The most common cause of lifting is a lack of expansion space between the laminate floor near the wall around the perimeter, it could also be not enough room for movement between the floor and the laminate moldings. Just check the location perpendicular to the lifting spot and check near the wall, you might need to remove the molding and cut back the flooring back enough so there is enough room for the flooring to move.

Another reason for lifting could be, sometimes when the trim is put back and nailed in place, they put a nail through the floor that will also cause the floor to lift up.

Check that and if you see any above-said conditions, that is your fix and the installer should be back to check and fix that.

Good luck.

^ yep.

The floor is buckling because it cannot expand out, so it expands up. My money would be on a nail being shot into the floor.

Solution is to pull trim. If it's nailed to the floor, there's your problem. If not, you'll find the floor is hitting the perimeter. As long as it's not under a doorway, it's a pretty easy fix.

If the floor is over a larger area, it typically needs a bigger expansion space as it will move more.

Your first step should be to call the flooring company. Most companies will hold a 1 yr workmanship warranty that their installers carry within their store. This falls back on the installer whom the flooring company hired...call the flooring company.

If you take off a baseboard, carefully, you can see if you have expansion. I wouldnt delay doing this because, it will only get worse if the installer didnt leave enough expansion room. Did he use shims all the way around the room, between the floor and the wall? And then once floor was complete, remove them, and put the baseboard on? If not, the floor will shift enough that it is touching the wall, and cant expand.

The area in question, is it in the vicinity of a DOORWAY? Like a bedroom doorway? Entrance doorway? Sliding glass doorway?

If it is near an INTERIOR doorway (like a bedroom) did they use a TRANSITION strip in the doorway (called a t-molding)?

What about the HUMIDITY in the house? Has their been an INCREASE in humidity in the home since the floor was installed? If so, are you ACTIVELY controlling the humidity?

These are just some basic questions you can answer for us so that we have a better understanding of what is going on. Photos of the area would REALLY help!

It's not in the vicinity of any doorway, it's actually mostly in the middle of a long expanse in the middle of the room, Another strange thing is that the baseboard, which I had all painted when I moved in and just before the laminate was installed, is pulling away from the wall in areas. I am not sure if the two issues are related but it's all very frustrating since all was fine the first couple of months. I considered the humidity factor, I do have central a/c though. I don't know where to go from here, and the flooring installer hasn't responded after several emails (he initially asked for a picture...I sent a video but it's difficult to see since the floor is dark). Help!

The installer did not give a good enough expansion gap. Call the flooring company who installed the product. Call before it gets worse.

How long is the LONGEST run (one edge of the floor to another....please include space that runs down a hallway or through a doorway)? Many of these laminates have a MAXIMUM run of 30 linear feet (or so). If this floor runs THROUGH doorways and down a hallway WITHOUT t-molding, then the continuous run could be MORE THAN 60 linear feet (imagine a floor running from the wall in a bedroom, through a doorway then down a hallway without a break...yah...that's a LONG run).

If there aren't any breaks (ahem...please look to see if t-moldings were used in ALL interior doorways) then this floor could be too long. And if it is too long, then there is no amount of expansion gap that could be "enough". Again, something like this is "installer error" and must be remedied.

The baseboards that are pulling away from the wall, is there ANY sign of moisture??? Like a slow leak of any sort??? Pulling back the baseboard and a moisture meter used on the drywall would give you a good understanding as to whether or not there is moisture intrusion.

Here is a pic of the entire expanse, the buckling starts just before the chair and continues in places up to the far wall (each piece of laminate is about 4 feet in length). There are a couple more minor areas of buckling separate from this area. It was perfectly fine until the past month or so, which is the strange part.

The base separating from the wall is in random places. I’ve re-caulked and it’s held in some places, broken through again in others. I can’t imagine there are any leaks responsible, as the areas are spread out.

I purchased the floor myself and hired a local reputable flooring company to install it. They have not responded after several emails. I’m so frustrated and feel like I’ve wasted money on this renovation that I was really excited about after buying the place. I just don’t know where to go from here.

Forget the emails, and do a direct phone call, or stop in at his place of business. Is that a slight buckle in the hallway, just past the doorway to the open room on the right hand side of the picture. Looks like a very large seam, if it isnt buckling. Its time to get them back in there, or if you really cant, then call someone else, so you dont ruin your floors. The flooring pushing on the walls (if no expansion gap), could be making the baseboard pop.

Just before the chair, on the right hand side, looks to be another room. Is there the same flooring in that room? Is their an expansion gap in that doorway?

There is also a 'breezeway' to the LEFT of the hallway. This is another "pinch point". Even though it does not contain a "door" it would/should have been treated AS IF it were a doorway = t-molding.

This is a relatively LONG stretch of flooring. This may not be a problem BY ITSELF...but the large living space at the end of the hallway PLUS another EXPANSE of floor to the LEFT (through the breezeway) could be causing some issues.

The SUMMER is the time of PUFFY floors. Summer humidity INCREASES. That means the INDOOR humidity RISES as well. Even a 15% change in humidity is enough to cause a laminate floor to EXPAND.

Once the floor expands, it PUSHES against things. If the expansion gap at the walls (did you say you painted the baseboards BEFORE the floors were installed???) is NOT wide enough, the floor will PUSH into the wall. The wall will win so the "push" has no where to go. That's when floors lift and buckle.

Please tell us HOW MUCH expansion gap was LEFT when you removed the baseboards and then recaulked them. The "rule of thumb" for flooring is the THICKNESS of the floor will be the size of the expansion gap at the walls/through doorways/breezeways, etc.

Example: 15mm thick laminate (5/8") REQUIRES 15mm (5/8") expansion gap. That means UNDERNEATH the door jamb and around 'outcroppings' such as the breezeway opening.

If your baseboards are popping off it is possible the floor is pushing against them as well and causing them to move. Or more likely the expansion in summer has also effected you baseboards as well - especially if they are MDF.

The fibreboard products (such as laminate and some types of trim) expand MUCH MORE than people believe. I've seen laminate floors (especially the thick one's) more than ONE INCH over a 25 foot span....That's MASSIVE amounts of expansion. And that's why there are 'maximum' runs and MINIMUM expansion gaps required for these types of floors.

You are going to need a tape measure and a pry bar....you are going to do some detective work. Please write down your findings. This will also help with your installer - once you get hold of him/her.

Keep us posted of your findings/measurements.

The baseboards were painted before the flooring was installed. It was never removed, as there was carpet before and the new laminate was lower on the wall. Just shoe mold was added after the laminate was installed.

The whole expanse is the same flooring. To the left is the kitchen, dining area, door to the garage. The floor there is ok. To the right just before the chair is a laundry room with vinyl flooring. There is just a transition piece at that doorway. After what you’ve said here, I do believe that the floor is pushing against the walls in areas and causing the new gap between the baseboard/ wall. I figured the humility is adding to the problem, though central a/c is always on.

The main problem now is that the installer won’t respond to my emails or voicemails. Will the floor be ruined if this isn’t addressed right away? What should my next move be? Should I contact the BBB to see if that prompts some action? Or just hire a new flooring installer to fix it? Thank you so much for taking the time to respond in so much detail. I’m lost at this point.

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Who hired the installer... you or the flooring company?

They were one of the installers contracted by Floor and Decor. I was originally going through them for the flooring but found a floor I liked at another store. The installer said he also works independently. I looked them up on Yelp, etc and they seemed good/ reputable.

Better give your lawyer a call to write up a formal letter.

BBB, lawyers, all a waste of time/money at this point.

Call the installer. Be polite and civil, and ask him to come look at the floor and fix it. If he won't come look at the floor, explain to him that you'll have no choice but to leave poor reviews everywhere you can.

If he still refuses to come out, call the store you bought the floor from and ask for a recommendation for someone that can come find the problem and fix it. Tell them who installed it and that they won't come back to fix it.

When the repairman starts working on it, take pictures of the floor, of what the problem was, and the fix. Ask the repairman to write a memo about what he did to fix the incorrect install.

Then send the original installer a certified letter asking for a refund in the amount of what you paid the repairman, send him the pictures and a copy of the memo.

If he refuses, or ignores you, hop down the small claims and file a suit. You'll win. Now leave your reviews with pictures and your court ordered judgement.

Hopefully the guy will just come by and fix it and everyone can move on.

Yes, iit will damage your floors. Once they warp up, they wont flatten out. Its time to get it done, , or you will end up replacing. Can you go to the installers place of business and talk to him? If not, then call someone else to come out asap, and get it fixed. Dont wait and have unfixable damage

"....continues into the kitchen". Hmmmm. Is this laminate floor ALLOWED in kitchens?? Normally they are not...but some are allowed. You better check to see what the on-line specifications are (appropriate installation areas - often times kitchens and bathrooms will have a special mention as were NOT to install them).

At this point, the floors need to be dealt with SOONER rather than later. There is no guarantee the planks will "snap back" into shape in the winter time. Fibre board (like in laminate) has a very limited time it can "bend" before the bend becomes permanent (warped).

Normally the person who installed it would come back, pop off the baseboards and then trim back the planks on the wall so that the planks have the correct expansion gap. This is normally part of their "1 year labour guarantee" that reputable installers will offer. They do this for the PRECISE reason you are complaining about...you just never know when a pinch-point is going to bite you in the butt. The good installers know this and offer a free repair because of it.

Keep CALLING (no texting...some of these guys have fingers the size of New Hampshire = texting is impossible for them). This the busy season for them. I suggest pushing a bit as Taylor's Cabinets suggests. Make mention that you would prefer to have him fix it but you will move on to someone else and forward the bill (and bad reviews) on to original installer.

Do you know how HUMID it is in the home??? Purchase a hygrometer to find out. Do you know how humid it was (roughly) when the floor was installed? The difference between the two is super important.

And did you have a properly written contract?

I chose to put the laminate into the kitchen and the installer didn’t see a problem with it, given the fact that I live alone, have no pets, take meticulous care, and travel a lot for work. The kitchen area is perfectly fine.

The floor was installed in March (Chicago area, so still pretty cold/ low humidity). It’s been rainy and warm lately, so I’m sure it’s more humid now, though I run central a/c constantly.

Ive left voicemails now as well, trying to give him the benefit of the doubt for being busy. I don’t know how that would work, sending him a bill from another installer. Not sure someone else would go for that? I did contact a lawyer I know who would charge $300 to represent me if I wanted to take legal action. Not sure it’s worth it.

What do you estimate it would cost to get someone to take off the trim and repair this if I just decide to move on from the original installer? Thank you again!

Costs vary from region to region, so impossible to estimate. In my case, I would pop off the baseboards, and check it all out, and trim the flooring with my dremel tool, and put them back on myself. Its not difficult. I did the same thing 2 yrs ago, and I am a 79 yr old female.

Thank you all so very much for your responses. I appreciate it so much!

As cat_ky mentions, it is a matter of finding the area that is too tight to the wall (pull off the shoe molding) and then cutting it back in situ. A dremel or a floor cutter is all that would be needed (assuming this is the problem) to trim back any areas that are tight to the walls. The trim is reinstalled and off you go.

In my neck of the woods, this would be a "small job" fee that would consist of 2 parts:

Part 1. $200 minimum charge (gets you 4 man hours)

Part 2. $50/hr per person thereafter

It probably costs more to contact a lawyer than it would to fix it. Before you decide which way to go, you will need to pop off some shoe molding to see what is happening. You will want to pay attention to the baseboards that have started to pop off as well. I feel there is something going on in those areas as well (that could be flooring related). Removing the shoe molding in those areas to inspect the gap is a good idea.

I found a couple of contractors who will come out for an estimate, so I think I’ll just get it fixed and forget the legal route. Maybe I’ll try small claims court once it’s complete. Thanks so much!