gaps have openwd in laminate floor - fixable?

JennyP

Gaps have opened up in my laminate flooring but it's in otherwise good condition. Seems a shame to replace it just because of that but the gaps are really quite bad. I'm wondering if it's fixable. I'm loathe to take the whole floor up and refit it though and wondered if a) there was any way of fixing it without doing that and b) if anyone had tried fixing a similar problem with any degree of success!

Norman_Castle

How big are the gaps?. Laminate boards should lock together so shouldn't separate. If its solid wood it may have contracted due to the dry weather and may expand when humidity levels rise.
I've moved lines of boards by using a crowbar between the end of the board and the wall.

JennyP

2,mm ... Maybe 3.
They have been down an awful long time and we're cheap to start with. But huge sections are still absolutely perfect so it seems a shame to get the whole flat redone for a few dodgy bits!

Norman_Castle

Laminate shouldn't shrink. Its possible parts of the floor are moving into the expansion gap at the edges. Have you tried moving them back into place?.

JennyP

It hasn't shrunk. It's moved. I don't know quite how to set about moving them back - some of the gaps are in the middle of the room! But nervous about pulling it up to try to fix it. I might make it worse! Hence the question@

Norman_Castle

Are the gaps at the end or the edge of the boards?.

JennyP

In between boards - some along the long edge, some the short.

Norman_Castle

To come undone the joints must be pretty loose. I would try either levering parts of the floor back into place to close the gaps. This requires a suitable gap at the edge and a secure skirting board, or tapping them back into place by either using the hooked tool used when fitting or by removing a board at the edge and using a piece of wood to protect the board edge while tapping the board into place.
Obviously you need to remove any weight from parts of the floor you're trying to move.

JennyP

Thanks for all the replies to this. I managed to lift some boards and put them back and have improved the floor considerably. It isn't perfect by any means. 2 boards had had a bit of water damage from leaking radiators so had warped a little and will never go back in properly.
My aim now is to find a good filler that I can fill any remaining little gaps with so that the floor looks even better!