Peaking
Peaking refers to a situation in which the laminate floor boards push up against
each other and result in high points at the joints. There are a number of
reasons why this can happen. The most common cause of peaking is a lack of
expansion space between the laminate floor and the walls around the perimeter
of the installation, or a lack of expansion space between the laminate floor
and laminate moldings. This situation is easily remedied. Simply follow the
peaking board’s perpendicular to the wall or molding, remove the necessary
molding- if against the wall, remove the baseboard and cut the laminate board
that meets the wall or molding, thus giving the floor more space to expand.
The peaking will not however dissipate immediately, it is necessary to place
a weighted object on the peaking areas.
Another reason for peaking could be due to the fact that the moldings in the
doorways or around the perimeter of the room have been fixed to the floor,
thus preventing the floor from expanding. Remember that a laminate floor
is a floating floor and must not be fixed to the sub floor or moldings at
any point as this will not allow the floor to expand and contract, as these
floors naturally do.
Peaking can also arise due to the fact that a continuous area of flooring is
too long in one direction without an expansion joint to relieve the pressure.
This will generally happen in areas where the floor runs for over 40 foot – this
number differs per manufacturer. Check the manufacturers recommendations
if you feel that your area is very large in one direction.
Buckling or warping
Buckling or warping is almost always as a result of moisture and/ or water
damage. Laminate flooring is affected by water in a number of ways. High
moisture content in the air can sometimes lead to buckling or warping. Excessive
water on the surface of the floor can also lead to buckling or warping. For
this reason it is important never to wet mop a laminate floor. The most common
cause of warping or buckling is water or dampness rising from the subfloor
in conjunction with the lack of a sufficient moisture barrier.
Buckling or warping can also be as a result of an inferior
product construction. Laminate floor surfaces are laminated
under extremely high pressure. For this reason, it is
necceasry to have a pressure balancing layer on the bottom
of the boards. This layer is made up of a rigid material
and equalzes the pressure that is exerted form above.
Gapping
Gapping is not very common with laminate flooring. Gapping is a situation in
which the laminate flooring boards tend to pull away from one another resulting
in gaps between the boards. This situation will occur if the temperature
drops to a point way below what is considered normal. For this reason it
is very important to always acclimatize your flooring to the room temperature
and conditions of the room in which the laminate is to be installed.
Mold and mildew
Issues concerning mold and mildew are gaining increased attention from both
residential and commercial property owners as well as the public at large.
In virtually all situations if there is a mold issue, there is an excessive
moisture issue. In order to prevent, control, or erradicate mold and mildew,
one must first identify, evaluate, and eliminate the source of excessive
moisture.
Prior to removing an existing flooring or installing a new floor or repairing
an existing laminate floor, if there are visible indications of mold or mildew
or the presence of a strong musty odor in the area where flooring is to be
removed or installed, the source of the problem should be identified and
corrected.
To deal with mold and mildew issues, you should refer to the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines that address mold and mildew. Depending
on the mold and mildew condition present, those remediation options range
from clean-up measures using gloves and biocide to hiring a professional
mold and mildew remediation contractor to address the condition. Laminate
flooring, because it is relatively non-porous, allow any mold and mildew
on the flooring surface to be easily cleaned. Remediation measures may require
structural repairs such as replacing underlayment and/or subfloor contaminated
with mold or mildew as a result of prolonged exposure to moisture.
The EPA mold guidelines are contained in two publications “A Brief Guide
to Mold, Moisture and Your Home” (EPA 402-K-02-003) and “Mold Remediation
in Schools and Commercial Buildings ”(EPA 402-K-01-001). Appendix B of
the “Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings” publication
describes potential health effects form exposure to mold, such as allergic
and asthma reactions and irritation to eyes, skin, nose and throat. These publications
can be located on EPA’s website at www.epa.gov/iaq/molds/
Off register
Off register is a situation in which the flooring pattern on one flooring board
does not match up the pattern on the connecting board. Note however that
manufacturers do allow for a small variance. This situation however almost
never occurs, and in the event it does you can claim based on manufacturing
defect.
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Expanding High Density Fiber Board
(HDF)
The core (middle section) of a laminate floor plank is made from HDF. HDF subjected
to water, will swell and fall apart. Most laminate cores however are treated
with water repellent chemicals. You might find that your laminate floors feel
soft and squishy (for lack of a better term) when you walk on them. This is
probably the result of a water soaked core. If this situation arises, your
only remedy is to replace the affected boards.
Chipped
corners
Excessive chipping on corners can be as a result of any of the following:
a) Wrong method of installation used. A laminate floor utilizing the click
mechanism of installation does not require a tapping block or mallet for installation,
the boards simply click together. Using a tapping block and mallet to install
this type of floor will result in marks, indentations and chipping.
b) Cleaning the floor with a vacuum cleaner that contains a beater bar.
c) Also chipping can result of a poor quality laminate floor.
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