Why Do Laminate Floors Float

Excessive water on the surface of the floor can also lead to buckling or warping.

Why do laminate floors float.

Laminate flooring is affected by water in a number of ways. They float above the subsurface to allow for expansion and contraction in reaction to a room s humidity level. Floating floors are an ideal option if you don t want to glue laminate planks to the subfloor. Buckling diagram from kronotex.

Because of their unique construction floating floor planks are designed to connect with adjoining. Dirt is an enemy to laminate since it scratches and dulls the finish of the floor. Therefore it is crucial to take precautions to prevent buckling. For this reason it is important never to wet mop a laminate floor.

If your laminate floor is moving and shifting you can fix it by closing any gaps between the floorboards. In all cases the root cause is a failure to follow the written installation instructions provided by the laminate flooring manufacturer. However sweeping or vacuuming improperly can do more damage to your laminate than the dirt. When a laminate floor covering is squeaking on the other hand it could be because the subfloor isn t level there s no underpadding or the boards have expanded and then shrunk again.

High moisture content in the air can sometimes lead to buckling or warping. Keep in mind that most laminate floors are floating floors. Thankfully you do not have to undertake major renovation projects like removing the entire floor to remedy the situation. Ensure that the subfloor is even during installation and there is no moisture retention in the floor area.

Laminate floor peaking on the other side of the spectrum is peaking which is caused when boards are pushed up against each other. Since it is a floating floor the planks tend to contract when it is cool and expand when it is warm. Laminate floors need to be swept or vacuumed often to keep them clean. Laminate flooring planks are generally joined together along the edges and end with a modified tongue and groove system often known as click lock or fold and lock.

Build direct notes that the most common reason laminate floorboards peak is due to a lack of expansion space between the moldings and the floor.