How to remove cracks in the laminate after laying?

Laminate is a strong floor covering, which today is quite widely used. This is due to the fact that it has a long service life and pleasant tactile sensations, and due to the large assortment of colors and textures, it fully fits into any stylistic direction of interior design. Unfortunately, even such a durable material, when improperly laid or cleaned, is subject to various mechanical damages. In case you encounter this problem, our experts will tell you how to remove cracks in the laminate after laying at home and with savings for your budget.

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What are the damage to the surface of the laminate?

Most often, when operating a coating such as a laminate, the following damage can occur:

• Bloating. Due to the frequent ingress of water into the cracks or the constant influence of moisture, the laminate can swell, thus “bumps” appear on the surface.
• Scratches and scuffs. Such damage occurs if the furniture or other large items are pulled too often.
• Chipping may occur on the surface of this coating from heavy objects.
• Slots located between the laminate boards. These are the most common types of damage, the occurrence of which is due to a number of reasons.

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The main causes of cracks:

• Bonding two different types of laminate boards. This is due to the difference in the types of locks, their incorrect connection between the panels. Despite the fact that visually laminate sheets seem to be bonded, they still remain loose. Because of this, gaps form.

Important! You should also be careful when purchasing laminate flooring and try to choose only the same manufacturer. This is due to the fact that visually the panels can be exactly the same, but the locks can be completely different.

• The most common cause of gaps is when the laminate is placed on an uneven floor surface. As a result, after a certain time, the substrate on the bumps begins to get stuck, as a result of which it ceases to absorb the floor. Then the boards begin to diverge and form gaps.
• Laying the cheapest and low-quality laminate models. Many are attracted by the inexpensive price and appearance. Unfortunately, no one thinks that such cheapness is associated exclusively with the manufacturer’s saving on coating strength and quality of locks. Literally in 2 months, the formation of cracks will begin on such a laminate.

Important! If gaps occur, one should take into account the fact that through them moisture enters the inner layers of the laminate, which leads to its swelling and complete deterioration.

• Climate change. Due to changes in temperature and humidity, wood materials tend to taper and expand. If it is cold outside and the room is not heated, then laminate flooring suffers first of all.

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How can I close the cracks in the laminate?

If significant damage occurs, you can resort to the following methods to eliminate them.

The use of special repair paste

This product is mainly sold in hardware stores.To use it:

1. The place that will be processed must be cleaned of debris and dust, and around - pasted with masking tape.
2. After that, apply the paste and smooth it with a spatula.
3. At the end of the work, the adhesive tape can be peeled off, and the remaining mixture can be removed with a dry cloth or cloth.

Important! When choosing a repair paste, pay attention to the fact that it should match the color of the surface of the floor.

The use of wood putty

Another way to remove cracks in the laminate after laying is to use wood putty. This is an analogue of repair paste, therefore this mixture is applied in the same way.

Important! Wood putty is not suitable for places with increased load, because when moving in the floor, vibration occurs, which leads to shedding.

Grout

These are sealing mixtures that are specially made to fill the gaps between the laminate panels. They include high-quality sealants and silicones that create durable and high-quality seams.

Important! A huge advantage of such products is that they significantly strengthen the coating and will not allow moisture to seep out. But in addition to the positive aspects, there are also disadvantages. In this case, this is a rather high price position in relation to other means.

Mix of sawdust and gypsum

In order to close the gap in the laminate in this way, you need to mix gypsum and sawdust in the same proportion, and then dilute this mixture with water.

Important! In the finished state, such a composition should, in consistency, resemble toothpaste.

Next - take a special previously prepared bar the size of the damage, insert it into the slot and cover with a ready-made solution on top.

Important! If you do not have gypsum and sawdust, then to remove the gap in the laminate, you can use mounting foam. To do this, it must be poured into the slot and allowed to solidify. After - the excess should be cut and rubbed with sandpaper.

Color sealant

This tool will help repair surface damage if it is minor. To do this, just wipe the defect.

Important! The advantage of color sealant is its plasticity and ability to withstand fluctuations in temperature and humidity, respectively - the degree of possible expansion of the floor covering.

Wedging

The essence of this method is to drive special wooden wedges into the gap between the wall and the panels.

Important! Wedging is only relevant if the slots are near panels against the walls.

We mask the gaps between the laminate

If the above methods and means did not give the desired effect, there is another option how to eliminate the gaps between the laminate.

This is a fairly straightforward way for which you will need:

• Double-sided tape;
• Hammer.
• Wooden block.

How to act:

1. Using a vacuum cleaner, remove all debris and dust from the floor, especially from a damaged surface.
2. A piece of double-sided tape should be glued to the bar.
3. Attach the bar to one of the laminate panels. Due to the adhesive tape, he sticks.
4. Further, holding the bar with one hand, gently hit the back of the hammer with soft movements. Thus, the bar will connect to the laminate panel, due to which it will move, and the gap, in turn, will disappear.

Important! If the laminate is cheap and of poor quality, wedges can be used instead of a bar for this method. The most important thing is to make smooth strokes, so as not to further damage the surface of the floor.

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Useful Tips

• There are other, but more complex ways. But before using them, one should take into account the fact that if the rough floor is not even, cracks, even with a high-quality laminate, will appear. Therefore, to solve this problem, before leveling the laminate floor, it is imperative to level the floor.
• If using several methods does not give the desired result, this means that the rough floor is uneven. In order not to spoil the laminate, you need to carefully remove it, level the rough surface, and then carry out the installation again. To do this quickly help special self-leveling mixture. The name speaks for itself, respectively - when using these funds, immediately after drying, you can lay a fresh substrate and proceed directly to the installation of the laminate.

Important! Always control the installation process, as gaps can also form if improperly operated.

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How to prevent laminate surface defects?

In order not to encounter various defects and damage to the flooring, you should adhere to several rules of care and maintenance:

• Always pay attention to the information provided by the manufacturer.
• Before coating with laminate panels, it is imperative to level the rough surface of the floor.
• Cleaning must be carried out exclusively dry using a vacuum cleaner.
• Laying the substrate should be carried out so that its joints do not coincide with the joints of the laminate strips.
• When laying laminated panels, the correct arrangement of the gaps along the perimeter of the floor must be observed.

Important! This solution allows you to keep a smooth coating from the effects of changes in temperature, air, and allows wooden planks to expand and narrow freely.

• Avoid moisture. If this happens by accident, you need to quickly wipe the floor surface dry.

Important! In some cases, if moisture gets in, you need to disassemble the wet area and dry it from the inside.

• If the room is humid air, use special silicone sealants that are applied directly to the joints.
• To avoid scratches, heavy furniture should not be pulled along the surface of the floor, but should be lifted and moved.
• Avoid significant contamination of the floor covering.
• If the gap appears, then it must be immediately eliminated, and not wait for its increase.
• At least once a year, the laminate needs to be treated with special mastic.

Important! Under no circumstances should parquet care products be used for laminate flooring.

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Stock footage

Despite the fact that the laminate is a fairly strong and durable coating, if improperly maintained, it is subject to various damage. Therefore, if you decide to use this material for flooring, you should definitely adhere to the operating rules that are specified by the manufacturer. If, nevertheless, defects appeared on the surface, you can eliminate them yourself without any problems using the above recommendations of our specialists. Thus, you will not only correctly repair, but also save the family budget.