Water damaged laminate - "repairs"
Discussion
Unfortunately my Christmas tree decided to leak while I was away, and did a bit of a number on the laminate. The entire floor is 20years old so far from perfect and does not need to be. However the black really is a bit too obvious:
Somehow there is no warping to the boards, just the colour.
Question is - are there any hacks I can do to try and lessen the impact on the eye? Not expecting a great job, just taking it back a bit. A rug is not an option!
Asking here before I begin experimenting with various chemicals and cotton buds!
Somehow there is no warping to the boards, just the colour.
Question is - are there any hacks I can do to try and lessen the impact on the eye? Not expecting a great job, just taking it back a bit. A rug is not an option!
Asking here before I begin experimenting with various chemicals and cotton buds!
Edited by Calza on Wednesday 11th January 12:29
Oxalic Acid is the traditional chemical for removing black stains from wood.
Also peroxide based bleach.
No idea how it would go on a typical laminate though.
That looks fairly wood-like for 20 years old?
Is the top layer actually veneer?
If you have any spare boards, you might consider a bit of cut'n'paste.
I have done a bit of laminate repair, including inserting planks and varnishing some heavily scratched bits.
I consider the results to be OK for where they are, but not what I'd choose for the focal point of the lounge.
Also peroxide based bleach.
No idea how it would go on a typical laminate though.
That looks fairly wood-like for 20 years old?
Is the top layer actually veneer?
If you have any spare boards, you might consider a bit of cut'n'paste.
I have done a bit of laminate repair, including inserting planks and varnishing some heavily scratched bits.
I consider the results to be OK for where they are, but not what I'd choose for the focal point of the lounge.
That's toast. And it may still be wet undneath.
Proper fix virtually impossible without complete replacement.
If you can lift some of the flooring and move pieces around that could at least get the damage into a less conspicuous position. Depends how it was laid and how much work you're willing to do.
My suggestion? Buy a rug....
Proper fix virtually impossible without complete replacement.
If you can lift some of the flooring and move pieces around that could at least get the damage into a less conspicuous position. Depends how it was laid and how much work you're willing to do.
My suggestion? Buy a rug....
If you put any value on your time, the material costs of new laminate are not huge by comparison.
However, I'm not sure I'd make the choice to buy any of the laminate I've seen recently, at least not for my lounge.
Unless you are in a position to claim on insurance, maybe there is nothing to be lost by having a go with chemicals?
I would expect if it was substantially wet below the surface then you'd notice swelling?
The idea of lifting and shuffling the stuff has some appeal, but I found a significant % breaks on lifting if it's glued together, pieces will be cut to fit and fading may be a problem. Recycling a few recovered planks from a room we carpeted worked, but expecting 100% recovery seems 'hopeful'.
However, I'm not sure I'd make the choice to buy any of the laminate I've seen recently, at least not for my lounge.
Unless you are in a position to claim on insurance, maybe there is nothing to be lost by having a go with chemicals?
I would expect if it was substantially wet below the surface then you'd notice swelling?
The idea of lifting and shuffling the stuff has some appeal, but I found a significant % breaks on lifting if it's glued together, pieces will be cut to fit and fading may be a problem. Recycling a few recovered planks from a room we carpeted worked, but expecting 100% recovery seems 'hopeful'.
OutInTheShed said:
If you put any value on your time, the material costs of new laminate are not huge by comparison.
However, I'm not sure I'd make the choice to buy any of the laminate I've seen recently, at least not for my lounge.
Unless you are in a position to claim on insurance, maybe there is nothing to be lost by having a go with chemicals?
I would expect if it was substantially wet below the surface then you'd notice swelling?
The idea of lifting and shuffling the stuff has some appeal, but I found a significant % breaks on lifting if it's glued together, pieces will be cut to fit and fading may be a problem. Recycling a few recovered planks from a room we carpeted worked, but expecting 100% recovery seems 'hopeful'.
The problem is the entire flat except bathrooms is this one continuous lay of this laminate, replacing a section with someone else wouldn't work. I'll have a dab with some chemicals to pass the week.Although I think it might be under the protective top layer, rendering any chemical input pointless.However, I'm not sure I'd make the choice to buy any of the laminate I've seen recently, at least not for my lounge.
Unless you are in a position to claim on insurance, maybe there is nothing to be lost by having a go with chemicals?
I would expect if it was substantially wet below the surface then you'd notice swelling?
The idea of lifting and shuffling the stuff has some appeal, but I found a significant % breaks on lifting if it's glued together, pieces will be cut to fit and fading may be a problem. Recycling a few recovered planks from a room we carpeted worked, but expecting 100% recovery seems 'hopeful'.
They seem to have ran laminate under the kitchen units so that would be fair game for lifting, but might reach out for help there.
thebraketester said:
I would spill water in a few more places and call it "antique".
Chucklehead said:
encourage it to dry. leave it. see how it looks in a month.
I'm fairly sure it is dry already by now?Calza said:
I'm fairly sure it is dry already by now?
It probably is "dry" but the black staining is probably a fungal growth which needs damp to flourish it will die in dry conditions though it won't go completely it may get to the point you can tolerate it? It looks like there is a thin veneer of real wood, so it might respond well to a light rub down with a fine grit abrasive and reseal. Depends on what it s made of?Calza said:
Chucklehead said:
encourage it to dry. leave it. see how it looks in a month.
I'm fairly sure it is dry already by now?No doubt you don't want to go to that length, but over time you may get there.
shalmaneser said:
That looks a lot like wood to me not laminate? Either way I think you need to live with it or buy a carpet!
Unclear, I'd always assumed it was laminate but could definitely be wrong?WyrleyD said:
Have those boards been up before? Looks like it, the way they have been laid with the same "join"over several boards.
No - quite a few of them line up like through the rooms, must have been how it was laid.Rumblestripe said:
It probably is "dry" but the black staining is probably a fungal growth which needs damp to flourish it will die in dry conditions though it won't go completely it may get to the point you can tolerate it? It looks like there is a thin veneer of real wood, so it might respond well to a light rub down with a fine grit abrasive and reseal. Depends on what it s made of?
Chucklehead said:
Doesn't look like it. To the touch maybe, but do you have a moisture meter? I only say this because i'm helping a family member with a house with water damage just now, and i was amazed at how much of the laminate came back with constant 28-30 degrees heat, a dehumidifier and some forced air driers..
No doubt you don't want to go to that length, but over time you may get there.
You could be right. By chance I got a moisture meter today for something else and stabbed it in. I think in the general the floor is about 8% and this was 24%! No doubt you don't want to go to that length, but over time you may get there.
I wonder if a few hours of this setup will help? 1.5KW
Is probably too much that close, but if I lift it up a foot or two and give it a few...
Edited by Calza on Wednesday 11th January 19:20
If it is real veneer, then scraping off the finish and using oxalic acid and/or wood bleach has a fair chance of improving things.
It does look a lot more like wood than most wood-effect laminates do, particularly for something that's had 20 years to fade.
But photos on PCs can be deceptive.
You should be able to find a varnish with similar-enough sheen properties, or you can put several coats on the repair and a coat over the whole room.
Skilled people have been known to cut out and replace sections of veneer.
It does look a lot more like wood than most wood-effect laminates do, particularly for something that's had 20 years to fade.
But photos on PCs can be deceptive.
You should be able to find a varnish with similar-enough sheen properties, or you can put several coats on the repair and a coat over the whole room.
Skilled people have been known to cut out and replace sections of veneer.
Calza said:
Have moved the heater, hoping a few hours at this will dry it!
I reckon you need to leave it weeks, not a few hours with a heater. You are trying to dry the boards to their core, not just the surface. heat might even make things worse by warping the boards. Ditto acid to remove marks. You most likely will replace some dark stains with a nice white patch.....Why not just leave it for a few months? If, by the end of the summer, it still looks bad enough to worry you then fix it then.
fwiw our front room with laminate (not wood) was properly flooded (ie 1cm of standing water) by an idiot builder. To the point the boards bowed up due to swelling. After 6 months it looked no worse than any other 5 year old laminate. If we had tried to fix it when it happened we would have had a load of unneccesary cost and hassle.
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