Floating floors have become popular in DIY circles due to their ease and speed of installation without specialized tools. Rather than being nailed down, it is held in place by its weight, friction between the floor and its underlying subcontrols, and/or its snapped-together joints.
Floating floors are not a floor covering itself, but rather a method of installing planks, boards and sometimes tile flooring.
Floor coverings like laminate, luxury vinyl or engineered wood flooring may be snapped together to create a one-piece uniform surface, rather like a jigsaw puzzle.
They “float” above the subsurface to allow for expansion and contraction in reaction to a room’s humidity level. A non-floating floor example would be hardwood, carpet or ceramic tile.
Even though they are popular choices, floating floors don’t come without their problems.
Four Floating Floor Problems
Since floating floors are just that – floating, problems can manifest themselves in four ways: chipping; warping & buckling; peaking; and mildew & mold growth.
- Chipping
Since most floating floors are made from thinner materials, they tend to be less substantial flooring options and easily be chipped during installation when a tapping block and mallet are used. This can also result in dents and mars. Chips in floating floors can also be created by cleaning the floor with a beater-bar attachment on a vacuum cleaner.
- Warping & Buckling
If floating floors are installed without a proper moisture barrier between it and the subsurface, accumulated moisture from water vapor or water damage can cause edge-warping or buckling. Surface water can also cause warping or buckling; water should never be used to clean a floating floor. This is one of the most common of floating floor problems.
“I’m not sure how to explain it, but there is a certain bounce to the plank, or rather, a hollow under the plank that allows the floor to move up and down. I am not talking about side-to-side expansion movement. This is purely vertical. In some of the more extreme cases, you can even see the plank moving up and down, mostly from the way the light reflects off the wood.”
– ladoladi, Houzz Discussions
- Peaking
The third of our floating floor problems, peaking occurs when two laminate floor boards are forced together by pressure, which causes them to peak at the seam or joint, resulting in a high spot in the flooring. This is generally caused by a lack of expansion space between the flooring and the surrounding walls and moldings. To remedy the problem, remove the molding and cut away a small portion of the flooring to relieve the pressure. Replace the molding.
“Peaking refers to a situation in which the laminate floor boards push up against each other and result in high points at the joints…The most common cause of peaking is a lack of expansion space between the laminate floor and the walls around the perimeter of the installation, or a lack of expansion space between the laminate floor and laminate moldings”
- Mildew & Mold
A strong musty odor is generally a giveaway that a floating floor is contaminated with mold or mildew, which generally arises from an excessively damp environment. Before installing a new floating floor, check for mold and mildew and eradicate it, and install a moisture barrier that will inhibit the growth of mildew and mold.
How Can I Fix My Floating Floor Problems?
You can’t just slap some glue under the affected flooring and call it a day.
You’d be setting yourself up for failure and creating more floating floor problems in the future. Rather, you’d be better served to replace any damaged boards and solve excessive moisture problems with a moisture barrier.
Contact Illinado Home Solutions
If you have questions about installing a floating floor or need repair services, we at Illinado Home Solutions are glad to help! Please contact us today.
Have a floating floor over concrete floor. Would daily mopping (mop and bucket of water) cause water to seep between seams/joints of the floor and eventually come out the edge of the floating floor onto the rest of the concrete floor ?
I would use a damp rag. Way less water than a mop but it still gets the floor clean. More work though.
we live in a rented property with a floating floor which seems to have sunk and our landlord cannot find someone to mend it what can be done
I have Cali Bamboo floors installed and they have some soft spots. I think the install was not good at all and I will have issues for years to come. I had Lowes do it and it is horrible!!! What are the best next steps?
Realize this is old, but either drill holes and apply glue under the hollow spots, or if you have extra boards, cut out a couple of boards in the affected area then remove boards until you can expose the area and level the floor with self leveler. Replace the removed boards and modify the last couple you cut out by cutting the bottom of the groove off so they can be put back together. Use appropriate glue for your type of flooring at the seam.
I’ve had tapi inter locking wood flooring however the whole of my hallway has lifted to the e stent we can’t open the door. Now my rug in the living room is going the same way.we have had builders in they say they will replace hallway but it all goes into one so what do I do
I have dropped something on to my floating floorboards which have caused a chop. Can this be fixed?
Our floating wood flooring makes a cracking or popping sound at times. It seems like it has to do with the weather. Is this normal? The company that installed it tells us it is normal and they are pushing back on doing anything about it.
My floating floor is separation in half a dozen places with 1/8-1/4 inch gaps, why?
I’m considering placing a floating floor over those small 1″ tiles in a bathroom.
1. What is a moisture barrier?
2. Will it be difficult to cut the planks in order to fit around the toilet, etc.?
3. What would you advise as an inexpensive alternative covering for these bathroom tiles. I would prefer not to remove them.
I will appreciate your input.