Laminate Flooring Joint Damage

[RQ]

We have some rubber playmats on our laminate floor (non-glued, click together type) for our daughter to play on. Recently a spill went unnoticed and seeped through the mats onto our floor. This has resulted in a few of the joints swelling in a relatively small area (1 to 2 sq. ft). Since we've left it uncovered, the swelling has dissipated slightly but is still noticeable. Is there any way to fix these areas without plank replacement? (like applying a heavy flat weight to the area) or is replacement the only option. The are is in the middle of the room so I am assuming replacement means a lot of work.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Todd]

I thought that kind of flooring was resistant to spills and burns. I would try the weight before replacing any of the planks. It may just take awhile to dry. You should check your warranty and see what it states.

T [8D]

[Gummi_Girl]

I have 1000 sq ft of laminate and love it! It is great for "lived-in" spaces. With dogs, kids, and a husband in the house -- I am so pleased with the abuse it takes and the ability to look new after a fresh mop-job!

Unfortunately, you will need to disassemble the floor to replace the damaged planks. Laminate is a wood product; wood and water do not mix (most of the web sites I just reviewed, stated that the laminate cores are made of high density fiberboard). Once the laminate has expanded, I doubt you will get the results you are hoping for from placing a weight on the flooring -- unless you are talking about industrial compression, of course.

Liquids are one of the very few things that can cause damage to the laminate cores. Our floor representative showed us some photos of water damage that occurred on the seams of another customer -- he told us at that time to never allow liquids to stand on the seams. Those photos left an impression on us & we are always yelling about mopping up spills.

Just think of your floor as a large puzzle. Post photos if you have some... I would be interested to see before and after shots.
Good Luck!

[rockyjp]

Applying a heavy flat weight to the area is not suitable. It will distroy the locking system of the normal laminate floor beside the transmutative planks. The transmutative planks can't be normal again. You need to replace it.