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Why Your Laminate Flooring Is Lifting And How To Prevent It
By MARCO ROSSI
While laminate flooring has benefits over hardwood, it does have one downside: It can lift. Fortunately, there are easy precautions you can take to prevent this from happening.
Laminate floors can lift due to too much moisture causing the floor to buckle and warp or to a bad installation where no gap is left for the floorboard to expand during hot days.
To prevent the lift, first ensure there are gaps near the walls — usually ¼ inch for laminate floors — so the boards don't expand into each other when the temperature is high.
Create the gap by leaving spacers between the wall and flooring, ensuring a consistent line around the room's perimeter. Baseboards will cover it, so the gap won't be noticeable.
Make sure you also leave a gap around other elements in the room, like a fireplace or radiator. You need a gap where two floorings meet, like the floors below a doorway, as well.
Additionally, avoid drenching laminate floors with mop water, and don't leave standing water on the boards. Choose mops that won't hold too much water or are easy to wring out.
Finally, don't let the room's humidity level consistently creep over 60%. Invest in a dehumidifier if you need to and ensure the humidity level hovers between 35% and 55%.