In detail: do-it-yourself laminate repair indiscriminately from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.
Laminate is a tough and resistant coating, but over time the surface can scratch and it is likely to chip, crack, and bump. The article provides step-by-step instructions for repairing various damage to boards with the described recommendations from specialists.
There are many reasons for laminate flooring to scratch, such as sliding furniture without supports or heavy objects hitting the floor. Even with very careful handling of the floor, scratches or other damage to the surface cannot be ruled out. Carrying out a laminate repair is not a laborious process, it is only important to follow the instructions and recommendations of specialists.
To prevent scratches on the laminate flooring, it is advised to place small rugs under all furniture, especially when moving it. Also, it is not recommended to walk around the room with shoes on, especially in high heels, which can form a variety of scratches. At the same time, it is necessary to wash and clean the floor using special products offered by the manufacturer.
Analyze the extent of the damage before starting to repair the damaged area. In some cases, different tools cannot fix or cover up scratches, then it is necessary to replace the laminate board. The simplest and most affordable means are wax crayons, which cover up small scratches, and for deeper damage, it is recommended to use special putties.
To carry out repair work, it is necessary to use the following devices:
ready-made kits for repairing laminate boards;
a vacuum cleaner;
putty knife.
Video (click to play).
Important! In terms of color parameters, the purchased kit should correspond to the shade of the floor covering. The approximate repair time for scratches is 15 minutes.
Scratch patching instructions:
1. In the store it is necessary to purchase a wax crayon intended for repairing the laminate, which must match the shade of the floor.
2. Places of scratches must be cleaned of dust using a vacuum cleaner. After that, you can paint over them with crayons. To remove excess wax, it is recommended to use a dry cloth and then polish the damaged area.
Instructions for sealing scratches with a special putty:
1. To select the correct repair kit, you must go to the store with a piece of laminate board. Next, you should choose a set of a suitable shade, while it is important to find the most accurate color so that the treated area does not stand out.
2. Use a trowel to repair scratches. For beginners, it is recommended to first practice on a separate part so as not to spoil the flooring. Then, remove excess paste from the surface and leave the repair area to dry for a few hours.
Sometimes, repairing a laminate floor is impossible due to huge damage that cannot be covered with chalk or putty with grease. Then work is underway to replace a separate section. The whole process is not difficult as long as you follow the instructions and use the right tools.
There are several options for replacing a laminate board. The easiest way is to dismantle the parts that lead to the damaged area. Pick a spot where the scratched board is closest to the wall so you don't have to take apart a great section.
First of all, dismantle the skirting board, and sequentially disassemble the floor to the problem area.After replacing the board, you can carry out repair laying of the laminate, and last of all, reinstall the skirting board.
In some cases, it can be difficult to reach the damaged area. For example, a scratched board may be in the middle of a room and it will take a long time to disassemble the laminate in large rooms. In this case, there is a separate method that allows you to make a replacement without dismantling the floor covering.
For the work carried out, you will need the following tools and materials:
new laminate board to match the old flooring;
a circular saw;
protective glasses for work;
rubber hammer;
tape measure, cutter;
vacuum cleaner for cleaning the workspace.
Important! When cutting laminate boards, special glasses must be worn so that dust particles and shavings do not get into the eyes. It is recommended to vacuum the work area before starting to lay new material. All boards must be from the same manufacturer and the same brand. In the process of work, you will have to spend 2 hours restoring one board.
Instructions for disassembling the laminate to replace the damaged element:
1. It is necessary to carefully remove the skirting board on the wall that is located closer to the damaged area. It is important to remove the skirting board so that it can be used a second time.
2. Next, you should dismantle the laminate boards to the damaged area. To neatly separate the boards from each other, it is recommended to raise each part 45 degrees until it is free from the grooves.
3. The scratched board must be removed and replaced with a new one. Further, you can fold the boards back, but you should carefully connect them so that there are no gaps.
Step-by-step instructions for repairing a laminate with your own hands using a circular saw:
1. In damaged laminate, four holes must be drilled around the edges of the board. The distance from the edge should be 1-1.5 cm to prevent damage to other parts. Next, we begin to form holes along the entire length of the damaged laminate every 25 centimeters.
2. All points must be connected conditionally using a pencil, thereby forming a straight line.
3. Adjust the circular saw to match the thickness of the laminate.
4. Next, do the saw on the line, starting to work from the middle of the board.
5. To cut the smaller side of the laminate, use a small knife and remove all of the inside of the board.
6. All other items can be easily removed, and then clean the work area using a vacuum cleaner.
7. Select a new replacement board, the connecting pieces of which must be cut evenly with a knife on all sides.
8. Along the entire perimeter of the board from the reverse side, you must apply a special glue. Place the board in place of the old one. It is important with a piece of cloth to wipe off any glue that has come out on top of the laminate and place a weight to help the board hold together better.
Over time, many gaps form between laminate boards, the appearance of which is influenced by many factors. The fact is that before repairing the laminate floor of an apartment, you must adhere to some rules. For example, before laying the initial coating, it is important to acclimate it, which is one of the main requirements of manufacturers.
It is necessary to lay the laminate on a perfectly flat floor, as indicated in the instructions when purchasing the product. In order to prevent deviations, it is recommended to use a special level and, of course, make a floor screed before laying. Next, you need to remove all the irregularities on the base. Properly and professionally laid laminate will not leave gaps between the boards.
If you have a similar problem, then there are two ways to resolve all issues:
the first option is to fill the gaps with special means, which are made on the basis of a wood component;
the second method is to re-install the entire floor covering, only this time following all the rules and recommendations.
Important! Filling of filler gaps is allowed if the gaps present in it are small. Otherwise, the laminate will have to be dismantled and installed in a new way.
When you start repairing your laminate flooring and need to redecorate and remove all gaps, there are several factors to consider. When dismantling, it is necessary to view all boards and check them for quality. If the grooves and ridges are in excellent condition, then leave them, and replace all damaged boards with new ones. If this is not done, then in the future this will cause the appearance of other gaps.
In order to keep the room warm and smooth out any uneven areas of the floor, it is recommended to purchase a special underlay for flooring. All material is sold in rolls or sheets, and you can pick up an item of different thicknesses and sizes.
When re-laying, try to lay all the boards correctly, the joints between which must be perfectly connected. Old boards removed from the floor should be thoroughly vacuumed to remove all dust and other particles. When laying, use a special building level. It is important that the laminate lays down on an even guide, otherwise, with the slightest displacement of the line, gaps will again appear.
If the distance between the elements is more than 2.5 millimeters, then this indicates an increased level of humidity in the room. Laminate is a material that is very susceptible to varying temperature fluctuations, which should be taken into account when laying. For this, manufacturers set requirements for acclimatization.
A method of more reliable fastening of the boards and the removal of gaps can be obtained by applying a special glue to the grooves of the laminate. At the same time, it is worth making sure that the boards do not stick to the floor. However, having applied this option once, you can already re-disassemble and lay the covering, as the boards will be damaged.
Important! There is a way to reduce the gap between the elements if the laminate floor is easy to hit with the boot. However, all actions should be carried out carefully so as not to damage the parts and elements of the flooring.
This method is easier to solve and does not require a lengthy process of parsing the laminate. Experts recommend using it in cases of altered indoor air humidity. In a situation with improper styling, such a procedure will be useless.
Incorrect laying can cause swelling of the laminate parts, a photo - instructions for correct laying are presented in the article. This is due to the fact that when installing the laminate, the boards push against each other too much, as if they form an inclined joint.
Another cause of blistering is in the initial styling. The fact is that the workers do not leave gaps between the laminate and the wall, and they lay it close. As a result, there is no free space for the expansion or contraction of the boards under the influence of moisture and temperature.
In such a situation, the outermost board from the wall must be removed and cut a little along the long side and placed back. The width of the cut can be from 1 to 5 centimeters, from the point of the bulge. If that doesn't work, then find heavy objects and place them on the problem area for one day.
Another reason may be the attachment of the plinth to the base, which does not allow the laminate to expand. It should be noted that this coating is manifested as a floating floor, and it is not recommended to attach it to any base.
To avoid similar situations, some specialists install special spacers between the floor and the wall.They keep the same distance and do not cause the laminate to bulge.
Important! If you don't know where to get spacers of the same thickness, you can use cut pieces of laminate and insert them between the wall and the boards.
One of the problematic situations contributing to damage to the surface of the laminate is its delamination. To prevent this, it is not recommended to wash the floors with water and soap solutions. The stores offer a choice of special products that clean the surface of the laminate. For this, the solution is applied to the floor and wiped off with a clean dry cloth.
If you accidentally spill water on the coating, wipe it off immediately with a dry cloth. Leaving it as it is will only increase the risk of more delamination of the boards.
There are different ways of damaging the surface of the laminate, which are caused by certain factors. To better understand the process, we recommend watching a video of laminate flooring and carrying out all the necessary work to remove damage, swelling or delamination of the floor covering. In the article you can find instructions on how to resolve all issues regarding recovery.
Sometimes it happens that our beloved lightweight laminate flooring begins to lose its appearance over the years or is exposed to external influences that affect its full functioning. In such cases, in order not to resort to radical solutions, it is worth knowing how to repair the laminate without dismantling the floor.
The main reasons for the restoration of laminated flooring:
This is often due to the fact that the plywood sheets under the coating have rotted and therefore irregularities have formed. In order to cope with the problem, you just need to disassemble the laminate in the required area, and install a gasket to form a single level.
This happens if, during the laying work, the required time was not kept and the screed did not have time to dry out evenly. In addition, the coating can simply rest against the walls of the room and therefore swell a little at the joints due to pressure.
In order to repair a laminate that is swollen, it is enough to move the furniture from the problem location and dismantle the baseboards. If the bumps are very small, you can correct them with a regular chisel.
How to repair a laminate flooring if mold appears on it? This question appears quite often among the owners of laminate flooring. And this is not strange, because just a slightly increased level of moisture and temperatures can easily lead to such a nuisance.
To get rid of mold on the laminate or under it, you will need to disassemble the necessary part of the floor, remove those parts of it that are at least slightly affected by the fungus and cover the remaining undamaged elements of the masonry with special means.
Immediately, we note that if you encounter this problem in the first week after installation, then this is quite normal. If a longer period has passed, it is worth taking action. Squeaking can be caused by debris or dust trapped in crevices or on the surface.
To resolve this issue, first try cleaning the area with a vacuum cleaner. If it does not help, you can resort to repairing the laminate without disassembling the floor:
Fill the cracks with a special laminate repair wax and run over them with a thin spatula;
If you notice that the creak is localized near the walls, remove the skirting boards and fill the space between the floor and them with polyurethane foam and PVA glue.
If it squeaks in the center of the room, drill a hole in this area and inject PVA glue right inside.
You can also pour special oil into the existing crevices.
Laminate flooring can be scratched for a variety of reasons.These are sandy particles from shoes, and traces of careless movement of furniture and simply the consequences of falling objects on the floor.
If the damage is small, a special wax for repairing the laminate will help you to cope with it. This is an easy way to patch up scratches using wax crayons as follows:
The area with which you will work must be cleaned as much as possible of dust and particles of debris.
Apply a layer of wax to the scratched areas.
Wipe off any remaining wax with a dry cloth.
To carry out a do-it-yourself restoration repair of a laminate floor, you will need a simple homemade solution. Knead a few tablespoons of baking soda in water (if it is not there, you can replace it with toothpaste) until a paste-gruel is formed.
Apply the resulting laminate repair paste to the desired area with a soft cloth and rub thoroughly. If the process is difficult, soak a cloth in acetone, but do not let it get on the joints of the panels.
If the laminate has deep scratches, cracks and chips, then homemade paste is indispensable. It is recommended to purchase a special mastic for wood surfaces, an epoxy or ether based resin, or an acrylic sealant.
Please note that such putties tend to change color after drying to a darker side. Therefore, think in advance about choosing a shade.
It is worth applying the mixture with gloves, using a spatula. To consolidate the result, it is better to putty in several layers.
When there is a problem with gaps between planks in a laminate floor, there are several ways to fix it:
Mechanical. Just hit the bar with a hammer several times towards the gap.
Wood filling. If the hole is small, wood filler can be placed in its space.
Dismantling the cover. Damaged boards can be removed and re-laid in a tighter manner.
If your laminate flooring gets dirty, you can use warm water or a floor cleaner to fix the problem. If there are traces of shoes and heels, a regular eraser or water-soda solution can handle this. Remember to wipe with a damp cloth after use.
In case of delamination, the repair of the laminate is carried out only by parsing the boards.
To avoid damaging the planks in this way, you need to prevent water from spilling onto the surface, and if this happens, then wipe it off as quickly as possible with a dry cloth.
Also, use specialized products to clean the laminate floor instead of water.
Often the edges of the planks rise because they are too tight against the wall. To restore the laminate flooring without scoring, it is necessary to properly lay the planks and replace the damaged ones with new ones.
To do this, dismantle the required part of the floor and lay the renewed covering with a gap of half a centimeter from the wall. Use a damper tape in your work. After installation, seal the joints and apply a protective coating.
If holes appear in the laminate floor, how to get rid of them directly depends on the placement of the damaged plank:
If it is extreme, simply dismantle the floor covering where it is needed and replace the board.
If the plank is in the center of the deck, cut the part with the hole with a circular saw.
Attach a new strip or part of it with liquid nails, remove excess glue with a dry cloth.
There can be many reasons for the floor to get wet. This is a flood from neighbors, and pipeline malfunctions, or just someone accidentally spilled water. Nevertheless, if this happened, the following must be done:
If the wetting is strong, there is only one way - dismantling the soaked boards and installing new ones.
If the amount of water is small, apply a regular sheet of paper to a wet place, it will absorb moisture and thus protect the laminate from swelling.
You can also dry it with a special heater. To do this, you need to separate the laminate from the baseboards and dry it by directing warm air upwards.
If the problem with the laminate flooring is solved only by replacing the damaged board, this operation can be carried out in two main ways. The simpler of them is the usual dismantling (that is, parsing the floor), and the second is the sawing method, it is more complex and is used for hard-to-reach planks.
To disassemble the laminated flooring and carry out the necessary replacement of the strips, you need:
Carefully dismantle the skirting board without damaging it;
Detach laminate boards from the edge and up to the problem area. To do this, lift them one at a time, at an angle of 45 degrees. Then the ends will easily come out of the grooves.
Replace the damaged boards with new ones and head back to the skirting board. Try to do everything as carefully as possible to avoid unnecessary gaps.
If the repair of the laminate requires getting to a difficultly placed plank, then it is worth resorting to the sawing method. For this:
Using a drill, make holes in the corners of the damaged plank at a distance of 1-1.5 cm from the edge.
Drill holes every 25 cm along the long sides of the board.
Connect the boards in one line with a pencil. This is the future path for a circular saw. Be careful with the depth of cut to avoid hitting the backing.
Cut from the middle of the cut. Small parts can be picked up with a knife. Take out the old part of the board.
Vacuum the area thoroughly.
Get rid of the lower parts of the lock on all sides of the new board.
Apply a layer of glue around the desired perimeter and install the board. The excess can be removed with a dry cloth, and some kind of weight can be placed on the bar itself in order to speed up the fixation process with the help of gravity.
