Need Help with Poorly Installed Laminated Floor

[Gabriel OYL]

I'm having a major situation with my flooring as a result of an improper installation by a local handyman.

My handyman failed to factor in sufficient expansion gap and 3 months after installation; my flooring started buckling. He's now basically uncontactable and I'm left with a bouncy, uneven flooring that feels terrible. Long story short;

• Subfloor is 1" Plywood
• Laminates had insufficient expansion gap and expanded into the wall
• Floor nows feels bouncy and sinks in at various points
• Area is 1700 Square Foot.

Here's what I'm planning to do;

1. Remove the existing laminate and install new laminates over it - Though the plywood subfloor may be slightly uneven from planks to planks (It's built with 4' x 8' plywood planks).

2. Overlay new laminates running across the old ones, and hope the unevenness won't be felt.

Would you guys be able to advise which would be the best option to consider?

 

[Floorist]

Pull up the baseboard and cut the existing laminate enough to leave a gap. The stuff should flatten out..

 

[Gabriel OYL]

Yes, Actually tried pulling up the baseboard and cutting existing laminates, however, a number of planks (especially in the middle) are still bowing in an inverted 'U' shape. Thoughts?

 

[Nick]

#1 .. Remove the old , Get a 6' level @ Harbor freight for $20.00 or so .. Fill in the low spots to within 1/8 " of being flat ..

How far apart is your joists ? What kind , Lam , or wood .. You don't want to put the new floor on a bouncy substrate ..

After the cuts is the Lam against the wall ?

 

[Gabriel OYL]

Thanks for the reply.

What should I be using to fill in the low spots? Does it matter if I fill the low spots along between the plywood planks, or must I fill the entire plank?

Joists are 40cm apart, steel structure.

Indeed, many of the existing laminates are bouncy at the moment, flexed in an inverted "U".

After the cuts, laminates are no longer against the wall, but the existing laminates are still flexed, especially the ones in the middle of the room. They sink a little when you step over it.

Thoughts?

 

[Nick]

Your joist are spaced OK.. You want to fill in between the joist .. Depending on how low the substrate is you can use shingles , tar paper , 30 lb, or 15 lb..
Is the substrate attached to the steel joist, or another floor ?
Is your floor running with the joist , or across them ?

 

[Ernesto]

Typically what i see is handymen/DIY not undercutting door casings or just undercutting the door casing trim. Then butting the floor to the casing.
You can sand down the seams in the plywood or use an electric hand planer instead of filling low spots if the nails or screws are counter sunk properly . Maybe a combination of the two.
Nuther problem is no gap under the transition moldings .