Installer if no vapor barrier Water Damage Top down Swelling at both sides of seams, gaps in seams, voids in glue Improper joining and/or gluing Replace Installer Out of Rack Boards not aligned parallel on both sides and ends, seen on floor from point on where misalignment started. Failure to align and tightly join starter row. Replace as needed Installer Out of Square A floor that is out of square will affect alignment on out of square planks only and not entire area. Milling Replace as needed Manufacturer No Underlay Foam Buckling No foam results in gluing to the underlayment and floor is no longer floating Replace Installer Concave Bowing Center of the plank is lower in elevation than the edges in length or width. Installed on wet subfloor. No moisture barrier. Improper acclimation. Water damage. Manufacturing defect Wait 6 weeks after installation to inspect.  If in excess of tolerance, replace. Installer if installed over wet floor, improper acclimation or no vapor barrier.  Consumer if water damage. Manufacturer Convex Bowing Center of the plank is higher in elevation than the edges in length and width. Manufacturing related condition Wait 6 weeks after installation to inspect. If in excess of tolerance replace. Manufacturer Delamination Laminate not adhering to core. May appear as a bubble on plank surface, delamination on edge about width of tapping block. Laminate moves, hollow sound, improperly used tapping block, swelling due to improper gluing Plank or section replacement Installer if not properly glued or installation damage.  Manufacturer if laminate not attached. Proud Edges Height difference between planks when installed Milling Assess on basis of size and number and if outside of acceptable range, replace as required. Manufacturer, Installer if highly visible and floor should not have been installed. Pattern Misaligned Pattern no aligned on the core Improper manufacturing alignment Plank or section replacement Manufacturer, installer if highly visible and should not have been installed. Foggy Laminate Milky appearance throughout plank Manufacturing Replace section or as needed. Manufacturer Sheen Variation Sheen varies between planks with some dull and others shiny.  Usually light dependant Manufacturing Replace section or as needed. Manufacturer Color Variation Plank varies in color from the true color or design Manufacturing or mixed pattern Plank or section replacement Installer if wrong color or highly visible, otherwise manufacturer Foreign matter under laminate Particles under laminate that show up either as marks, spots or lumps. Dust or debris during manufacturing.  Generally light dependent and not seen until after installation. Replace as needed Manufacturer, installer if highly visible as it should have been seen and not installed. Improper Milling Floor unlevel or not square in areas Product out of square, defective tongue or groove. Replace as needed Manufacturer, installer if highly visible as it should have been seen and not installed. Chattermarks (Cuttermarks) Widthwise, wavy or rippled bands.  Not seen in all lighting. Skips during sanding Replace Manufacturer, installer if highly visible as it should have been seen and not installed.

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Plumbing and Appliance Leaks

Water damage from plumbing and appliance leaks such as dishwashers, water heaters, washing machines and ice makers can result in buckling of a laminate floor. Often these leaks are very slow and go unnoticed.

Slow leaks are often difficult to identify as they are below the laminate where they penetrate into the laminates core material.

While you may not see the leak an inspector can tell that excess moisture is there by use of a moisture meter.

Flooding

Severe plumping leaks such as a pipe break or overflowing toilet will usually result in buckling of a laminate floor.

Water Damage to Laminate Floor From Concrete

Moisture can enter into the back of a laminate floor resulting in cupping. An entire floor may cup from a concrete floor that is too wet. This can occur even when a vapor barrier has been used below the laminate floor.

Testing for Moisture

All concrete floors should be tested for moisture prior to installation of the laminate floor covering.

Newly poured concrete should be allowed to cure for at least 60 days prior to installation of the laminate floor.

There are a number of ways to tests for moisture. Many of these such as electronic testing and calcium chloride testing should be performed by companies such as The Weinheimer Group LLC that have the proper training and equipment.

Easy Consumer or Installer Test for Concrete Moisture

Below is a test that can be used inexpensively, without training. This test is acceptable by many laminate flooring manufacturers.

Materials:

• 6 mil polyethylene film
• Duct tape.

Procedure:

• Using duct tape completely seal a 2′ x 2′ section of the polyethylene film down to an area of clean concrete. It is best to do this in several locations where the laminate floor is to be installed. At least one test per 500 square feet.
• After 72  hours remove the plastic. (one week is better)
• If the concrete is dark or wet below the plastic the subfloor is too wet to install a laminate floor.

Water Damage Maintenance and Pet Damage

• Spills and improper wet cleaning of a laminate floor can cause swelling at the laminate joints. This is often seen as puffy areas along the edge of the planks and frequently crosses between plank edges.
• The most common cause of  edge swelling over a large area is wet mopping or using popular floor cleaning equipment such as but not limited to the Swiffer Wet Jet.
• Sometimes it takes a year or two of use before maintenance related issues start to show up. Some floors may never experience noticeable damage by these cleaning methods and others will experience severe damage. Water damage is rarely covered by the laminate manufacturer.
• Spills and damage from pet urine are usually localized and show as swelled areas between planks. This is a site related condition and not a laminate floor problem and will almost never covered by a manufacturer warranty.

Sealant Around Laminate Edges

• Some laminate flooring manufacturers require a sealant to be used around objects such as sliding glass doors, kitchen cabinets, water hearers and in other areas prone to leaks and moisture.
• The proper sealant must be used to prevent lock in of the floor.
• The sealant must be properly applied or voids will be left for moisture to enter.
• Failure to use a sealant as specified by the laminate flooring manufacturer can void a warranty.

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