Nearly every laminate problem traces back to one of four causes: no room for the floor to move, an uneven or soft base, the wrong underlay, or water reaching the joints. Boards that rise into a ridge at a doorway usually mean the expansion gap has been closed off. Gaps opening in winter mean the room is drier than when the floor was laid. A springy, clicking floor points to an uneven subfloor. Swollen, raised edges mean water has got into the core, and that damage does not reverse. Below, each problem is matched to its cause and whether it can be put right.
Peaking and lifting at joints or doorways
Laminate is a floating floor. It is not fixed down, and it expands and shrinks slightly with the seasons. It needs a small gap around every wall, pipe and door frame, hidden under beading or scotia, to do that.
If the gap is missing, or something pins the floor in place, such as a kitchen unit fitted on top of it or beading nailed into the boards rather than the skirting, the floor has nowhere to go when it expands. It pushes up into a ridge, often at a doorway where the room is narrowest.
This can usually be fixed by finding the pinch point and restoring the gap. If the joints have been damaged by the pressure, some boards may need replacing.
Gaps opening between boards
Small gaps that appear in winter and close in summer are the floor responding to dry, heated air. They are more noticeable if the boards were not left in the room to settle before fitting.
Gaps that keep growing, or appear along one run, usually mean the locking joints were damaged or the floor is flexing over a dip. A board that has been knocked apart can sometimes be tapped back together; one with a broken joint needs replacing.
Bouncing, clicking or a hollow sound
A floor that springs or clicks underfoot is almost always sitting over an uneven base. Each board bends over the hump or dip, and the joint works loose over time.
A hollow, drummy sound is usually the underlay. A thin or cheap underlay is the main reason people complain about noisy laminate. A proper acoustic underlay, and a flat base underneath, is the fix, which means lifting the floor.
- Springy or clicking: uneven subfloor
- Hollow sound: underlay too thin or wrong type
- Ridges at doors: expansion gap closed off
- Swollen edges: water in the core
Swelling and raised edges
Laminate has a wood-based core. Wiping up a spill is fine; standing water at a joint is not. Water soaks into the core, the edges swell and lift, and they do not go back down when dry.
The typical cause is a slow leak, from a dishwasher, washing machine or a shower that splashes out, noticed only when the boards start to lift. The fix is to cure the leak and replace the swollen boards. Where water is likely, such as bathrooms and around sinks, LVT or sheet vinyl is the better floor.
Preventing problems on a new floor
Most of these faults are decided on fitting day. A flat base, a good underlay suited to the floor beneath, a consistent expansion gap, and boards left to settle in the room first make laminate a trouble-free floor for years.
If your existing laminate is showing any of these signs, it is worth having it looked at before replacing like for like. Fitting the same boards over the same problem will give the same result. We can assess it at a free site visit and quote for repair or replacement.
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Frequently asked questions
Why is my laminate floor lifting?
Usually because the expansion gap has been closed off, so the floor has nowhere to go when it expands, or because water has swollen the boards.
Why does my laminate sound hollow?
The most common reason is a thin or unsuitable underlay. A proper acoustic underlay on a flat base solves it.
Can swollen laminate be fixed?
No. Water-damaged boards do not shrink back. The leak needs fixing and the swollen boards replacing.
Why are gaps appearing in my laminate?
Seasonal gaps come from dry, heated air. Growing gaps usually mean damaged joints or a floor flexing over an uneven base.
Is laminate a good choice for a bathroom?
No. Standing water swells the core. We recommend LVT or sheet vinyl for bathrooms and other wet areas.