Laminate flooring and water do not mix very well at all. While some flooring options such as ceramic or porcelain tile, luxury vinyl plank flooring, and sheet vinyl flooring are impervious to water, flooring such as solid hardwood, bamboo, and engineered wood you may need to reconsider for rooms such as the bathroom where water splashes are inevitable!

Laminate flooring goes into the latter category, and if not professionally installed, it can become a disaster in high-moisture environments. It’s important, in the event of exposure to more than just a splash of water, to know how to minimise the damage water can cause to wood floors.

So, what happens when water comes into contact with laminate flooring?

There are industry specifications that dictate the resilience of laminate flooring to water, if it is exposed to water or submerged there will be irreversible damage.

Laminate flooring with pen edges will retain its original dimensions and shape up to around two hours of being submerged, but at around four hours, it will start to absorb the water, and at this point, the damage cannot be fixed. Higher temperatures will also accelerate the absorption, leading to boards swelling up.

The image layer and wear layer will begin to slowly de-laminate from the top of the board. Because laminate is a dense fibreboard, it can take over two days to dry. Installed laminate flooring may take weeks to dry, if ever.

Even after drying out completely, laminate flooring that has begun to deform will never return to its original dimensions, meaning it is vital that water is kept away from laminate flooring as much as possible.

Mop up standing water quickly, as water can migrate into laminate’s seams. The edge areas of the laminate are more of a problem since the edges are cut and exposed. If the water has reached edge areas or open seams, thoroughly extract the water with a wet-dry vacuum.

If you’re looking for a flooring repair specialist, get in touch today.