Chips, Dents, Scratches, Gouges in Laminate Planks
Line BreakAuthor: Terry Weinheimer | Kevin Weinheimer (14 Articles)
Kevin Weinheimer and Terry Weinheimer are nationally known flooring inspectors located in Oregon and offering nationwide service.
Chipped Plank Corners
It is the responsibility of the installer to check all planks prior to installing.
Most all laminate manufacturers take the view that when you install a damaged plank such as one with a chip in it, this becomes your responsibility and not theirs.
Chips at plank corners, especially those that cross over between planks are caused either during the installation process or by a dropped object.
When a chip is located at a single plank corner, this is usually a plank that was installed damaged or became damaged during installation.
An installer must be careful not to install a plank with a chipped corner and if it chips during installation it should be pulled at that time and replaced with a different plank.
Dents, Gouges, Indentations in Laminate Floor
Dents: Like floors of wood and bamboo, laminate floors are subject to denting when a heavy object is dropped on it.
Dents from dropped objects will have stress cracks around the edge of the dent.
Indentations or Gouges: Heavy objects being rolled across a laminate floor can cause indentations or deep gouges.
Laminate Scratching and Scuffing
While some over zealous sales people tend to sell laminate floor as being indestructible most laminate flooring manufacturers state that their floor is scratch resistant. Do not confuse scratch resistant with scratch proof as this is not the same. Usually scratches are not covered by a manufacturers warranty.
Scratch Prevention: Use felt protector on all furniture legs. Keep animal nails trimmed. Place an area rug at all entrances to catch gritty soil and debris. Shoes can trap debris in the soles and scratch a floor. Avoid using hard plastic toys on a laminate floor as hard plastics can abrade a laminate finish.
Caster Damage to Laminate Floor
- The proper caster must be used on office and other rolling chairs.
- Some manufacturers state that an office chair must have at least 5 casters.
Most laminate flooring manufactures state that rubber casters need to be used as both metal and plastic casters will cause, indentations, abrasions, scratching or scuffing to the surface of the laminate floor.
Improper casters such as metal and hard plastics can also cause chipping along the edge of the planks.
Tapping Block Damage
A tapping block is sometimes used by the installer to join the short ends of the planks.
When a tapping block is used improperly or an objects such as a hammer is used, or planks are kicked together this can damage plank edges.
Plastic casters on chairs etc, which can scratch laminate floors, can be coated with silicone sealant such as used around window frames or kitchen sinks. Clean the caster thoroughly and remove stuck on dirt/debris. I found turning the caster against a blade cleaned it. Paint silicone sealant thinly with a small paint brush on rolling face of caster and allow to dry. This will give it a ‘rubberized’ type coating and stop the caster skidding and scraping or scratching the laminate floor, it will allow it to rotate freely and gives the caster a slight grip on the laminate surface.
Richard, there is certainly no doubt that scratching can be reduced and often eliminated by proper maintenance. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Installed a Maple Wood Laminate floor over a wood sub floor with a separate underlayment. Several of the wood planks are separating and rising up, this appears to br Delamination, what are some repair solutions, glue, fasteners.
Before you correct you need to determined why the planks are delaminating. If you have a site related condition and you do not correct the problem first you can expect continued delamination. As far as repairing, you do not say if this is a floating floor or attached with fasteners. Keep in mind that you do not want to repair a floating floor by using fasteners or your floor may become locked in.