Laminates have been extensively used for home interiors now-a-days but with the arrival of the monsoon, it brings along a plethora of problems and possibilities of damage that can be caused to your laminate floor. Rainfall can cause water to seep into the flooring’s joints, find its way into the underlayment, and cause the laminates to swell and become distorted. To prevent this from occurring, it is important to take preventive measures and steps to act quickly and accurately when rain does strike your laminates.
Preventive measures to take for laminates during the rainy season
Firstly let us know the precautions to take to protect your laminates from getting damaged during the rainy season:
1. Keep the windows closed during heavy rain –
The strongest form of defense against rain damage to laminate flooring is keeping the windows closed. This will allow you to prevent most of the rain from entering the house since window openings are the most direct point for the rain to enter.
2. Maintain a mat near the wet areas/windows –
Your w indows and doorways are the usual entry points for rainwater to enter wet surface laminate flooring. To prevent rainwater from misting up the floor or pooling on the surface, use a mat near each window and encourage all your family and friends to dry their feet whenever they enter your home. This will help keep the planks dry and free from water damage.
3. Wipe off any water spilled immediately –
Even if you have taken all the steps to prevent your floor from becoming wet, there will always be instances of water spilling. In such cases, mop up the wet area as soon as possible to prevent the water from seeping into the joints between the laminate planks.
4. Consider using a moisture barrier under your laminates –
To provide extra protection for your laminate, consider installing a moisture barrier between the floors and the subfloor. The moisture barrier can assist in wicking off any moisture that finds its way to the subfloor and protect the planks from becoming warped.
Steps to take after laminates get damaged during the rainy season
Following instructions and proper evaluation after the damage occurrence is what should be followed to ensure that your laminates do not get more severely damaged. Understand what all steps are required to take after laminates get damaged during rainy season-
1. Wipe off any still water on the surface –
Laminates may not be as water-resistant as first thought. They might not react to water immediately after the spill or rain but if the water stays on the surface for a longer period of time then this can cause your laminates flooring to damage eventually as, the more the laminates stay in contact with the water the more it absorbs and seeps into the floorboard causing it to bubble up, split, crack and even loose color at times. To ensure the safety of the laminates against water damage, it is important to wipe down any rainwater with a clean towel or cloth and dry the surface quickly.
2. Identify the damaged planks –
After the laminates are damaged you should carefully identify which are the particular damaged laminate planks. Do a proper evaluation of your entire flooring. Look for any planks that have swollen due to water seeping underneath. You can also look for any loose or warped edges in the laminate floor. Check for all possible signs of damage for the laminates. Make a note of which all planks are affected mentioning the severity of each. You can also use sticky notes to mark or color the laminate sheet.
3. Remove only the damaged planks –
With the help of a pry bar, carefully remove only the damaged planks. Since the laminate planks are installed very close to each other make sure to not damage neighboring planks and support the remaining floorboards in the area of the damaged planks. After this is done, check the underlayment to see if it is suitable to be reused.
4. Installing new ones in the place of damaged laminate planks –
Position the new plank in the place of the damaged laminate and make sure that it is secure and properly locked in place. Then press the plank downwards and use a floating floor tapping block to install the edges.
5. Consult a professional’s help for the procedure –
For more complicated installations such as laminate floors that have been water-damaged, it is best to consult a professional floor layer or contact the laminate company for the repair job. They are experienced in this type of restoration and can assist you in repairing the flooring safely and properly.
Laminate flooring can often become damaged due to too much water such as during the rainy season. But with the proper precautions and steps to take after damage, you can restore your laminate floor back to its former glory. So, these are the preventive measures and steps you should take to protect and restore your laminate flooring during and after the rainy season.