How to Repair Laminate Flooring Water Damage: A Step-by-Step Guide

When enough water seeps into the laminate to damage the wood particle layer inside, you may notice signs of water damage throughout your floor. This includes buckling planks, bubbling or cracking in the surface of the laminate, and the appearance of mold. You cannot repair laminate flooring planks that have suffered this kind of damage, but you can replace them individually.

Before you begin, check to see if you have leftover materials from the original installation. Look in utility closets and other storage areas before purchasing new ones. If you do have to buy new flooring, make sure you purchase replacement planks that match your existing flooring. Keep in mind that coloring may slightly differ if your floors have worn over time or have seen regular exposure to UV light.

The most important thing is to stop the source of the damage as soon as possible so it doesn’t warp more of your flooring. If you have a burst pipe pouring water onto your floor, turn off the water at the main line and call an emergency plumber near you. If the water damage is from a slow leak or a poor seal around a window, you may be able to DIY a fix but make sure to get the work done before repairing your floors.

Whatever the cause, if you don’t fix the problem, you’ll quickly find yourself back at square one.

It’s also important to determine the category of water damage. Dealing with clean water is one thing, but there are health risks if you’re dealing with gray water or black water. Call in a professional if there’s a health risk involved.

The longer water sits on your laminate flooring, the more likely it is to do further damage to the planks and other materials. You want to prevent the water from seeping into more of your flooring and down to the subfloor, where it can do more expensive damage and develop mold.

Before you start your replacement, clean and dry the water-damaged flooring. To get rid of as much moisture as possible, run a blower fan for 24 to 48 hours. This is very often the first step in the water damage remediation process.

Once you have neutralized the source of the water damage, inspect the whole floor, searching closely for all signs of damage. Look for discoloration, bubbling, cupping, crowning, signs of mold, cracks, and buckling or misshapen boards. Use sticky notes or cloth tape to mark the spots that require attention. If there are signs of more extensive mold damage affecting the whole floor, stop and contact a mold remediation specialist before proceeding.

After doing a visual survey, step on each potentially damaged board, feeling for any movement or changes to the shape. Mark any board showing these signs for replacement.

Remove baseboards, thresholds, and molding by gently prying them away using a pry bar. Take care not to damage them during removal, as you'll need to reinstall them later. Consider replacing water-damaged baseboards and trim for a complete restoration.

Clear the area of any furniture and rugs so you can access the flooring.

Wear safety glasses as you begin removing damaged laminate planks. Unlike traditional flooring that’s fastened with adhesive or nails, laminate wood planks feature an interlocking system of tongues and grooves, so the planks are easy to detach by hand. Just tilt up the outer edge of the board and pull it away from the adjoining piece.

In some cases, you may need to remove undamaged planks to access and unlock those that are damaged. Set these aside for reinstallation at a later stage of the repair process.

If you need to remove damaged planks in the center of your floor, it’s best to remove the surrounding planks until you reach the damage. However, you can also use a utility knife to cut at a 45-degree angle from each corner and then pry up the damaged plank.

To begin the floor replacement, start with planks in the center of the room. Cut the grooves off of your replacement plank, add some flooring adhesive to the underside, and then set it in place. Use some super glue on the edges to secure them to the adjoining pieces in lieu of interlocking grooves.

You can then work on edge pieces. Simply slide the new piece into place by tilting it and tucking the edge lock under the adjoining piece, pulling the two pieces together, and then laying the board flat. You can then slide the new piece into the correct position and use your rubber mallet to attach the tongues and grooves on the short edges of the pieces. Cut edge pieces to length with your miter saw and rip them to width, if necessary, with your table saw.

If you had to remove any baseboards, thresholds, or molding from the edges of the floor, line them back up in the order that you removed them. Take your new finishing nails and line them up with the existing holes, gently tacking each into place with a hammer.