Why Do Laminate Floors Float

Dirt is an enemy to laminate since it scratches and dulls the finish of the floor.

Why do laminate floors float.

In all cases the root cause is a failure to follow the written installation instructions provided by the laminate flooring manufacturer. For this reason it is important never to wet mop a laminate floor. Buckling diagram from kronotex. Since it is a floating floor the planks tend to contract when it is cool and expand when it is warm.

High moisture content in the air can sometimes lead to buckling or warping. Ensure that the subfloor is even during installation and there is no moisture retention in the floor area. They float above the subsurface to allow for expansion and contraction in reaction to a room s humidity level. Laminate flooring is affected by water in a number of ways.

Floating floors are an ideal option if you don t want to glue laminate planks to the subfloor. Excessive water on the surface of the floor can also lead to buckling or warping. Laminate floor peaking on the other side of the spectrum is peaking which is caused when boards are pushed up against each other. Laminate floors need to be swept or vacuumed often to keep them clean.

However sweeping or vacuuming improperly can do more damage to your laminate than the dirt. The floating method allows the flooring to respond to changes in a room s relative humidity by expanding and contracting without buckling. Floor coverings like laminate luxury vinyl or engineered wood flooring may be snapped together to create a one piece uniform surface rather like a jigsaw puzzle. Thankfully you do not have to undertake major renovation projects like removing the entire floor to remedy the situation.

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. Keep in mind that most laminate floors are floating floors. If your laminate floor is moving and shifting you can fix it by closing any gaps between the floorboards. 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.

Because of their unique construction floating floor planks are designed to connect with adjoining.