Why the laminate has bulged. Why does the laminate swell at the joints

Laminate is perhaps the most popular type of flooring today. True, not every owner knows how to care for such a floor. Bloating laminate flooring is not uncommon. Fortunately, you can deal with it without the help of professionals.

Features and benefits of laminate

Laminate is a relatively affordable but very expensive looking material. It has become popular not only because of its optimal price-performance ratio. One of the main advantages of laminate flooring is easy installation. Even a beginner without special skills can lay laminate boards in his house or apartment. Laminate is one of the easiest floor coverings to install

What types of laminate are moisture resistant

Laminate is waterproof and moisture resistant. A waterproof coating is quite expensive, but it can provide reliable protection from spilled water.

Waterproof laminate is obtained by sealing a special fibreboard with hot wax. This shell allows you to restrain a water siege for a relatively long time.

Moisture resistant laminate is not protected from spilled water. Its design assumes protection from high humidity and swelling, which it threatens with conventional laminate. The secret of moisture resistance lies in a special base - HDF board, which is able to prevent deformation of the board.

A special feature of moisture-resistant laminate is the green color of the board in the section.

Causes of laminate swelling

Laminate flooring can swell for a variety of reasons:

Ways to eliminate swelling in laminate

If the laminate is swollen, went "in waves" or small bubbles just appeared on its surface, you can return its original appearance with your own hands, without resorting to the expensive help of masters.

How to replace one plank without disassembling the entire coating

If one laminate board is damaged without hope of recovery, it can be replaced without removing the entire flooring in the room.

Before starting work, you need to leave a new bar in the room where it will be installed for several days. This will allow the board to "adapt" to the room conditions and take on its final appearance, which will prevent its further deformation after installation.

To replace a specific board of adhesive laminate, you will need to remove the entire row:

Remove the skirting board closest to the plank.
Dismantling the row begins with removing the skirting board
Dismantle the boards one by one, moving from the wall to the damaged plank.
Remove the boards carefully so as not to damage them
Be sure to number the removed laminate boards (for example, using stickers) in order to install them back in the same order.
Numbering will help you reinstall the boards
Replace damaged laminate with new planks.
It is for this purpose that during repairs it is recommended to purchase several spare laminate planks.
Reinstall the removed planks, moving from the replaced board to the wall.
When installing old boards, do not forget to follow the numbering.
Replace the skirting board.

The castle laminate allows you to replace one board without disassembling the rest. This method requires some skill and a number of tools. If you have a jigsaw and glass jack, you can use them to remove only one plank of the interlocking laminate.

Video: how to replace one laminate board with a jigsaw and glass jack

How to increase the expansion gap around the room

If, during installation, the master did not leave a gap between the boards and the wall, then the laminate will sooner or later "rise up".
Such deformation of the laminate is caused, as a rule, by the absence of an expansion gap between the coating and the wall; if you react quickly, you can return such boards to their original appearance

To fix this, you have to resort to dismantling:

Remove the skirting board.
When removing the skirting board, avoid sudden and strong movements in order not to damage it; use force smoothly and moderately
Identify those laminate boards that are installed without expansion gaps.
The expansion gap should be between 1 and 1.5 cm
Use a jigsaw to cut out any protruding pieces of laminate flooring. Make sure that the resulting gap is completely hidden under the skirting board.
Using a jigsaw, you can increase the expansion gap to the desired size

To speed up the alignment, you can press the deformed area with heavy furniture: a table, sofa, bed. The more often a piece of furniture has legs, the better.

For more even pressure, place some kind of flat, level object on the laminate flooring. For this purpose, unnecessary large-format hardback books are perfect: old encyclopedias, A4 textbooks, children's books. Do not use publications that are dear to your heart, as furniture legs can damage the cover. Place a book under each leg of the furniture. This will distribute the pressure over a larger area.

Video: how to increase the expansion gap using a jigsaw

Elimination of deformation without dismantling the coating

If the laminate has gone in waves (as a rule, this is due to high humidity in the room or from a large amount of spilled water), then the damage can be repaired without dismantling.
If the laminate "went in waves", then the reason, most likely, lies in the high humidity

It is enough to wipe the floor covering dry (if it is damp), ventilate the room and reduce the level of humidity. This can be done by the following methods:

check the ventilation system. Perhaps, due to its pollution or malfunction, the air cannot circulate normally in the room, which is why the humidity rises;
turn on heating batteries or a heater. These devices dry the air well;
use an air conditioner (if installed). The conditioned air is much drier. Also, some modern models of air conditioners and split systems have a dehumidification function - you can use it separately.

Small irregularities caused by moisture can be ironed out. Place a double-folded piece of gauze or paper over the deformed area and iron it as if you were ironing.

I tweaked it with a hot iron, through the paper. Not to say that everything has disappeared, but it has become noticeably smaller. And he pressed down specifically!
https://foren.germany.ru/arch/bastler/f/24408011.html

If you have a household hair dryer with a heated air function, you can use it for emergency drying after moisture gets into the joints. If you spill water on the boards and a puddle gets on the joint area, first wipe the floor with a dry cloth, and then dry it with a hair dryer at medium temperature. Do not use maximum heating - the coating may lose its attractive appearance.

For me, for example, when something is spilled on the laminate, I wipe it dry with a rag and this is where it all ends. But the laminate also swelled a little in the place where the bucket of water was overturned. Well, I then dried this place with a regular hair dryer. It's all gone.
shoresman
http://www.allremont.ru/showthread.php?t=18199

Correction of severe deformation

If the laminate does not fit even after drying externally, the deformed areas must be dismantled. This will require:

Disassemble the laminate to the damaged area. It is also necessary to remove the panels around the damage. The boards are removed from their place carefully, raising them to 45 degrees.
Carefully remove the damaged laminate panels
Dry the backing and removed laminate panels. To do this, put the damaged boards in a pile, and evenly press down on top with some kind of weight - for example, a package of another laminate or several stacks of books. This is to avoid warping during drying.
Stack laminate boards one on top of the other to dry
If the boards remain uneven even after removing and drying, replace them with new ones.
Surely, after the repair, you still have at least one pack of aminate - use it to replace too much deformed boards
Install the laminate back.

Prophylaxis

To prevent the laminate from bloating, use the following products:

Video: how to stick a round protective film on a laminate

Returning the flooring to its original appearance is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. And by observing the rules of operation and maintaining optimal conditions, future deformations can be avoided.

Today, laminate flooring is the most popular floor covering that can be assembled or dismantled by yourself without the help of special workers. But there are a number of reasons why the uniformity of the flooring can be disturbed, such as the ingress of a large amount of water on its surface.

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

Removing bloating with an iron.

This is the most effective and easiest way to remove bump under the laminate, but there are several nuances that must be observed:

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

To eliminate swelling on the laminated surface, you need to set the iron on medium or below medium heat. We put a metal ruler on the strip of joints of two panels, most often the swelling occurs there, and iron it until the moisture completely evaporates and the unevenness is 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 ground floor so that the moisture coming from the basement does not raise the laminate. The joints of the slabs should be thoroughly glued with special glue and 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 permissible only with a broom or a vacuum cleaner (not water-based);
Class 33 and 34 materials can be cleaned using a combination of dry and wet cleaning.

Conclusion

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

Today, laminate flooring is one of the most popular floor coverings. Moreover, it is used both in houses and apartments, and in offices. This demand is due to the excellent performance characteristics of the material, durability and strength. However, this material is afraid of moisture, so you need to know what to do if the laminate is swollen. After all, this issue does not have to be solved by a complete replacement of the coating.

Causes of bloating

This phenomenon can be caused by several reasons. Moreover, it is expressed in different ways - waves appear, places of bulges or irregularities. And in the beginning it is important to correctly identify the reasons. And then eliminate the consequences.

Reasons why laminate flooring swells:

poor quality base - if the base floor is poorly prepared, unevenness remains on it. This will damage the topcoat. In this case, the consequences can be eliminated only by complete dismantling. Then level the base and re-lay the floors. In this case, the damaged strips will have to be replaced.
water ingress on laminate floors - a one-time exposure will not harm him. But when moisture gets on the laminate all the time, there will be trouble. Especially if the technology was violated during installation, and gaps appeared between the strips. In this case, swelling will occur quickly.
low-quality material - cheap types of this material swell from time to time. In such a situation, there is only one way out - a complete replacement.
the laying technology is violated - if during installation the temperature gaps are not taken into account or the panels are glued to the base base, due to temperature and humidity changes, the strips will begin to warp.

Important! Laminate is a floating floor. Therefore, it is mounted so that it does not come into contact with the walls. The gap should be 1 cm. This allows the panels to expand freely.

If swelling at the joints

Sometimes the laminate will swell directly at the joints between the planks. There are reasons for this:

poor quality of material - when laminate is cheap, locks are of poor quality. This leads to bloating.
a substrate of the wrong thickness is selected - depending on the thickness of the strips themselves, the substrate is also selected. If you put a thick and soft lining under the thin laminate, this will lead to pushing the planks. As a result, the locks crack.

The reason for the warping of the laminate floor can also be cleaning. It is important to remember that this material is afraid of moisture. Therefore, you do not need to pour too much - just wipe it with a wrung out cloth.

A common reason why the laminate is lifted is the wrong installation technology. It is expressed in the absence of a gap between the coating and the walls. And it should be at least 8 mm, and in rooms with high humidity, this seam increases to 15 mm.

So, if the reason is technology, then the following works are done:

first of all, the skirting board is dismantled;
when the slats are removed, the problem will immediately become clear, if the point is in the gap - the laminate will be rested against the walls;
when the problem is identified, you can fix it. To do this, you need to cut off the excess parts of the lamellas.
There are two technologies for installing laminate flooring - locking, which is most often used, and adhesive. If the floor is laid according to the second option, you will have to cut it in place.
along the perimeter of the canvas, an even mark is made for indentation. With the help of a jigsaw or a grinder, a cut is made.
if the system is locking, then it is better to take out the first rows. This is done simply, although if the coating is greatly expanded and the laminate panels rest tightly against the wall, you will have to pry it over the edge. In this case, it is more correct to make a cut in place.
after the gap is made, replace the strips you removed and level the swollen laminate flooring. To do this, it is enough to press on the warpage - the panels will snap into place.

When trimming, you need to take into account the width of the skirting board - it should cover the gap formed. Pay attention to how it is fixed to the wall. There should be a gap of 2-3 mm between it and the floor.

If moisture is to blame

If the laminate is swollen with water, you will need to disassemble the surface. There is an option that the moisture will evaporate by itself. For this:

you need to wipe the places where water gets in;
then ventilate the room.

But you need to understand that this option is suitable in cases where the water did not have time to be strongly absorbed. This method will not work for cheap grades of material, because they are rarely moisture resistant.

Therefore, most often it has to be disassembled. The sequence of actions if the laminate is swollen:

the skirting boards are carefully removed. It is worth paying attention to the state of the compensation gap - if it is not there, it is better to immediately eliminate this problem as well.
floors are gradually disassembled to the point where swelling is detected;
now it is advisable to disassemble a few more panels and dry the base and substrate. And the surrounding planks will not hurt to ventilate.
after that, the damaged panels are replaced, and the laminate is laid back, and the skirting boards are installed.

However, one unpleasant nuance may arise here - if the coating is old, it has lost its original color anyway. Therefore, it may be difficult to select replacement panels.

In this case, you can offer a simple way out of the situation. In any room, there are blind spots: under the table or other furniture, or in the corners. Those. those places that are not striking.

Important! When installing laminate flooring, it is best to leave a few panels in reserve. They will come in handy in case of local repairs.

You can take laminate from such places and replace the damaged one with it. And put the new one where you can't see it.

Bloating protection

In order not to puzzle over how to fix the damaged coating, preventive measures are provided. They are simple:

monitor the terms of use of the coverage. Remember that laminate flooring is afraid of moisture, so you need to choose its class carefully.
it is better to give preference to proven materials. Cheap panels won't last long.
special attention should be paid to preparation. The base floor must be level and dry and the subfloor adequate.
we must not forget that the laminate must float, i.e. the canvas is in no way fixed to the base.
maintain expansion gaps;
do wet cleaning and make sure that there is no abundant moisture.

These measures will help prevent damage to the floor covering.

Protecting the laminate from moisture

Sometimes laminate flooring is placed in rooms with high humidity, where it can rise over time. To save yourself from this, you can use special polishes or wax.

Better to use wax. It is natural, gives shine and protects against high humidity. For parquet, this is the classic version of the protective coating.

The application technology itself is simple:

a thin layer of wax is applied to the laminate;
then you need to grind it on the floor with a machine or manually - with a soft cloth;
rubbing is done twice, as a result, the laminate should remain clean. The wax itself fills the joints, cracks and cracks, thus preventing the penetration of moisture;
after the procedure, the laminate should stand for about 12 hours, during which time it is advisable to ventilate the room.

Another anti-bloating technique that can either be combined with a rub or applied alone is to use a soak. It is applied to the ends of the panels during installation. This impregnation effectively prevents water from absorbing when it gets between the joints.

However, you need to understand that these measures are not a panacea - if the coating is constantly exposed to high humidity or water gets in, swelling cannot be avoided. Therefore, you need to monitor the conditions of use, and treat the laminate floor with care. Well, in case of emergency, you can always make local repairs.

Popular and generally durable flooring such as laminate can be problematic. One such problem is the swelling of individual boards. The RMNT website will tell you why laminate flooring can swell and how to deal with this problem with your own hands.

First, let's figure out the reasons why the laminate can swell:

There is no gap between the boards and the wall. There must be a gap of at least 1 centimeter! Then you cover it with a baseboard and nothing will be visible. The gap between the laminate and the wall is needed as a reserve in case of expansion of the flooring under the influence of temperature and moisture. In addition, the gap serves as ventilation, preventing excessive moisture build-up along the laminate flooring.
The laminate laying technology has been violated. The website portal provided detailed instructions on how to lay the laminate with your own hands. We strongly advise you to stick to it! A poorly prepared substrate, an incorrectly selected substrate, fastening individual boards with nails, a damp floor can cause the coating to swell after a few days.
Moisture penetration into the cracks between the boards, as well as excessive humidity in the room. If something is spilled on a regular laminate, the consequences can be dire. And you only need to wash it 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:

Remove the skirting boards.
Find the places where the laminate rests against the wall, there is no gap.
Very carefully, with a jigsaw, trim the lamellas in this place so that a gap of at least 1 centimeter remains.
Remove from the floor covering everything that may interfere with his straightening, and it is advisable, on the contrary, to press the swollen area with something heavy enough.
Wait until the laminate returns to 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 clips and other elements directly to the floor screed. And skirting boards - only against the wall, not against 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 replaced:

Bring a new plank to this room and leave it there for at least a day to adapt to the conditions.
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.
We number all the boards so that they can then be laid in the same order.
Replaces damaged or damaged, swollen boards.
We carry out the installation in the reverse order and put the plinth in place.

If you spill something on the laminate and it swells up for this reason, you need to act quickly:

Remove damaged boards urgently.
Leave the lamellas to dry. If the laminate was of good quality, chances are that it will return to its original appearance. Otherwise, you will need to change the boards.
Remember to wipe off any water that has gotten 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 in place for several years, then it is very difficult to choose the lamellas exactly according to the texture and color! The laminate has been actively exploited, the color has definitely changed. In this case, we advise you to castling - to 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 the outside eye to see the differences between the old and new lamellas.

Laminate parquet, like any other floor covering, deforms under the influence of certain factors (swells, warps, twists, etc.). It is not difficult to find out the reason for the appearance of defects, much more work will have to be done on how to eliminate the swelling of the laminate.

Laminate flooring is successfully used in any room, except for damp ones. For baths, laundries and similar rooms, there are special finishing materials made of PVC, composite, ceramics. Even special mounting systems have been developed that allow you to assemble a waterproof canvas. Such products are not cheap, but we will talk about the traditional coating.

As practice shows, even under acceptable conditions, the laminate can swell after installation. And there are several reasons for this:

Installation errors

The floor covering is deformed due to the absence or insufficient expansion gaps around the perimeter of the room. To put it simply, the floor expands as the humidity rises, rests against the wall and the individual planks begin to rise. Both the locks and the stove are damaged.

Swelling of the laminate due to lack of expansion gaps.

According to the manufacturer's recommendations, the optimal size of the expansion joint is 8-10 mm. The master may forget at all or make excuses that the gap will not be covered with a plinth. Recall: the minimum width of a decorative strip made of MDF, PVC or wood is 18 mm or more - up to 4 cm, depending on the height and design of the product. Therefore, this is either trivial laziness, or complete ignorance of the rules for styling and unwillingness to read the instructions attached by the plant to each pack.

The second reason that defects appear after laying the laminate in the first few months is high residual moisture content of the base... Moisture content should not exceed:

4% for floor slabs,
5% for cement-sand screeds,
12% for a base made of board, plywood or chipboard.

Bulging at the joints due to high moisture content in the substrate.

If you neglect this rule, then soon you will find the floor swollen in places.

The third likely factor could be underlayment too thick... Some pseudo-experts claim that the surface can be leveled very cheaply and quickly - with the help of a substrate rolled in several layers. Let's think logically what can become with a coating that actually "walks":

Too soft bottom layer does not create an even solid base and bounces like a rubber trampoline.
Locking joints are not designed for such a backlash, they loosen, creak and break.
The result is a creaky, in places raised floor with crumbled locks.

Laminate with locks damaged by thick backing.

In this form, it is difficult to restore - a master with a huge store of knowledge and colossal work experience will be required. It is easier to completely remove and lay a new one according to the instructions.

Incorrect operating conditions

Installation was carried out according to all the rules, but your laminate is swollen - what to do? Check if there is water on the seam area. If the floor is laid in the corridor in front of the front door, in the opening of the bathroom or in the kitchen near the sink, then it can rise precisely because of regular hydration... Moreover, the amount of liquid is not so important. The very fact of interaction of the coating with moisture, whether it be a flood or leaking pipes, is essential.

Laminate swollen from splashing water.

Note one more factor: a laminate floor made according to all the rules can swell due to high relative humidity... According to operational standards, the optimal value of this indicator varies from 40% to 60%. For some regions (Primorye, North Caucasus) the average annual rate is 80-90%. In this case, it is recommended to purchase products with increased moisture resistance characteristics, such as:

The density of the slab is not less than 800 kg / m 3;
Water absorption coefficient no more than 7%;
Processing of tool joints with special compounds, etc.

Low-quality products

There is one more answer to the question “why the laminate is swollen” - the purchased product is from an unknown manufacturer of dubious quality. Is different:

Carrier low density board- up to 700 kg / m 3. It's easy to check - try bending or scratching the lock with your fingernail. A real HDF board is very strong and firm to the touch, without the slightest sign of looseness. The structure is homogeneous, without foreign inclusions, does not spring when compressed, when trying to break with fingers, it does not bend in the pressure area.

Even wax impregnation will not save a poor-quality laminate from water.

Weak top layer- overlay. According to the assurances of the manufacturers, the laminate can withstand a lot: the wheels of office chairs, heels, animal claws, etc. In addition, with proper care, it will last at least 10 years. But if the protective coating is of poor quality, it can be easily damaged, scratched or removed completely. Sometimes buyers use keys and carnations for testing, but the most optimal way of testing is to put the lamella on the floor and walk on it, jump. Then raise and carefully examine the bar. The absence of traces indicates that the products are resistant to shock and mechanical stress.

† Too soft or uneven snap joints... If the two strips are easily connected, without the slightest effort and characteristic clicks, then they will diverge just as soon. Another thing is when the lamellas are joined with difficulty, with additional effort. Examine the locks carefully. There should be no crooked cuts, bends or cuts - an extremely flat plane without flaws.

Low-quality laminated floor, according to the assurances of the stackers, is very difficult to install. It is capricious in assembly, requires additional grinding and fitting. Swells and swells quickly from the slightest splashes of water, darkens after wet cleaning and fades in open areas. The service life is calculated in 3-5 years. There is only one way to correct defects - complete dismantling and disposal.

Bloated laminate: how to fix

A damaged coating is not always amenable to restoration. If installation errors are the cause, then most often it is possible to do with economical methods of floor restoration:

If there are no expansion gaps around the perimeter, then they can be carefully cut with a jigsaw. A correctly made seam is completely covered with a skirting board.

In case of increased residual moisture, the laminate must be completely removed and laid out in a ventilated dry room. Apply a waterproofing primer to the base or spread a foil, a new underlay and only then reinstall the floor.

Remember that snap joints stretch over time. Therefore, when dismantling, you need to write a number on the back of the plates with a marker in order to subsequently assemble the coating in the same order.

If swelling appears due to an incorrectly selected substrate thickness, then this means that the locks are already damaged, the strips must be removed and discarded. It is better to buy a few more packs from the same batch together with a new underlay. If you don’t find it, select it by shade and stick it on.

Advice “remove the plank from an inconspicuous place, such as under a sofa or wardrobe, and rearrange” is better to ignore. A tight joint will not work in any case, besides, the coating, as a rule, fades a little in the light, the difference will be obvious.

The planks that have risen due to the ingress of water can not be touched for some time (up to 3 months). Laminate from well-known factories often bounces back on its own. But if it deteriorates more and more over time, it is more rational to remove the damaged area and replace it with a new one. How this is done is well demonstrated in the video below.

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