What to do if a laminate floor squeaks and how to fix the problem indiscriminately
Laminate has a long life and an attractive appearance. Therefore, the material is often found in homes. At the same time, even compliance with the rules of installation and operation will not protect against problems with this coating. And over time, many owners are faced with the need to solve the problems of creaking laminate flooring, what to do and whether the defects can be eliminated indiscriminately.
The reasons for squeaking
A squeak on the side of the flooring is caused by various factors. The most common are:
- incorrectly selected substrate thickness;
- deformed "rough" ground;
- the laminate is close to the wall;
- contact with moisture;
- penetration of small particles into the locking elements;
- poor quality material;
- natural aging of the material.
This defect is often easily repairable. In this case, it is important to start solving the problem immediately, since over time the above factors can lead to the failure of the floor plates.
However, despite the measures taken, some of the causes cannot be eliminated. In such cases, you will need to disassemble and replace the cover.
Uneven concrete base
When laying laminate flooring, it is important to achieve an even subfloor. According to the general rules of installation, the difference in height should not exceed two millimeters per two square meters. If this rule is not observed, the laminate will begin to deform over time, under the influence of its own gravity. Due to this, the load will be unevenly distributed, which will lead to squeaking. The location of the latter will indicate where the drop is.
Substrate thickness
Often, when laying laminate flooring, installers smooth out irregularities in the base by using a substrate of varying thicknesses. However, this approach negatively affects the condition of the floor covering. The thicker the backing, the greater the height of the sag of the laminate above the floor. And the material in such cases, due to its own gravity, will begin to bend.
To avoid such consequences, it is recommended to use a substrate with a thickness of up to three millimeters at the stage of installing the coating.
The coating adheres firmly to the wall
The general rules for laying laminate panels are as follows: leave a space of one centimeter between the material and the wall. If the coating is laid over a large area, this gap should be increased to two or three centimeters. The need for such a gap is due to the fact that the laminate begins to expand at high humidity.And if the material is firmly attached to the wall, the coating will lie against the wall and crack under the load.
Humidity spikes
Laminate is made from wood, which begins to expand at high humidity.For this reason, individual facing slabs press on adjacent slabs, protruding. And under load, such areas creak. If you eliminate the influence of this factor, you can get rid of the defect in question.
Dust and sand
Before installing the laminate, it is necessary to clean the room, including small debris and dust. You also need to treat the base with a primer, which will prevent cracking of the concrete. It is recommended to cut the boards in an adjacent room and remove the sawdust with a vacuum cleaner. If you do not follow these rules, dust and sand will get into the interlocking part of the laminate, which will cause creaking and creaking under the load of the coating.
Poor quality material
Poor-quality coatings are often produced with imperceptible irregularities, and the adhesive used in the manufacture of such a laminate does not tightly fix the individual parts of the material. As a result, each of the above factors can cause squeaking.
Tension in the locking elements
In the first months after installation, squeaking occurs for natural reasons. During this period, the material adapts to the new conditions, which leads to constant movement of the plates. This causes the locking elements to creak.
Garbage
Debris, such as dust, should be removed from the room before the flooring is laid.Small particles freely enter the voids between the locking elements, causing a squeak when pressed against the laminate.
Base aging
As mentioned above, laminate flooring is often laid over concrete. Such a base crumbles over time, which leads to the accumulation of dust under the flooring. The latter, penetrating into the locking elements, causes the appearance of a creak under load. In order to avoid such consequences, it is recommended to treat the concrete base with a primer, which will increase the strength of the material. In addition, laminate floors undergo natural aging. Under constant load, the locking elements diverge, thereby contributing to the appearance of squeaking.
How to remove without disassembling
It is impossible to eliminate the creak caused by the destruction of the concrete base, poor-quality material or incorrectly selected substrates. In other cases, you can use the above methods.
paraffin candle
If the crackle is localized (only in certain places), an ordinary spark plug can eliminate this defect. The latter must be melted in the fire and filled with paraffin the interstices next to the defects.
It is also recommended to putty the gaps with wax using a plastic putty knife.
Filling joints with polyurethane foam
If creaking occurs near the walls, you need to remove the baseboard and cut the laminate. This can be done with a knife, which is used when working with drywall. Then it is necessary to pour polyurethane foam into the formed gap. This will prevent friction between the floor and the wall.After curing, excess foam should be removed and the skirting board replaced.
Bonding thresholds with transparent adhesive solution
If the floor squeaks at the thresholds, then the latter must be fixed with glue. In this case, it is recommended to use a transparent compound, since the excess material on the surface of the flooring is difficult to remove without damaging it.
How to Fix a Creak in the Center of a Room
Despite the apparent complexity, it is relatively easy to eliminate the creak in the center of the room. This will require a drill with a drill with a sharpening angle of more than 118 degrees and PVA glue. Such requirements are due to the fact that laminated slabs crack under mechanical stress. And the sharper the drill, the less the risk of such defects.
After preparing the tool, you need to do the following:
- Drill a small hole in the problem area down to the concrete base.
- Use a medical syringe to fill the gap under the lid.
- Remove excess adhesive and allow material to dry completely.
At the end of the work, you need to hide the hole in the laminate. To do this, use:
- an epoxy resin;
- mastic (mastic);
- mastic;
- special wax crayon;
- self-adhesive film.
Hiding the hole with the indicated materials, the area where the defect is located should be treated with fine sandpaper. After that, it is necessary to apply a colorless varnish to the coating.
Use of oil
This remedy gives a temporary, but pronounced effect. Oil is also poured into the drilled hole near the location of the squeak.
Filling hollows, pits, deformations with polyurethane foam
If the creaking is caused by an unprepared (unaligned) base, the polyurethane foam helps correct the defects in the laminate.In this case, you will also need to drill a hole in the flooring. Then you need to fill the problem area with polyurethane foam. It should be remembered that the building material expands during the hardening process. Therefore, it is not recommended to completely fill the gaps. If there is no skill in working with polyurethane foam, then PVA glue should be used to eliminate these defects.
We use wax
Wax is used in cases where the tiles crack at the joints. This material binds individual fragments of the floor covering and small particles, which creates an unpleasant sound.
Preventative measures
In order to avoid the appearance of a squeak, it is recommended to purchase a high-quality floor covering that corresponds to the loads that arise during the operation of the material. It is important not to skimp on the purchase of laminate flooring. Otherwise, over time, you will have to change the coating. It is also important to meet the requirements for laying the material:
- level the base (for this it is recommended to use a self-leveling floor);
- prepare the concrete base;
- use a rigid support made of a durable material of an appropriate thickness.
Before starting the installation, it is recommended to lay the laminate in the room for 1-2 days. During this time, the coating adapts to internal conditions and flattens. During the installation process, carefully click on the latches between the panels and mount the material at a distance of at least one centimeter from the walls. Also, for preventive purposes, it is recommended to maintain the required level of humidity and temperature in the room.
You can use a vacuum cleaner to remove debris that has accumulated under the cover.The tube of the latter must be placed in the gap between the wall and the laminate.
This material must be protected from contact with water. This will lead to swelling of the panels and, consequently, the need to replace the coating.If the floor creaks during operation, WD-40 is also useful in such cases. The spray contains silicone, which seals the treated surfaces and prevents the material from rubbing. The choice in favor of WD-40 is also due to the fact that the canister is equipped with a thin tube, which is convenient for handling joints.
In which cases it is impossible to do without dismantling
Dismantling of the flooring will be necessary due to:
- poor quality laminate;
- destruction of the concrete base;
- thick or damaged media.
These defects cause the flooring to swell or sag. And this will eventually lead to the cracking of the material. As part of the disassembly, it is recommended to carefully remove the laminate, taking care not to damage the locking elements. This is more difficult to achieve if the procedure is performed due to damage to the concrete base. In such circumstances, all flooring will need to be removed.