Laminated laminate - how to fix it?

Today laminate is the most popular floor covering. Its main advantages are fast installation and simplicity of laying, external beauty and pleasant texture, unlimited range of colors and textures. But even people who prefer the most expensive and high-quality coating face with the problems of its deformation. Many consumers often find that after a while after installation the laminate is swollen. How to fix this seemingly insoluble problem, we will consider in this article.

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Why is laminate most often swollen?

There are a number of reasons for the sharp deformation of such a floor covering, which is more concerned with inexpensive laminate models. The following situations can be classified as such negative factors.

Technological infringements at stacking

Absence of compensatory backlashes which by all rules and norms should make not less than eight millimeters. When laying a laminate it is necessary to take this fact into account, and the gaps should be between the lamellas and the wall, since they play the role of the so-called buffer.

Important! The wood used to make it, over time, can expand and contract under the influence of changes in temperature and humidity. Naturally, if there are no such buffer zones, the web will swell due to expansion.

Effect of moisture

If the coating is constantly in contact with water, it will swell and it will have to be completely or partially replaced.

Low quality of the material itself

When buying cheap products, every consumer should understand the likelihood of such a negative outcome. Having saved on the purchase, you will then have to pay twice as much for the replacement or repair of the floor.

Incorrect installation

The flooring can not be fastened directly to the base, the laminate should always be mounted with a floating method.

Poorly executed base

If the foundation is poorly prepared, the floor can be deformed, and it will be necessary to correct it completely by dismantling it.

Other causes

It happens that the laminate is blown directly at the joints. This is for the following reasons:

1. The substrate is not suitable. So, for example, a board thickness of seven millimeters to stack is recommended for a special substrate, the thickness of which should not exceed two millimeters.

Important! If the boards are slightly thicker, respectively - the substrate should be thicker, made of polystyrene or natural cork.

1. Improper care of the coating. If you use too much water during cleaning and raise dampness, then the laminate will certainly start to swell.
2. A low-quality slab located on the inside of the slats. Therefore, only materials made of the most dense plates should be bought.

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What to do when the laminate is inflated?

In fact, there are many solutions to the problem. But in order to understand what to do, if the laminate is swollen, you must first determine the exact cause, and only then proceed to choose the method for its elimination.

How to solve the problem on their own in each particular case, we will consider further.

Method 1

If the cause of the swelling is the water spilled onto the floor:

1. You need to first remove the panels exactly where they are deformed.
2. Next, inspect the material, perhaps the water has accumulated directly beneath it. If this is the case, wipe it dry and replace the substrate.

Important! If everything is done quickly, then the boards will very soon fall into place and will look like before. In case of more serious problems, you will have to completely replace the damaged panels.

Method 2

When the laminate has gone to the wave due to insufficient gaps between the wall and the floor, it is necessary to make the coating correction:

1. First you need to remove the skirting board and inspect the places where the boards began to rest against the wall.
2. Then you need to trim the bulging elements and leave a free space of at least one and a half centimeters.
3. We cover everything with plinth and fix it to the wall.

Make sure that the skirting board completely covers all newly formed gaps.

Important! If during the installation of the laminate you have a few extra slats left, do not rush to throw them away, because you may need them in case of reinstallation of the floor or its partial replacement.

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Preventive measures of blistering of

laminate flooring As we have already explained, do not panic immediately if the laminate is swollen. How to fix this problem also became clear. But it is much more important to learn how to avoid deformation so as not to pay twice as much.

Follow the recommendations below and this problem will never affect you and your home:

• Buy extremely high quality products that will surely survive for at least two hours the negative impact of water accidentally on its surface. And it concerns not only hot, but cold water. The fact that cheap lamellas almost immediately begin to swell and pass the spilled liquid directly under the substrate or finishing flooring.
• Be sure to study the technology of installing laminate, in particular, if it is done on its own. If you do not understand something, or doubt that you have enough knowledge and skills to conduct this work, then it is better to invite a specialist who will provide you with qualified assistance. He can not only give you useful advice and advice, but also perform all the work.
• Do not forget, during the laying of the laminate, that you must lubricate all joints thoroughly with a means to seal them. This will prevent possible discrepancies between panels and reliably protect all gaps from moisture. Of course, this process will take you a lot of time, but you will not worry about the quality of the work done in the future.
• When buying a laminate for installation in a corridor or kitchen, be sure to pay attention only to waterproof models to reduce the likelihood of swelling of the lamellas in the event of unexpected liquid ingress or systematic wetting during cleaning.
• In order to additionally protect the floor covering, it is recommended to treat it with wax or paraffin. By the way, this method has already proven itself in practice.

Now you know what to do if the laminate is swollen, and how to prevent this phenomenon. Indeed, there are minor problems, and there are situations when it is very difficult to cope with this task. So - it is better to follow all the above recommendations and sleep peacefully. It is necessary with all responsibility not only to choose and buy, but also laying the floor, doing everything strictly according to the instructions with the use of the best materials.