How to close up the cracks in the laminate on the floor

Laminate flooring has a beautiful appearance and ease of maintenance. It has dirt and water repellent properties. But over time, gaps form between the slats. Simple repairs with low financial costs can be done on their own.

How to close up the cracks in the laminate

Before buying defect repair products, carefully inspect the floor. If the laminated surface is a couple cm away from the walls, individual slabs are swollen (moisture got inside and nourished the wood fiber), it is worth considering a major overhaul.

The range of construction stores offers:

• putties, mastics;
• pastes, grouts;
• sealants.

IMPORTANT! Grouts and sealants are fillers, and putty is an equalizer.

The expanded color gamut of floor restoration products allows you to choose the right color. If the desired color was not available, choose the closest darker shade in terms of color.

Putties

Laminate floor putties are suitable for repairing small cracks in corners, near walls and furniture. Repair mass does not differ in ductility and resistance to deformations, therefore it is not recommended to remove defects with it in places of high traffic. Do not putty putty deep and wide cracks. The thick layer crackes over time, crumbles.

Mastics rather mask defects, close up scratches, minor cracks, reagents for plasticity are added to the composition. The tool is more expensive than grout, therefore, if there are many deep gaps, pay attention to the following group.

Grout

Grids, in comparison with hard putty, very quickly set. In the cavity of the deep seam uniformly solidify and harden. If you use a paste, patching up scratches, the product instantly dries and is removed with a flick of the wrist with a dry rag.

Mastics, grouts and pastes are made on the basis of wax and polymers. Well-known manufacturers to protect against mold add fungicide to the composition. In this case, the price of the jar will be more expensive.

You can make a trowel paste yourself. To do this, mix wood dust and gypsum in a ratio of 1: 1. Dilute with warm water to the consistency of thick sour cream and fill the cavity.

ATTENTION! These products are suitable for small crevices. And if you use a spatula, the consumption of sealing material is small.

Sealants

The manufacturer prepares a sealant in tubes and cylinders with a nozzle. Sealants just close up the deep gaps. When buying, pay attention to the volume. If the sealant is not fully used, clean the nozzle.

In addition to the main material, get a roll of masking tape. Excess seal material will remain on a paper basis - after drying, you will not have to scrape off dried pieces. A spatula is best to choose soft rubber. Then, when working, protect the surface from scratches.

Why there are cracks in the laminate

Cosmetic repairs of the laminate floor mask external defects. In order for the cracks to not form again, it is necessary to eliminate the possible cause:

1. High humidity or dry air. Although moisture-resistant impregnation has been applied to the surface of the laminated board, with loose connections and increased humidity in the room, wood fibers are saturated with water, forming mounds in the center and crevices from the edges. In a dry room, the laminate is drying and cracking. Of course, this is not a solid board, but there are isolated cases.
2. Improper care. Floors covered with laminate can be cleaned with a damp cloth. But do not fill with water. Make sure that the water from the pallets during watering does not form puddles on the floor, batteries do not leak, and pets are able to cope with the need for a tray, and not where it is necessary.
3. Incorrect installation. Manufacturers produce different types of laminate for the floor: three or five-layer, with a “lock” for fastening or grooves, where glue is used during installation. And a cheap laminate (not because of the pricing policy of the store, but because of low-quality components) will last less.

If a:

• the design uses several types of laminate from different manufacturers with different types of fastening;
• the builders were in a hurry and didn’t fasten the “locks” qualitatively;
• the board is placed diagonally (you need to cut it at an angle);
• the technique of leveling the floor was not followed, the wrong substrate was chosen, the gap from the wall was too large for the laminate to “float” - over time, the distance between the laminated boards increases, wide gaps appear.

ATTENTION! At first, small and inconspicuous gaps can lead to repair of the entire floor, so do not postpone termination for later.

How to make sure that no cracks appear in the floor

As the doctors say: "The disease is easier to prevent." To prevent cracks in the laminate flooring from reappearing, observe a few rules:

1. Keep your floor clean. Ideally, the garbage is first removed with a vacuum cleaner (to prevent gaps from accumulating dirt), and then wiped with a damp cloth.
2. Remove spilled water in time. If the laminate is laid in the bathroom, the bathroom, think about additional water-repellent processing of joints.
3. Take care of the comfortable climate in the room: use moisture concentrators and humidifiers, if necessary.
4. Apply small scratches and crevices immediately.
5. Use soft felt linings under the legs of cabinets and sofas. Then, when moving, there will be no scratches. Or put a soft carpet if furniture needs to be moved.

Following the recommendations for prevention and repair will help keep the flooring attractive for longer.