Laminate began to creak what to do. Laminate creaks - what to do indiscriminately: causes of creaking when walking in an apartment and ways to eliminate them. Why does the parquet board creak or crackle? How to fix

Few people can enjoy the appearance of a creaking floor covering. If nothing is done, the creak can become stronger. Various floor coverings, including laminate, can creak. This material is classified as a high-strength, wear-resistant coating, but it wears out over time. When walking on a laminate floor, unpleasant sounds can be observed, which can become more distinct and louder. Noise can not only get on your nerves, but also be the first signal that the flooring needs to be repaired. So why does the laminate creak what to do indiscriminately to quickly eliminate such a nuisance.

Laminate is considered a durable material, but it also wears out. This is due to the fact that it is constantly under pressure, which causes the appearance of various defects. It is necessary to carefully find out why the laminate can creak and what to do in these cases.

uneven base

Often the occurrence of a creak is due to the uneven surface of the base on which the laminate was laid. Perhaps it was not well prepared before laying. Small pits, bumps, deformations can be the main factors in the appearance of an unpleasant sound coming from the floor when walking.

A few tips to prevent this annoying problem:

• be sure to carefully prepare the base under it before laying the floor covering;
• it is worth remembering that the laminate is quite demanding on the base, the slightest hole, tubercle, will cause deformation, the appearance of unpleasant squeaks;
• if a creak appears, then in this case you need to level the base. To do this, you will have to remove several panels at the site of the creak;
• using a cement mortar, all defects in the floor surface should be well repaired;
• everything must be left to dry;
• the substrate is laid, the panels are inserted into place.

Substrate thickness

Sometimes thick substrates are purchased in order to smooth out all the pits and irregularities. However, this is not a solution; on the contrary, things will get worse. A few tips to prevent defects due to the substrate:

• the size of the substrate thickness is 2-3 cm;
• if the substrate has a thick structure, then after laying it, increased sagging of the laminate will be observed. This will result in a squeak;
• make sure the underlayment is thin before laying laminate flooring, otherwise the flooring may need to be repaired or completely replaced.

To prevent noise from the floor, it is necessary to remove the entire coating and lay a thinner underlay. If you don't want to take the floor apart, you'll have to get used to the noise until the floor is completely replaced.

Small gap between laminate and wall

In order to avoid noise from the floor, when installing the floor covering, a gap must be left between the laminated floor surface and the walls. The gap width should be 7 mm. In spacious rooms, the gap can be 2-3 cm, it all depends on the parameters of the width of the skirting boards being laid.

The presence of a gap allows the laminate flooring to diverge, so that in the future it will take a comfortable position. The gap relieves stress from the joints of the locks, and the surface of the flooring protects against squeaks.

If there is no gap or its size is small, then during the expansion, the laminate will stop against the walls and skirting boards, which will lead to noise, creakiness of the floor surface.

In order to eliminate this problem, it will be necessary to remove the skirting boards, reduce the width of the edge panels of the laminate to form an optimal space between the laminate floor and the walls. After that, you need to install the plinth back, fix everything.
Gap between skirting and laminate, wall and laminate boards

Variable indoor humidity

Laminate material can react to changes in humidity. With a sharp increase in the level of humidity in the room, the laminate flooring begins to crackle and creak. In this case, the noise does not appear in one place, but throughout the floor. When the humidity level changes, the squeaks disappear.

A creaky floor can be brought back to normal with the help of tips:

• usually the creakiness disappears when the season changes;
• if creakiness appeared in the summer, then you should wait for heating. Perhaps during this period, squeaks and noise will disappear;
• if squeaks appear during changes in humidity, then over time they will disappear. To do this, it just takes time for the laminate flooring to get used to the new microclimate and stop making unpleasant sounds.

Ingress of dust and sand

During the installation of the floor covering, it is necessary to ensure that the entire surface is clean. It is advisable to constantly remove dust, all dirt, sand from laminated boards, substrates and bases. Therefore, when laying laminate flooring, you must have a vacuum cleaner with you. In this case, the base for the floor should be sawn in another room.

What consequences can cause dust, sand on the laminate:

• if sand and dust get on the locking joints of the panels, then as a result this can cause a loud crunch;
• the noise from the crunch can cause not only irritation, but also lead to damage to the lock joints;
• the appearance of a creak, a crunch can be observed even in the screed, but on condition that it is of poor quality.

If the laminate creaks when walking, and the reason lies in the accumulation of dust, sand, then it is quite difficult to eliminate this problem, especially if dust accumulates in the area of ​​​​joint locks. If the whole thing is a poor-quality screed, then for this you will have to disassemble the area with a creak. The screed should be refilled with cement mortar, leveled, dried, primed and cleaned. After that, the floor covering is installed again. During laying, the screed must be well primed, this will protect it from further shedding.

Use of poor quality material

Another reason why a laminate floor creaks may be the poor quality of the floor material. When laying a low-quality laminate, even the main qualities of the floor covering will not be able to prevent creaking:

• a quality base that is perfectly aligned;
• lack of dust, dirt, sand when laying the floor;
• the correct size of the gap;
• desired substrate thickness.

The main weak point of a low-quality laminate is the locks, they are of different sizes. There may be an unpleasant creak when walking on the floor. These squeaks are eliminated only by a complete change of flooring.

Advice for the future should be purchased material only from trusted manufacturers. It must have high quality, good strength, wear resistance. Of course, the cost of this coating will be much higher, but after laying it will not creak, crunch, and also swell, deform.

Voltage in lock elements

Another cause of laminate floor creaking can be pressure at the joints of the locks. This problem is quite common. Moreover, it can appear in a material with high quality. With a high quality coating, noise is observed for several weeks and lasts up to a month. Laminate lock - the main place where creaking occurs

Laminate with high quality can maintain a stressed state in locks for a certain period, after laying it floats for some time until it reaches the desired position. During this process, the coating adapts to the shape of the room, to the surface of the base, as well as to the characteristics of traffic.

Therefore, when laying the laminate, you should leave the necessary gaps near the walls. If they are, then the laminate flooring will take a comfortable position. As a result of this, all extraneous sounds, creaks will disappear, the floor will become even. This process usually takes 2-3 months.
Lock not fully latched

The presence of debris under the laminate

If the installation of the laminate flooring is done correctly, there is a gap in the space between the wall and the floor, but unpleasant sounds still come from the flooring. There may be debris under the laminate. In this situation, it will be necessary to dismantle the flooring.

Tip, if the laminate is of good quality, you don’t want to disassemble it, then you can leave everything as it is. All garbage will be ground, all grains of sand, various rubbish will disperse. Over time, the creak of the floor will completely disappear. But there is also a negative side - the bottom layer can be seriously affected by this, which as a result will adversely affect the quality of the entire floor covering.

How to clean up garbage:

• all laminate boards must be removed;
• the substrate is removed;
• it is necessary to clean the base of all debris, litter. It would be nice to use a vacuum cleaner, there should be no debris left on the surface of the base;
• laying a new substrate;
• at the end, a laminate is installed.

How to eliminate laminate creaking indiscriminately

If you hear a creak in your house or apartment, then you need to figure out why the laminate is creaking. Many immediately think about parsing or completely changing the flooring. But it is not always necessary to parse to eliminate the hated noise when walking on the floor. If the laminate suddenly began to creak in the house, then what to do in these cases, and most importantly, how to fix it indiscriminately?

• how to eliminate local creaking - to get rid of local creaking, you will need a paraffin candle, it will need to be warmed up. Hot wax is poured into the places of the creak, and with the help of it all the cracks are rubbed. Grouting is done with a thin plastic spatula. There will be a good result if the whole process is carried out with an old plastic card that has long been out of circulation;
• how else can you get rid of the creak of the laminate, what to do indiscriminately? If the floor creaks next to the walls, then you need to remove the panels. All joints can be foamed with mounting foam or filled with PVA glue;
• if floor creaking is observed in the center of the room, then in this case it is worth drilling holes with a diameter size of 0.6 mm. PVA glue is poured into this hole using a syringe. After that, we leave everything to stand until the glue has completely solidified. Within 2 days it is not recommended to step on the surface with glue;
• if there is a walk, creaking thresholds, then they should be glued with a transparent adhesive solution;
• to eliminate creaking, it is necessary to pour a small amount of oil into the drilled holes in the laminate boards;
• filling depressions, pits, deformations on the surface of the base with mounting foam.

Prevention

To prevent the creak of the laminate floor from appearing in the future, it is worth using important recommendations:

• you should not save on laminate - it is recommended to purchase an expensive floor covering with sufficient thickness;
• it is desirable to use a substrate with a rigid structure, its thickness should be 3 mm. Do not use thick substrates, they can cause intense creaking of the floor covering;
• Before proceeding with laying, it is better to carefully prepare the base in advance. It must be cleaned of excess debris, dust, sand. It needs to be well leveled;
• before laying the laminate, it must be kept indoors for some time at room temperature;
• during installation, it is necessary to carefully snap the locking connections, it is advisable to knock them out;
• be sure to leave a gap between the walls and the floor covering around the perimeter of the room;
• if possible, you should install climate control equipment that will regulate the temperature in the room.

Laminate floor squeak is an unpleasant floor defect that can cause serious problems. As a result of the appearance of this malfunction, the entire coating may suffer, up to complete wear. If an unpleasant noise began to appear when walking on the floor, then it is better to eliminate it immediately, otherwise you will have to change the entire floor.

Video on how to eliminate laminate creaking

The view shows how to properly lay the laminate so that in the future there are no extraneous sounds when walking on it.

Almost everyone has experienced squeaky laminate floors in their lives and knows how annoying it can be. Laminate squeaking is especially terrible when there are small children or a sick person in the house.

Any, even careful movement on the floor involuntarily leads to a creak that interrupts the child's restful sleep, causes irritation in a sick or elderly person.

Meanwhile, there are ways to lay the laminate so that it does not creak.

Well, if the floor has already been laid and has begun to creak, then our recommendations will help you eliminate the creak of the floors.

Why do the floors creak in the apartment

This article discusses all cases of creaky laminate floors that prevent the appearance of creaking during operation, tips for eliminating creaking in already laid floors.

When a laminate creaks, the most demanded task is how to fix such a flaw.

Let us consider in detail all the options for the appearance of a creak and establish the cause of the creaking of the floors in the apartment.

Irregularities of the base

The main reason why the laminate creaks is the irregularity of the base on which the flooring has been laid or is being laid.

Most often, the causes of creaking are depressions or pits over which the laid laminate sags. And if you step in this place, then the material sags, which causes an annoying creak.

It is possible to exclude the appearance of a squeak, only careful.

There are times when the laminate creaks after installation.
In an already laid laminate floor, creaky spots are eliminated by partially disassembling the laminate above the recess. Alignment of the recess is done using a mortar and checking the flatness of the site.

Making sure the floor is level is a big rule of thumb and a fix for the root cause of squeaking.

After the surface has completely dried, you can lay the laminate on the floor.

If the entire floor creaks, you will have to remove the entire laminate.

Attention! Before disassembling a laminate floor, be sure to number all the dies. This will greatly simplify the subsequent assembly process.

The base freed from the laminate is leveled by pouring the floor. After complete drying, the surface is primed, a substrate is laid on it. The thickness of the substrate cannot be more than 3 mm.

The underlay thickness is not correct.
This is a typical mistake for inexperienced parquet floorers. To smooth out surface irregularities, a thick substrate is often used. And this becomes the reason why the floor creaks. The reason is banal, with a large thickness of the substrate, the laminate sags in the recesses, which causes the appearance of a creak. The recommended thickness of the substrate material is up to 3 mm. More and way of styling.

By the way, when choosing a substrate, give preference to substrates that provide sound insulation, smoothing out irregularities, and moisture protection.

Inadmissible gap between walls and laminate

To eliminate floor creaking from the laminate, a gap is maintained between the laid out surface and the walls, the value of which should not be less than 7 mm.

The gap is regulated by the area of ​​the laid out surface. The larger the area, the greater the gap required to withstand when laying.
To prevent squeaking of the laminate, be sure to maintain a gap when laying around the perimeter. The presence of a gap allows the laminate to take a comfortable position, does not allow stress in the lock joints.

Since the laminate expands with increasing temperature, with a small gap, the board rests against the walls. And when walking, the coating rubs, causing a creak.

And how to get rid of the creak of the laminate if the gap is not maintained?

The plinth needs to be removed. If the laminate located near the walls rests against it or the substrates are not pulled out, then the stops must be removed and the gap must be set. To form the desired gap, you will need to remove the board and cut out those places that rest against the wall. If for technological reasons this cannot be done, then you can do this, you can cut out either a laminate with a dreamer or a perforator to deepen the wall.

After completion, we vacuum and install the baseboard.

Humidity changes

The reason for the creaking of the laminate may be increased humidity in the room.
Attention! When the humidity returns to its original state, as a rule, the floor stops creaking.
When laying laminate, try to measure the humidity in the room and keep it constant throughout the year.
But how to eliminate the creak of the laminate if the humidity in the room is constantly changing?
In this case, it is only necessary to withstand the time for the laminate to get used to the differences, remember them. Over time, squeaks and crunches will go away.

Ingress of sand and dust

Flooring must be laid on a clean surface. The substrate, laminate boards, the base are carefully vacuumed and wiped. They should be free of dirt and dust.

Attention! Laying laminate without a vacuum cleaner is not recommended.

The ingress of dust into the locks will eventually lead to creaking and destruction of the locks.
By the way, a poorly made surface screed can crumble over time, causing a creak. Under load, the laminate touches the base, frays the components of the screed.

Such a technological technique will reliably protect the base from destruction.

If the laminate creaks after installation, and the reason is sand and dust, then disassembly is indispensable.

Each die is numbered, the floors are dismantled, the dust is removed with a vacuum cleaner.

The surface is carefully primed in several layers. The next layer of primer is applied only after the previous layer has completely dried.

A new substrate of the required thickness is laid on the base, and a laminate is laid on top, according to the numbering.

Poor board quality

One of the reasons why laminate flooring squeaks may be the poor quality of the material. And even a quality base, cleanliness during assembly, the right gap, the right substrate will lead to a squeak if you lay low quality laminate. In a low-quality laminate, locks that are not sized are the weak point. This is what causes the creak.

The squeak is eliminated only by a complete change of coating. .

Voltage in locks

This reason is the most common. Moreover, such a defect can also be observed in a high-quality laminate, but only in the first weeks or months. A professional laminate has one quality, it can adapt to the geometry of the room, taking the optimal position.

It is only necessary to provide gaps for the laminate so that it can take a comfortable position. The creaks will disappear by themselves after a few weeks.

And how to eliminate the creak of the laminate without disassembly?

Here are some useful tips, the implementation of which saves the day, eliminates the creak of a parquet or laminate floor.

1. Elimination of local squeak. To eliminate local creaking, it is necessary to warm up the paraffin candle. Hot wax should be poured over and wiped over the seams of the laminate boards in places of squeaking. Grouting is best done with a thin plastic spatula. Good results are obtained by grouting with an old plastic card that has already gone out of circulation.
2. If your laminate creaks, what to do indiscriminately? The floor creaks against the walls, then, having removed the plinth, foam the joints with mounting foam or fill them with PVA glue.
3. In the middle of the room, the problem is solved by drilling holes with a diameter of 0.6 mm and pumping PVA glue with a syringe and do not advance for 48 hours.
4. If the thresholds are walking, they can be glued to transparent silicone.
5. Pour in oils as a means of eliminating creaking.
6. Use of mounting foam in floor cavities.

Conclusion:

1. The cause of squeaking laminate floors affects the difficulty of fixing the problem.
2. To prevent squeaking, you need to make an even base, choose a substrate of the desired thickness, work in a clean room with clean materials, use a high-quality laminate.
3. To permanently eliminate the creak of the laminate, it is recommended to make an ideal floor screed.
4. Monitor room humidity.

But the decision is always yours

Less than six months ago, a hired team laid Kronostar Superior class 32 laminate on a screed in all our rooms. Under the coating, they bought a coniferous substrate, they chose 7 mm to make it warmer. When we entered the apartment for the first time, a slight rattle was heard in some places, but the master reassured me that the coating was new, it would still “sit down” in place. 5 months have already passed, but everything is still the same, and in some places even worse. I don't want to remove the floor. How to fix this defect as soon as possible and at minimal cost?

Answer

Why does it creak

Laminate parquet with a glueless joint system is assembled into a monolithic floor using locks. However, if after installation the coating crunches, creaks, then:

1. Laying technology is violated: uneven base, crumbling screed, incorrectly selected substrate, lack of compensation gaps around the perimeter, etc.;
2. A low-quality coating with crooked locks, broken plank geometry was chosen;
3. The climatic conditions for the operation of the coating are not observed.

Since you have not installed a floor heating system, and you have chosen a reliable manufacturer, the reason for the appearance of extraneous sounds is precisely in violation of the laying technology. Regarding the screed, it is difficult to say something without disassembling the coating. But clearly the problem (and perhaps not the only one) is in the underlying layer.

The substrate serves as a protective damper between the base and laminated parquet, slightly levels the differences in the subfloor (but not more than 2 mm for every 2 meters of surface), ensures comfortable operation of the coating. It is NOT a full-fledged sound and thermal insulation material, does NOT replace self-leveling finishing floors or leveling flooring made of GVL, plywood, chipboard.

Manufacturers on the insert in each pack of laminate indicate that the maximum allowable thickness of the substrate is 3 mm. Optimal - 2 mm. That is, initially the purchase of coniferous mats with a section of 7 mm was a mistake. The craftsmen actually created a springy underlying layer, due to which, in the load area, the slats bend and the locks begin to crack and break.

Unfortunately, in order to get rid of the defect, you will have to completely disassemble the coating, remove the substrate, carefully prepare the base in accordance with the requirements of the manufacturer and SP 29.13330.2001 / SNiP 3.04.01-87 "Floors", purchase a new underlying layer 2-3 mm thick and reassemble the lamellas in the same order as they lay before.

How to eliminate a creak without disassembly

To eliminate crunches and creaks in local (rare) areas, you can use the experience of parquet installers:

1. Dismantle damaged (constantly creaking) strips in the amount of 1-4 pieces and install new ones.
2. Introduce a sealing or adhesive mass under the coating by injection.

Let's consider in more detail.

The first option allows you to correct errors made during the preparation of the floor, such as pits, potholes, sagging, bumps, etc. You will need the following set of tools and materials:

• grinder (circular saw, jigsaw),
• chisel or crowbar,
• new underlay and laminate,
• adhesive sealant or gel for sealing joints.

With the help of a power tool, a part of the plate is cut out, the cut-off element of the plank is hooked with a chisel and removed. The base is cleaned of the old substrate, debris, sand and dust. Next, floor defects are eliminated: the pits should be filled with quick-drying repair compounds, and the bumps should be removed with sandpaper or simply scraped off with a construction knife, a steel spatula. After drying and cleaning from dust, the base must be primed, covered with a substrate. At the new plank, cut off the protruding part of the locking comb, apply glue or sealant, insert into the opening and fix. If excess adhesive is squeezed out onto the surface, they must be removed immediately with a soft, slightly damp cloth, and the lamella should be loaded for 24-48 hours.

Every year the collections of laminate flooring are updated, so after a long time you may not find exactly the same laminate. In this case, try to choose the right thickness and shade. Better yet, immediately stock up on a few pieces for future repairs.

The second method is simpler, but it can be used to eliminate the creak at only one point. Required:

1. Drill or screwdriver.
2. Filling or adhesive compound. It can be PVA glue, Bindulin Parkett-Dicht or Tarkett Click Guard joint sealant, Bostik PK PROFI-SEAL SMP or Bostik 3071 wood joint sealant Eurocol Parquet Doctor or Stauf Repamed cork repair parquet, Adesiv Adegloss 10 expanding polyurethane repair or Vermeister Polifoam. It is undesirable to use mounting foam, as it quickly settles under load, and also crumbles over time.
3. Syringe or injection gun.
4. Masking tape or paper tape.
5. Wood sealant or repair wax with a melter and a rubber spatula for restoring the plank.

Filling compounds for parquet, laminate, parquet boards.

In a defective place with a drill, you need to drill a hole, remove dust. Stick masking tape on top of the cover. Introduce the filling composition with a syringe or nozzle, load the laminated parquet so that the mass is distributed over the voids, remove the excess along with the tape. After 2-6 hours, fill the hole with sealant or wax and level the surface. For reliability, you can apply a small amount of matte or glossy varnish on top with a thin brush.

Advice! If you need repairmen, there is a very convenient service for their selection. Just send in the form below a detailed description of the work to be done and you will receive offers with prices from construction teams and firms by mail. You can see reviews of each of them and photos with examples of work. It's FREE and there's no obligation.

Laminate panels as flooring are becoming more and more popular, as they can be used in almost any building. Along with a whole list of advantages, one cannot ignore a number of disadvantages of this material. In this article, we will take a closer look at how to eliminate laminate creaking, as well as what reasons can provoke this phenomenon.

Especially the laminate is valued for such qualities as:

• ease of installation;
• strength and long service life;
• outer beauty;
• the ability to fit it into any interior design.

However, this coating is not immune to the appearance of crackling and squeaks, which irritate the ear and lead to further destruction of the coating.

Why does laminate creak?

So, there are several reasons why laminate flooring creaks when you walk on it. Often, if the problem of crunching is not eliminated in time, it is possible that the laminate will have to be redone. Among the main reasons for the creaking of the coating, one can note incorrect installation and violation of technology.

Base level differences

One of the reasons why the laminate creaks after laying is an imperfect base, in which there may be:

• potholes or depressions;
• unleveled screed with mortar layering;
• floor level differences in different parts of the room.

If such flaws were ignored during the installation of the laminate, then soon after laying the laminate will inevitably begin to creak.

Some try to save time processing the base by laying a substrate under the laminate. However, she won't be able to help if the floor underneath is uneven.

Remains of dirt on the subfloor

The weak point of laminated panels are connections, that is, locks. Quite often, even after a short time after the completion of the repair, you can hear the characteristic crunch of the coating. Probably, the base after finishing grouting and grinding was not cleaned of sand, fine gravel or other contaminants. Even if at first no extraneous sounds were heard due to the presence of the substrate, they will appear very soon.

Thus, the reason why the laminate crackles when walking is that various kinds of debris get under the coating, which emerges through the substrate that has lost its shape over time and crashes into the coating from below. When walking barefoot, this sound is heard most strongly.

No indents provided

Even a very high-quality and expensive laminated coating can make a crunch. As one of the reasons why the laminate crunches, one can name a violation of the laying technology, that is, the absence of technological gaps near the walls. Like any coating consisting of wood, laminate tends to expand with changes in the microclimate in the room. Technological gaps at the walls of 1.5-2 cm wide are designed to compensate for such an expansion and keep the laminate in working condition for a long time.

If you neglect this rule and lay the laminate close to the walls, then you should not be surprised why the laminate is cracking. The panels begin to diverge and rub against the baseboards, creating unpleasant sounds.

In addition, such a violation of technology entails an increase in the load on the joints of the panels, which also begin to creak during friction.

Low quality laminate

The low quality of cheap material produced by unknown companies can lead to great disappointment and waste of money. Such panels can begin to creak and crunch, even if you take all the stages of laying seriously.

Therefore, you should not save and purchase products of unknown brands and unknown origin. It is better to opt for high-quality coatings, because they have a manufacturer's warranty.

Methods for dealing with laminate creaking

Once the main causes of unpleasant sounds have been clarified, it is necessary to understand what can be done to prevent the laminate from creaking without spending too many resources. The procedure will depend on each specific case.

Technological clearances

One of the effective ways, in cases where the laminate creaks what to do without dismantling the entire floor, is to make the necessary technological indents at the walls, which were neglected during the initial installation.

In this case, you can repair as follows:

• carefully remove all skirting boards;
• remove part of the plates adjacent tightly to the wall;
• using a circular saw, you need to cut off part of the panel along its length so that after laying it, a distance of 1.5-2 cm remains between the laminate and the wall;
• the cut laminate should be laid again on the floor and the gaps closed with skirting boards. See also: "".

Such a repair does not require any special building skills from the owners, and it will bring a lot of benefits, even if the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room is large and it will take a lot of time. The coating will not only stop creaking, but will also be protected from swelling, which is inevitable in the absence of gaps near the walls.

Cleaning the base under the laminate

If you are convinced that all technological indents are observed, and the base under the laminate is perfect, but a creak is still heard, then debris has accumulated under the coating. In this case, the way out, how to remove the creak of the laminate, will be to re-lay the laminate and clean the surface under it.

It is worth noting that some experts do not recommend once again sorting out the laminate, especially if it is very expensive and of high quality. Perhaps, over time, small debris and sand will grind and stop creaking in the seams of the laminate. However, there is a very high probability that this tactic will lead to damage to the bottom of the coating, which is fraught with even more problems.

So, the way out, if the laminate creaks how to fix this problem, will be to perform these actions strictly in the specified order:

1. Dismantle laminate.
2. Remove old backing.
3. Thoroughly clean the base with a vacuum cleaner. After that, you need to wipe the subfloor with a damp cloth to collect the remaining dust in some places.
4. Lay a fresh layer of substrate, as the old one has already fallen into disrepair due to debris under it.

Please note that if the laminate creaks only in a single area, then you can do without a radical disassembly of the entire floor, and remove only a few creaking panels. However, if the entire coating creaks in different places, then you still have to disassemble the entire floor.

Before laying the laminated panels, especially at the joints, must be cleaned of dust and sand with a barely damp cloth. After that, they can be re-layed on the substrate.

Often, experts use a little trick if you need to remove the creak of laminate wall panels. In this case, you can place a small piece of cardboard under the panel to slightly lift it. According to experts, this method is really effective.

Alignment of the base under the laminate

The most time-consuming repair is to come if the laminate has begun to creak due to an uneven base. In this situation, there is no other option to eliminate the creak. Over time, it will only get stronger.

The following repairs will be required:

• First you need to completely remove the laminate.
• Next, you need to remove the old substrate.
• The surface of the subfloor must be leveled by performing a fresh screed with a cement-sand mortar.
• After the concrete has completely dried, a layer of self-levelling mixture should be applied.

The wooden base requires scraping, or leveling with plywood or chipboard.

Upon completion of the manipulations to level the base, its horizontalness should be checked with a building level.

At the final stage, you can proceed with the installation of laminated panels on the substrate. When doing this, make sure that no dirt, sand or small debris has accumulated on the base, substrate or fasteners of the laminate.

Results

Before proceeding to eliminate the squeak of the laminate, you should accurately determine the cause of this phenomenon. If you strictly follow our recommendations illustrated in the photo, you can safely take on even a large-scale repair of the coating without fear of complications.

A creak can appear both immediately after laying, and after some time. This is annoying and upsetting, because the newly renovated floor did not have time to please the owners, but is already causing trouble. The question arises: accept and endure inconvenience or try to fix it.

Laminate as it is

Laminate appeared as a cheap substitute for parquet boards. This is a layered floor covering made of fiberboard (Fibreboard). The top layer is a wear-resistant film applied to a layer of patterned paper. The strength class of the laminate depends on the film.

Laminate is easy to care for, beautiful, imitates any type of wood and tile, and is quite easy to install. In one space, you can combine coatings of various textures and colors.

Thanks to these qualities, the laminate has become very popular in modern construction and repair. Most often, laminate boards are made with a lock joint, which allows you to quickly lay the coating over large areas evenly and without gaps. For depreciation, a cork, coniferous or foamed PVC substrate is laid under the laminate. It also performs noise and heat insulating functions.

But it happens that the coating begins to creak.

Floor with a creak

The reasons for this gender behavior are different:

• uneven base;
• tension in lock connections;
• a small gap at the walls;
• thick backing;
• dust and sand remaining during installation;
• foundation destruction;
• changing humidity in the room;
• low quality laminate.

uneven base

The laminated board is thin and flexible, so when laying it requires careful preparation of the base. Remaining pits or bumps can cause creaking. If the floor creaks constantly and in the same places, most likely this is the reason. Hanging over the hole, the board "walks" in a vertical plane and rubs the joints against neighboring boards.

If a tubercle is left on the base, the floor may creak across the entire plane.

Voltage in interlocks

A common problem, but not a terrible one. In a good laminate, tension in the locks will remain for some time after installation. The laid floor adapts to the room, the base and the patency, as if settling more comfortably.

For this reason, creaking is considered normal and disappears on its own after a few weeks.

Incorrect wall clearance

To allow the laminate to take the optimal position and leave the opportunity to expand with increasing humidity in the room, a sufficient gap must be left between the wall and the coating. It should not be less than 7 mm, otherwise the boards will rub against the walls, tension in the locks will remain and the floor will creak.

For the same reason, you can not press the laminate hard with a plinth to give it the opportunity to walk a little.

Substrate thickness

In an effort to increase heat and sound insulation or level the unevenness of the base, the craftsmen put a thick substrate under the laminate. This can only worsen the unevenness problem. The substrate should not be thicker than 2-3 mm.

dust and sand

When laying the coating, the vacuum cleaner should be almost the main tool of the master. The dust and sand remaining on the base will creak when in contact with the laminate boards, and once in the locks, they will not only not allow the boards to fit tightly, but will also gradually destroy the joints.

Foundation destruction

A cement or concrete base can partially collapse over time, crumble. Under the laminate there is dust and rubbish where they were not there before. Then everything is as in the previous case. To prevent this problem, before laying the floor, the base is primed in several layers.

Humidity

The main layer of the laminate is wood fiber. Like any tree, it has the ability to absorb moisture. That is why when the humidity in the room changes, the floor begins to expand or narrow, changing its position in space, which causes squeaks.

Over time, the floor adapts to the microclimate of the room and the squeaks will stop.

Poor quality laminate

The cheaper the laminate, the more unpredictable it behaves. The reason for the squeaks may lie in the low quality of the interlocks. A slight mismatch in configuration and size can cause big trouble.

We fix the problem with little effort

Depending on the reasons, the creak is eliminated by the complete or partial removal of the laminate and work on the errors. But some defects can be corrected without such drastic measures.

The creak in the locks can be eliminated by filling the joints with melted paraffin. Melt the candle in a water bath and fill the joints between the boards. Rub it into the crevices with a plastic spatula or a discarded plastic card. Paraffin will serve as a lubricant and the floor will stop creaking. The same effect can be achieved by pouring oil into the joints or by adding talc.

At the threshold, the floor may creak if the ends of the boards “walk”. Attach them to the base with silicone glue.

If the same happens along the walls, remove the baseboards and fill the gaps with PVA glue. Some recommend doing this with mounting foam, be careful, as the foam expands, it can squeeze out the laminate boards.

The reason for the creaking along the walls is also the fact that there is no gap and when the lamellas expand, they rest against their surface. In this case, you need to set the optimal gap by sawing the laminate. If you don’t want to remove it, you can carefully do it with a grinder. Or, using a perforator, make a recess in the wall at the place where the board fits.

How to file a laminate with a conventional jigsaw - video

We eliminate the creak in the center of the room due to a hole in the base by drilling a board and filling the voids with PVA glue with a syringe into the hole. We give the glue to dry without load, you can’t walk on the repaired area for about a day.

Video: what to do so that the floor stops creaking

Advice! Do not fill such voids with mounting foam, due to the residual expansion of the foam, the floor may swell and then it will not be possible to do without disassembly.

In some cases, such measures are ineffective. Then the floor will have to be disassembled.

We break and build

If it creaks in one place, it makes the task easier. Most likely, it is in this place that the base has an unevenness. Carefully disassemble the coating, numbering the lamellas for ease of subsequent assembly. Fill the unevenness with cardboard or mortar. Assemble the floor and enjoy the absence of creaking.

The thick underlay is replaced after the floor is completely removed. The same must be done if the laminate turned out to be of poor quality. It will have to be completely replaced. Be sure to dust the surface before re-laying. Cut boards in another room.

Base defects and litter are eliminated in the same way. We disassemble the floor, numbering the boards, leveling the base, priming, vacuuming. We repeat the process in reverse order. With a creak due to litter, you can, of course, put up with it. Over time, the sand will grind to dust and unpleasant sounds will stop bothering you. But during this time, the lower surface of the lamellas may suffer.

Most often, problems arise due to our inattention and neglect of the recommendations in the production of work.

It's easier to prevent than to fix

• Prepare your base carefully. The height difference on a plot of 2 square meters should not exceed 2 mm. If the laminate is laid on the old parquet, it must first be scraped off, lagging boards should be fixed with self-tapping screws.
• Prime the concrete base or screed several times. Vacuum the base and slats. To remove litter and dust from locks, it is convenient to use a paint brush.
• Set the correct gap between the coating and the walls, it must be at least 7 mm. The larger the floor area, the more space is left for its expansion.
• Make sure that the boards fit snugly against each other, do not skew their side and end surfaces relative to each other. Check that all locks are latched.
• Choose a laminate manufacturer with a good reputation, do not skimp on comfort. Remember that the miser pays twice. Before laying, let the laminate rest indoors for 2-3 days to get used to the microclimate.
• Do not use a substrate thicker than 3 mm.
• Try to maintain constant humidity in the room.

Did you know that experienced craftsmen coat the lock joints with sealant. This prevents creaking in the locks, although it does not save the floorboards themselves from creaking.

Laminate in laying is a capricious thing that requires increased attention to detail. But this is not a reason to refuse such an inexpensive and practical material.

Follow these simple rules and you won't have to deal with creaky floors. But if it does happen, you know what to do.