damage to a floor

[Irene215]

My laminated floor has water damage and I need to repair it. I have replacement planks but I don't know how to uninstall the damaged planks to put the new ones in.  Can someone tell me how to do this?

Irene Anderson

[Clanad]

Is the laminate glued down or is it a "floating " floor with no glue or nails?

[Irene215]

The flooring is the floating floor that snapped together.

Irene

[Clanad]

The boards attached to the walls covering the edges of the floor, (in US they're called mop boards) can carefully be removed and the floor can then be disassembled until reaching the sections requiring replacement. There should be about 1/4 inch space between the laminate floor where it abuts the wall.  This is required for expansion.  When the mop boards go back on, assure they are not tightly placed on top of the flooring, again to allow expansion.  Good luck!

[Irene215]

Thank you for the quick reply. Just one quick question, do we need any special tool to pick up the damaged boards.  The boards that need picked up are at the dishwasher, they got damaged do to a leak from the dishwasher. The boards stop just under the dishwasher they do not go to the back wall because then we would have had to put the kitchen cabinets on top of them and I believe that isn't a good idea to do. So they boarding stops as it buts up against the floor of the cabinets and just under the dishwasher. Thank you for your reply. 

Thank you,

Irene

[cheyenne]

i just want to had to the good answers you have had already irene215,you may not have the right laminate flooring for a kitchen,i made the same mistake and put down the cheaper ones from B&Q and i had the same problem.

[Irene215]

It wasn't a cheap floor, we got it on sale but it is Pergo brand.  I don't think it would have gotten damage if the water didn't get underneath it from the dishwasher leaking.  The water didn't pool on top of the floor it seeped underneath it. 

Irene

[Clanad]

The laminate shouldn't go under the dishwasher.  Actuall, for a professional finish, the laminate should stop about 1 1/4 inches from the front of the bottom of the dishwasher and a "transition strip" of laminate should be placed from the edge of the laminate to the front of the dishwahser (wish I could draw a picture).  The place where you bought the Pergo should be able to provide the appropriate transition strip.

Additonally, the edge of the strips close to the dishwasher can be sealed by brushing on (carefully) anygood brand of clear poly finsih, such as spar varnish or other water proof finish.  The damage was most likely cause by water invading the side of the laminate, rather than through the top.

If you have to remove much of the mop board we discussed, an excellent, inexpensive tool is called a "crow's foot" in the US.  A slightly curved steel crow bar, but flat.  Looks like a minature shepherds crook, except flat. Should be about 14 inches long.  The mob board is attached with finish (headless) nails probably about every 6" to 10" apart.

It is possible the installers didn't remove the "mop board" but installed a piece of quarter round adjacent to it to cover the small required gap for expansion.  This is even easier to remove and replace.  Good luck!

[Clanad]

I see I didn't answer your primary question about a tool to remove the laminate.  No, it should readily pick up, but you are probably going to have to pick up the entire "run" or row of laminate to facillitate replacing the damaged plank(s).  You'll  notice some kind of thin pad under the laminate that's used to cut down on sound.  Be sure to just lay in a new piece of this material.  it was probably damaged by the water as well.  It's available where ever you got the laminate. It's inexpensive and just lays on the subflooring.

[BillyNoMates]

Most interesting. I have had to pull up some laminate flooring for work throughout my house on gas pipes and network/electrical cabling.

Some of it was taken up with sympathy - I.e. clean cuts with a skill saw, some was crudely cut. I have quite a bit of spare boarding from the previous owning.

But I am now trying to put it back together.

So my question is - how the hell do you break the bonds between the laminate strips ?

It's a floating floor. 

[Clanad]

For Billy...

The tongue and groove for most floors is rather "S" shaped, that is one must angle the two pieces together for a fit.  To disassemble, the same is true.  While putting vertical pressure on the joint, pull apart.  Keep in mind that some "floating floors" are still glued at the seams.  In that case, a great deal of pressure must be applied and some damage may result. Best of luck...

[Irene215]

Thank you all such wonderful helpful information. I am glad I posted here.

Irene

[BillyNoMates]

Thank you Clanad - a very detailed and informative answer.

I'll let you know how I get on.