Why Does Laminate Flooring Buckle?

Laminate flooring provides a clean, modern aesthetic in a room and comes in a whole host of colours and wood types to give your home a unique character. However, there are some problems with laminate flooring, especially when things have not been correctly prepared. One of the biggest issues is buckling, but why does laminate flooring buckle and what can we do about it?

The reason that laminate flooring buckles is because of too much moisture in the wood. If there is a lot of moisture in the air or on the floor where the planks are being laid down, this can cause warping or buckling. Moreover, if the planks have not been acclimated before use, any residual moisture will remain inside them. 

Most commonly, buckling is caused because of water on the subfloor and can even be caused by problems with damp. Even if the boards have been properly acclimated before use, laying them down on a wet or damp surface will cause damage. Moisture will rise into the wood therefore causing it to warp. 

What a lot of people also don’t realise is that the way they clean their laminate flooring could cause it to warp or buckle. It’s a common mistake to assume mopping your wood floor is the best way to clean it but this can cause moisture to get into the wood, resulting in the buckling that we are trying to avoid.

Another common reason that laminate flooring may buckle is the quality of the product. Some laminate floor boards are laminated using incredibly high pressure and if this is the case, a balancing layer must be present on the bottom of the planks. This equalises the pressure and prevents the boards from warping. 

Why Does Laminate Flooring Separate?

There are a few reasons that your laminate flooring may have begun to separate resulting in unsightly gaps between the boards. Firstly we must go back to the concept of acclimating the planks. Not doing this means that they aren’t able to become equal to the conditions in the room and this can cause the boards to shrink once they are laid. Acclimating the boards is the best preventative measure you can take. 

That said, it is possible for you to have done this and still face problems down the line. Most commonly, this is caused by fluctuations in humidity and temperature in the room. These fluctuations can cause the boards to expand and shrink, leaving those annoying gaps in the floor. This typically happens when the temperature drops below 60ºF or 15ºC. Again, this is more likely if the planks have not been acclimatised. 

The way that the planks are installed can often cause problems with gapping. One of the most common problems is an uneven subfloor. While things may look OK at the beginning, once the laminate is laid, it will begin to take the shape of the floor below it which could cause it to separate. Another issue with installation is when excess glue is used which could interfere with how the planks lock together. If you are at all unsure about how to correctly install the flooring, we would suggest hiring the help of a professional. 

Finally, the gaps may have appeared in your laminate flooring due to a poor locking mechanism. This is, of course, only the case in click-lock floor boards which are very common in domestic DIY. It can be something as simple as a defective latch or hook that ruins the ability to lock the planks together.

Why Does Laminate Flooring Squeak?

There’s nothing more annoying than a creaky floor, right? But this is another common issue that people face after having installed laminate flooring. The main reason for this is the expansion and shrinking of the floor which can cause the planks to rub together and make a noise. The reasons that we have already discussed will cause changes in the size of the planks so be sure to consider this when thinking about why your floor is squeaking. 

Furthermore, you may find that if the subfloor is not even, as you walk on the laminate, the gaps between it and what’s beneath create a squeaking sound. Many people compare this to the sound of mice under the floorboards!

It’s also important to use an underlay between the subfloor and your laminate boards. This will prevent the two layers from rubbing on one another which will make a squeaking sound.

There are a lot of ‘solutions’ online to stop squeaky floor boards such as using talcum powder between the boards. But these are temporary and not always reliable. Unfortunately, if your floor is squeaking, the only way to fix it for good is to start from scratch. 

Recent Article: How Much Does It Cost To Hire Someone To Lay Laminate Flooring

Conclusion

If you’re keen to lay laminate flooring in your home then who could blame you? It’s a practical and yet extremely good looking flooring solution but you must be aware that there could be problems if it isn’t prepared or installed correctly. 

One of the biggest issues is that the laminate flooring will expand and buckle but this can be avoided by ensuring that the planks are exposed to high moisture levels. Similarly, by acclimating the boards before use and controlling the humidity and temperature in the room, you can avoid gaps from forming between the boards. 

If you’ve had issues with squeaking, it could be due to an uneven subfloor and the lack of an underlay. Taking the time to ensure correct preparation before laying your laminate floor will prevent annoying problems down the line.