Defects in laminated coating with a locking system. Laminate repair: minor and major defects. The designated set is applied in this way

Laminate panels are one of the popular floor coverings. They have an attractive and aesthetic appearance, many color and texture options. Another undeniable advantage is that you can put them on yourself. However, ease of installation does not at all guarantee that there will be no defects afterwards. Below we will look at the most common problems that we encounter.

Frequent defects of laminated coating

• Panel divergence. Such a defect occurs due to loose joints or the presence of irregularities on the surface;
• Swelling of the laminate. The main causes of the problem are wide gaps between the panels and walls, poorly dried screed;
• Damage to locks is a common consequence of a violation of the installation procedure, for example, when a master forcibly connects rows and panels to each other;
• Edge swelling is a consequence of leaving wet surfaces underneath the laminate;
• Cracks and faults arise due to the fact that the master forgets to create expansion joints every 5-6 meters;
• Loose connection of the seams at the initial stage leads to their divergence. Such a defect is a consequence of failure to complete the preparatory steps: cleaning the floor surface, leveling, eliminating defects and removing moisture and stains;
• Laminate flooring squeaks. The cause of discomfort when walking on the floor can be a thick substrate or uneven base.

Methods for eliminating coating swelling

However, even serious defects can be eliminated on your own. First you need to determine the exact cause, and then begin effective repairs.

• Blistering of the laminate caused by spilled liquid or moisture can be easily eliminated by drying the panels using a regular or hair dryer;
• The top layer of the panels can be ironed;
• In difficult cases, it will be necessary to dismantle the boards;
• If the panels have had prolonged contact with liquid, they cannot be reused during installation.

Ways to eliminate squeaking laminate flooring

As a rule, a laminated coating may squeak for the first 7-10 days after installation - this is normal, because shrinkage occurs. However, if the coating does not stop making sounds over a long period of time, the reason for this should be determined. Often the cause of the defect is construction debris left behind, or chips under the coating. In order to eliminate them, you just need to dismantle the coating and thoroughly clean the surface. Small gap widths are also a common cause of squeaking in laminate flooring. To eliminate it, you will need to give the boards the required dimensions (in some cases, dismantling the coating will not be necessary, but, as a rule, such work can only be carried out by professionals). Villeroy Boch laminate has proven itself to be a high-quality and reliable material.

Elimination of other defects

• Panels with chipped edges and corners must be replaced. In their place, higher quality panels are installed that will not bend under the influence of significant weight;
• Faults are eliminated by installing expansion joints;
• Discrepancies can be removed by leveling the base.

Despite the commitment of a large number of buyers to natural materials, many are gradually leaning in favor of laminate flooring - a practical, not so expensive, easy-to-install covering. Laminate properties and characteristics have optimal properties that meet the basic requirements of buyers, which is why it has earned considerable popularity.

Advantages of laminate

The choice of floor coverings is a serious matter, if only because the lining of the walls and ceiling can be renewed or completely replaced in a year or two, but the floor is rarely repaired and any reconstruction of it is planned, if not forever, then for a long time. And I really want the floor finish to be wear-resistant, environmentally friendly, safe for health, creating a feeling of warmth and comfort in the house.

• Laminate boards are inert to high temperatures. Of course, you shouldn’t put a hot frying pan on it, but if small sparks or hot ashes fall on the floor, they won’t even leave a trace. The same property allows the coating to be used in underfloor heating systems.
• Thanks to the top protective layer, laminate does not transmit dyes well; it is not difficult to wash off a stain from coffee, tea, or even a drop of nail polish.
• Laminate floors practically do not change color in areas that are constantly exposed to direct sunlight.
• You don’t have to worry about marks left after installing heavy furniture; laminate flooring is highly durable.
• Aesthetics, variety of textures and decor. In living rooms, we most often encounter wood or parquet floor decor. But there is a laminate for stone, marble, ceramic tiles and exotic options for leather and metal.
• Installing laminate flooring is quite simple. Installation takes place in a glue-free manner; the canvas can be disassembled and laid in another place.

Which laminate flooring to choose

When choosing a floor covering, pay attention to the classification. Depending on the expected load on the floor, laminate is divided into 6 classes:

• Household laminate – 21, 22, 23 – the first number “2” indicates that the laminate is recommended for installation in living rooms;
commercial – 31, 32, 33 – intended for service, office, retail, and industrial premises.

The second number characterizes the wear resistance indicator:

• 21, 31 is intended for floors in rooms with low traffic, where there is no frequent movement of furniture and equipment, that is, the risk of rapid abrasion of the top layer (bedrooms, dressing rooms, guest rooms, storage rooms or conference rooms, meeting rooms in the office);
• 22, 32 is designed for rooms with an average rate of traffic (children's rooms, living rooms, in offices - workrooms);
• Class 23, 33 laminate is used for high traffic conditions (floors in the corridor, reception area, in cafes, bars, hotel lobbies). Including those intended for household purposes, where there is a risk of sharp or heavy objects falling (glass, knives, etc.), in rooms with vibrating mechanisms (washing machine, dishwasher) or “roller” furniture.

Lifespan of laminate floors

To create a safety margin, experienced users advise studying the classification of laminate and choosing a higher class. And the use of classes 31, 32, 33 in residential buildings guarantees a significant increase in service life. For example:

31, 32 class laminate will “live” on the floors of commercial premises from 2-3 to 5 years, in residential ones - 10-12;

Class 33 laminate will not lose its performance characteristics in industrial and commercial buildings for up to 6 years, in residential buildings for up to 20.

European manufacturers currently do not produce laminate of classes 21, 22, 23. If you come across such markings, then these are the remains of a large batch or an ordinary fake.

The strength of the coating also depends on the thickness. For residential premises, 6-8 mm is enough, commercial laminate should be at least 8 mm, and more often a 10-12 mm coating is used.

Laminate properties, characteristics, structure

The coating consists of 3-4 layers, pressed under strong pressure and at high temperature:

Protective layer (acrylic or melamine film). Acrylic or melamine are almost harmless components, but the problem is that formaldehyde is used to thicken the resins, the release of vapors of which is dangerous for humans. The manufacturer reports its contents with special markings E0, E1, E2, etc.

If the purchased product is marked E0, E1, you have a copy in which the presence of formaldehyde could not be detected or its content does not exceed the norm (10 mg per 100g). The E2 sign indicates a content of 10-30 mg (which is not scary, but not good).

Coatings marked E3 are not recommended for residential premises, and especially for poorly ventilated ones. The formaldehyde content in it reaches from 30 to 60 mg per 100 grams of dry matter. Which is not harmful in a normal state, but in the event of a fire, the concentration of its vapors in the air is extremely dangerous.

Eco-friendly wood coatings (without the use of additional impregnations) have an E1 value, and coatings made from chipboard and MDF are no different from laminate in terms of formaldehyde content.

There are attempts to produce completely environmentally friendly laminate - without formaldehyde. For example, such material was developed by ELESGO. According to the test results, the presence of harmful components was not detected (or their content was less than 0.005!).

Another important characteristic of the protective layer is the presence of corundum. The presence of aluminum oxide gives strength to the coating, but, unfortunately, increases the cost.

Second layer – decorative, made of paper with a permanent printed design applied to it.

The third, which makes up the main thickness of the entire coating, is also called the load-bearing base. It is made of fiberboard, chipboard, MDF boards, varying in density. Provides heat, sound insulation, and fracture toughness.

Fastenings are also located here, simplifying the joining of individual elements. Locking joints are cut directly from the base (fiber) or manufactured separately.

The strength of the fiber connection depends on:

• From the thickness of the base (more durable fastening is provided by locks on a thick panel);
• The depth of the groove and its shape;
• Impregnation quality of panel edges and fastenings.

What to look for when choosing

Impregnation can be external and internal (deep). Joints with internal processing are slippery and give the impression of a wet edge. Scratch the lock, and if the surface remains smooth and no wax has accumulated under the nail, you are lucky, you are dealing with laminate specimens whose locks have undergone high-quality deep processing.

If the wax is removed, it is an external impregnation that can rub off after some time, and the entry of foreign inclusions into the grooves will reduce the strength and water resistance of the joint. This laminate has not the best properties and characteristics, if not “low quality”.

It is a mistaken belief that impregnation provides water resistance. Its main function is the ease of connecting grooves. Wax hides shortcomings in the tightness of the lock for some time, softens creaking due to the mismatch of the geometry of the connection parts. But if there are shortcomings, they will appear after the impregnation wears off.

Recently, polymer materials have begun to be used for the base. Their main advantage is water resistance.

Waterproof laminates include:

• products with reinforced impregnation of HDF panels (allows two to three hours of contact with water),
• elements based on a plastic panel.

The laminate, whose wood-chip base was replaced with a plastic one, is absolutely protected from deformation during prolonged contact with water (6-hour guarantee). This type of coating can be safely used not only in wet rooms, but also where direct contact with water is possible on the floor (bathroom, toilet, kitchen).

Advertising or materials from the future? Some manufacturers have already started selling class 34 laminate, which they claim is super-strength and super-water-resistant. However, this is rather an advertising campaign for the product. Since this type of laminate is not registered in the official classification.

But: with this marking, large European companies Praktik, Parafloor, Alloc produce 12 mm laminate of the Brilliant, Glossfloor, AMOAGE, MATflooring collections. The special strength of the coatings of these collections is marked with class 34.

Laminate: properties, characteristics - video

Laminate is quite common in modern apartments, as it is a coating that combines a pleasant appearance and low cost. Its advantage over linoleum is also that if any defects appear, you can get rid of them by simply replacing a separate board. What are the most common defects that can happen to laminate flooring and how to get rid of them?

Minor defects

Minor defects include the following damage: scratches from furniture, burn marks from cigarette butts, pressure dents, chips, etc. All of them can be eliminated in several ways:

Extensive defects

If there are a huge number of scratches on the laminate, a large burn spot, etc., i.e. those defects that can no longer be corrected using the methods described above, you will have to replace the damaged elements, because individual boards can also be purchased individually. But laminate flooring is laid, albeit from piece elements, but using a tongue-and-groove system, which is not intended for disassembly. Therefore, several ways have been found to carry out repair work so as not to harm the rest of the coating.

If the damaged part is located near the wall, then the best option would be partial disassembly of the coating. First, you need to dismantle the baseboard: it may turn out that the technological gap between the coating and the wall disappears, then it will need to be restored with a grinder or a chisel. Then we carefully remove the first board, while it is important not to damage the lock, and it is better to sign all dismantled boards so as not to confuse them during assembly. We disassemble the covering to the damaged area, replace the old board with a new one, and assemble the rest of the covering, after which we install the plinth. This is a reliable method, which, however, requires due care from you.

If the damaged area is located closer to the middle of the room, then the task becomes more complicated, since it is quite difficult to remove a separate element connected by locks to others without damaging anything. To do this, we mark a rectangular window in the middle of the damaged panel: then we cut it out along the marked lines with a minisaw or chisel and carefully remove it, while it is better to cut the panel in some places all the way to the lock: this will make it easier to remove. The plinth, which is installed across the panels, must be dismantled, and the panel itself must be moved towards the wall until it stops. Now we clean everything, chamfer the lock, and on the new board we partially file the lock, about a third. Now we coat the edges on the floor with wood glue and carefully place a new board into the resulting hole, but in order to achieve a good fit on all sides, you need to lift one of the adjacent panels with a vacuum handle. Now we push the board away from the wall into its normal position and leave it to glue for about 30 minutes, and it is advisable to use vacuum handles for a more reliable connection.

Note that laminate flooring in the middle and high price categories is most repairable, since cheaper ones may not withstand dismantling and crumble.

• Date: 08-03-2015
• Views: 3609
• Rating: 31

Laminate is a unique floor covering that is so widespread these days that it can be found almost everywhere.

Laminate flooring is appropriate both in apartments and in various institutions, offices, enterprises, and educational institutions.

But sometimes during its installation and during further operation annoying problems arise, which are not easy to eliminate without special knowledge and experience. Therefore, in order to avoid such unpleasant phenomena as gaps and deformation, you need to act correctly from the very first.

You bought laminate flooring and delivered it to your home. Here it is important not to immediately start laying a new covering, but to keep the laminate in the room for several days, thus allowing it to adapt to the existing humidity and temperature and take on the appropriate dimensions. While the laminate you purchased is lying around, waiting for the right time, you need to evaluate the quality of the surface. In fact, this coating is thin sheets with a thickness of 6 to 11 mm. The length is different, usually ranging from a meter to one and a half, the width of the strip is 20 cm. The edges of the panel are equipped with “locks”, thanks to which the sheets are joined.

Why do gaps occur?

A durable film is the top layer; it provides the coating with protection from sun rays, mechanical abrasion, and sunlight, since these factors are constantly present during the operation of the laminate. The next layer is paper, texture and colors are applied to it. It could be stone, wood, sand. Then comes the load-bearing layer; high-density wood board is used for it, which gives the future coating the required strength. The final layer is paper impregnated with resins, protecting against moisture.

But if the laminate is so ideally designed, why sometimes after a certain time after use does it diverge and gaps appear? Moreover, this happens not only if the coating is laid independently. Sometimes such results can be achieved by work performed by professionals, qualified craftsmen. Experts believe that there may be several options, and each one must be approached responsibly. Among the most common reasons are the following:

1. Constant low humidity.
2. The surface under the laminate is not smooth enough.
3. Broken laying technology.
4. Manufacturer defect.
5. Error of the master performing the work.

The most likely causes of the gap are known to every specialist, so you can find ways to combat this problem. For example, if the gap is insignificant, barely noticeable to the eye, then low humidity in the room is to blame. During the cold period, when the central heating is running, the owners of such floor coverings begin to notice that gaps appear and the laminate “walks.” As the floor covering dries out, it causes minor gaps. In this case, eliminating such a defect is not difficult; you just need to turn on the humidifier.

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Common causes of gaps

Common causes of gaps include uneven surfaces. Practice shows that often incompetent craftsmen simply underestimate the importance of the preparatory stage of work, so they may suggest laying laminate directly on the surface of the old chipboard floor. Although at first glance the old floor appears to be quite level, in reality it is not. As a result, subsidence of the laminate occurs in many places, unwanted gaps and other defects are formed. In addition, in such situations, the floor also begins to make a cracking sound.

The first time after installation, the floor functions normally, but you can be sure that this will not last long. In this case, professionals advise disassembling the floor to identify and eliminate irregularities. The best option for laminate flooring should be a concrete screed. Another reason for unsightly gaps is poor operating technology. This applies to irregular gaps located around the perimeter of the room. Moreover, both gaps that are too small and, conversely, gaps that are too wide are considered an undesirable phenomenon. In any case, there is no correct distribution of the load on the floor. Therefore, laminate discrepancies may occur in many places.

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Correcting gaps

To eliminate the deficiency in this case, you need to cut the boards where there is not enough space. If the gap is too loose, you can correct the situation by inserting wedges. In addition, gaps sometimes arise due to the negligence of the craftsman who performed the work. If he left small debris, such as sawdust or stones, unattended, they could get into the joints. As a result, some of the boards stopped touching tightly, and crunching began to occur due to friction.

These seemingly insignificant problems must be given maximum attention, otherwise re-flooring cannot be avoided.

What can be done here? If you lightly coat the locks with glue when laying them, the adhesion will be more reliable. In addition, you can use a wax composition for this purpose. If gaps arise due to manufacturer defects, the reason is unreliable fastenings. This happens if you purchased low quality laminate. During operation, unreliable fasteners often break, and the owner of such a floor tries to understand what is happening and how to correct the situation.

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Laminate features

Laminate flooring looks excellent, it is no worse than parquet, but the cost is lower, which is good news. It should be noted that this material is not capricious, although sometimes you can observe the occurrence of gaps and other defects. In addition, if you wish and have free time, you can lay the laminate yourself. It is important that the base of such a floor is reliable, for example, fibreboard is suitable.

Laminate flooring looks noble, prestigious, and the costs are quite moderate. It is important that such a floor can be laid using the glueless method, since the sides of the laminate boards have grooves and ridges.

Compared to laying classic parquet, these plates can be easily repaired if necessary, and their delivery does not cause problems. A floating floor is considered an ideal option, since nails and glue are not required to secure it. The result is a movable floor that easily adapts to the imperfections of the subfloor. Often a “groove-screw” is used, in which case the plates are connected using this combination.

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To avoid gaps

Laying laminate using the screw-and-groove method is simple, and therefore this method is preferred. In this case, the advantage is the possibility of installation without necessarily dismantling the old floor. A new coating can be laid with a minimum amount of glue, and replacing damaged segments is also easy if gaps have formed. When choosing which coating to lay yourself, it is better to consult with specialists. It is often optimal if you follow the instructions.

The plates should be stored in a room that is well heated and sufficiently dry. Only in this case can you expect that the surface of the laminate will remain beautiful and will not lose its attractive and respectable appearance. Be sure to make sure there are no drafts. To acclimatize the material before installation, it must remain in the packaging for up to 3 days. In addition, the temperature should be within 18%, not higher. Ideal air humidity is 75%. The packaging should be removed when laying the plates directly. In this case, the occurrence of gaps and discrepancies in the future can be minimized.

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Compliance with the deformation gap

When laying interlocking floor coverings, it is mandatory to maintain the deformation gap. If this rule is violated, then serious problems with the operation of the floor will arise in the future. The gap is not always closed with decorations, thresholds or baseboards. Most often, open spaces are the gaps between the heating pipe or between the laminate and the parquet box or parquet board. If we consider the option with pipes, then you can use special sockets, which are a decorative ring located near the pipe.

It should be noted that, given our conditions, this is not a very aesthetic solution. The fact is that the heating pipes are not located very close to each other and the walls, moreover, the pipes are often uneven, which also creates certain inconveniences. Therefore, decorative fillers will be more convenient, and the main task in this case should be considered to be the correctly selected colors. The following are used as decorative agents when eliminating gaps:

1. Acrylic sealant.
2. Silicone sealant.
3. Special wax.
4. Wood putty.

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Selection of materials for decorating gaps

Each of these products must be matched to the color of the laminate board coating. Initially, sealants have a given tone, so making this choice is not difficult. As for the putty, it can be used as a primary color (red, brown, yellow) or a diluting color (black, white). In addition, when eliminating gaps, you can use wax, although this product is relatively expensive, it cannot always be matched by color, and it is not used in close proximity to heating pipes.

Experts say one of the best options is a silicone-based sealant, chosen to match the tone of the laminate. Its main advantage is considered to be “rubbery”. For example, putty, like acrylic sealant, hardens after drying, and if the floor covering moves, it will crumble. The service life of the coating is determined by the quality of the laminate. If there are gaps or cracks, it means your purchase was not very successful. At the same time, much depends on the master performing the work. It is known that the more time you spend preparing the base for the flooring, the longer the canvas will serve you.