Independent Flooring Contractor

Restorations and additions

Sub-floor repair

Laminate Floor Repair

Portfolio of repairs

Hardwood Floor Repair

In order to ensure that your wood or laminate floor can last as long as possible and feel good underfoot it may be necessary to carry out some minor repairs to your sub-floor before the floor is installed.

Since wood and laminate flooring has become more popular and widespread, it only makes sense that some of these floors will become damaged over time However, in most cases all is not lost and repairs can be carried out. There are different types of repairs available and in most cases the repair will be completely imperceptible.

This page covers these restorations.

If your unsure about how noticeable the repair will be then we can arrange a free visit where we will go through all the options available and tell you how successful the repair would be.

A little attention to your sub-floor BEFORE any work commences can improve the life expectancy and performance of your new floor. In most cases manufacturers have guidelines for flatness and moisture content of sub-floors which must be fulfilled to have the full benefit of any guarantees.

We can

Fix loose areas,

Replace damaged areas,

Plane and sand high spots,

Cover bad areas with hardboard or plywood,

Fix hollow spots with self leveling compound, or shims.

Seal damp concrete floors.

Laminate floors are incredibly tough; however, they can become;

· scratched or gouged,

· bouncy underfoot,

· damaged by water

Scratches and Gouges

Very LIGHT scratches may be polished out (this very much depends on the surface of your laminate as some are embossed) also this could result in patches of different luster or sheen which can be seen from across the room. Small gouges can be and holes can be filled with matching epoxy filler or hot wax.

However the best way to fix a damaged laminate floor panel is to remove the damaged panel and replace it with a new one (if it’s available, if its not then a little rearranging of the panels could hide the damage under your furniture).

If your laminate uses the glue-less locking system (All these products use the uniclic system:- )

quickstep logo

then it’s possible to remove and refit a panel from the center of the room without dismantling the whole floor, or removing baseboards/quarter round.

If your laminate does not use the unicli system, or is glued then it’s still possible to remove and refit panels.

Bouncy and Creaky Laminate Floors

Laminate floors should not feel bouncy underfoot.

There are a couple of reasons why a floor will feel bouncy;-

If its always bouncy and hasn’t got any worse then its probably a sub-floor problem. Laminate must be fitted over flat (not necessarily level) floors and any hollow spots or bumps in your sub-floor will be noticeable through your laminate. The correct choice and use of underlay can help to even out sub-floor problems. Fitting laminate over carpet or carpet underlay can also lead to bouncy floors.

The other reason for bouncy floors is where the laminate becomes “locked in” it has expanded by taking on moisture and no longer fits in the room. Because it is too big for the room it lifts off your sub-floor and feels springy underfoot. If it is only noticeable at the end of summer/start of autumn then you can probably fix it by running a dehumidifier or your central heating to dry out and make the laminate shrink again. If this doesn’t work then the floor can be trimmed with a specialist saw so that it fits again.

Excessive Water Damage

Laminate floors do not like water, and even “water resistant” laminates can become damaged when subjected to excess or prolonged dampness.

Small localized areas of water damage may be removed and replaced with new boards (all affected board are removed back to sound dry boards). If new boards are available

Certain underlayment can act like sponges and can hold and carry water under the floor.

It is a good idea to get the laminate floor up as quickly as possible so that your sub-floor can dry out and to prevent the water spreading by capillary action.

If your going to claim on your insurance ask advice before you remove the damaged flooring as they may want to send an assessor.

Dampness under floors can promote the growth of toxic moulds and spores.

Even if you have LVT fitted (which is 100% waterproof and won’t be damaged by the water) it is a good idea to take up the floor and refit it once the sub-floor has dried out to prevent mould growth.

Wood floors tend to need more care than laminates, they are more easily scratched and dented,

and they are more susceptible to moisture related problems.

Scratches, dents, etc Creaking and Movement Scratches, dents, gouges and holes

Scratches in oiled or waxed wood floors are easily covered with more oil or wax.

Dents can sometimes be steamed out (if the wood fibres are crushed not torn out) in waxed/oiled floors.

Holes can sometimes be filled with matching filler.

Scratches, dents and holes in pre-finished lacquered wood floors are harder to disguise and the best remedy may be to replace the damaged pieces with new ones.

Because wood and floors are modular, they can easily be repaired invisibly and once completed the repair will be imperceptible and will not weaken or otherwise detract from the overall appearance of your floor. These repair techniques are approved by the major manufactures like Kahrs and NOFMA. THIS WILL ONLY WORK IF REPLACEMENT BOARDS ARE AVAILABLE.

Wood floors can be completely sanded and refinished to look like brand new again( I don’t currently offer this service)

Wood floors are vulnerable to seasonal climate changes this means your wood floor may become creaky at the end of the summer and will develop gaps between boards at the end of winter, this is normal. However, you can minimize these effects by keeping your humidity in your home as constant as possible by using a humidifier in winter and a dehumidifier in summer.

Wood floors may become “locked in” they expand by taking on moisture and no longer fit in the room. Because the floor is too big for the room it lifts off your sub-floor and feels springy underfoot (floated engineered) or becomes very creaky (solid)

If it is only noticeable at the end of summer/start of autumn then you can probably fix it by running a dehumidifier or your central heating to dry out and make the wood shrink again. If this doesn’t work then the floor can be trimmed with a specialist saw so that the correct expansion gap is restored.

It is not unusual for a solid wood floor to gain 2 inches in width, and what’s more, the expansion is incredibly powerful. If this expansion pressure is not released by trimming boards or reducing humidity then the wood floor can be permanently damaged, and can even move stud walls

Hollow spots, un-bonded areas and some movement can be easily fixed by injecting adhesive through the floor, this is done through a hole no bigger than a nail head. If done with care the injection hole can be disguised as a pin knot and is barely noticeable.

Hardwood floor addition (lacing)

Hardwood Floor Repair

Laminate floor Repair

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