| Author | Message | ||
     86129squids |
Hey good folks- I'm trying an experiment to attempt a fix at some water damage on my NEW frickin laminate floor... Maybe it's just my redneck mentality, or the lack of good ideas after Googling, but I've got a clothes iron laying on the spot, with a 2-layer thin cotton towel to buffer. Just trying to apply heat to disperse the moisture, hopefully getting things back to flat/normal. I probably need more weight/pressure to do much of anything, but without wasting an enormous amount of time, I'm hoping this might work. No easy fixes at the hardware stores... Any ideas? Problem is moisture induced swelling at the seam of a few sections. I'm planning on a good coat of protective clearcoat before it's all done, but I'd hate to have to pull up everything to get to the F'ed up pieces. Can do, but donwanna. HALP!  | ||
| Bads1 |
First off the protective clear coat won't help. The floor is a free floating floor. Its designed to move. If your home settles in areas the floor if installed correctly will move with it. As far as the repair for water damage??? There is none. All you really can do is replace whats bad if that can be done.sorry!! | ||
| 86129squids |
OK, thanks, but- CRAP. I do know it's a "floating" floor, but surely a decent clearcoat will help...? Dang thing CAN'T "float"/move THAT much... Next room is the kitchen- LOTS more likely for spillage, not to mention the fridge- every now and then, a hanging piece of ice from the dispenser drops... Bottom line, this stuff shouldn't be so fragile- if so, heck, should've got new carpet.  | ||
| Xodot |
I've got laminate throughout the house. something I have learned is the stuff comes with a wide range of quality. I had all my upstairs flooring torn out and changed because of water damage from the dishwasher leak. The water soaked down beneath the laminate to the subflooring. The problem was the base of the laminate swelled with the water. The finish and the image of the wood was not effected. The swelling effected the joints, raised the effected planks and created gaps between some planks. Once that happens there is no reversal, there is no fix. Water spills are not a problem as long as the water is sitting on top of the floor it can be wiped off without any effect. Good quality laminate is as durable as hardwood. Cheap stuff is ... well cheap. Good luck with the iron. Post up if it works. | ||
| Rsh |
If it's water damaged you are F'ed, you will have to remove and replace the affected sections as needed. Been there done that...I know it sucks | ||
| Xodot |
.... oh yea and there is the problem with mold growing between the subfloor and laminate if you don't air dry the wet area, and that means ripping up the laminate. | ||
| Jim2 |
I had mine installed. The foreman was inspecting all pieces as he unpacked them and he would set aside the few he could find that weren't perfect. At the beginning of day two he comes in and notices that a piece he had set aside because it had a finger print in the finish was not where he had set it aside. That meant his people used it. So after the search led to the piece with the finger print he told his guys to replace it. It was in the middle of the master bedroom. I asked him if he had to pull the floor up from the wall all the way to the middle. He said no, they have tricks. And they did. They replaced it and only used about three or four pieces in the process and didn't have to tear out the whole floor. You might check with an installer. They may only ask $100 or so provided you have some extra floor to use. | ||
| Bads1 |
Good quality laminate is as durable as hardwood. Cheap stuff is ... well cheap There are different floors ranging in durability. None of them withstand water..... underneath or laying on top. The water can get in at joints from the top of even the best floors. | ||
| Guell |
Its really the material that the laminate is made of, its not solid wood, its a pressed mdf type material, once it swells with water, its fubar. I work with the stuff a good amount. | ||
| Jimduncan69 |
Unfortunately once there is peaking of the seams caused by excessive moisture. There is nothing you can do other than replace the bad planks. First and formost you should be running a dehumidifier to get the excess moisture out from under the laminate before mold starts to grow. once it starts to dry out the swelling should go down some. But will never go all the way back down. Like others have stated laminate does come in different grades of quality. They are definitely not all created equal. If you buy value engineered flooring it is going to perform like it. Moisture is one of this biggest enemies of almost all flooring. There are some new vinyl planked flooring out that are impervious to water. Also ceramic, porcelain and natural stone tile can withstand moisture. As far as a clear coat for you laminate. I would recommend highly that you DO NOT do that! It will not hold up and peel off and become very unsightly. Let me know if you have any other questions. I am a certified flooring installer of 17 years. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Make sure it get's dry under there & when it's up give it a healthy dose of fungicide. Mold spores play hell with many peoples respiratory systems. | ||
| Rwven |
I had the same thing happen to me when the dishwasher leaked just after I had installed a new Pergo laminate floor in my kitchen. I didn't do anything to it and after it dried out it leveled right out again, This was about 15 years ago and it still looks fine in that area. | ||
| 86129squids |
Thanks all- I do appreciate the advice. Gary- give me more input on the clearcoat- I've got a good buddy who's a fixit everything kind of guy, he could build a house from the inside out (and has)- he put a laminate floor in his kitchen, and plans to clearcoat it... I'd just like a foolproof way to prevent this from happening again, especially in the kitchen. Good news, after all, is whatever the problem is, the heinous dog-ruined carpet is gone... | ||
| Jimduncan69 |
Brad, as far as the clear coat is concerned. I have never heard of anyone doing this before. I know it is not recommended by the manufacturers. I have been to many certification classes and never heard any mention of this also. I don't know what your friend is using but I don't see how it would help. Depending on the grade of laminate you have the wear layer can be quit tough and durable. The weekest part of the laminate is the seams and the perimeter edges. Some companies recommend applying glue to the seams when installing there product while others do not. Pergo for instance applies a wax to the seams to help installation and repell moisture. There is no real fool proof way to prevent this from happening. It is just the nature of the beast with this type of flooring. Back to the clear coating. Keep in mind that laminate is a floating floor and the surface is made of plastic impregnated with aluminum oxide. If some how he manages to get the clear coat to bond to it. The laminate has a padding under it. So when you walk on it in will move and compress under your feet. This movement will transfer to the seams as being they are the weekest part of the floor. Which in turn as the clear coats hardens will crack. That will defeat the purpose of coating it in the first place. Oh and the most important reason it will void your warranty. If you do have problems later down the road the manufacturer will look for and and all reasons not to take your claim. Hope that helps ya! | ||
| 86129squids |
Thanks Gary- I PM'ed ya a minute ago... The laminate my friend used isn't even as thick as mine (8.3mm), he's got it in the kitchen, with a dishwasher in an "island" in the middle of the room- plus, saying he hated how the underlayer "gives", he didn't use one. I didn't either, thinking that if this stuff simulates hardwood, it should feel like hardwood. Of course by now you're probably going   Holler later if you can. | ||
| Rsh |
The "under layer" is also a moisture/vapor barrier, if your house is built on a cement slab, humidity can change the moisture level of the cement slab, you could run the risk of the flooring being damaged by moisture from underneath if not using a barrier. With Gary's advise you'll be on the right path. |
