Fixing water damaged seams in laminate flooring ?

Lynn
by Lynn

We have some laminate floor where bad doggie peed on table leg and the floor has bubbled up at seam. Can this be sanded and sealed with a water sealant? Or what can we do without replacing flooring. Trying to make it last a few years longer before planned major renovation.

  5 answers
  • Gk Gk on Oct 08, 2018

    If the seam has heaved up there is not much you can do. The wood composite product under the wear layer has swelled up due to moisture and once that happens it usually doesn't shrink back. You could try to sand it and seal it but you would be able to tell

    . Maybe you can try to sand it and then cover it with a rug.

  • Kelli L. Milligan Kelli L. Milligan on Oct 08, 2018

    I don't guess you save your scrap pieces? Not much you can do but try to hammer it down, buy a rug.

  • Shore grandmom Shore grandmom on Oct 08, 2018

    If the subfloor, is OSB, and that has swelled up and is flaking, then there isn't much you can do. If it's just the seam that is unglued, then glue it back down. I also like Kelli's idea of a rug, if there isn't a hump in the floor.

  • Carey Carey on Oct 08, 2018

    Understanding what the laminate is made of will help you as you consider your options. The product on top is basically as plastic type cover and very thin. The product underneath is a composite that deteriorates with moisture, swells and thus you have the raised flooring. I suggest (& I don't know if it will work or not) using another piece os scrap wood to place on top of it and see if you can flatten it with a hammer. That way you will not ruin the top of the floor. Sanding will destroy the finish that you are trying to preserve. If you do manage to get it to flatten out, go to somewhere like Lowes or Home Depot and see if they have something that you can use to seal the seams with so that moisture will not go down into the seams in the future.

  • Lisa Lisa on Oct 08, 2018

    If you don't have a replacement plank, you can check in Home Depot or Lowes or Lumber Liquidators to see if they have something close to your flooring and then cut out the bad laminate and replace it with what you've found. Many times, these stores have laminate that people didn't need and returned for store credit. They then sell it for much less than the original price. It's worth it to keep some on hand, just in case you have any future 'accidents'.