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Posted on April 1, 2006 by Alphonso Sirtle.. | Posted under Home Improvement
What Can I Do if My Laminate Flooring is Damaged After Installation?
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Replacing Glued Laminate Flooring Since the glue makes the laminate flooring somewhat more permanent than the interlocking systems, there are several steps you will need to follow to repair a damaged board. Remember to always wear safety glasses when working with the drill and saw. 1. To match the existing temperature and humidity, the new board(s) will need to be acclimated just like the boards at the original installation. You do not want the new board to expand or contract after it has been installed since this will cause separation or buckling of the surrounding planks. Follow the manufacturer's directions on how long to leave the boards in the room for acclimation. 2. Check the new board for accurate size and for any damage it may have suffered in transportation. You definitely do not want to replace a damaged plank with an equally defective new board. 3. The old, damaged board must be removed in sections. To do this, mark the board 1 1/2 inches from all sides and ends to later cut out the center. Then set your drill to the exact depth of the board's thickness and drill 3/16" holes at the corners of the marked lines. You will also drill these holes at the edges of the board in each corner and two on each long side (the holes will divide the board in thirds along the long side). 4. Setting the saw to the exact thickness of the board, cut along the marked lines stopping at the drilled holes. Once you have completed these cuts, you can remove the center. Then make relief cuts to the drilled holes along the edges (two on each long side and one in each corner). 5. Pry the floor up high enough to put a 1/2" dowel or pipe under the factory joint. With a laminate floor repair tool or a pair of pliers, take out the middle of the long side first. Then take out down to the corners, leaving the short end piece for last. 6. Put a piece of countertop laminate or other protective material over the exposed underlayment while cleaning the edges with a chisel. With a tongue and groove cleaning tool or another piece of laminate with a tongue, remove all remaining glue. 7. Clean the groove with a router after you have made sure the depth is set perfectly. Any tongues that are damaged should be routed off. A spline is placed in the end joint that is grooved and in damaged tongue areas. 8. The replacement board must be prepared by routing off the short end tongue and the bottom lip of the groove on three sides (one long side tongue is left on). As the bottom of the groove is removed, cut a saw blade's thickness into the replacement board. 9. With the area completely cleaned, check the fit of the replacement board and adjust as needed. 10. If the underlayment needs patching, cover it with polyethylene tape. If it needs to be replaced, remove the old section and put in the new piece butting up to the existing underlayment. 11. Take out the splines, fill the groove with laminate flooring glue, and insert the spline from left to right to keep glue from being trapped in the groove. 12. Put glue on the underside of the notches of the new board. 13. Place the replacement board into place and press firmly. 14. With a damp cloth, wipe off any glue residue. 15. Making sure the edges are completely even along the joints, set heavy weights on the new board and leave them in place for at least 24 hours. Be sure that the weight is distributed evenly over the whole of the new board. Replacing Locking Laminate Flooring Since laminate flooring planks with an interlocking system are meant to be able to be moved, replacing a damaged board is much easier than for glued laminate flooring. You have a couple of options depending on where the damaged board is located. Near a wall If the damage is relatively close to a wall, you can follow three easy steps to replace it after the new board has been acclimated. 1. Remove the quarter round molding along the wall to give you access to the first board. 2. Unlock the boards working your way towards the damaged piece. 3. Replace the damaged piece with the new interlocking piece and reassemble the floor and molding. In the center of a roomIf the damage is in the center of the room, you have two options. You can disassemble the floor all the way to the center just as you did for a damaged piece near the wall. However, if the room is very large, you may not want to go through all the disassembling. The other option is to replace the board just like the steps in replacing a glued laminate flooring plank. This will make the repair permanent, though. Replacing laminate flooring that has been damaged can be done whether it is glued or interlocking. If you have interlocking laminate flooring, it is much easier. If you do not feel comfortable making the cuts yourself, you can always go back to your retailer who can suggest a professional to do the repair work for you. About The Author: Alphonso has been working in the home remodeling industry for last 5 years. Take advantage of his experience and written material on flooring ideas at his website at http://www.improve-home.com |
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