Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring is a tough, practical and relatively cheap alternative to hardwood. Embossed laminate looks almost identical, but it can be a fraction of the price. Nevertheless, laminate flooring isn’t without potential problems.
- Check for Gapping
Poor quality laminate or bad workmanship can lead to gaps between planks and by walls and doors. But in some cases, atmospheric conditions are to blame. Gapping can lead to serious, irreversible damage — as well as trips and falls. The issue should be dealt with by flooring contractors as quickly as possible. - Check for Peaking
Peaking is a common problem that occurs when individual planks expand and push up against each other at the joints. This often happens when the original fitters don’t leave enough space for expansion. - Check for Mold
Badly-fitted laminate flooring is highly susceptible to mold. This is because gaps and cracks allow moisture to find its way under the flooring — where the airflow is non-existent. The first sign of mold under laminate is usually a bad odor. You might need to remove a few panels to check. - Check for a “Soft Floor”
Laminate consists of a sublayer, which consists of wood chippings and various other substances. When this sublayer gets wet, it softens and swells. Over time, it can eventually fall apart. Laminate affected by this problem might be raised or loose. - Check for Buckling
Laminate can buckle for a number of reasons. One of the most common is excessive, incessant humidity. Other reasons include excess surface water and moisture coming up from the floor beneath. Flooring experts may install an extra sublayer underneath your laminate in order to address this problem.
