After The storm/flood is over, and you are feeling thankful to be alive, there is one other hurdle to overcome, and that is making your home look great again. It might not have been a storm, maybe just a leak from your fridge. Whatever the case, water damage is just terrible on laminate flooring. Wouldn’t it be great if you just a called a restoration company to handle the mess? Yeah, but if you need to get your hands dirty, below we share tips on how to repair laminate floor water damage.
At this point, you realize that you need a few tools to get your laminate floors in shape after water damage. The scary part is that some are not common household tools and you might have to cough up a pretty penny to acquire them. Here is the list:
a) Safety Glassesh) Replacement planks
If you don’t have the tools above, it’s time to go shopping before we can go any further. What can save your bacon with replacement planks is always to buy the exact color and the correct type from the same dealer or store you purchased your original planks. To repair laminate floor water damage, follow the below procedure meticulously.
Signs of damage to laminate floors always includes bubbling, cracking, mold and discoloration among others. Use a marker or sticky note to mark the damaged planks. This way you can only remove and replace the affected planks
Now is time to get the ball rolling. Start by removing all the baseboards and moldings up to the damaged planks. After that, run your putty knife to under the damaged plank edges to operate and pull them up. It doesn’t matter if some of part of it looks okay, get rid of the entire plank if it shows signs of water damage. During this process, it is also essential to check for damage on the sub-flooring – specifically look for molds and mildew.
Now is the time for you to channel the handyman in you to repair laminate floor water damage. Accuracy is critical to get the right measurements of the floor areas that need fitting, then measure the planks in preparation for cutting. At this point, if you removed damaged underlying, it is time for you to lay new ones. Hold the under-flooring in place with duct tape at the seams. If you are going to install the new laminate on the concrete floor, you will need first to install a plastic sheet to act as a moisture barrier. Cut the laminate flooring with either a jigsaw or circular saw. Remember to wear your protective goggles while doing this.
Lay the new planks in the spaces by fixing the tongues into the grooves at a slanting angle then pushing down. You might have to use a hammer to tap the plank boards in place. Generously apply the flooring adhesive along the edges. Finish by reinstalling the baseboards and moldings, nailing them to the walls as opposed to the laminate floor.