Laminate flooring crack any advice

[kashifmehmood]

Hello,

The inter-locking between 2 laminate floor boards in my kitchen is broken. I can also feel a slight movement in the underlay beneath the boards.

Picture is attached.

Is there any way to fix without repairing the all of the boards from one corner? is there a quick fix?

thanks.
View media item 51659

 

[crazydaze]

Only way to fix that properly is to lift the floor and replace the board/boards, assuming that it'sa click and not a glue installation?

If it's a glue installation and you have spare boards, it can be fixed in situ but it's a pro job and will cost a fair bit as it's very time consmung taking the damaged boards out, repairing the floor and refitting.

 

[big-all]

what floor is underneath and was it dead flat[within 3mm]
and if planks do the boards go at 90 to the top floor

 

[kashifmehmood]

hi,

I have no idea what is underneath as the flooring was inherited.

thanks.

 

[big-all]

the origional timbers will tend to go front to back the floor boards would tend to run parallel to the front and back walls
now if your kitchen is within the main footprint and not a separate oblong on the back where they would tend to vary with the roof construction where the joists will go from the side where the slope is lowest to the opposite side
if its concrete or sheet then its anyones guess

but iff floorboards the new boards must be at right angles

is there an expansion gap all round ??

 

[Floorsave]

Hi,
It sounds to me that it is the movement which has broken the locking system. If there is any movement underneath a laminate floor then eventually the joint will wear.

The flooring will have to be taken up to the point of the damaged boards and then the boards replaced with two new boards. The movement would have to be addressed as the fault will return. Try getting some 4mm ply and packing out under the boards so as to reduce the movement.

If, like in some cases the person fitting the laminate has used a carpet underlay or doubled the underlay up in order to save money on the floor preparation the I would recommend replacing the underlay with a fibre board of at least 5mm in depth. This is cheaper than plying out the floor.

I hope the information supplied helps, but without a site visit this as far as I can advise.

 

[kashifmehmood]

thank you very much. That is very helpful.

the laminate floor goes under the kitchen cabinets, which would need to be removed. I would like to avoid an expensive and time consuming solution if I can and fix it so that it lasts for 6 months or so.

After that, I am planning on redoing the kitchen and replace the complete flooring. So, something to tide me over.

thanks again.