Why Is My Laminate Floor Buckling, Gapping or Swelling?

Laminate is one of the most popular floors in Toronto homes and condos because it's affordable, scratch-resistant and looks like real wood. But when something goes wrong, it usually shows up as one of three problems: planks lifting (buckling), seams opening (gapping), or edges puffing up (swelling). The good news is that each one has a clear cause, and most can be fixed once you know what you're dealing with.

Why Is My Laminate Floor Buckling or Lifting?

Buckling happens when the floor has nowhere to expand. Laminate is a floating floor: it moves slightly with temperature and humidity. If that movement is blocked, the planks push against each other and rise up. The most common causes are:

• No expansion gap: laminate needs a gap of roughly 8 to 12 mm around every wall, pipe, cabinet and doorframe. If the planks were cut tight to the wall, they'll lift in humid weather.

• Pinned planks: baseboards or quarter-round nailed down through the floor, or heavy kitchen islands installed on top of it, stop the floor from floating.

• Moisture from below: concrete slabs in basements and condos release moisture. Without a proper vapour barrier, it gets absorbed by the core.

• Heat: strong sun through south-facing windows or a heating vent blowing on the floor can make one area expand more than the rest.

How do you fix a buckled laminate floor?

First, find and stop the cause. Then the baseboards come off, the expansion gap is cut back to the right size, and anything pinning the floor is freed. Planks that flattened without damage can often be relaid. Planks that stay warped have to be replaced.

Why Are Gaps Opening Between My Laminate Planks?

Small gaps that appear in winter and close again in summer are usually seasonal shrinkage. Ontario homes get very dry when the heat is on, and the floor contracts. Gaps that keep growing, or whole rows sliding apart, usually point to an installation problem:

• Uneven subfloor: dips and humps make planks flex every time you step on them, which slowly breaks the click-lock joints.

• Skipped acclimation: planks installed straight from a cold truck or garage shrink once they adjust to the house.

• Damaged locking edges: joints that were forced together during installation don't hold over time.

Minor gaps can often be tapped closed with the right tools. If several rows have separated, the section usually needs to be lifted, the subfloor corrected, and the planks relaid.

Why Is My Laminate Swelling at the Seams?

Swelling means water got into the fibreboard core. Common sources are wet mopping, steam cleaners, pet accidents left to sit, dishwasher or fridge leaks, and moisture coming up through a slab. Once the core swells, it rarely shrinks all the way back. Swollen planks need to be replaced, and the source of the water has to be dealt with first or the problem will come back.

How Do You Prevent Laminate Flooring Problems?

• Choose water-resistant laminate for kitchens, entrances and main floors.

• Make sure your installer levels the subfloor, uses a moisture barrier on concrete, and leaves a proper expansion gap.

• Keep indoor humidity steady, ideally around 35% to 55% year-round.

• Clean with a damp (never wet) mop, and never use a steam cleaner.

• Wipe up spills and pet accidents quickly.

Is Laminate Still a Good Choice?

Absolutely, as long as it's installed in the right place and the right way. For dry living areas and bedrooms, quality laminate flooring is durable and great value. For basements, laundry rooms and bathrooms, waterproof luxury vinyl is usually the better pick.

Laminate Flooring FAQs

Can a buckled laminate floor go back down on its own?

Sometimes, if the cause was temporary humidity and the planks weren't damaged. If it's been lifted for more than a few weeks, or the cause is a missing expansion gap, it won't fix itself.

Can I replace just a few damaged laminate planks?

Yes. A professional can remove and replace individual planks, as long as matching flooring is available. That's a good reason to keep a spare box after any installation.

Need a Flooring Expert to Take a Look?

Dealing with buckling, gaps or swelling in your laminate floor? Alpine Flooring has installed and repaired floors across Toronto and the GTA for more than 20 years. We're licensed and insured, rated 4.9 on Google, and you deal directly with Sam from your first call to the final walkthrough. Request your free quote and we'll come see the floor in person, often within the same week.

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