Lifting & re-laying part of a glued laminate floor

Hi,

My sister is just about to have some damp-proofing work done on her kitchen wall which requires exposing approx 18 inches of floor. It's currently covered with a glued laminate floor in reasonable condition. Therefore, I was wondering if anybody knew of a technique for removing a chunk of the floor along the wall in such a way that it can be replaced afterwards? I have contemplated using a router to chop it off in the right place, but putting it back securely is the problem.

Any suggestions appreciated

Neil

Reply to
Neil W
Loading thread data ...

I had to lift an entire floor covered with this stuff because I had central heating installed, I found that if you could raise part of the floor by sliding a piece of timber under it, say inside the door area, then it would bulge up, it was along the join so it began to separate the seams and all I did was score the seams with a craft knife, when I laid it back, I just used the pull bar and hammer to close it together, it looked ok but the laminate can easily chip.

-- Regards, Martin

Reply to
Mart.C.

I've had to do it Neil, and it took a couple of hours to do it. I'd be faster at it now though, because I know the technique. Follow carefully.

Pick the seam you want to lift the floor back to. Remove any edging and make sure you can lift the whole section you want to remove. Now the next bit needs team work and a length of tube or brush handles, or something like that shape. We used an old wooden curtain pole.

With a few people along the whole length of the section you're going to lift, and something under the edge to help start it. Everyone lifts the floor in one big piece and then you roll the tube, or what ever you're using, under the flooring at one end, until it goes just passed the seam you've chosen as the break point. Now this next bit needs patience and a gentle demeanour.

Slowly lower the boards back down until they starts to bend over the tube. Make sure you help it a bit to bend as far as it will go, be firm but gentle, and keep the process of lifting and lowering, until the glue gives up and surrenders. It should break the glue along the seam without damaging the flooring so much that it can't be put back.

Do this all along the length of the floor and it should break right along the seam. Once you've got it separated it can be lifted out in a oner and stored in a safe place until you're ready to place it back. I'm sure you'll manage that bit on your own.

I've done this two or three times now on jobs that needed pipes and cables added to them, so I know it works if you take your time. And you can thank the joiner who showed me how to do it. Hats off to Gilbert West, the best joiner in Britain, so he says. :-))

Reply to
BigWallop

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.