae will need to be partially or completely replaced;
• low quality of the material - cheap products do not have a protective coating, therefore, with any mechanical damage, the level of operational properties decreases. Economical options are short-lived and will soon require a complete replacement of the coating;
• the presence of moldings - the impossibility of expanding the material due to the installed fasteners between the lamellas and the base can cause deformation. An exclusively floating installation method should be used, allowing the web to freely narrow or expand;
• wrong base - a poor-quality base, made in violation of technology, can cause severe deformation. Such a defect is eliminated only by a complete replacement of the substrate and dismantling of the upper web. It is recommended to perform a thorough treatment of the seams with a special sealant.

Wrong styling
Bloating at the joints
What happens to the laminate with prolonged contact with moisture

Possible defects

You can avoid unpleasant manifestations in the form of swelling, deformation of the joints, the formation of waves by following the basic rules and advice. High-quality products from trusted manufacturers are more resistant to mechanical, temperature and moisture influences. It is important to adhere to certain rules for the operation of the canvas in accordance with the class of the laminate.

A reliable waterproofing layer and a properly made substrate will protect the surface from swelling.

The adhesive laying method is widely used, while maintaining the original appearance of the seams. Proper maintenance will also extend the life of your flooring. Systematic treatment with special means will protect against the harmful effects of moisture. Swollen laminate at joints, seams, the appearance of waves can be the result of: violations of the rules for care, poor quality of the base of the lamellas, improperly selected substrate.
Swelling at the joints of the boards

Deformation of lamellas at the joints

Increased dampness in the room and excess water during cleaning can cause swelling at the seams of the laminate - the places most exposed to moisture. Carefully wring out the rag when washing and avoid splashing on the canvas.

The high quality of the board on the inside of the laminate ensures long-term operation, while maintaining an attractive surface appearance. When choosing a material, it is important to pay special attention to the density of HDF boards. The substrate of the laminate sheet must match the thickness of the lamellae. The thickness of the boards up to 12 mm should correspond to the performance of the substrate of about 3 mm. In the case of laying elements with a thickness of 7 mm - the substrate should not exceed 2 mm. Dense materials will require the use of polystyrene, fiberboard or natural cork.

The formation of "waves"

Deformations in the form of waves most often occur due to the lack of distance between the canvas and the walls, they are eliminated by forming a special gap for the free expansion of the material. The end lamellas are neatly trimmed. The process begins with the dismantling of the plinth. Next, marks are made on the elements for trimming. The protruding segments are removed using cutting tools for woodworking.

The plinth should completely hide the expansion gap, providing a decorative coating.

It is important first of all to determine the cause of the deformation, because if the laminate is swollen, only finding out the contributing factor will tell you how to fix the surface. Sometimes even improper installation of the door latch can adversely affect the evenness of the door leaf. Experts do not recommend installing it on laminated elements. Fasteners are best installed on the floor screed, through the hole in the lamellas. It is also important to remember the need for gaps between the floor sheet and the heating pipes.

Basic Troubleshooting Methods

There are generally accepted ways to repair laminate damage. If the laying of the laminate was carried out by a professional team of workers and problems with the surface began during the warranty period, then you should contact the company that carried out the work, where you are required to provide monetary compensation or send workers to correct the defects.

If the laying technology has been violated, then the swelling of the coating can be corrected independently. To do this, you need to find a place where the material fits snugly against the wall and cut the laminate there by about 1-2 cm. You can install the cut lamella after the material is leveled.
Trimming laminate without dismantling

If the cause of the deformation is water, then you will need to perform the following steps:

• the damaged board is removed, after which the lamellas in contact with it should take their original shape;
• the liquid under the removed lamella is wiped off;
• the deformed lamella is replaced.

The board is carefully removed to remove the accumulated liquid under it.
Installation of a new lamella

In addition to replacing deformed parts, you will need to remove the remaining moisture under the canvas. First of all, the plinth is carefully dismantled from the side of the swollen area. Next, the floor covering is disassembled to the point of damage. The substrate is thoroughly dried and the floor is laid again. Deformed lamellas are replaced with new elements.

In some cases, it is quite difficult to find boards with a similar pattern, color and texture. You can use the details of the coating hidden under the furniture. In the future, when installing and calculating a new coating, several lamellas should be left in stock. Inexpensive laminate options are more prone to deformation and will require a complete replacement. High-quality canvases can return to their normal state after complete drying.

Water protection

Laminate can swell for various reasons, but the main factor in the appearance of deformation is the negative effect of water. A reliable protection against moisture can be the treatment of a laminate floor with a wax composition. Impregnation will protect the inner and outer surfaces from the likelihood of swelling with an accidental influx of water.

The procedure for processing the seams between the elements of the canvas is carried out only after a thorough cleaning of the surface from dust and various contaminants. The coating must be not only clean, but also dry. A special tool is applied carefully, with a spatula.

Waxing

After finishing the application of the protective layer, the surface is polished. The action can be performed using improvised means, or special polishing equipment. The main purpose of polishing is to remove wax from the surface of the lamellas. It is important that the agent remains only in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe seams, or small cracks.

Waxing is done twice. Re-treatment is performed after the complete drying of the first layer. Wax products are toxic, so work should be done in a well-ventilated area, observing all precautions using a respiratory mask. It is recommended to operate the coating after at least 10 hours after the grinding procedure.

You can also use a special polish that creates a protective film on the surface of the laminate. These methods will not eliminate the deformation of the coating in case of abundant moisture ingress, but will avoid negative consequences in case of accidental spillage of water during wet cleaning.
Treatment of cracks and seams

Laminate care instructions

The main condition for high-quality and long-term operation of a laminate floor is systematic and competent surface care. Timely removal of dirt and moisture will help maintain the aesthetics and attractive appearance of the coating. Dry cleaning involves collecting large debris by hand and cleaning the canvas using a broom. Laminate floors should not be washed more than twice a week. Wet cleaning should be done with extreme care to avoid any damage.

• exclusion of products based on ammonia and abrasives;
• infrequent use of detergents;
• elimination of moisture, acidic, hot liquids without delay;
• avoid mechanical influences.

Small scratches can reduce the performance of the material, allowing moisture to penetrate into the base of the lamellas. It is recommended to treat damage with a special wax pencil, which will protect the elements from further destruction. Elimination of stains, complex pollution should be carried out exclusively in strict accordance with the proven recommendations of specialists. Now you know if the laminate is swollen how to fix this misunderstanding.

Video about bloating laminate from water

The video shows what happens to the laminate panels during prolonged contact with water.