Laying a very light colored laminate floor (Maple). I can see some of the end joints. In other words, it appears like the MDF core can be seen. I wouldn't have this problem if the flooring was dark. I am not a pro, but I think I am putting the floor down correctly. Is there a way to disguise the end joint so it blends better?
These are approximately 4ft x 6" planks.
Thanks.
Is this a T & G setup or an interlock that snaps together? You are tapping them together with a block, right? Or using the tool on the end to pull them together.
In addition to a utility knife and a rubber hammer:
You may need this tool
I have a pull bar. I am putting them together tight. They are a click-lock type of flooring. no glue. It seems like they may be shrinking ?? I lay some floor at night, then the next night, some of the end joints seem to have slightly separated, just enough so I can see the joint. I let the panels acclimate for 2 days or so before I put them down. This is in a basement on a dricore subfloor. The laminate is rated for basement use.
Have the boards boxes been opened for several weeks in the house?? THey need to acclimate.
"Jack" wrote
Did you take them out of the box to acclimate? Two days may not be enough, especially if still in a solid mass.
Acclimatization is measured in weeks; two days is no more than, "Hi".
clamp "while drying"??? WTF?? I've done a couple of laminate floors now, and neither were wet.
Get a similar colored stain and let it soak into the joints?
Remove & reinstall is always possible too if you're energetic enough.
You probably didn't sufficiently butt the ends together while you were installing. I suppose there could have been a quality problem with the product too. Are all the visible ones places where you cut them with a saw? It's possible to do everything right and still have them show if your saw wasn't set to an accurate 90 degree cut verticall and/or horizontally. Per the instructions, I always undercut the vertical just a very little, tiny bit so the top sticks out more than the bottom; like you do with moldings; it insures the top surfaces will touch each other when they're butted, as long as it's an accurate 90 in the horizontal cut.
HTH,
Twayne`
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.