Laminate swelling! help!!

[swilli88]

Hi all,

I noticed a small area of what looks like swelling in my 12mm laminate flooring. It seems to be getting worse as the weeks have gone on but to my knowledge there has never been any spillage of liquid in this spot for a prolonged period that could have let moisture seep into the floorboard. You can see in the photos that the junction of two boards on one side, as well as the adjacent board are raised slightly. Both ends of the boards have no obstruction for expansion as one just goes under the cabinet kickboard. What's going on and how do I fix it before it gets worse, its in a real annoying spot!!!

 

[just pumps]

editted.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

It may go under a cabinet kickboard but is there an expansion gap under there or does the laminate run straight up to the wall/skirting? Similarly, are you sure there is a 10mm exansion gap (which might have a compressible material such a Compraband in it) at all the walls?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

What expansion has been left at the perimeters?

 

[swilli88]

the board that goes beneatht the cabinet is unrestricted for many inches. doesnt come close to the wall.

 

[big-all]

my thoughts
if its boards lifting at the end joints by more than perhaps 2-3mm then it can't be restrained by the boards each side via the grooves so can only be swelling probably exaggerated by lack off expansion causing tenting

 

[swilli88]

So what are my options from here to try and reverse the issue? What steps in what order? I know the last option is to pull up floor up to the issue and replace those planks but I’m hoping for something less than that

 

[big-all]

if you put a strait edge across an area does it just lift
if you stand on it does it settle down and look flat then spring back when unloaded
does it look swollen and possibly discoloured at any joint

 

[swilli88]

I can try the test with straight edge in the morning but certainly by hand I couldn’t really press the area down at all

 

[crazydaze]

How do you clean the floor? Sweep? Hoover? Spray Cleaner? Steamer?

 

[swilli88]

How do you clean the floor? Sweep? Hoover? Spray Cleaner? Steamer?

sweep and hoover but occasionally a light mopping. the mopping would be the equivalent of taking a damp tea towel and rubbing the floor. Its not a big sloppy mop or anything