Laminate flooring is a great option for many homes, but one of
its disadvantages is that it isn’t water-resistant. Small spills that are
quickly cleaned up won’t harm your laminate flooring, but other factors such
as appliance condensation leaks, constant high humidity, damp sub-floor, or
large spills or water leaks that seep in the crack between the laminate
planks can damage your flooring.
Once water gets into the
cracks, it will swell the joints and cause the floor to swell, buckle and
bubble. This can be unattractive, as well as unsafe, as it can cause tripping
hazards. Once your laminate floor sustains water damage, is there any way to
fix it?
The best way is to completely replace the damaged
boards. There is no need to replace the entire floor unless the damage came
from an issue with the sub-floor. If your sub-floor has a moisture issue, the
best course of action is to take up the entire floor and install a more
water-resistant option.
If your sub-floor isn’t the issue,
and you only have damage in a small spot, use a hammer and pry bar to
carefully remove the water-damaged planks. Make sure you’ve removed all the
pieces with damage. If there are any damaged ones left, the could cause
future problems. Be sure to air out the damaged area thoroughly to ensure
that the area is completely dry before you install the new
planks.
Many homeowners will order extra laminate flooring
when they have their floor installed just for these types of situations. It
can be difficult to find laminate flooring that matches your current
laminate’s patter, texture, and finish. If you have extra planks from your
original flooring installation, it’s easy to cut them to size and click them
right into place.
