New laminate exxxxxxxxpanded

[pavementpizza]

Recently fitted some laminate flooring on top of fibreboard on top of floorboards. The floorboards were always dry and the space underneath was the same.

The problem is the room has one long length (approx. 7m) and this length has expanded to fill the gap (10mm each end). The expansion has pushed off the skirting board but that was only glued on so it probably didn't take much. Just had the room plastered before the floor was laid and the heating hasn't been on fully for a couple of weeks.

The floor isn't buckling yet but it has no more room to spread so I need to sort it asap. Is there a way to cut a few more mm at these two ends whilst the floor is still in place?

And before its mentioned...no, I could have done the direction the other way because the length of the room that way is also as long in one area (it's an odd shape room).

 

[WoodYouLike]

Your melamine laminated (plastic stuff with a photo copy of wood, tiles etc) has expanded lengthways?

 

[Chri5]

Just had the room plastered before the floor was laid and the heating hasn't been on fully for a couple of weeks.

So you allowed a super high moisture content in to the room via wet plaster, didn't help the drying process via heating and now have a problem.........

Oh dear.

Laminate doesn't tend to expand too much and it sounds like the room moisture may have crept in to the under boards and is now trapped under the laminate.

What laminate system fix was required, is it a glue or click system ?

Might you know someone who has cutting skills good enough to use a grinder with a disc to recreate an expansion gap ?

Could you dig out the wall surface to create an expansion gap that would be hidden once the skirt is fixed back ?

 

[Petest67]

Buy yourself a bosch PMF 180 E and use this to cut a new expansion gap (or use a fein if you have one)

Recently fitted some laminate flooring on top of fibreboard on top of floorboards. The floorboards were always dry and the space underneath was the same.

The problem is the room has one long length (approx. 7m) and this length has expanded to fill the gap (10mm each end). The expansion has pushed off the skirting board but that was only glued on so it probably didn't take much. Just had the room plastered before the floor was laid and the heating hasn't been on fully for a couple of weeks.

The floor isn't buckling yet but it has no more room to spread so I need to sort it asap. Is there a way to cut a few more mm at these two ends whilst the floor is still in place?

And before its mentioned...no, I could have done the direction the other way because the length of the room that way is also as long in one area (it's an odd shape room).

 

[WoodYouLike]

Buy yourself a bosch PMF 180 E and use this to cut a new expansion gap (or use a fein if you have one)

He first has to find the cause of the expansion before he can treat the symptoms. I like to know if the floor is expanding in the length or if the wording didn't make things clear.

 

[pavementpizza]

The flooring is BevelLOC bought from B&Q - it's a click system. Yes, it's expanding lengthways only (or least I assume so, I'll take the edgings off at the sides to check them as well).

The plaster (skim) was done on three sides of the room about two weeks before the floor was laid. Not only that but our new laundry room is right next to this lounge and my wife has been drying washing in there non-stop for about four weeks which probably doesn't help.

The floor isn't showing signs of buckling yet so I reckon the grinding idea is the best option (if anyone has a link to a suitable grinder/cutter I'd appreciate it).

Also, just ordered a decent dehumidifier which arrives tomorrow - would it be worth opening the access hatch to the underfloor cavity (which is in the hallway) and sticking it down there for a few hours/days?

And yes, I appreciate I am an idiot for allowing the above situation!

 

[WoodYouLike]

With lengthways I mean the board is 'growing' e.g. was 128.5 cm long first and now 130cm
Now that would be weird, even for laminate flooring. Start ventilating now - open windows etc also during the day if possible - for the excess moist to go out of the room.

 

[Petest67]

Do you get any moisture build up on the windows when they are closed?
Get yourself a hygrometer to check the humidity level.
Did you acclimatize the laminate before installing it?
Laminate does expand, has yours expanded both ends and closed the gap equally?

 

[IJWS15]

Laminate is homogenous, does not have a grain so I would expect it to expand in both directions equally.

 

[pavementpizza]

It seems to have only expanded lengthways. There is no build up of condensation on the windows but this is an old house and whenever the heating is on it's roasting but as soon as it goes off the whole house freezes within minutes. The insulation is good though - it's just one of those things - doesn't help that it's a massive room and the kitchen that leads off is up a small staircase so every time the kids go in or out the heat travels up and out.

The dehumidifer is due any minute - does anyone think I should open the hatch to the underfloor cavity in the hallway and site the dehumidifer near it or it that pointless?

 

[mattysupra]

The dehumidifer is due any minute - does anyone think I should open the hatch to the underfloor cavity in the hallway and site the dehumidifer near it or it that pointless?

well that depends on what the problem is. What is the moister levels below the floor?

The dehumidifier will lower the moister levels below the cavaity but if they are correct already then you will lower them to much and cause other problems.

If you have a high moister content down there then you need to fix the problem properly and not by using a dehumidifier.

You need bigger air brick/ unblock air flow etc etc.

Your dehumidifier needs to be set up in the laundry room if its a wet area.


And laminate grows equal in all directions. If the length looks like its grown more then this maybe because the mass of the area or the laminate could be trapped at the other end and is doubling its growth in the other direction.

Pull your skirt/bead off and check equal expansion gap. If one board was fitted tight compared to the others then this may be your problem.

Moister reading are needed tho.

 

[pavementpizza]

I've taken the edging off and it appear that the boards have expanded but not by that much. The problem seems to be just the odd board that was cut at a strange angle (the room isn't square and so the flooring was always going to run out slighty - lengthways). A few boards almost have a point to them in that the corner is a few mm closer to the skirting than the rest of it and these are the boards doing the damage. So there is still a few mm to expand if these sections are trimmed back. At the sides the boards have probably expanded by a mm or so but there is still room left.

Looks like this may not be as bad as first thought but the humidty issue definitely needs sorting.

 

[mattysupra]

Pull your skirt/bead off and check equal expansion gap. If one board was fitted tight compared to the others then this may be your problem.

Moister reading are needed tho.

As above then. Get a humidity reading of the room before you presume the humidity is to high. A room can be too dry also.

 

[pavementpizza]

I've just ordered a digital tester - I'll see what the reading is now, what it is like when the washing in being done, compare the two.

If need be my wife will just have to take the washing to the laundrette...my floor is more important! I'm sure she'll understand...unless one of you fancies telling her?

 

[Johnmelad502]

If need be my wife will just have to take the washing to the laundrette...my floor is more important! I'm sure she'll understand

If she finds out, you will probably be prone very close to the flooring.