Popping sounds (especially this much) often come from the edges of the floor rubbing together when stepped on/compressed. It is horrible to deal with. It is even worse to live with. Certain forms of laminate flooring are prone to this type of noise.

The OptiCore is what is used with the repel line. This is fibre board backed using melamine (a tough 'film' that is often used to create cabinets) and then topped with all the normal stuff (photograph of wood glued to the board; topped with a tough finish using Aluminum Oxide).

There have been issues with 'popping' noises from various manufacturers. It is often the subfloor + the underlayment allowing the floor to move JUST ENOUGH that the click edges rub/move enough to squeak or pop.

In some situations the 'fix' (for a small area...like a few planks) was to remove the area, then add WAX to the edges and reinstall. For a situation like yours where 70% of your floor is making noise, the use of wax on the edges would be considered unreasonable.

You will need to use the report written by the flooring inspector to 'encourage' the supplier (the people who you purchased it from) to come out and offer a solution.

Not knowing anything about the underlying floor structure or how the flooring is installed it's difficult to diagnose the potential root cause or prescribe a fix. Did the flooring inspector offer any diagnosis other than estimating the total affected area?

Thank you.. we have the installer, supplier, manufacturer and third party inspectors involved. Installer has been out here several times and keeps saying it’s a manufacturer defect. The subfloor is absolutely fine. No one is coming up with much of a solution other than to put new flooring in and who pays for the reinstall is at battle. Shaw has offered based on the video posted here to buy new flooring. (Based on their inspectors report they where going to do nothing because inspector said install was the issue). However install costs are in jeopardy.

Do you think we would have the same issue again if we put in the same model of flooring? Do you think what we got was just a defective run?

It is very important to acclimate the laminate prior to the install. My guess would be, the laminate was installed during the cold month [January], was contracted and installed too tight... Now expanded and popping.

Another thing to check would be the length. It is not safe to run over 40' length for floaters.

I would try to pop a baseboard that runs perpendicular to the laminate direction. The laminate should not be tight against the framing. If it is take the multitool and cuts the end concealed by the baseboards.

>The installer of 30+ years has never seen this before.

LIAR

The laminate sat inside our heated house for two days prior to install. All of the baseboards have been removed and there is space between the flooring and the framing.

Did they check the floor for absolute level before installing the flooring. If there are any dips etc, a floor leveler should have been used. since it seems like your floor moves up and down when stepped on, my guess, is that the floor should have been leveled before installation.

You don't have enough relief. The flooring was installed in the driest condition. This time of year, the humidity is high, heating and a/c is not on full time to control humidity.

Remove your trim and cut more relief. The drywall may need to be cut. Installer would be responsible, for not factoring in the extra expansion.

Any chance the Installer could have damaged those butt locks snaps. They are relatively easy to damage, esp if you do not use the tool and hit em with the mallet... Those snaps designed to keep the proper distance and reduce the vertical movement. Was your subfloors well cleaned prior to the install. Any chance it had like drywall mud or dust..

We literally installed 1000s sq ft, few I did damage the butt snap locks... But I would always pulled those out and used them as a starting or ending pcs. Also if I undid the floor for some reason - imho snap locks would not lock as good as the first time.

@mneece this is the builder fault the floor is not level to use laminate floor the subflooring needs to be level. To resolve only remove flooring and level. I have been called to resolve these issues in new houses and this is the problem after I level the floor and insert back the laminate, voila! Customer happy!!!

We have the same exact problem and Shaw flooring brand bew house too

Probably did not use a quality underlayment trying to save on cost. We used Robert's Airguard, it's not cheap, but there is NO sound whatsoever. Seen way too many popping floors to go otherwise.

Do your floors pop all the time? Any one heard of this only happening first thing in the morning? Then not being able to get it to do it later in the day when someone comes to inspect it?