Damaged laminate flooring over underfloor heating

I have a problem with a laminate floor, laid about one year ago. The sub-floor is conventional floorboards with wet underfloor heating on top and then a recommended underlay.

In one place in the kitchen there seems to be damage to the t&g join and one plank depresses if weight is put on it:

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The flooring runs under the kitchen units all the way to the wall. A laminate fitter examined this and suggested that rather than lifting and replacing the plank it would be possible to drill a small hole, squirt in expanding foam and then weigh down the floor until it had set.

I was OK with getting him to do that, but then he had second thoughts about drilling the hole. "There's too big a risk of hitting the pipework" he said.

What do people think, firstly of the suggested method and secondly of the dangers of drilling into the laminate? I'd have thought that going carefully and using a depth gauge (and perhaps a non-pointed bit?) it ought to be all right.

Also, any thoughts on what might have caused the damage in the first place?

Many thanks.

Reply to
Bert Coules
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replying to Bert Coules, Iggy wrote: If it's literally just that plank, then I suspect it was a defective lamination. If it is or starts showing elsewhere, then the flooring either isn't approved for use over floor heating (not good for you and your fitter's relationship) or you need to submit a Warranty Claim to the manufacturer immediately.

On the fix-it side, I'd agree that expanding foam is NOT a good option. Expanding foam does "seem" fairly rigid, but it's not. You'd be much better off with a Gorilla Glue type of polyurethane water-curing (moist, not pooling) and expanding glue. It's very solid and any excess chips or scrapes right off of the flooring surface.

In that case, I'd much prefer to avoid any drilling (if possible) and lift the plank a little more than in the picture or just enough to squirt and push-in with a toothpick or popsicle stick (whatever) the glue to secure and fill the problem area. If the plank can be bowed or lifted, then drilling into the side is fine because it'll be invisible and later hidden.

Reply to
Iggy

Expanding foam when expanding exerts a large force on constraining materials and is quite likely to lift the floor no matter what you try to weigh it down with. Moreover, in a confined space it will not set quickly and could easily continue to expand for several days.

Reply to
Peter Parry

Iggy,

Thanks for your reply.

Can you recommend a specific one? Or will the original basic Gorilla Glue be the best choice?

I agree, that's obviously desirable.

That's tricky. I can depress the plank (as pictured) but I can't get under it to lift it, since the adjoining plank won't move either up or down.

Reply to
Bert Coules

I dont have an answer but it also looks like the plank is `bowing` where it goes under the kickboard.

Reply to
ss

Yes after a week after the person thought it was done and plastered over the foam it suddenly pushed a lump of plaster out and formed what I can only describe as a bubble gum like structure poking out of the wall by the window the foam was filling a void near. I hate the stuff. Its like some kind of alien organism. Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

+1, disastrous idea. It might seal the holed pipe though!

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

Yes, that does seem to be the general opinion. Thanks to you and everyone else for reinforcing it.

Ah well, every cloud (or every leak) and all that...

Reply to
Bert Coules

replying to Bert Coules, Iggy wrote: Just the basic Gorilla Glue will do the trick. And oh, I see. Well then, drill a or a few holes and force the glue down as best you can. Drill in the dark grain areas, as those will be least noticeable. You might even be able to just draw over the holes with a Sharpie to disappear them, but then you'll need to polyurethane them a few times for waterproofing and durability.

Reply to
Iggy

The underfloor heating pipes should not run under the kitchen units anyway.

My next job:-)

Over floor grooved EPS. The heating system suppliers suggest strengthening the floor with timber battens where the feet go. Kitchen designer lady pooh poohed this when I ran it by her.

I guess your floor fitters used a butt joint instead of the tongue and groove supplied.

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Reply to
Tim Lamb

Is that relevant? The part of the flooring which might need to be drilled is not under the kitchen units and so has the UFH pipes directly beneath it.

I don't see how that can be the case, since the depression occurs only over one small part of the entire length of the plank.

Reply to
Bert Coules

Thank you.

Surely if it does prove necessary (and practical) to drill through the laminate it should be possible to plug the holes afterwards with an appropriately coloured filler of some sort, shouldn't it? Thank you for the tip about waterproofing those spots.

Reply to
Bert Coules

replying to Bert Coules, Iggy wrote: Actually, the glue would be much better as your filler, since it'll be solidly connected down below and it's glue. Using some putty or auto body filler for such a shallow patch will pop right out. If you prefer either of those though, then re-drill the holes afterward and wiggle the drill bit around so the holes are conical, so the patches can't pop-out or walk-up and out of their holes.

Reply to
Iggy

Flooring EPS is known for sagging in time. I'd not want to rely on it to carry the load, especially in a kitchen.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

Someone dropped a Le Creuset cooking utensil and it hit edge down right on a floor joint ?.

Reply to
Andrew

Iggy,

It didn't occur to me that the glue itself would seal the holes but now you point it out it is of course obvious. thanks.

Reply to
Bert Coules

NT,

Even when installed on top of conventional floorboards?

Reply to
Bert Coules

An interesting thought but I know of nothing, unfeasibly heavy or otherwise, ever having been dropped on that spot.

Reply to
Bert Coules

Do you have a spare plank?

If so, cut the existing one out (circular saw set to depth of plank). Cut inside the perimeter all round. Then break out the remaining edges. Level or fix the floor under, then fit new plank having chopped off the underside of the grove so that it can be dropped into place on a bed of adhesive and weighted down til set.

Reply to
John Rumm

I've never seen a floor done like that :)

Reply to
tabbypurr

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