Diagnosing A Peaking Laminate Floor

When it comes to flooring, laminate is not particularly prone to failure or damage. There are, however, various ways that a laminate floor can warp, and various reasons as to why. Here, we'll take a look at the phenomenon referred to as peaking. A laminate floor that is peaking will seem to be rising, as if there is something underneath it. The effect is, honestly, sort of disturbing. Many folks will think that something is wrong with their foundation, or that water has somehow gotten underneath their laminate floor, but that's rarely the case.

The Causes Of Peaking

There are a few different reasons that your laminated floor might begin peaking. It's very important to know why this is happening before you begin trying to fix things. Don't just assume that something that caused someone else laminate floors to peak is the reason yours is. Making this kind of assumption can cause you to waste a lot of time and money.

Peaking Can Be Caused By Lack Of Space For Expansion

Laminate flooring is certainly no exception from one of the most basic laws of nature, that everything expands and contracts. This is why laminate floors that are installed correctly always have space between the edge and the molding. The planks have no choice but to push against each other if they don't have space to do anything else. They will then start to rise once enough pressure is there. Generally the effect is quite minor in the beginning, but you'll end up with a small mountain in your home if it's not taken care of.

Peaking Can Be Caused By Fixed Moldings

Even if there is room to expand, your laminated flooring cannot take advantage of it if the moldings cannot move. This can sometimes be a nightmare to track down if the original installer was not consistent. Since laminate flooring is intended to be floating, which means not attached to either the moldings or the sub-floor, any solid point can cause an issue. Amateur installers will occasionally attach the laminate floor to molding to keep it from moving during install, or simply because they don't know any better.

Boards That Are Too Long May Cause Peaking

This one really depends on the manufacturer of the laminate flooring, and is probably the least likely. When a single board is too long, it can have the same effect as not having enough room to expand. This issue is avoided by never installing any single plank that is longer than is recommended by the manufacturer. If you did not install your floor, however, it can be difficult to find out who the manufacturer of your flooring is. As this generally only happens in situations where there are straight runs of 40 feet or more, you can probably rule this out unless you have a rather large house, or are dealing with a long hallway. However, if you can't find any place where your laminate floor is fixed, then it may be time to start looking for markings on the bottom of planks.