Laminate Flooring - Expectation

Hi All,

I just want to hear some feedback regarding laminate flooring

We just recently had laminate flooring installed over existing tiles. The finish is good very happy with it. Installation was properly done, allowing for expansion and the total area of 130 sqm was split into two areas to accommodate the expansion /shrinkage if that makes sense.

The laminate itself is top quality (OAK HD from preference floor), and the underlay is also from preference floor which both shop and installer advised is one of the good quality underlay.

Installer checked the floor it is flat enough within the manufacturer's recommendation no leveling is required.

The concern I have is the laminate floor does make 'clicky' / 'pop' / 'crackling' noise every now and then (its not 'creaky' or 'squeaky'). Once we step on it, it wont make such noise until hours later or the day after (not all over the area, not in the same spot, its just at random place at random times)

I have asked the installer and the shop and was advised this is normal especially for laminate (floating floor) as its not glued down and such noise is mainly due to change in temperature.

My questions are
1. Is this expected? and it happens with all type of laminate (floating) floor especially for big area
2. Will it eventually go away as it get worn down over time?
3. I m sure this is not a bad install, but just want to hear what people's opinion about it.
4. Is there anything we can do to eliminate the noise? its more annoying than anything - might give the baby powder trick a try too

Thank you in advance

Glad to hear you like your new floor. I would love to see some photos. We do custom homes and recommend laminate flooring if we are trying to cut costs for customers but we get a lot of resistance to the idea of having laminate.

in my opinion what you are experiencing is very common with floating floors, engineered included.

It is very hard to get a floor perfectly level and I think you said you laid the vinyl over existing tiles. You are going to have some high spots and low spots so what you are experiencing is most likely the low spots when you step on them.


Not a lot you can do at this stage other than get used to them over time

I am serious about seeing some photos if you are able to post

Cheers

Simeon

Hi Simeon,

Thanks for the feedback. I was a bit skeptical about laminate at first (had terrible experience in my rental where it s totally vulnerable to water). My first preference was hybrid. However, installer and retailer reckoned laminate is more forgiving on our subfloor (the old tiles) as hybrid even the thickest is still not as thick as laminate and would show the imperfection even more

The finish is very good it does look like timber easy to walk on and give a really warm feel to the house.

Having had cheap laminate before, i did spend on good quality one (or at least that is what the retailer led me to believe!).

Overall..the result is amazing - my only complain is that click noise. But seems like it is something that i have to accept and get used to.

I would go for timber however this project is on the back of disaster tiling job by tilers. I cant afford to have them all removed and retile. Hence the reason for the floating floor.

To your point..laminate is not the laminate i knew from 15 years ago

Here s a photo

The clicking can be due to floor not level to the fine tolerances of the boards. I think tte Australian standard for floors and slabs level is more relaxed than the European or Asian standards that such qualiity products are designed for. Someone with flooring expertise would know more about this. The installer should carefully measure and reconcile the flatness of the existing floor with the specifications of the boards. If necessatry levelling products can be used to bring it into spec.

Another reason for clicking and popping can be inadequate provision for expansion at the ends due to temperature and humidity. Sufficient expansion gaps to allow the boards to ' float ' are covered by skirting or scotia profiles. If this is not done correctly the boards can bow upwards because they cannot expand, then pop and click when walked on.

Yes i moat feedback I received mainly pointing to uneven and flatness of the subfloor. Installing over tiles didn’t help either.

Professional advise was 12mm laminate and thick and good underlay will help. But it looks like the subfloor needs to be perfectly flat. Similar to screeding before tiling. Doh!

Your floors look lovely.

I just had laminate flooring put in also, it was a higher end product (Kronoswiss Aquastop 12mm). I wanted the warmth of a wood look floor but could not fit real hardwood in my budget.

Overall I am very happy with it but there is the odd feeling of movement in certain areas of the hallway but it's not horrible or anything.

Your floors look lovely.

I just had laminate flooring put in also, it was a higher end product (Kronoswiss Aquastop 12mm). I wanted the warmth of a wood look floor but could not fit real hardwood in my budget.

Overall I am very happy with it but there is the odd feeling of movement in certain areas of the hallway but it's not horrible or anything.

Thanks - yes the finish is great and cant fault it. It is the clicky sound that is bugging me (at certain spot).

I have been thinking if a thicker underlay would have helped with the imperfect subfloor (i think ours is 2mm by preference floor)

Also had a quick chat with AFTA that recommended me to wait for 6 to 8 weeks to give it time to settle (although in some areas - i believe it is purely due to flatness of the subfloor)

Unless its horrible then I would just try to live with it. I have renovated my entire house and there's a couple odd things that do bother me but I have to try and live with them otherwise they will drive me up the wall.

At the floor shop, they advised a more expensive underlay wouldn't make a tangible difference to the acoustics but not sure if that extends to the feel.

Caru

Just reading the posts, and had to my another 2 cents. Hope you dont mind.

I am convinced what you are experiencing is cause by the subfloor not being perfectly level. Its pretty normal with floating floors to have some high spots and low spots unless you spend a ton of money levelling the subfloor. And when I say a ton of money I have heard of people paying $7-10k on floor leveller.

I think in 12 months you wont even notice it. i hope so anyway

Cheers

Simeon

I see yours is a renovation, however here are some comments for new builds with floating floors. If you have selected a floating floor from the builders, or Carpetcall's etc. range or if installing yourself after handover i suggest you check your slab levels very carefully yourself for tolerance, and check levels carefully again after the floor installer has applied the levelling compound to the floor. Definitely before the boards are installed. Don't accept 'she'll be right' type assurances from the SS without checking. Once the boards are down its unlikely they will be removed to level the floor properly. Alternatively you could just revert to tiling which is more tolerant to flatness defects

Thanks again for all the feedback!

There is one last thing that I hope you guys have an answer for

I just confirmed our underlay is 2mm thick and good quality. Now would a thicker good quality underlay say 3 or 5 mm make a difference especially given the uneven existing tiles?

Want to get all the information right before i speak to the installer again

Thanks!

I am just a typical consumer albeit with experience of 2 successful floating floor installations after some mucking around to get them right. The flooring retailer, distributor, importer, agent...would be better placed to answer your question, however i doubt a thicker underlay will solve the problem. May even make it worse. The boards are engineered to be very flat and they need a flat firm surface to 'float' on.

Thought its good to share some updates regarding the problem I am having with my laminate flooring; hope it might benefit others who experience the same problem.

The retailer organized the manufacturer to come and inspect the floor and they did come today. They acknowledged that there are couple of problematic spots around the house; and will work towards solution.

The check was quite thorough and some general findings are as follow
1\ Uneven subfloor (no surprise here) - the funny thing is those that are uneven are actually quiet (not making noise at all)
2\ Though in general the sub floor is okay in terms of flatness and level
3\ Some of the planks joint are not tight enough
4\ They might need to make bigger / wider gap along the perimeters to release the tension

It is a combination of few factors - but was promised that they will fix them

Regarding the noise / sound
1\ Consistent clicky noise was identified and they will try to find the best solution to rectify
2\ Dry noise will disappear overtime

In my humble opinion, the onus is on the retailer and its team of installer to rectify (or at lease analyze) problems raised by customers - at the minimum they should at least come and check (although I am not entirely sure what the normal process is in the flooring industry)

I am glad, although it will take time to rectify - that this does not turn out to be a blaming game.

I did mention the laminate brand that I have - and from this experience alone I m glad I purchased their brand. It seems to be a business that is well run and looking to be in the game for a long term.

My first floating floor installation had some clicking and popping noises. The installer blamed the boards (retailer), and the retailer blamed the floor leveller and installer... At the completion of the work they all wanted to be paid for their parts separately until i pointed out to them that the retailer's quote was for 'supply and install' and the invoice would not get paid until the job was done correctly. They argued for a few days then worked together to fix it.

Another update: the floor guy sent by the manufacturer came to try fixing a few planks. His method was to drill a few holes in between the planks and injected glue. It seems to be working. It looks like he will need to spend 2 to 3 days to get them fixed.

Hi again - hope everyone is safe!

Need opinion here.

Long story short both manufacturer and shop have come to an agreement that the installation was not properly done and they have agreed to re-install the floor (laminate floorboard). The installer and the manufacturer will do the installation together; to ensure it is properly done.

Is there anything else that I need to be aware of to ensure that the installation is properly done this time (self level, choice of underlay, etc, gluing the joint, etc?) Do i need a new floorboard? or the old one can be re-used if they can be re-used?

Thanks again

Check the levelness requirement specification of the boards and check your floor surface to the mm after its been levelled to ensure your boards and new base surface will be happy together.