Hi, We had someone fitted new naminite flooring in the living room continus to landing to kitchen last year. The landing and kitchen floor is ok, it feels solid. But we found out late that the living room floor feel slightly 'spongy' when you walk on it, especailly for one corner, I doubt it maybe no underlay at the corner at all. The underlay may be different from the one used on the landing and kitchen... Is that possible to just change the underlay in one particular area? If so, how do I lift the floorboard up? Do I need to break the floorboard? Can people tell obviously the floorborad has been lift up and put back after the job is done? Thanks.
The poor guy has suffered enough, time we tried to help him The most frequent cause of laminate being springy is being laid without enough clearance at the edge so it tries to expand and bows. Do you know the make of laminate, did you see any of the installation? Can you post a photo that shows the problem area? Reminds me of a friend of ours she worked in a garden store a couple came in and asked about lawn watering, oh yes she said what you need is a copulating sprinkler!
I didn't see how the edge is like, I wasn't in the house when the guy was doing the floor. I only know he used the old carpet underlay instead of flooring underlay. From just look at the floor, you don't see it bowed or anything only when you walk on it, you feel it is not solid flat. When I stepped on one corner, I could hear a sound and felt quite springy, so I doubt it that area should be no underlay at all if you know what I mean. Can I undo the flooring trim at the corner area then life up some floorboard to check? I'm not sure if I can just life the floorboard there or I will need to break the floorboard? Can people tell straight the floorborad has been lift up and put back after the job is done (Either to make some space at the edge or change the underlay something)?
Seriously the guy used carpet underlay! Then the whole thing is a bodge and needs re-laying properly I'm afraid. Two ways of laying flooring glued or clip fit, glued means the whole thing has to be scrapped if it has to come up clip fit (most common now) you may have a chance. This guy has a good video that explains it well.
Thanks teabreak. I saw this video before, the thing is, it looks like that he lifed the floorboard from the end, I mean, maybe he started to lay them at the opposit side of the room, then to undo it at the end is easier because of the clip fit function. But the bloody guy laid my floorboard from living room to landing then kitchen, that means the end is kitchen. Do I need to undo the floorboard from the kitchen?
You can fiddle them out from the other side it is just a slightly more awkward, but frankly as I said if he used normal carpet underlay it's a waste of time messing with a small section, over time the extra flex will cause joints to open. Sorry I know it's not what you want to hear but it sounds like a refit is the way to go.
The joints will break because the underlay is too thick and soft for laminate. If you stand at a joint, it may break first time! If you could find a 2mm x 6mm strip of mdf anywhere, see how easy it is to break it. That's roughly the size of the bottom joint Mr. HandyAndy - Really
Thank you HandyAndy. What can I say? Well I don't use that room much at the moment, hope I can sell the flat before it breaks lol!